Ch. 181..190
Life at the Top Chapter 181
Gulping, Zack licked his dry lips and did his best to stop his voice from shaking. “Since this morning, the Hansel Index has dropped by 3,000 points and the 15 billion we invested in has become a total of 29.6 billion.
“In just one morning, we’ve earned 14.6 billion!”
“Stock god! Mr. Laine, you really are the god of stocks!”
Zack shook as he spoke.
At the same time, stock traders in the room all looked at Jasper with gazes of utter admiration. As executionists who merely followed his orders, they knew better than anyone how decisive and intellectual Jasper’s orders had been.
Many of his seemingly inexplicable orders had proven to have incomparable foresight, for the ever-changing capital market would shift a very short moment afterward.
It was as if Jasper could see through every secret in this treacherous capital market.
Jasper, who had been wearing a solemn expression for the past few hours, finally smiled and said, “Alright. Let’s go eat something now that the market is on break. Eat and drink whatever good food you want, and if there’s anything you need, just tell them and they’ll fulfill it!
“Oh, and everyone gets a 100,000 bonus.”
The stock traders immediately chortled at the news.
Meanwhile, Jasper and the rest left for their meal upstairs.
Both Michael and Henry kept staring at Jasper as they ate, for Jasper seemed as divine to them as God Himself.
“How are you so good at this?” Anna spoke honestly.
Jasper merely smiled. “Am I? It’s still too early for anything to be confirmed. We’ve only just started.”
Zachary heard him and asked, “When do you think the Hansel Index will stop dropping?”
Jasper fell into thought for a moment and tried to remember the result of the financial crisis in his past life.
A total of three trillion US dollars had vanished in this bubble. That was how terrifying it had been.
On the other hand, the Hansel Index had dropped to 8,000 points.
That was more than 60%.
To explain this concept with a simple example, imagine you invested 100 bucks into the stock market before the bubble. When the bubble was over, you would be left with less than 40 bucks.
If you happened to invest in a company that went bankrupt and had to exit the market, then you would be left without a single cent.
Such was the cruel reality of the financial market.
“There’s no way it’ll hold at 10,000 points. I’ll say it’ll drop past 9,000, at least.” Jasper gave a more conservative reply.
Zachary and Michael shared a look and sucked in a cold breath.
They understood what the figure Jasper gave them signified.
Such a figure meant that Harbor City’s economy was set to lose at least five years of its economic growth.
“What’s with your expressions? Don’t we earn more the more it drops?” Henry asked dumbly.
Anna glared at him and replied, “That’s why I told you to read more in your free time. Sure, we’ll earn more the further it drops.
“But you have to remember that our family and Mr. Lane’s family both have roots in Harbor City. How are business families like us supposed to continue making money when Harbor City’s economy is screwed?”
Henry was stunned and quickly responded, “You’re right! What do we do?”
Jasper was deep in thought.
He had been a mere bystander who could only witness what was happening after it happened in his past life. He had only learned of the economic crisis that burst the bubble afterward through reports.
Yet to experience it firsthand now, he could feel that there was an invisible hand controlling this financial crisis.
Someone seemed to be intentionally destroying Harbor City’s economy.
“Harbor Stocks can drop, such is the trend. There’s no way anyone can save it now with how the bubble has been enlarged. But that doesn’t mean Harbor City’s economy can be destroyed,” Jasper stated solemnly.
He had intentions to invest in Harbor City, for its future development would undoubtedly bring unimaginable profits and return. As such, how could he let someone destroy Harbor City’s economy?
“Harbor City must not be destroyed…”
Life at the Top Chapter 182
While the market was put on hold for lunch break, it gave a breather to every person in Harbor City who had been shrouded by gloomy clouds.
Just then, people suddenly realized that this storm had not come without warning.
In the United States across the ocean, a similar situation was occurring.
The entire dot-com bubble was being popped worldwide.
It had originated from the United States and slowly spread to Europe and Terra. Sweeping across the entire world, every stock market in every country and region was affected.
Everyone who entered the stock market with high prices now had to pay a tragic price for their impulsive decisions.
Almost one trillion US Dollars had been lost in the global stock market on the first trading day the bubble popped.
A flood of reports had brought the latest news to citizens of Harbor City, and the readers felt their scalps tingle in fear.
Harbor City had not fully recovered from the financial tsunami attack three years ago, and here they were with the popping of the dot-com bubble. Countless people had grown gray hairs overnight because of this.
