Vincent Stone had no idea exactly how much money his father had given him, but it was probably enough. After checking the finances, he nodded enthusiastically—this amount was more than sufficient to invest in a horror film.
In fact, it was enough to elevate the movie to a blockbuster level. With this budget, they could afford top-tier special effects and music.
Now that the film was confirmed for production, the next steps were casting, finalizing the script, and selecting filming locations. Fortunately, the employees at the company could handle these tasks for him.
This was precisely why his father had bought him a film company, professionals should handle professional work.
"Boss, do you have any specific instructions regarding the casting for this movie?" the balding man asked, rubbing his hands together with a smile.
The other employees maintained serious expressions, as if unaware of what casting truly entailed. Only Jin couldn't help but glance at Vincent.
Casting was a big deal. Even in the Pokémon world, the entertainment industry had its dark side, something that was nearly impossible to avoid.
Aside from the well-known superstars, there were plenty of good-looking people waiting for their big break, a chance to land a role. And where there was opportunity, there were inevitably under-the-table dealings.
Beyond the adorable Pokémon and the trainers striving to be the very best, the Pokémon world was still a real place. Its entertainment industry wasn't much different from the one in his previous life.
Vincent understood what the balding man was hinting at.
This movie was entirely his—from the script to the director to the investment. He had absolute authority here. If he wanted, he could handpick anyone for any role, and if he felt like it, he could indulge in all sorts of pleasures.
But Vincent had no interest in that.
The Stone family didn't bother with such trivial matters.
To Joseph Stone and Steven Stone, women were far less appealing than rocks.
And for Vincent? Women would only slow down his Pokémon training progress.
"No need. For this casting, aside from the doll role, which will be played by my Little Mimi, I only have one requirement for the other roles." Vincent stroked Little Mimi's head and swept his gaze over his employees.
"Veteran actors only. No amateurs who can't memorize lines for long takes, no cringe-worthy performances. None of them are allowed in this film. I'll be the main director." Vincent tapped the table, setting the tone for Dead Silence.
The balding man felt both disappointed and surprised. He had assumed Vincent would insist on casting big-name stars, but the new boss's ambitions were unexpectedly grand.
"Let's start the preliminary preparations. Secure locations, send audition invitations to suitable actors. Jin, you and the scriptwriting team stay behind. We need to polish the script." Vincent was already eager.
He couldn't wait to bring Dead Silence to theaters in this world and let people experience true terror.
Though Vincent had already outlined most of the script, refining it wasn't easy. By the time the company was about to close for the day, they had only gotten halfway through the discussion.
"Alright, it's almost time to clock out. Let's continue tomorrow." Vincent clapped his hands. He wasn't a fan of overtime. With many film-related tasks still pending, rushing the script now wouldn't make much sense.
Jin and the others exchanged glances, slightly surprised, but being able to leave on time was always something to celebrate. Soon, the entire office was empty, filled only with the cheerful atmosphere of employees heading home.
Vincent stretched.
In this life, he had been born with a silver spoon. His older brother Steven treated him well and had no interest in inheriting Devon Corporation. And him?
What a coincidence—he wasn't particularly interested in inheriting Devon Corp either.
Just look at the old man. His hair had turned white at such a young age. Being the head of a leading enterprise came with prestige, but also immense pressure. Vincent still considered himself too green to shoulder the responsibilities of Devon Corp.
"Boss!" A familiar voice called out. Little Mimi immediately jumped onto Vincent's head, its tiny eyes fixed on Jin, who was jogging over from behind.
Vincent naturally recognized the voice—after all, he had just been discussing the script with its owner.
"Jin? What's up?" Vincent looked at Jin, puzzled.
It was already after work hours. Surely no one actually wanted to work overtime, right? That would be ridiculous.
"Boss, about that jump scare scene you mentioned earlier, I think—" Jin caught his breath, then eagerly began explaining.
He couldn't contain his excitement. He desperately wanted to discuss the script all night with this new boss who had proposed a revolutionary horror film concept!
"Jin, work stays at work. Discussing work matters after hours? You're breaking the law here, you know that?" Vincent patted Jin's shoulder with a sigh.
He had no interest in talking shop right now.
Jin stared blankly as his boss walked away, Little Mimi still perched on his head, curiously looking back at him. A sudden, restless frustration filled him—it was like knowing an earth-shattering secret but having no one to share it with.
"A boss who hates overtime this much… I've never seen anything like it." Jin's bewildered words dissolved into the wind along with his tangled emotions.
"Little Mimi, when we're filming, you'll have to stay still like a regular doll, okay?" Vincent carried Little Mimi, stroking its head as he strolled through the streets of Rustboro City.
The streets were crowded, and the buzz around the new Champion Steven had already faded.
In just one morning, the excitement over the new Champion had been replaced by mundane gossip and daily routines.
Still, aspiring trainers continued to flock to the Rustboro City Gym, eager for their chance to battle.
"A trainer's eye contact is the signal for battle! Let's have an intense Pokémon battle!" Watching two kids enthusiastically preparing for an impromptu street battle, Vincent couldn't help but chuckle.
Sure enough, Officer Jenny, her smile strained but polite, arrived on her Arcanine.
Vincent stretched. Now that work was over, what should he do next?
Then it hit him.
"Let's go take a look."
(End of Chapter)