Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 668 - 560 Business Opportunity

Chapter 668: Chapter 560 Business Opportunity

After the meeting concluded, the military also received the related news.

They continued to push southward, while simultaneously demanding that Black Fire Innovation accept the peace terms drafted by various companies, or else the war would be prolonged.

After all, Black Fire Innovation still had at least nine to ten space motherships in its possession, so eradicating them all at once was not a realistic expectation.

In Xu Yang’s view, the Nestor Corporation was developing well, while Black Fire Innovation’s momentum was waning. With one’s loss being another’s gain, it wouldn’t be long before Nestor Corporation completely overpowered Black Fire Innovation. Therefore, promoting peace through war and allowing Nestor Corporation more room for development seemed best, since at the end of the day, the war had begun merely as a means to survive the harsh winter.

Withdrawing from the online meeting, Xu Yang found that more than six hours had passed and Little Fool was nowhere to be seen.

He looked all around the house and came to a partition where Little Fool had almost moved all her toys. She was with Little Farosa, both of them had changed their clothes, and were sitting on the floor playing with toy cars.

When Xu Yang arrived, Little Fool, wanting to show off, took out a Ninja Scroll from her small backpack.

"Guā." Little Fool gripped the scroll in her mouth, recited a spell, and a thicket of fog rose up around her. As the fog cleared, she had transformed into a large toad, hopped around for a bit, and then with another rise of mist, she turned back into Little Fool.

Little Farosa wore a white dress, watching Little Fool with great interest.

Ninjutsu is truly magical, Xu Yang thought. Perhaps in the future, it was time to establish a Ninja legion directly under Nestor Corporation.

Shinobi Village was now under control, and Kano Masato who had once been our enemy had been expelled from the Northern Archipelago. Since ninjas were always employed by neutral and hostile forces, it wasn’t an ideal situation. It was necessary to establish a formal cooperative relationship with them to turn the ninjas to our advantage.

Xu Yang heard something else squeeze through the little door and looked back to find Snowball.

Snowball had previously undergone a data check at Kazama Palace, and now joined the two little girls to play with them.

"It is an honor to meet both ladies. I am an independent dog. My name is Snowball," Snowball looked up at them.

"Can you take good care of them?" Xu Yang eyed the robotic dog.

"Sir, I will protect them with my life," Snowball said earnestly.

"Guā bù?" Little Fool felt she didn’t need protecting.

Snowball brought them literacy cards and building blocks in his mouth, then sat down, waiting for their response.

Little Farosa was quite patient; she was the most innocent and kind-hearted aspect of Farosa, and now she just gently watched Snowball. Meanwhile, Little Fool sat on the ground, staring blankly at it, saying nothing.

Snowball’s gaze kept moving back and forth between their faces, one not speaking, and the other also silent.

"Sir, did I do something wrong?" Snowball turned his head pitifully towards Xu Yang, "Have I not cared for them well? What should I do?"

"You can race them," Xu Yang suggested, sitting beside the heavy glass round table. He checked the time; there were guests coming in the evening. He would pass the time by teaching Little Fool to read.

"If you read more, you can become a cultured and smart Witch," Xu Yang advised Little Fool.

"Guā?" Little Fool believed she was already smart; the stories in children’s books all seemed illogical to her.

When dinner time arrived, the eyeball robot floated out from the kitchen, its mechanical arms carrying an array of different foods and desserts—sushi, milk tea, cakes, and sweet pastries, each looking delicious and appetizing, with succulent strawberries garnishing the cakes and the milk tea glistening transparently, aroma wafting.

The guests soon arrived, with Zuo Hongchen and Hosoda Yoshiyuki entering one after the other.

"Boss, congratulations on your prosperity," Zuo Hongchen greeted with a smile, carrying several large bags of gifts inside and placing them on the silver entrance console table.

"There’s no need for gifts," Xu Yang quickly stood up.

"Not at all, these are for the two little princesses," Zuo Hongchen glanced at Little Fool and Little Farosa, not recognizing who they were, but knowing that anyone who could move freely here held an extraordinary status.

"Tch," Hosoda Yoshiyuki disdained such circuitous behavior, "A person adept at bribery and networking."

Little Fool showed interest in the gift boxes Zuo Hongchen had placed on the console table. She asked Snowball to open and bring the boxes over, one of which contained an expensive watch, priced at no less than two million, adorned with enchanting green crystals. Little Fool quite liked it, opened the watch chain, and wore it around her neck.

"Look, the little princess really likes it," Zuo Hongchen said, thick-skinned, and then cautiously walked over and sat down by the round table.

"I heard you’ve been quite active in trade these past six months," Xu Yang glanced at Zuo Hongchen’s profile on the information panel, who had been managing Jumen Commerce Corporation with a flourishing touch.

"Just look at what you’re saying, boss. I’ve just done my bit. Hearing that Nestor Corporation is gearing up for a war, I went and bought ammunition, provided weapons; hearing Nestor Corporation plans a military expedition, I got in touch with merchant ships, transporting supplies; and now, hearing the company plans to build Heat Towers far and wide, I’ve chatted with material merchants both domestic and international. The moment there’s any sign of construction, I would personally go to the Taixi Continent if I have to, just to get the goods into the Archipelago," Zuo Hongchen spoke with ease.

The world could indeed never do without such slick merchants, constantly seizing business opportunities. Xu Yang thought to himself. Computers still can’t exhaust all human needs, where the cleverness and initiative of humans fill in some of the gaps.