With such unprecedented chaos happening in the background, all sorts of monsters and devils began to lurk.
Some so-called stock review experts on the economic channels were frantically advocating how the current crisis was merely a temporary adjustment and that everyone should hold their defenses so that they would not spread and create more panic…
As if anyone was willing to listen to them at this point.
Watching the stock prices drop by the minute and names of shares lining up at the limit down, everyone was worried that they would lose the money they had invested into the market. People were gloomy and they began to think of how they could extract themselves from the situation.
No matter how the outside world thought of and understood the situation, Jasper followed Zachary and Michael back to the living room that was their battleground after lunch.
“Say, Uncle Law, if Harbor City’s economy really faces irreversible losses, will the rich families of Harbor City save the city?” Jasper asked.
Zachary replied without hesitation, “Yes, or at least, most of us will. It’s just like the economic crisis three years ago. Most of Harbor City’s rich businessmen teamed up to defend against the invasion of western investors.
“Harbor City is our home, after all, and no one is excluded. If Harbor City’s economy is destroyed, then we rich families will also have nothing to rely on. Balancing the pros and cons, I think most people would be able to tell which is more important.”
Zachary’s words had given Jasper something to think about.
“Let’s see how it goes first.” Jasper sighed.
Despite Zachary promising him, Jasper could not help but think that there was more to this incident.
If the mysterious force’s target was Harbor City’s economy, then it did not make sense for them to ignore the strength of Harbor City’s wealthy families.
The biggest problem now was that the enemy was in the dark. Jasper did not have enough leads to go on.
However, Jasper had his advantages as well. His biggest one being the same as his opponents—a hidden identity. His only solace was that his opponent did not know enough about himself either.
That afternoon, the market opened again on time.
Just as Jasper had expected, after the short lunch break, bullish funds were gathered together and the battle began to focus on a few representative stocks.
Since it had just been a few minutes since the market reopened, both sides were still trading back and forth.
Such had given countless investors hope and reignited their trust in the market.
However, people in the industry, like Jasper, knew that this was merely a ray of light before death befell.
As expected, ten minutes after the market reopened, there seemed to be no end to the funds from the short position. The bullish people could not hold it up anymore and their line of defense fell again.
This time, it was a rapid drop.
The Hansel Index had instantly fallen by 500 points.
Steady flowing water in a river had suddenly turned into a waterfall that plummeted off the cliff. It sprayed everywhere like an avalanche, and no one could stop the attack from the short position.
“The market crashed!”
Jasper suddenly spoke, staring at the spectacular sight of pure, tragic green on the screen. Almost every stock was dropping.
Life at the Top Chapter 183
At that moment, calls were blowing up Zachary’s phone.
They were all from Harbor City’s rich families, some of whom even held senior positions in the government of Harbor City.
They had one goal.
In face of Harbor City’s current economic crisis that was so severe, the rich were frantic and lost. They needed to communicate a plan.
As the wealthy held the life of Harbor City’s economy in their hands, they were the only ones with the power to turn the tides at such a time.
Even Michael had received similar phone calls.
Both Zachary and Michael were torn between feeling ecstatic and sorrowful.
For the bigger dip the stock market took, the more they earned. Yet letting it continue to drop was no different than killing the goose that laid golden eggs.
Not to mention that the Law family’s prestigious image would be destroyed if the outside world came to know about the situation.
“Not only are the wealthy families frantic, but even the government of Harbor City is urging for action too, Jasper. They need to discuss a plan to save the city. What’s your say in this?”
Zachary had begun to see Jasper as an equal, instead of someone from the younger generation, before he knew it.
Otherwise, Zachary would not ask Jasper for his opinion on something so crucial.
“Saving them goes without saying,” Jasper replied with certainty.
Even Michael could tell.
“Harbor City’s economy is a base. It can drop, but it must not be destroyed.”
Jasper glanced at the stock market that continued to fall without restraint. Harbor City currently had around 1,300 stocks on the market and more than 900 of them had reached the limit down.
With the way things were going, at least 1,000 stocks would reach the limit down before the market closed this evening.
This was a situation that Harbor Stocks had never encountered since its first opening.
To Jasper, Harbor City would turn to be one of his biggest golden cash cows, leading to the burst of growth in his wealth in the future. As such, how would he allow others to destroy this cow of his?
That was no different from getting sacked.
Logically and emotionally speaking, Jasper would not let such a thing occur.
