Chapter 53: Game Sale Money Arrives

As soon as William and his group left the Olympic Hall, they were followed by paparazzi. Some bold ones even rode motorcycles to get close and take pictures.

While driving, William was almost blinded by the flashlights, making it hard to see the road. These guys really didn't care about the safety of the drivers. Fortunately, Kensington wasn't far.

The three cars drove directly into Kensington, where Princess Diana was waiting to greet them at the entrance. It was just six o'clock when they arrived, and William spent time chatting with the princess and the two princes.

When Prince Charles returned from work, everyone gathered for a pleasant dinner in the dining room.

After dinner, Prince Charles took Wilson, Harry, and William for a walk in Kensington.

Prince Charles didn't mind the paparazzi outside the palace and even walked towards the gate, letting them take pictures with a smile and occasionally patting William on the shoulder. This made the paparazzi go crazy with excitement, knowing they had big news for tomorrow.

It wasn't long before broadcast trucks arrived, and the curious audience was surprised. Who was this William Devonshire that had such a good relationship with the royal family?

The group talked about football, movies, culture, and geography, eventually touching on the American stock market. Prince Charles expressed his excitement and concerns about the current market.

He was thrilled because his investments in Nasdaq over the past few years had paid off handsomely. However, he was worried because many people were now concerned that the market was overvalued.

The market's high valuations were driving people crazy. Everyone was trading stocks, even janitors who found that a day's stock market gains could equal a week's hard work. This worried Prince Charles deeply. He had heard various opinions from experts but had no consensus. He mentioned this to William, not expecting much advice, just voicing his long-held concerns on a happy day.

William looked at this Prince of England, so different from the one he remembered. He had a good impression of this elegant, humorous prince who was loyal to Princess Diana.

William thought back to some analyses he had read in his past life and remembered a few key facts. Although he didn't know everything, he had enough information to make a significant profit.

He knew that the stock market peaked at 5132.52, with Nasdaq reaching a high of 5048.62 in March this year. The immediate cause of the crash was the sharp decline in biotech stocks, which dragged down tech stocks. The market panic intensified after Microsoft's antitrust case loss on April 3rd, leading to a continuous decline until September 2002.

Prince Charles saw William deep in thought and stopped Wilson and Harry from interrupting him. He suddenly wanted to hear William's opinion.

After a few minutes, William looked up and said to Prince Charles, "Your Highness, I've thought a lot about Nasdaq since January. Once I understood, I couldn't wait to sell the 'Plants vs. Zombies' game. Even if the game could earn me billions over several years, it would be at risk if the market turned bad. People without money wouldn't spend on game-related products."

"My judgment is that Nasdaq might peak in the coming months. The simple reason is that less than 1% of tech companies are profitable. Most are cooking the books, and executives are cashing out. Massive R&D funds are invested with no returns. The entire nation is investing in stocks, many with borrowed money and high leverage. There's no cash left, it's all in the stock market. A small risk could trigger a drop of dozens or hundreds of points, leading to forced liquidation by banks and widespread panic. A crash would be inevitable."

Although William's explanation was simple, it was more convincing to Prince Charles than the experts' opinions. His own doubts about the stock market, especially the US market, were confirmed by William's words, providing a reasonable explanation.

But there wasn't much he could do. Downing Street wouldn't listen to him. Prince Charles sighed and asked William, "So, you sold the game quickly to short the market?"

William nodded. He hoped Prince Charles would spread his words, but the prince was honorable. He instructed Wilson and Harry not to repeat William's words, as it could have severe repercussions.

However, it didn't matter. While walking towards the gate, William's mental energy had detected two paparazzi with small audio receivers. Intentionally, he walked within ten meters of the gate, allowing them to eavesdrop clearly.

Prince Charles's security had also noticed the two suspicious paparazzi. After reporting to the prince, he looked at William, indicating whether to pursue them.

William smiled and shook his head, hoping someone would spread his words. Watching the two paparazzi run off, he felt elated.

Prince Charles shook his head with a smile and said, "William, you know the consequences of the public hearing your words."

"Of course. I'm well aware. But the current criticism will turn into future praise. A preventive warning now will lessen future troubles. And your concerns could benefit your reputation if the market does crash."

"Alright, I know you're clever. As long as you've thought it through, let's go back for a drink."

"No problem, and thank you, Your Highness."

The two paparazzi, trembling with excitement, knew they would make a fortune selling the recording. They quickly ran to their car and sped away.

After an hour of drinking whiskey, William bid farewell to the three princes and returned home. By then, the TV was already broadcasting William's comments about the Nasdaq crash from Kensington.

The news caused a stir in England. William, once the most popular genius, suddenly became the most disliked person. No one wanted to see the stock market fall, as it affected too many people's interests.

Back home, William didn't turn on the TV, knowing it would only anger him. He went to his room to practice with the eighteen throwing knives he had bought, using the experience ingrained in his mind.

At eight o'clock, William received a call from the Swiss National Bank. Blockbuster had transferred the game sale money at 3 PM US time. Shortly after, he received a call from the Bank of England with the same information.

William instructed both banks to convert the pounds into dollars. At the current exchange rate, 135 million pounds would convert to 220 million dollars. It would be easier to short the market in the US with dollars.

After hanging up, William shouted excitedly, finally relieved of his worries. He was now a genuine billionaire with 220 million dollars before turning 20. In two months, he might even become a billionaire in dollars.

Excited, William flicked his hand, and the throwing knife circled the room and returned to his hand.

After practicing for a few hours, his mood significantly improved, and he mastered the skill of hitting targets with his knives, adding another self-defense technique to his repertoire.

The eighteen finger-length throwing knives kept appearing and disappearing in William's hands, and he enjoyed playing with them.

His phone suddenly rang, interrupting his fun. Putting away the knives, William answered the call. It was Barney from the Expendables.

"Sorry, boss, we messed up. Carlos is dead."

Damn it, how could you fail at simply capturing someone?

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