"This time, bring Hosoda Yoshiyuki along with you, he has quite the fondness for the scenery in Xia," Xu Yang said.

Hosoda Yoshiyuki didn’t know Xu Yang and right now just plonked himself down carelessly, then started to eat and drink heartily from the food on the table.

Zuo Hongchen watched Hosoda Yoshiyuki’s arms, scarred from numerous modifications, with alarm -- hardly a patch of flesh in the biological sense remained, all steel and brands. He had seen similar structures on the bodies of street ronins, as if they could spring open at any moment, transforming into blades or spears.

"No worries, no worries. Would you like to come with me to Daliang? Daliang is a nice place, with the best mountains and temples in the central plains, and all sorts of delicacies. Once you’re there, get ready to enjoy eating well, drinking well, sleeping well, and playing well," Zuo Hongchen wiped off the cold sweat.

"I’m not an unreasonable person; I’ll provide the payment where it’s due. Just play the tour guide for me, and when it comes to customs, offer a bit more to smooth the way," Hosoda Yoshiyuki said.

"Understood. Oh, and I have some personal disputes back home. Seeing how you are, do you think you could help me out with them?" Zuo Hongchen nodded.

"I don’t kill people, at most I’ll teach someone a lesson to vent your anger," Hosoda Yoshiyuki had grown weary of killing. Dead eyes could easily induce Cyber-Spiritual illness, and his mind was already on the brink of collapse.

"That would be very good..." Zuo Hongchen said with a smile.

"Seeing you’ve saved up some money, do you have any plans?" Xu Yang inquired.

"Of course, it’s to buy a house in Shangjing. The property prices have already dropped by ten percent, with everyone trying to sell off, outbidding each other to let go," Zuo Hongchen’s eyes lit up.

"Already?" Xu Yang was intrigued.

"Ten years ago, my father had his eye on a villa in the Asakusa District of Shangjing. That place was 180,000 per square meter, with a total price of 48 million for a house. Guess what, now it’s only 18 million, and the owner is eager to sell. But I’m not in a hurry to buy; it will be cheaper next month for sure. In such a critical moment, big, outdated houses depreciate the fastest," Zuo Hongchen spoke cheerfully.

The chain reaction of the economic crisis. Xu Yang nodded. In Shangjing, those who own property are usually institutions, corporations, and the wealthy — all people of means. Now they surely all had businesses suffering losses, intending to sell their real estate to liquidate into funds to fill the gaps and recoup their losses.

Every industry seems to be collapsing, unable to pay off loans, breaking capital chains, investment confidence falling to rock bottom. Shangjing property couldn’t stay stable, the stampede effect being the most terrifying, especially in the secondary housing market, where people are desperate to liquidate, eager to sell their houses at lower prices, 10 million won’t sell so they list for 8 million, that won’t sell so they list for 6 million, the bottom keeps falling out easily, property prices crash as rapidly as they once surged.

Xu Yang saw that several real estate companies had announced bankruptcy, mass layoffs, or completely vanished.

"When the rate of property price increases surpasses the rate of wage growth, it indicates there’s a bubble in the middle, and now the bubble has finally burst," Xu Yang said.

Expensive real estate effectively harvests people’s current savings and future income, buying out decades of labor in one go, forcing them to depend on their jobs. Those burdened by mortgages are unique; they dread unemployment the most, despise instability, loathe risk, with their greatest dream being the eternal stability of company society until their loans are paid off.

"And I’ve heard, Nestor Corporation has led the construction of thousands of new apartments and public housing, giving these to employees for settling down and starting families. It’s indeed a rare act of goodness," Zuo Hongchen flattered vigorously.

"Workers have their homes!" Hosoda Yoshiyuki couldn’t hold back, "It’s only right and fair! Houses are built by people, so those people have the right to live in them... nothing more to say, we can’t let them be stolen away."

"Now, the problem is, there’s no growth rate left," Xu Yang lamented, "Apart from us, everything, every company has run out of room to develop."

Hearing this, Zuo Hongchen also felt contemplative.

"Yeah, the tech companies are done for, because high-tech has hit a stalemate without anything dazzling appearing recently; construction and engineering have no more plays, because past infrastructural developments have finished all the roads and houses; consumer industries like home appliances, vehicles, electronic products are all going down one by one, people don’t have the money to buy anything, what’s the use of making them? Without money for food due to unemployment, who’s going to get a new phone? Fewer people are flying or sailing now, folks just stay home, so railways and airlines are losing too. After all these sectors collapse, finance, banking, securities all become jokes," Zuo Hongchen muttered.

"Lending is based on the belief that a company still has hope of making a profit, faith in economic development space. Now everyone has lost that capability, people are used to the world’s economy growing more and more, but we really have to face an unprecedented decline," Xu Yang nodded.

In the face of this great disaster of the times, Zuo Hongchen was lost for words. It was only by relying on Nestor Corporation, this towering tree, that he had survived to this day, now depending on Nestor Corporation’s orders to sustain his existence.

"What business do you think will be good in the next ten years?" Zuo Hongchen asked eagerly, knowing that even a bit of information leaked from Mr. Xu could become a business opportunity worth hundreds of billions.

Xu Yang looked at Zuo Hongchen whose pocket was bulging with eagerness, then at Hosoda Yoshiyuki with his strained and cold demeanor, then turned his gaze to the dazed Little Fool and the gentle Little Farosa, as well as Snowball squatting on the ground.

"I’m afraid there won’t be much that’s good to do," Xu Yang said, "...apart from living well, taking care of the ones you love."

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report