Zachary nodded. “Michael and I will talk to them tomorrow.”
“More than a thousand stocks have reached the limit down!”
Zack’s voice suddenly rang out.
Jasper and the other two turned to look. The scene that was talked about by countless people in his past life had finally appeared.
On the limit down, the number of companies’ stocks: 1,001!
Like some sort of signal, the Hansel Index’s defenses completely fell and dropped by more than 1,000 points!
If one were to look at the market for Harbor Stocks right now, all the stocks they would be able to see were gathered at the limit down, and the entire screen before them would be filled with tragic light green lines.
“Profit report,” Jasper demanded.
“Hansel Index closed at 8,700 points. Total account balance amounts to 45 billion, a total profit of 30 billion!”
15 billion in capital had brought them 30 billion worth of profit.
While everyone had expected it, their hearts could not help but shudder as Zack announced the figure.
Zachary wore an expression of utter shock. Despite being a hero in the business world, he could not stop his heart from shaking in excitement.
“Is… this the capital market? Earring 30 billion worth of profit in a day?!”
Life at the Top Chapter 184
’Popping of the Dot-Com Bubble!’
‘Harbor Stocks Drops Violently by 10,000 Points!’
‘Hundreds of Billion Harbor Dollars Lost!’
‘Financial Tsunami Tragedy Three Years Ago Sweeps Harbor City Again!’
‘Harbor City’s Economy in Danger, Citizens Ask What Now?’
Countless news articles had spread throughout Harbor City that night.
Almost every citizen was affected by the crisis.
Switching on the television, every channel was reporting today’s economic crisis.
What truly chilled the hearts of civilians was that the boss of Carefree Net, an internet company on the stock market, had gone bankrupt and proceeded to kill himself and his kids by jumping from the rooftop.
A true tragedy.
Sorrow and fright could be seen everywhere in Harbor City.
Meanwhile, a joyful party was held in a rural and safe villa somewhere in Harbor City.
“Haha. In these few years, I’ve never been as happy as I am today!”
Bob raised his wine glass and clinked it with Kennedy’s with a smile on his face as he spoke.
Kennedy smiled and replied, “Yeah. We earned almost ten billion today. What’s better than earning money?”
“But something still feels weird to me.” Bob rubbed his chin and explained, “According to our predictions, we knew that Harbor Stocks were bound to have a violent drop, but we never expected them to drop like this. It’s too exaggerated. I almost got a shock with the Hansel Index dropping 10,000 points in just one day.”
“Just our funds alone wouldn’t have gotten us this result,” Bob frowned and voiced out.
Kennedy seemed to be in thought as well. “I realized it this afternoon as well. There’s got to be another entity in the market aside from us and their funds are not in any way lesser than ours. They’ve taken the bearish stand too, and if I had to guess, I’d say they had prepared at least tens of billions of funds!”
“Who do you think it is?” Bob asked sullenly.
“I don’t know, but it probably isn’t Harbor City’s local forces.” Kennedy gave his own deductions.
Just then, Rogers descended the villa’s stairs with a relaxed expression and turned to Kennedy. “Quantum Funds’ headquarters are very happy with our results, my friends. Wall Street’s investors have largely profited too. Shouldn’t all this good news be celebrated?”
Unable to disagree, Kennedy and Bob nodded with a smile. Then, they told him of their suspicions.
Rogers frowned, but his expression was not one of concern. “Perhaps Europe’s other capitals were sold, or it may even be one of your Somerland’s neighbors? But I can confirm that the capital wasn’t from Wall Street.
“Keep an eye out tomorrow, we’ll watch out for their next course of action,” Rogers replied plainly.
Bob hesitated before he spoke, “Mr. Rogers, our original plan was to knock the Hansel Index down by 10,000 points in three days.
“But it’s only the first day and the Hansel Index has already dropped 9,000 points. If this goes on, the government of Harbor City and the other rich families will team up to help.”
Kennedy interrupted, “I already received their calls today, saying that the four main families should come up with a plan and publicize it, then team up with the other wealthy families to save the city.”
Rogers smiled playfully. “It’s a shame that they don’t know that among Harbor City’s four main rich families, you’re egging for Harbor Stocks to drop.”
Kennedy replied plainly, “Still, you can’t let them find out, or at least, not yet. Otherwise, that’s goodbye to my foothold in Harbor City.”
