Chapter 64: The Bizarre World

Someone planned to mess with him, but William White didn't care. He wasn't afraid of normal business tactics, especially since he had no financial pressure after settling his futures in London. The consortium's methods were nothing more than bank pressure, forcing you to sell assets cheaply, maybe even the tax department lending a hand. Stock market tactics were available too, like acquisition or short selling, but William White wasn't afraid of these either. At most, he'd bundle things up and sell. The consortium was very powerful, and they quickly understood the situation. "Boss, there's an issue with White Oil's shares. The public stocks are seriously insufficient. We've found they've been quietly buying out shares," said a white-haired old fellow. "Is this a plan to screw over the Hunter family?" the old guy asked. "Yes, boss. We have reason to believe they now own over half the shares. The Hunter family's acquisition is a joke," came the reply. "Huh? Where did they get the funds? Did they use money from the software company or the film company?" As the Citibank consortium, they could easily access William White's account details. "No, both accounts are normal. Except for overseas revenues not returning on time, the accounts have no anomalies." It wasn't just Citibank trying to figure things out; they simply had more resources at their disposal. "Boss, there's another possibility." Seeing the hesitation in his subordinate, the old guy gave him a look. "Speak." "The futures market." "Are you saying those funds are William White's?" "Yes, boss. Although it's hard to check now, the person handling the trades can't hide." "Any concrete information?" "The establishment dates of these companies align with when William White inherited the family business. Plus, when the Hunter family was maliciously acquiring White Oil, William's recent behavior suggests he holds grudges." "Tsk, this kid's really a tough nut. Keep watching. If it really is him, our plans may go up in smoke," the old guy said, looking frustrated. "Boss, adding pressure on other fronts isn't bad either. Their funds must have issues." "You've lost your marbles! That guy's a mad dog, a damn southerner, are you planning on going head-to-head with a cowboy?" Honestly, William White's sloppy approach did give many people a headache. Everyone wanted to make money, but who would be stupid enough to pick a fight? William White recruiting security wasn't news. The way things were now, he practically had a rapid response force. Texans are tough, and that's no exaggeration. Unless you keep him in the dark, it would undoubtedly be a fight to the finish. The old men were a bit bewildered. This was something from a pre-World War II playbook. Nowadays, in a civilized society, such behavior seemed out of place. ... What they didn't understand was that this was a sign of their insecurities. Like a Chihuahua baring teeth out of fear while a Tibetan mastiff attacks directly, humans and animals often exhibit similar instinctive reactions. Furthermore, this was the behavior of someone with deep-seated insecurities, like a time traveler. Such people lack a sense of security, and he knew well what the despicable actions of the consortium entailed, thanks to future revelations. After years of chaos, America was at its weakest post-war state, with its society lost. Yuppies, punks, hippies - they all sprang from this era. It was the kind of time where young Americans seemed bent on self-destruction. Did they not know the harm of hallucinogens? These aimless souls were just seeking an escape, considering death as the ultimate liberation. Counterculture was about opposing mainstream societal values, whether religious or legal. Many young people opposed them all, and some even supported the Soviets. Don't think only the U.S. was like this. The only remotely normal developed nations were Germany and Japan. So, it's quite interesting that the Axis powers fared well, while other countries seemed to self-destruct in various ways. William White's case wasn't unique. Wealthy families' so-called contingencies were mostly abroad. Should uncontrollable risks emerge at home, they could lead a good life elsewhere. Currently, William White only got five hours of sleep a day. His comic world needed to be planned ahead. These things couldn't be delayed. Who knew when someone else might come up with similar ideas? Better to finish them early. He was determined to carve out a piece of Japan's manga industry. In the U.S., comics had to pass the CCA's review, but not in Japan, as they were graded based on different target groups. Frankly, he didn't understand why. American movies could be graded, so why not comics? The argument that comics were harmful was popular, and some traditional parents wouldn't buy their kids any comics. The notion that comic books could lead to homosexuality was rampant. It was baffling. Why were Batman and Robin considered anything other than close brothers? ***** https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.