[Chapter 656: Is This a Feint?]
"What did you say? Still acquiring oil companies? What's the oil price now?" The person Soros sent to gather intel returned with news that left him baffled.
"Sir, it's already dropped below twenty bucks. The oil company William White acquired mostly has offshore drilling platforms. If he doesn't want to face massive losses, he's got to either lay off workers or cut production. Sir, even though the acquisition price is extremely low, it's still not a good business deal."
Not a good business deal? Soros sighed inwardly. You don't know what it means to be the richest man in the world. When you have even a fraction of his wealth, then we can discuss your perspective.
"If I'm not mistaken, he's actually increasing his investment." His subordinate was clearly taken aback by the boss's reaction. What he had intended to mock was now stuck in his throat.
"Yes, sir, he's ramping up his investments in environmental protection, and there's a large-scale technological overhaul happening on the drilling platforms. I heard that it's to prevent oil leaks. Moreover, he's invested in a large chemical company in Shanghai, China, with a total investment of $2.5 billion in three phases."
"Seriously, are U.S. investors allowed into such enterprises now?"
"No, sir, it's not a refinery; they produce polyethylene and polypropylene."
"Wait, you're saying their previous financing was to expand their oil empire?"
"Most likely. I just heard that many of his companies are going public this year. If all that money funnels into the oil industry..."
His subordinate fell silent, as he was alarmed. The think tank behind William White was beyond his ability to judge.
Soros scratched his thinning hair, and a storm brewed in his mind. Was this guy aiming for Rockefeller?
He chuckled. The old man was thinking too much. In finance, William White wasn't his rival, no golden touch could change that. However, in understanding the world, he was far from William White's level.
In the U.S., to challenge Rockefeller is essentially asking for trouble. The apparent decay is merely a facade. The Rockefeller family today is more like a reclusive clan; they have no bitter enmities worth resurrecting, so it's best not to provoke them.
Equally confused was Morgan Stanley. The state of the richest man was truly peculiar. I mean, can't you just play by the rules? With your antics like this, it'll be hard for us to manage.
As for whether William White intends to challenge the Rockefeller family, he found it utterly impossible. A clear piece of evidence was the absence of U.S. companies on William White's acquisition list.
The world today is actually quite flat -- William White has no need to stay cooped up in the U.S.
...
"Filson, what do you think? Those old-timers must be feeling resentful, right?"
"Sir, I'm a bit resentful too. With a decision so big, it'd have been kinder to give us a heads-up."
"Sorry, sorry, I forgot to factor in those public financing numbers. To teach the British a lesson, you really don't need such a fuss. Besides, if I released all this cash, the Brits might just wet their pants from fright."
Filson was speechless; this move of yours has shaken all the big shots. By now, they must be cursing up a storm.
"Sir, following trends is annoying, but without these guys' participation, this plan of ours will be hard to implement."
"Actually, I was hoping England would prepare earlier. Otherwise, I'm worried we won't have enough to go around. Filson, didn't you all estimate that they won't have more than 20 billion in funds? Even if I drive the exchange rate down by 10%, their accounting losses won't surpass 2 billion."
Filson mourned for the British; those guys were likely to bleed heavily this time.
What he didn't know was that William White's biggest wish was to lump Soros in the same pot. Unfortunately, that guy was as slippery as an eel, with no real chinks in his armor.
So, his current actions were pretty easy to explain. You can interpret it as a feint or a counter-strategic move; it all comes down to one thing -- if you think you can just pick up the pieces from behind, it's not happening.
...
"Sir, Mr. Snipes has arrived. Where would you like to meet him?"
"What's up with Nastassja? Being late isn't a good habit."
"I'll go check."
Wesley Snipes, the guy who just wrapped up a film, apparently struck some kind of luck because he made it to the second round of auditions.
White Films has a lot of rules. Typically, if you don't make it through the first audition, you stand no chance of moving forward.
Of course, William White himself could ignore that. The so-called rules are just binding for others. Otherwise, you wouldn't be running the show at all.
"Oh my God, Nastassja, did you just come from a car wreck? Don't squeeze in too tightly."
Nastassja was exasperated. What kind of jinx did this bastard have? "It's raining outside, and there was a female driver..."
"Hahaha, oh come on, you know how dangerous female drivers can be. I mean, if you're going to drive, why not wear a comfortable pair of shoes? By the way, Nastassja, I suggest you upgrade your security team."
"Isn't that unnecessary? It was just an accident."
"Whatever, you've earned so much money; if you don't splurge a little, aren't you just giving the taxman a free ride?"
"Hmm, I'll consider your advice. Right now, I need to use the restroom."
"Beautiful lady, just do your thing. You might even end up spending a little more later." With a wink implying, well, you know.
Nastassja ignored him and headed to the restroom. The prettier the lady, the more she cares about her appearance -- that's her bread and butter.
...
The news that the richest man was making a new movie surprised Soros. Good grief, was your math taught by a gym teacher?
Fine, movies can be quite profitable. But is there really nobody else who can take that spot?
Given your stature, a box office of just 500 million would be considered a loss. That's just a shocking waste of resources.
If William White knew about this lament, he'd probably laugh heartily and tell him that the joys of the wealthy are beyond your comprehension.
The most amusing part? After that statement, Soros had nothing to retort with. Yes, he's very wealthy now, but the height William White has reached is something he could never grasp.
...
"That's the one, Stan. What do you think?"
"Not bad, but there are still some flaws in muscle definition."
"Ha, that's easy enough. I'll sign him for a six-year, three-film deal and then send him to the gym." Wesley Snipes' angular face was full of disbelief.
"Wesley, you're okay with this, right?" William White's discussion wasn't being withheld because there was no need to. As long as the boss nodded, everything was alright.
"Yeah, no problem, Mr. White. This isn't an April Fool's joke, right?"
"Hahaha, you can call me William. I think we're still a bit far from April Fool's Day. In fact, if time hadn't run out, this audition would've genuinely taken place on April Fool's."
Wesley looked utterly perplexed; he never imagined this externalized tyrant of a set might actually laugh so obscenely. Cough, cough, well, that description might not be appropriate; that smile should be for the enigmatic creature beside him.
*****
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