Life at the Top Chapter 185
“The Langdons’ business has already started moving out of Harbor City, hasn’t it? You’re everywhere in Southeast Terra, so what are you afraid of?” Rogers did not care.
“But there’s nothing wrong with you going. At least then we’ll get some insight on how Harbor City’s four major families plan to save the city. With intel on our side, how will they ever win us?” Rogers stated plainly.
Rogers clapped Kennedy’s shoulder when he took notice of the other’s calm expression. “There’s a saying in the United States that capital only makes friends with winners, Langdon. Harbor City’s still too small, not to mention that it has already returned to its previous state now. You have to know that the west is where true heaven exists for people like you.”
Kennedy smiled. “I know. We will always be friends with Quantum Funds.”
Rogers laughed aloud. “Of course, as one of its founders, I can promise you that Quantum Funds will always be willing to be friends with intelligent people like you.”
…
The night slowly darkened, and Zachary had much to do. In addition to the shock the stock market had suffered, people were very volatile right now. That was why he left the house after the market closed.
It was especially in times like this that celebrities like Zachary and Michael became busier, for most people expected the rich to provide them with rescue measures.
Meanwhile, their companies also needed to show their presence to calm the civilians’ hearts.
Jasper, on the other hand, now had a lot of free time.
Watching the situation with the United States stock market, Jasper realized that its development was fundamentally different from his past life.
Perhaps it was his participation in Harbor Stocks, but the strength and speed of this storm had been greatly increased.
Harbor Stocks had only dropped 10,000 points three days after the storm began in his past life, yet it had dropped more than 9,000 points in one day this time. Today’s daily decline had hit an all-time high.
It was the first time for any stock market worldwide to drop 10,000 points in one day.
The night was cold, and Jasper pondered over tomorrow’s plan.
Anna had walked over before Jasper realized. She said to him, “You haven’t been resting well these past few days. Won’t you take the time to give yourself a break?”
“I’m not actually that tired. Plus, there are a lot of things that I haven’t planned yet,” Jasper replied with a smile.
Anna sighed. “Bystanders only see how brightly successful people shine, yet not many of them know that success has never come easy to begin with.”
“That’s the idea. You’ll have to put in the effort if you want to reap rewards.” Jasper agreed.
Anna gave it some thought before she suddenly invited Jasper, seeing as he did not have the intention to rest. “How about we take a walk around Victoria Harbor?”
Jasper was shocked. “Now?”
“What, are you afraid I’ll sell you off?” Anna joked. “I told you when you first arrived in Harbor City, didn’t I? That I’ll be your tour guide and bring you around Victoria Harbor? You’ve already been in Harbor City for so long and you still haven’t stepped foot there yet.”
Jasper smiled. “Alright. Let’s go, then. I’ll take the chance to relax.”
The two walked to the garage together, tacitly choosing to ignore Henry’s car with large headlights this time.
Sitting in Anna’s Porsche 911, Jasper felt his nerves unwind after the past few days of accumulated stress as he watched Harbor City’s night view zoom past him.
“Are you saving the city tomorrow?” Anna asked while driving.
Jasper thought about it and replied, “As a businessman, my main focus is business. Everything else is secondary to me. That’s why I did what I did today.”
“But being a businessman means you have to look at the bigger picture. And the crashing of Harbor City’s stock market is bad news to me and the whole Harbor City!”
Life at the Top Chapter 186
“But whether I do save the city or not tomorrow will depend on how things end up going.”
Anna fell into deep thought. “You mean that if the trend continues and the market crashes, then you won’t help. But if this is caused by someone and they’re secretly trying to increase the severity of this economic crisis, you’ll help?”
Jasper smiled. “Smart! There’s no way I’d be able to fight the trend of the dot-com bubble popping no matter how rich I become, so the only way to earn money now is to go with the flow. Fighting against the trend is only something idiots would do.
“But if someone from the outside is putting their capital in? That means someone’s trying to crush Harbor City’s economy and that’s a man-made disaster, not a natural one! Then I have to act!
“Not to mention that the government of Harbor City and the city’s rich families will act even if I don’t do anything. By then, I’ll still just go with the flow!”
As they spoke, the two arrived at Victoria Harbor.
Anna pulled the car to a stop, and the two walked on the pedestrian bridge side by side like many ordinary couples here.
Harbor City was overpopulated, so most roads were rather crowded. As such, pedestrian bridges had been integrated into one of Harbor City’s unique scenery.
It was getting late, but an international metropolis like Harbor City hardly ever grew deserted.
