Chapter 472: Chapter 471: Acquiring the Container
Actually, there were many deeper grievances that were not convenient to discuss openly.
For example, when the influence of "Football Guru" was growing, some suggested that "Football Guru" could hype up some young players and promote them as the next Deng Kai or Wu Xudong.
That way, they could make a significant income through trading these players, or use their inflated valuations to balance accounts, or even place these players in certain special and important matches to achieve precise control over the score.
Of course, there were even more complex methods of use, essentially having "Football Guru" assist them in gray market dealings.
In the future, many people thought that the national team had been declining only after 2002. How could it not deteriorate over twenty years to this extent? How could it become so full of holes?
But actually, by 2002, fans had already started expressing such doubts.
By then, the domestic football scene had already become full of holes.
There were even instances where gangsters, wielding sprayers, threatened certain team coaches, forcing them to place certain players in the starting lineup. These players were included in the starting lineup because the coaches felt something was off about them.
Situations like this were not one-offs.
The industry was thoroughly rotten.
Medicine was useless.
"Football Guru" certainly could not earn these dirty and dark types of money and decisively refused.
So in Kai’s stronghold, his reputation was now in jeopardy.
After all, "virtue" has always been valued highly in our country.
But "Football Guru" soon launched a counterattack.
"A story of three people, yet the media only mention you two, Feng Te says he’s been overlooked too much!"
"That year at nineteen, in a BMW, sitting like henchmen! ’Double Kai’ date, Feng Te was there, a testament to their innocence!"
"Feng Te: Keira came to talk business with Kai, she had some questions about the script and wanted to hear Kai’s opinions."
But the power of one Feng Te was clearly not enough.
At least on the international stage, most netizens still thought there was something between Deng Kai and Keira.
The related topics were getting hotter.
Especially in England, where Keira went from a rather unnoticeable child star, the next British Rose, to becoming a legitimate British Rose, becoming a symbolic figure for the English to rival the American sweetheart, Hathaway.
Popularity brings traffic.
Competition brings status.
Keira had not had any major work released, yet she had achieved an exaggerated status in the entertainment industry.
It simply left her peers dumbfounded.
This Deng Kai must have some kind of magic, right?
Before long, many female models started getting ideas.
But they only saw part of the picture.
Behind the "Keira’s meteoric rise event", there were actually multiple reasons, the main reason being what most couldn’t see.
But Deng Kai could see it.
Ask yourself, what media would go all the way from the British Isles to follow Keira to the Iberian Peninsula?
Even if they had the budget, time, and inclination, would they do it without any news?
So the answer was very clear.
Someone had given The Sun Newspaper early news.
Considering The Sun Newspaper’s dual focus on entertainment and football.
Having considered Keira’s movements,
and even predicted Deng Kai’s actions,
the identity of the other party wasn’t hard to pinpoint.
Deng Kai took out his cellphone and dialed a number from his contacts.
"Hello, Kai? What’s up, nervous about going to Barcelona?" The other party sounded very natural.
Deng Kai chuckled, "Nervous? Not really, but it’s also not as relaxed as your Manchester United advancing to the quarterfinals early. David, what has the sister-in-law been up to these days?"
Beckham said, "She’s been struggling these past few days, brainstorming for the upcoming release of ’I Love Beckham.’ You know, we all hope this movie can become a landmark in football history."
"Just like Jordan’s ’Space Slam Dunk.’"
Deng Kai nodded. His 95 percent certainty turned into full certainty.
He then relayed the matter to Beckham.
Just from Deng Kai’s explanation, Beckham already believed it because it indeed matched Victoria’s style of doing things.
However, Deng Kai mentioned that there was no need for Beckham to be upset with Victoria, it wasn’t a bad thing, they just needed confirmation.
Soon after, Beckham made a call, "Kai, sorry, it was indeed Victoria’s doing, she..."
Deng Kai was very magnanimous, "No worries, really, it’s fine. I’m not someone who fears media exposure, nor do I mind the widespread public opinion. As long as I can make things clear with Hathaway, Keira, and anyone else involved in the incident, none of these are an issue."
"But indeed, this has been a pretty good marketing stunt. By tonight, news related to ’I Love Beckham’ will go online. Wave after wave, it’s likely to harvest all the entertainment circle’s attention. This film will have a nice opening performance."
Beckham was dumbfounded, "You’re really not upset?"
Deng Kai, "Absolutely not, it won’t affect our relationship, I guarantee it."
"This is a win-win situation. Your movie will gain more attention, Keira will have a stronger bargaining chip for the role in ’The Fake God.’"
"Hathaway kept her own popularity and level of interest low key while joining the crew, but when the movie’s promotion phase starts, she can even use this incident to stir things up and gather focus for the new movie, just like a perpetual motion machine."
"Of course, all this presupposes that there’s really nothing going on between me and Keira. Otherwise... everyone involved would be hurt. So, next time, before pulling a stunt like this, Victoria could totally give me a heads-up, and we could make this marketing ploy even more perfect, couldn’t we?"
Beckham nodded again and again, "Indeed, indeed, Kai, you’re very generous. But tell me, if this is all so good for everyone, isn’t there a downside? It seems like you don’t get much out of it."
"After all, you’re not lacking in attention. If it were anyone else, it might even affect their game performance."
"This match against Barcelona is crucial."
Deng Kai said, "The match is fine. I never worry about my games, because I give it my all every time. If I were to lose, I’d accept it."
"The only one who might be hurt by this entire plan is actually you, David."
Beckham looked bewildered.
Deng Kai said, "Although I can handle this situation well, Victoria’s approach was still a bit unkind. As her brother, you ought to at least express an apology, right?"
Beckham was slightly embarrassed, "Indeed, I am willing to apologize to you on Victoria’s behalf, just like you would on behalf of Hathaway and Keira."
"Is it about the signed football? A whole container, right? Your big bro David will take care of it for you!"
Deng Kai gave a thumbs up through the phone, "Worthy of being England’s top star! England’s number one football player! Class act!"
Beckham, "Then send over the container, my address here is..."
Deng Kai cut Beckham off, "No no no, I’ll arrange the container, but you might have to pick it up from the port of Manchester. Shipping it here isn’t very convenient."
Beckham frowned, "The port? Why?"
"Because this container, is for a shipping container!" Deng Kai hung up first, leaving Beckham howling in tears on the other end of the phone!
He believed, the next time Beckham appeared in public, his right hand would probably be wrapped in a medical bandage.
