The security company had become quite impressive, even though it didn't take on much business. The boss was wealthy and continued to expand the operation.
He only wanted the best, and these elites didn't come cheap. Proper training truly made a difference, setting them apart from ordinary cowboys.
"Fulton, are the two training camps under construction?"
"Young Master, they've already started. In two months at most, most of the facilities will be operational."
"Train these carefully selected kids well; they'll be of great importance in the future."
"Understood, Young Master."
Their Young Master had changed a lot, indeed matured quite a bit. However, Fulton couldn't comprehend why he still felt so insecure.
Perhaps traveling through time damaged the brain, leaving high IQs but poor EQs. The old saying goes, "Better safe than sorry." William White planned to follow this principle, leaving no openings for his rivals.
A bunch of fools currently targeted him. Acting more foolishly would strategically confuse them; it was those who acted rashly that were truly frustrating.
...
Tanner was an orphan adopted by Fulton. William White tasked him with intelligence affairs, a crucial element he entrusted only to his own people.
"Young Master, these are the only people for now. Training couldn't be rushed."
"Alright, it's okay. Tanner, these are just backups, no rush. Gradually organize them. Some information can be purchased, or hire private detectives."
"I got it, Young Master. The recent trainees are good, please ensure I get some more."
"No worries, I've increased the recruitment numbers. The shortage should resolve within five years at most."
Wealth isn't everything.
Well, that saying isn't entirely accurate. You could say wealth can't buy everything.
But it certainly serves as a universal solution. Except for money, nothing else holds the same power.
Whether in security or intelligence, having money makes everything easy.
As long as you didn't cross the line, nobody meddled.
...
Looking at the pirate doodle on the weekly magazine, William White was very pleased. The inaugural issue required considerable effort, and the printing costs were indeed hefty.
Couldn't sell the ad space? Just advertise your own business then. No need to sell it cheaply; there will be times when they'll come begging.
Since most of it was in color, this magazine appeared thicker than others. At 380 yen, it wasn't cheap, but also not overly expensive.
The exchange rate at that time was 250 yen to a dollar.
Except for Japan, the price was slightly under 2 dollars, which was fair given the printing costs alone, regardless of the content.
"Boss, how should we determine the number of prints?"
"How does Japan evaluate it?"
"Mr. Fujita estimates fifty thousand copies, with the potential for 150,000 within half a year."
"Hmm, that's reasonable. But he didn't account for the impact of advertising. Push Toei for their ad campaign; we don't have much time."
"Okay, boss."
"Alright, 150,000 copies for Japan, 30,000 for the US and UK, and 20,000 for other countries."
"Yes, understood."
A print run of 200,000 copies didn't entirely meet the factory's demand. Heidelberg machines were excellent, and the workers in Australia were reliable.
...
Although his comic was scheduled to release on June 1st, promotional work had to start earlier, along with setting up sales networks.
Viking Comics offered very generous terms. Not only could unsold copies be returned, but payment was relaxed too; they could pay before the next batch was sold. If the first batch didn't sell well, the next would get fewer copies.
Booksellers felt stifled but weren't keen to argue much. After all, there would be TV ads involved, so it shouldn't perform horribly.
The promotion in Japan started, and posters began appearing at newsstands. Some newspapers had soft articles praising it, saying it was quite good, with many Japanese cartoonists involved. It was a much-anticipated comic magazine set to launch on International Children's Day, June 1st.
What's this lottery about? Ten lucky winners could visit Disneyland in Los Angeles, with all expenses, including accommodation for two parents, covered by Viking Comics.
If they met the right criteria, they had the chance to participate in a Hollywood blockbuster.
Some unscrupulous businessman would insist that Johnny English was a blockbuster, leaving others unable to argue back. Twenty million US dollars might not be much for the semiconductor industry, but for Japanese cinema, it could cover ten films. Who dared to claim it wasn't a blockbuster?
*****
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