People came and went on the pedestrian bridge, most of them talking about what had happened on the stock markets today. People strode quickly around them with sullen expressions on their faces.
As Jasper and Anna chatted and walked around Victoria Harbor with smiles on their faces, Mitch and Zane were currently joyfully clinking glasses at an open bar.
“Today sure was great, Young Master Langdon! Had you not shown me the way to earn money and told me to take the bearish stand for Harbor Stocks, I wouldn’t have been able to earn tens of millions today!” Zane thanked Mitch elatedly.
Mitch merely smiled softly at Zane’s praise. “It’s nothing. Keep working for me and I can promise you’ll be earning big bucks in the future. This is only the beginning.”
“Looking at those aggrieved expressions those people wore just makes me want to laugh! What do they know about stocks? They had it coming for losing!”
Zane leaned against the chair comfortably and enjoyed the sea breeze. “How much did you earn today, Young Master Langdon?”
Mitch’s lips quirked upward as he lifted two fingers.
“200 million?!” Zane exclaimed.
Mitch burst out in laughter. “Look at you, so unpromising. It’s just 200 million, that’s nothing. I’m one of Harbor City’s well-known investing masters, after all. I could tell that something was up when I looked at the market’s big picture. So I prepared my funds and chose to take the bearish stand before it was too late. There’s only more money to be made from now on.”
Zane replied in admiration, “You sure are good at this, Young Master Langdon…”Halfway through his praise, Zane’s eyes suddenly widened. Looking over in the other direction, he roared, “What the hell! Look at those two, Young Master Langdon. It’s Jasper, that country bumpkin, and Anna?”
Hearing Zane, Mitch immediately snapped his head over to see a couple walking by the harbor not too far away, approaching their direction.
While the lighting around them was dim, Mitch could easily tell the two’s identities!
“Motherf*cker! It really is that country bumpkin and Anna!”
Mitch huffed enviously.
He had been chasing after Anna for quite a few years already. Yet every time she saw him, she would have a dark expression on her face. How could she possibly take strolls with him?!
He thought about himself, how he was still a member of one of the four major rich families in Harbor City with equal footing as the Law family. However, Annie had never even looked his way!
Meanwhile, Jasper, a country bumpkin from Mainland, was deeply favored by her…
Mitch scoffed and stood up when he saw Jasper, that new distaste adding to his old resentment. “Come on, let’s go talk.”
Jasper was chatting and laughing with Anna when a sharp voice sounded not too far away.
“Hey, isn’t this a Mainland cockroach?”
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Zane had both his hands in his pant pockets as he scoffed at Jasper and spoke, “What? Haven’t seen a night view as beautiful as Harbor City’s before? That must be why you’re here, right? To learn more about the world.”
“Don’t say that.”
Mitch glared at Jasper and spoke wittily, “That’s a humiliation to cockroaches. People like him should be called a mangy dog.
“After all, it wasn’t easy climbing up a tree like the Law family. He looks so proud of himself. It’s like he can’t wait to wag his tail and please his master.”
Zane broke out into a laugh and agreed. “You’re right, Young Master Langdon. He really is just a mangy dog!”
Jasper could not help but feel like he was being stalked by Zane and Mitch.
Needless to say, the amount of hatred, new and old, between them had gotten beyond the point of mitigation.
“Should’ve checked my horoscope today before I left the house.” Jasper shook his head.
“Shouldn’t we be the ones saying this?”
Zane scoffed. “What misfortune to see a dog like you the moment I leave my house.”
“You’ve got to be understanding too. After all, Mainland is hardly as urbanized as Harbor City. At least he’ll have something to gloat to his friends back in Mainland if he has walked around Victoria Harbor.”
Mitch mocked plainly.
With that, Mitch then turned to Anna. “How could you come out for a walk with someone like this, Anna? What about your dignity if this news gets spread?”
Anna had long felt annoyed when it came to Mitch, so she replied to his words coldly, “Who are you to control who I take walks with? And watch your attitude, the two of you. You disgust me.”
“I disgust you?!”
Mitch started laughing, feeling infuriated as he pointed at Jasper. “It’s people like him who schemes and tries to flatter his way into your family who’s disgusting here!”
“What gave you the idea that he’s flattering his way into my family?” Anna asked impolitely.
“Just look at him. It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
Mitch spoke with certainty, “You’ll get the f*ck out of Harbor City if you still see yourself as a man, Jasper! Leave Anna alone, or we’ll never have an ounce of respect for you!”
