At the start of the new year, William White, with nothing much to do on Lanai Island, welcomed his first wave of guests.
Lanai Island had become quite a secluded paradise by this time. Without an invitation, it was difficult for anyone to set foot on this island.
The first to arrive, naturally, were the big shots from Asia. Generally speaking, Asians didn't like to arrive right on time. Unless there was a significant difference in status, arriving early was considered polite, making the host happier.
William White was indeed pleased. Since they gave him respect, he needed to respond positively, which was beneficial for everyone involved.
William White accompanied them to tour the golf course, also introducing his super mansion along the way.
The Japanese were conflicted. Although they knew the Department of Justice issue wasn't related to them, they worried about becoming scapegoats. If White showed a scowling face, it would indeed be awkward.
However, their worries were unnecessary. Before they could even speak, William White had already expressed his apologies. Of course, no one cared how genuine these apologies were, as long as the main idea was clear: those events were just a show.
Alright, even though the Japanese were a bit upset, they couldn't deny that he succeeded. Despite the dissatisfaction towards Japan in the US, the major discontent was aimed at the Department of Justice.
In semi-public settings, William White had once said, "I don't know if those people are paid in dollars or yen."
If taken seriously, he could actually be sued for slander. But since he didn't name anyone, are you planning to volunteer for the role?
Sue him?
You might not win.
And even if you win, what then? Have him mutter a half-hearted apology?
That's quite a scene, one that makes one shudder just imagining.
The surprising thing is, this guy now speaks Japanese fluently and chats with the Japanese so happily, there's a sense of meeting a long-lost friend.
People say ignorance is bliss, but I'd say it's shamelessness that knows no fear. The suits at the Department of Justice must be mad to play by the rules with such a shameless person.
Haha!
...
The European and American financial groups, who arrived later, realized they had severely underestimated the scale of this party.
There were not just these people who were difficult to gather usually, but also folks from all over Asia; not one seemed simple. Besides those from Japan, even the Samsung clan from South Korea had come, along with a bunch of folks from Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Whoa, the level of this investment meeting was really high!
Soon, the various guests realized that the so-called millionaire's club had an astonishingly high value. This wasn't William White flaunting his wealth; it was a clear display of strength.
He had gone international, and these folks were still worried about their small patches of land back home. That was laughable.
Picking up the globe, they saw the location was certainly not chosen casually. All the major economic zones around the world could easily access this place.
Didn't you see that even some desert tycoons were clamoring to buy a piece of land?
Come on, keeping this up is no good. Hawaii has great potential. Shouldn't we invest in something here too?
The food on the island was great too, even if no one cared what they ate. Such people usually didn't bother about these details, just expressing mild surprise at the luxury.
...
When the NBC-edited program aired, some in America began to feel uneasy.
People quickly noticed that the American Department of Commerce was absent. Other countries, it seemed, were well represented.
Whoa, having barely offended this guy, he immediately retaliated.
Didn't you all advocate for a free economy?
Haha! You're all talk; just listen to the investment intentions concluded by others. It's like getting slapped in the face.
The only solace was that all the American financial groups were present, averting any particularly embarrassing incidents. However, the credit seemingly had nothing to do with them.
In just three days, this small island, which wasn't even easy to find on a map, quickly became the talk of the global media.
People were curious to know what kind of extravagant life the newly crowned richest man in the world was living. Some businessmen, however, weren't as superficial; they saw various opportunities instead.
Well, the ticket was expensive -- just one VIP card cost two million dollars, and there was no bargaining.
Moreover, there was also a considerable annual maintenance fee. Of course, aside from the chance encounters with those tycoons, this golf resort was indeed a breathtakingly beautiful place.
The so-called most beautiful golf course in the world wasn't just an empty boast; it was truly top-notch.
...
After the guests had left, William White returned to Los Angeles. Having a private airport made everything much simpler, allowing for spontaneous trips whenever and however long he wanted.
Back to working mode, William White began the bold task of breaking up his enterprises into smaller segments. The large scale and wide scope of these splits simply left people dumbfounded.
First came NBC. Its cable TV and MTV divisions were spun off and went public. The toy department was also separated from the comic company.
The game company was split even further -- arcades, TV games, and computer games became three separate entities in a flash. And even then, it wasn't over; the TV games division was divided into two departments.
Such an extensive level of division was truly eye-popping. Although there were still procedural steps to follow, the general structure wouldn't see much change.
For financial groups, this kind of breakup was something they were happy to see. After all, it wasn't about any privatisation delisting; if it were, they would certainly have expressed dissatisfaction.
As for now?
It was better to wait and see how things evolved.
...
"The Department of Justice is anxious. This move has actually completed this guy's goal, pushing out a financial group."
"Sir, what's our stance?"
"Does it matter? No one can stop him, nor is there any need to."
Morgan Stanley saw it clearly -- this wasn't some impromptu action. He had certainly prepared for a long time; he merely found a suitable excuse this time.
Of course, the issue of royalties wasn't resolved; this wasn't something that could easily be determined, nor could the Justice Department dictate it.
William White's explanation was interesting: he was forced to break up the company to prevent shareholder loss, due to anticipated ongoing malicious lawsuits. To avert these, the company proactively sought a way out.
Moreover, the company was actively expanding overseas markets. It's anticipated that next year, the company will increase investment in its overseas branches, and investors were urged to consider the risks.
Good grief!
What risk?
Is he planning to make a run for it?
The phone and telegraph companies couldn't run, and neither could Big Blue.
As for William White?
Ha, his assets in America weren't significant to begin with; if he further strengthened his overseas companies, he could indeed leave any time.
Awkward.
For Washington, this was really awkward. If the richest man felt the U.S. investment climate was bad, there could truly be problems.
*****
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