Chapter 53: The Money From The Game Sale Has Arrived
The moment William and his party stepped out of the Olympic Hall, they were swarmed by paparazzi. Some of the bolder photographers on motorcycles rode dangerously close to their convoy.
William, who was driving, was nearly blinded by the constant camera flashes. These people had absolutely no regard for the driver's safety. Fortunately, Kensington Palace was not far away.
The three cars drove directly into the palace grounds. Princess Diana greeted them at the door as before. It was just six o'clock when they entered, and William chatted with the princess and the two young princes.
After Prince Charles returned from his duties, everyone sat down for a pleasant dinner in the restaurant.
After the meal, Prince Charles invited William and the princes for a walk around the Kensington grounds.
Prince Charles deliberately led the group near the main gate, in full view of the paparazzi outside the palace walls. He smiled and let them take pictures, occasionally patting William's shoulder in a familiar gesture. This sent the photographers into a frenzy; this would be big news tomorrow.
Before long, news vans began to arrive. The public, watching the broadcasts, was stunned. Who was this William Devinshire, and how did he have such a close relationship with the royal family?
The group chatted about football and movies, but the conversation eventually turned to the U.S. stock market. Prince Charles was both excited and worried about the current climate.
He was excited because he had invested in the Nasdaq in recent years and done quite well. He was worried because, like many others, he felt the market's valuation was too high.
The highs were getting a bit crazy. The market's irrationality was no laughing matter. It seemed even the cleaning ladies were giving stock tips, and a single day's gain in the market was worth more than a week of their hard work.
This made Prince Charles deeply uneasy. He had consulted many experts recently, but none could offer a unified opinion. He mentioned his concerns to William casually, not expecting any particular insight, just making conversation on a pleasant evening.
William observed the Prince of Wales, who seemed completely different from the man he remembered from his previous life. He was gentle, elegant, and still a devoted husband to Princess Diana.
William lowered his head and pretended to think, recalling the real reasons for the crash that he had learned about in his past life. Of course, he couldn't reveal everything. The market was a complex beast, and he didn't know every single detail himself.
What William did know was that the Nasdaq's previous peak was 5132.52, and its highest point this year, on March 10, had been 5048.62.
The direct cause of the crash was a plunge in biotech stocks that triggered a sharp decline across the entire tech sector. This was compounded by Microsoft losing its antitrust case on April 3rd, which sent the market into a panic that lasted until September 2002.
He didn't remember all the specifics, but he knew enough to make a fortune.
Prince Charles noticed William was deep in thought and gestured for William and Harry to be quiet, curious to hear what the young man had to say.
After a few minutes of feigned contemplation, William looked up and said to Prince Charles, "Your Royal Highness, I actually spent a lot of time thinking about the Nasdaq back in January. Once I came to a conclusion, I sold my game company as quickly as possible."
"Because I knew that even if the game could earn me hundreds of millions, it would take years, maybe even a decade. And if the market turned sour and people no longer had disposable income, all ancillary revenue from the game would drop significantly."
"My judgment is that the Nasdaq index will likely peak in the coming months. The simplest reason is that very few of these tech companies are actually profitable."
"The majority of them are smoke and mirrors. Executives are cashing out, and without real profits, there are no funds for research and development. Instead, that money is being poured into stock market speculation. Many people are even borrowing from banks to invest. All that money is tied up in the market."
"The moment there's a slight downturn, as soon as the market falls by even a few dozen points, the majority of these leveraged investments will be forcibly liquidated by the banks through margin calls. Panic will spread, and a collapse will be inevitable."
Although William's explanation was simple, it sounded more convincing to Prince Charles than anything the experts had said. It gave a clear reason for the unease he had been feeling.
But there was nothing he could do. Downing Street wouldn't listen to him. Prince Charles sighed and asked William, "So, you sold your company so quickly because you plan to short the stock market?"
William nodded. This was precisely why he had said all this. He hoped Prince Charles would spread the word, but His Royal Highness was too cautious. He warned William and Harry that if what William said became public, it would have a huge impact, and William could face a public crusade.
But that was fine. As they were walking, William's enhanced senses had detected two paparazzi in the shadows with a parabolic microphone. That was why he had deliberately walked to a spot only a dozen meters from the gate, allowing the men to eavesdrop.
Prince Charles's security detail also spotted the two men and reported them. The prince looked at William, silently asking if he should have them chased off.
William just smiled and shook his head. He wanted someone to spread what he had said. He watched the two paparazzi slip away, feeling a sense of triumph.
Prince Charles shook his head with a smile. "William, you must know the consequences if people hear what you just said."
"Of course, I know. But being cursed now will be exchanged for praise later. By giving a warning shot, there will be less trouble in the future. And your concerns are misplaced, Your Highness. If the market really does crash, those words I just spoke might even enhance your reputation."
"Alright, I know you're clever. You've thought this through. Come, we've put on enough of a show. Let's go back for a drink."
"My pleasure. Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
The two paparazzi were trembling with excitement. They knew if they sold this recording, they would be rich. They scrambled to a vehicle full of equipment and sped away.
After an hour of drinking whiskey, William bid the three princes goodbye and headed home. By the time he arrived, the television news was already broadcasting the statements he had made at Kensington Palace with Prince Charles about a potential Nasdaq collapse.
The story instantly caused an uproar across England. In a single night, William went from being the nation's most celebrated young genius to its most reviled figure.
No one wanted to hear that the stock market might decline; too many people's fortunes were at stake.
William didn't bother turning on the TV when he got home; he knew he would be crucified. He went to his room and began to practice with the eighteen flying knives he had bought, using the "Target Eye" mental technique he had been developing.
At 8 PM, William received a call from the Swiss National Bank. The funds for the game purchase had been deposited at 3 PM, Greenwich Mean Time.
Shortly after, he received a similar call from the Bank of England, confirming a second deposit.
William instructed both banks to convert the total sum of £135 million into US dollars. At the current exchange rate, that came to $220 million. It was best to have the funds in dollars for shorting the US market.
After hanging up, William let out a shout of excitement. The last of his worries had vanished. He was a genuine multi-millionaire. He was a 220-million-dollar man before the age of twenty.
In his excitement, William flicked his wrist, and a knife flew from his hand, struck the far wall, and rebounded perfectly back into his grasp.
His good mood fueled his practice, and over the next few hours, he made rapid progress. He had finally mastered the Target Eye technique. He now had another life-saving skill.
The eighteen knives appeared and disappeared from his hands in a blur of motion as he played with them.
Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting his self-congratulatory mood. He put the knives away and answered, seeing it was Barney, the leader of his mercenary team.
As soon as William picked up, he heard Barney's apologetic voice. "Sorry, boss. We messed up. Carlos is dead."
*What the hell?* William thought. *It was just one man. How could he be dead?*
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