Although still a bit unstable due to his age, he still managed to strike out four batters. You have to know, Steven Reed has played amateur baseball for five years and has only witnessed two strikeouts in person.

The adult team was truly out of options. Even though every time they were on offense, as long as they could get the bat to touch the ball, they could score, most of the time, this boy’s pitching left the opposing batters completely helpless. And when it came to defense, this boy could match the adults’ first baseman in skill, and could be considered quite solid.

Another hour later, the game ended. By this time, John Johnson was already slumped on the field. He loved baseball and had taken the initiative to form this team called “Hate.” Entertainers have little free time, but under his leadership, this team had won more than they lost in games against other community baseball teams. Today was supposed to be just a scouting match against a nearby community’s team, but who would have thought they’d suffer such a defeat? If word got out, would this team even have any face left?

“Uncle, um, enemy captain, we won. Do you have any objections?”

An annoying voice came over. John Johnson turned his head—it was that brat. Wasn’t it just about the field? Did he have to make his team suffer so much?

“Hey, uncle, have some spirit, will you? Winning and losing is part of the game. Pick yourself up, and in eighteen years you’ll be a hero again.”

John Johnson couldn’t help but laugh. This kid was really funny. Forget it, adults shouldn’t argue with kids. He got up and shook hands with the brat. “Kid, well done. We lost, the field is yours. Our ‘Hate’ baseball team will never come to this field again.”

“Hey, uncle, don’t say it like that, it makes us seem petty. You’re welcome to bring your team to play in Gangnam District or Dongcheng District anytime. We’ll be starting school soon, and these fields all belong to the city government—wouldn’t it be a waste to just leave them here?” Mark King smiled as he held John Johnson’s hand, showing off his generosity and two neat rows of teeth to the big-toothed uncle.

“Let me introduce myself, my name is Mark King. I just returned from Los Angeles a month ago. If I’ve done anything impolite, I hope you’ll forgive me, uncle.” Mark King bowed deeply, looking every bit the harmless little bunny.

“Ah... I... I...” John Johnson was completely stunned.

So, with the cheerful communication between the two captains, John Johnson and Mark King, the two teams quickly shook hands and made peace. John Johnson lavishly praised the kids’ baseball skills, while Mark King enthusiastically invited the “Hate” team to come more often to the public sports venues where the kids currently gathered. The atmosphere immediately became much friendlier, and a group of kids started lining up to ask the most popular Samuel Scott for his autograph.

Meanwhile, many of the entertainers from the “Hate” team gathered around Mark King, asking where he had learned his baseball skills.

By the time the full game was over, it was already noon. The elementary school kids, having lost interest, gradually all went home. The entertainers then invited Mark King to a nearby shop for ice cream.

“You uncles are so kind to treat me to ice cream, I have to return the favor.” Mark King licked the cream off his finger and said with a smile, “Next Tuesday at 7 p.m., there’s a movie premiere at the Samsung VIP Cinema at Gwanghuimun. I’d like to invite all of you uncles to come watch the movie!”

Before the group could react, Mark King picked up his legendary Nokia phone hanging around his neck and called Emily Thompson: “Yuboseyo? Auntie Lee, it’s Mark King.”

“There’s something I wanted to tell you.”

“Yes, I know a few entertainer uncles. Can I invite them to the movie premiere?”

“Hmm, you want to talk to them?”

The oldest, Steven Reed, was still a bit dazed when he took the phone, but soon he happily nodded in agreement, then handed the phone to John Johnson beside him.

Just like that, most of the people here agreed to attend the premiere.

The reason they agreed so quickly was simple: even the future stars of the entertainment industry, Samuel Scott and James Young, were at this time only second-rate actors and singers, and as for John Johnson and the “big-nosed king” and the others, as comedians, they were even less well-known. Emily Thompson taking the initiative to invite them to the premiere was actually a mutually beneficial thing.

And so, after this magical baseball game, Mark King not only got to know the members of the “Hate” baseball team, but also got their phone numbers and their promise to attend the premiere.

This day was truly a fruitful one for Mark King.

Chapter 7 Premiere

August 3rd, 6 p.m. Emily Thompson had Eric Bolton pick up Mark King early and bring him to the Samsung VIP Cinema at Gwanghuimun. The soul of the movie, the actress playing the mute grandmother, Irene King, insisted on not leaving her little village. She said that after the movie was released, she’d just have her son take her to the town cinema to watch it once. Emily Thompson also felt it was best to let the old lady live quietly, so she agreed right away.