Entertainment: Starting as a Succubus, Taking Hollywood by Storm Chapter 901 - 886: A True Friend

Martin assessed his haul: 70 crates of gold from Gaddafi and Saif al-Islam, valued at roughly $3.8 billion. Add in the antiques and artworks, and the total neared $10 billion, not counting the funds siphoned from Saif's anonymous accounts.

A fortune of ill-gotten gains.

With a wave, Martin distributed $50 million among Satan and the soldiers involved in the operation. The rcenaries, thrilled, preferred cash—gold, art, and antiques were too cumberso to fence and risked drawing attention from Gaddafi's loyalists.

Martin had no plans to sell the items, storing them in his private vault. Gaddafi's wealth staggered him. This haul alone approached $10 billion, and that was just the movable assets. Including the family's industries and offshore accounts, Gaddafi's greed justified his end.

…

After Gaddafi's death, NATO and the U.S. swiftly recognized the Transitional Governnt's legitimacy. Oil giants from both nations flooded Libya, eyeing its resources like predators. France's Total, Britain's BP, the U.S.'s Texas Oil Group, and Martin's Campbell Oil Company joined the fray.

Martin, unsatisfied with his windfall, aid to bleed Libya further. If soone's going to profit, might as well be . With Obama in power, Martin leveraged his "reliable" support. Obama, while careful not to alienate Texas Oil, subtly favored Campbell Oil.

As a result, Campbell Oil secured a unique edge: Martin was nad "U.S.-Libya Liaison and Political Observer," making him a pri target for flattery by Libya's new governnt officials.

Martin didn't go himself, sending David Scott instead. Scott, a man driven by ambition and money, arrived in Tripoli and was sward with invitations to lavish banquets. He quickly bonded with Libya's power players.

Two weeks later, Campbell Oil acquired a 50% stake in Sharara, Libya's largest oil field. The other half remained with the new governnt, a pattern applied to all Libyan oil fields.

Sharara, rich and easily accessible, was not only Libya's biggest but also North Africa's largest, ranking 15th globally. This acquisition catapulted Campbell Oil past Texas Oil, making it the world's top oil company.

Martin's wealth surged, solidifying his status as the world's richest man.

…

While mainstream dia buzzed about Campbell Oil's Sharara deal, Martin returned to Los Angeles, diving into post-production for The Avengers and occasionally visiting the Hunger Gas set to check on Jennifer Lawrence.

"What's for dinner tonight, honey?" Jennifer asked.

"How about French cuisine?"

"Ooh, a treat! I love it."

Jennifer bounced around Martin like an excited fawn, vibrant and cheerful.

The Hunger Gas director Gary Ross sotis half-joked, "Martin, stop coming around. Every ti you show up, Jennifer can't stay in character. She's too happy, and I need her stern and tough."

Gary, a forr screenwriter, had directed films like Seabiscuit, though with modest box-office success. His debut was Pleasantville, starring Martin's friend Tobey Maguire. Directing a big-budget comrcial film like The Hunger Gas was new territory, so Gary recruited his friend Steven Soderbergh as second-unit director, specifically for action sequences.

Martin knew Soderbergh but was seeing him on set for the first ti. Soderbergh, a "quick draw," fild all the action scenes in under a month. No small-tir, he'd won the Pal d'Or for Sex, Lies, and Videotape and an Oscar for Traffic. Joining The Hunger Gas as second-unit director was a step down, but he did it for Gary.

While Gary worked, Martin and Soderbergh chatted in the studio.

"Didn't expect Gary to rope you in," Martin said, though he knew the original tiline.

Soderbergh laughed. "Well, Gary and I are friends. I've known him since his screenwriting days. We've collaborated for 15 years, and he's helped out plenty."

"I rember it was April," Soderbergh continued. "Gary called, saying his second-unit team would start in August. He asked if I was free to help. Said he trusted more than so unfamiliar director. I told him, 'Sure, no problem.' I'd just wrapped Contagion and was prepping Magic Mike. Thought it'd be fun, so I signed on."

Martin nodded. "Last ti I was here, it looked like you were mimicking Gary's directing style."

"Exactly," Soderbergh said. "Keeps the film's style consistent. It's Gary's movie—I'm just assisting. The goal is you can't tell which parts I directed. That's why Gary picked ; he knows I'm disciplined enough to match his vision."

Martin smiled. "You're a true friend."

He ant it.