“How does your respecting me or not affect me?” Jasper asked.
Mitch scoffed and replied wretchedly, “You really are just a mangy dog!”
“Let’s go, Jasper.”
Anna had enough of the two’s faces and pulled Jasper away to leave.
“Stand there!”
Mitch blocked the duo’s path and sneered at Jasper. “I thought you were capable, country bumpkin. But all you’re doing now is hiding between a girl’s legs and running away?”
“Exactly, Miss Law. I’d think carefully if I were you. Young Master Langdon easily earned 200 million from the stock market today. What about that country bumpkin next to you, can he do that?” Zane sneered.
Mitch was pleased with what Zane had said and huffed his chest as he spoke with an intentionally nonchalant tone, “It’s just 200 million. I could already tell from the trend that Harbor Stock’s index would plummet. That’s why I prepared money and opened a position for a bearish stand. Earning just that bit of money was easy-peasy.”
With that, Mitch turned to Jasper and snickered. “I’d f*ck off soon if I were you, you Mainland country bumpkin. Harbor City isn’t a place for losers like you!”
At that, Jasper merely chuckled in disagreement. “Is 200 million a lot of money?”
Life at the Top Chapter 188
“Pfft!”
Mitch burst out laughing and said while laughing, “What did I just hear? 200 million is not a lot, but can you make so much? You’re just lucky, and you only made some money from shady businesses, so how can you compare to me? I made my money with my own ability!”
“Yeah, you’re just a country bumpkin and you dare to compare with Young Master Langdon? You’re a humiliation to all of us with the last names starting with L,” Zane chuckled coldly and said at one side.
“I’m sorry, I think I’m going to disappoint you guys. I did use my luck to make money, but my luck has been great so far. From stock speculation to futures, I rarely fail. I think I made a few billion in just a few months.”
Jasper shrugged and looked at the two of them who widened their eyes after they heard him saying that. He chuckled lightly.
“Right, how much did you say you made? 200 million? You just made the scraps from what I made, so I guess that’s just my pocket money.”
Mitch and Zane felt a buzz in their heads and they almost shut down.
Pocket money?
The rich children of the rich families in Harbor City did not even dare to say 200 million was pocket money and this country bumpkin from Mainland had the balls to say this?
“Bullsh*t!”
Zane said sharply, “Country bumpkin, you expect us to believe that you’ve made a few billion just from your words? You even made a few billion in a few months? I don’t even have the guts to say this! Who do you think you are?”
“Mitch, just because you can’t make this much doesn’t mean other people can’t,” Jasper said flatly.
Mitch narrowed his eyes and looked at Jasper sinisterly. He chuckled coldly and said, “Do you think I’m as easy to fool as a three-year-old? How many hundred million of capital do you need to make a few billion in the stock market in such a short period? Have you calculated that? All ten of your fingers won’t be enough for you to count that!”
“Whatever. Do you think I care whether you believe me or not?” Jasper sneered.
Mitch was immediately speechless, and he felt extremely terrible.
It was because he believed that Jasper was able to make some money in the stock market by seizing every opportunity.
After he had this thought, Mitch felt so jealous and pissed that it felt as if he had bugs gnawing on his heart.
Then, he looked at Anna who was standing next to him.
Mitch could only feel that Jasper had defeated him in the business world and also relationship-wise.
Now, he felt that he was the country bumpkin instead!
“Hehe, how amazing you are!”
Mitch smiled coldly while gritting his teeth. “However, don’t feel too pleased with yourself, country bumpkin. There’ll be a time when you’ll cry!”
“Young Master Langdon, have you forgotten about our bet last time? You lost 100 million to me, and it was thanks to that I was able to bid on a pink diamond that’s worth a few hundred million at the charity party.”
Jasper looked at Mitch and Zane. He said indifferently, “Plus, Mr. Lancaster, I almost bought your family’s company last time, and in the end, your father had to show up and give me a billion dollars!
“Have you guys already forgotten about that?”
After they heard this, their faces turned green. There was a hint of anger in their eyes and their faces looked sinister.
Especially Zane. When he remembered what had happened last time, he did not even know what to say.
“Damn you! Do you think you’re all that just because you seized every opportunity and defeated me? Don’t forget that the stock market can make someone get rich in one night but can also make someone lose everything in one night!”
Mitch glared at Jasper malevolently. He chuckled coldly and said, “Hmph, you just defeated me by 100 million. I can earn it back with just a turn of my hand. Plus, I can make even more in the future.
“Country bumpkin, it’s okay for you to come here to make money. If you’re tactful, I can take you along to make more with me.
“As long as you leave Anna and get out of Harbor City after you make your money, I’ll be willing to let you tag along. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so don’t blame me for not giving you this chance.”
Jasper smiled. “After you let me tag along then we’ll watch Harbor Stocks continue plummeting, yeah?
“This will just make things worse in a bad situation. If the economy in Harbor City collapses, no one can escape unscathed in a great disaster.”
“You son of a b*tch! Stop saying it like you’re so high and mighty! Aren’t you involved in the stock market to make money?”
Mitch felt disgusted when he saw Jasper acting so pretentious. He looked at Anna. “Anna, did you see that? He didn’t come here to make money. He’s obviously putting on an act for you by being so full of justice! It’s so that you’ll fall for his tricks!”
“Do you think Jasper is on the same level as you guys?”
Anna suddenly said. She could not stand this anymore, so she opened her mouth and berated.
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When Mitch saw Anna siding with Jasper, he felt the fire of anger and jealousy burning in his chest. His eyes were filled with rage!
“Anna, I know you’re pure-hearted, but don’t be fooled by him! Do you think he got close to the Laws with no ulterior motives?”
Anna gritted her teeth with anger. She wanted to tell them that Jasper was making a lot of money just from the short sale.
Due to the general trend, the market of Harbor Stocks would plummet. He could not fight the general trend, and Harbor Stocks would fall no matter if he did or not.
However, this was the secret between the Laws and Jasper, so Anna could not tell them everything.
She looked at Mitch and Zane before saying coldly, “Mitch, do you know what Jasper said to me just now? We’re talking about how we’re going to save the crisis of Harbor Stocks and not how to continue to suck the blood of the citizens of Harbor City dry! As someone from a rich family, don’t you ever think about the economy of Harbor City?”
“A market rescue?”
Mitch almost burst out laughing. “Jasper?”
Mitch pointed at Jasper’s nose and was struggling to breathe due to all the laughing. “This is the burst of the dot-com bubble. Do you know what it means by the bubble bursting?
“You just made some money in the stock market because you got f*cking lucky. Do you seriously think you’re able to predict and understand everything?
“Damn, this is a f*cking global financial crisis and you want to do a market rescue? You? A country bumpkin from Mainland? I’m going to die from laughter.
“Harbor Stocks are worth a few trillion dollars. They fell 10,000 points today and the Langdons can’t even save this. You can still be a poser back in Mainland with your coins. Aren’t you scared that I’ll laugh my head off from you boasting shamelessly in Harbor City?”
Jasper looked at Mitch sympathetically and said flatly, “Continue laughing then. Laugh more. I hope you can laugh for a few more days.”
Mitch deliberately laughed even louder. “I’m going to keep laughing and I’ll laugh at you every day. What can a country bumpkin like you do to me?
“A market rescue? F*ck your market rescue and f*ck you! You’re so pretentious that your head is in outer space. What do you even have? You’re just a country bumpkin from Mainland and you want to rescue Harbor Stocks? You might not be afraid to lose your image, but aren’t you afraid of embarrassing the Laws?
“Anna, are you willing to let the Laws lose their image because of this country bumpkin from Mainland? I think you should tell him to get lost as soon as he can!”
“You’re so senseless!” After Anna said that frigidly, she grabbed Jasper and said, “Jasper, let’s go. We have nothing to say to this lunatic.”
Jasper patted Anna’s hand and said to Mitch, “I’ll remember your laughing face. I hope you can still laugh as foolishly as you are now the next time we see each other.
“The one who gets the last laugh is the winner, no?”
After he said that, Jasper left slowly with Anna.
Mitch watched as Jasper and Anna’s figures walked farther and farther away. The smile on his face slowly disappeared, and what was left was a distorted look filled with malevolence.
“Young Master Langdon, I want to kill that country bumpkin so badly!” Zane said through gritted teeth.
“I want to do it more than you!”
Mitch snorted and said loftily, “Just wait, the time will come when he’ll die. Let’s just allow him to feel pleased with himself for now.”
Zane pondered for a while and asked, “He said he made a few billion from the stock market and wants to rescue the market. Do you think he’s serious?”
Mitch gritted his teeth and chuckled coldly. He said, “I think he did make some money but I’m sure it’s not as much as a few billion. Just listen to him talk big! And he even wants to save the market? He must be dreaming!”
Mitch remembered the news his father had talked about on a call while he was standing in front of the door of his study. He felt his heart burning up.
He knew that his father was probably doing something major and it was related to the financial crisis.
However, Mitch would not tell anyone about this secret.
When he thought about this, he scoffed. ‘Jasper, even if you’re all that, but can you do better than the Langdons?’
“Tomorrow, let’s take out all of our savings for a short sale. We’ll use this once-in-a-lifetime chance to get rich overnight!”
Zane was shocked when he heard this. He said, “All of our savings? Isn’t this a little risky?”
“What are you scared of?”
Mitch glared at Zane. “Just do as I say. I have a source, and I got some information that the financial crisis this time won’t be so simple. It’s still early, and that country bumpkin wants to go against me. After I make enough money, I’ll kill him!”
Zane thought about it and said through gritted teeth, “Alright, I’ll do as you say. I’ll get the money tomorrow!”
Life at the Top Chapter 190
After leaving Victoria Harbor, because of Mitch and his gang, their moods were destroyed so they went straight home.
Tonight, a lot of people in Harbor City could not sleep.
This entire city fell into a dense cloud of dismal.
However, Jasper got himself a rare good night’s sleep.
He had not had the chance to rest for the past few days because of the time difference and having to follow up on the stock market in the United States. He had to be prepared for the burst of the dot-com bubble at any time.
Now, the bubble had burst and the storm had arrived in Harbor City.
Jasper slept soundly tonight, and he only woke up because of the blaring alarm clock the next morning.
After washing up and eating some breakfast, he walked to the living room.
At this moment, Zach and his team were already in position.
When they saw Jasper, everyone got up enthusiastically and greeted him.
Due to the exceptional results yesterday, Jasper was now the true stock god in their hearts.
As such, even if Jasper told them the sun was square, they would lift their heads to look at it seriously.
“My dad as well as Mr. Lane and his gang have gone to Clark Duvall. I think they’re discussing the countermeasure for dealing with this.”
When Anna saw Jasper walking over, she walked over to him and said.
After nodding, Jasper said, “We should have news by afternoon.”
While he was saying that, the trading had commenced.
At the same time, the trading commencement of Harbor Stocks had attracted the attention of a lot of people.
At this moment, the entire Harbor City went silent. Everyone was watching the changing of Harbor Stocks.
It was not out of everyone’s expectations. After the commencement, the stocks started to plummet wildly.
The plummet yesterday was enough to make Harbor City famous around the world, but it was as if that was not enough. The wealth and riches of Harbor City were evaporating amidst the bitter plummet.
Now, even the most impulsive investors were silenced. Everyone looked as if they were numb.
Everyone’s faces were as gray as ash.
They could only watch as Harbor Stocks continued to plummet.
Everyone’s moods were like the plummeting numbers. They felt as if they were falling down a cliff and they could never reach the bottom.
“The Hansel Index fell by 800 points after the commencement and it’s reaching the gateway of 8,000 points.”
Zack was announcing the situation of the market.
At this moment, everyone was extremely nervous and felt strange in their hearts.
Jasper looked at the time on the screen. It had only been 30 seconds since the commencement.
They had a slump of 800 points in only 30 seconds.
It seemed that this mysterious hand would not be satisfied if it did not completely destroy Harbor City.
“There’s another two billion from a put option short seller! The Hansel Index dropped by another 180 points! It’s now at 7,813 points!”
Zack’s voice sounded again.
Jasper furrowed his brows tightly.
That mysterious fund finally bared its fangs after failing to control itself.
“Give up on the shorts we have now. Let’s hedge this two billion,” Jasper ordered.
Zack was stumped for words.
The more the Hansel Index fell, the more money the party that was waiting for it to drop would make. However, Jasper was now asking them to hedge the other party while facing the destruction of the economy of Harbor Stocks.
Hedging meant that Jasper would buy what the other party sold.
The more the other party sold, the more Jasper would buy.
That way, there would be two successful transactions and it would stop the plummeting Hansel Index from dipping even more.
There was another name for it, and it was called the protection of the market.
Jasper was going to protect the market of Harbor Stocks.
However, a second later, Zack quickly realized this was not the time to space out. Hence, he quickly did what Jasper told him to do.
At the same time, Zack started to feel a surge in his heart.