"When the nation is in crisis, they don't step up to support it. Instead, they—"
"Support it?" Takuya Nakayama scoffed. "Director Hoshino, when did you start believing that bankers have a homeland? To them, the British pound isn't a symbol of pride; it's just a commodity. The Queen's portrait on the currency is less important than profit margins. They'll just latch onto this old lion that is Britain and suck it dry until the last drop of blood is gone."
Takuya paused before continuing. "Think back to Mrs. Thatcher's era, when she privatized state-owned enterprises on a massive scale. Remember how those British tycoons feasted until their mouths dripped with grease? When losses mounted, they nationalized the companies, dumping the mess onto the state. Once the government poured in capital, upgraded equipment, and laid the groundwork for profitability, they privatized again. It was a spectacle even more shameful than the Zaibatsu in Japan. Given how Britain has been exploited like this, why would they ever contribute even a single penny to support British finance?"
His words left Hoshino drenched in cold sweat.
He only saw the financial conflicts between nations, but he had overlooked the raw, bloodthirsty greed within capital itself! He recalled how, during the collapse of Japan's economic bubble, the financial Zaibatsu were the first to flee. The nation's economic well-being was never their top priority; their primary concern was safeguarding their own funds.
"If even they start dumping the British pound, it's only a matter of time before it collapses. We need to quickly build our positions. If Britain begins drastically raising interest rates, that likely means the Bank of England has run out of options and is teetering on the brink of collapse." Takuya paused, tapping his finger on Hoshino's coffee cup. "Then, before they realize what's happening, we'll need to prepare our exit."
"Remember our experiences over the past few years," Takuya said, his gaze sharpening. "Never forget: only money safely in our pockets truly belongs to us."
"I understand!" Hoshino nodded emphatically, picked up a marker, and wrote in bold letters on the whiteboard:
[ Keep a close eye on British domestic banks! ]
He glanced at the words, then at the composed Takuya Nakayama. The nervousness in his heart, stirred by the impending financial storm, eased slightly.
"Managing Director, do you have any further instructions?" Hoshino's demeanor was that of a subordinate eagerly awaiting orders.
"No, go back to work." Takuya waved his hand and stood up to leave. "I just came by to check in. Don't get too worked up."
He had just reached the doorway when the red international direct line phone on Hoshino's desk suddenly rang shrilly.
Hoshino jolted upright and snatched up the receiver.
"Hello? Sugiura? How's it going in London?"
Sugiura's voice, excited yet trembling, came through the line: "Hoshino! You won't believe this! At tonight's cocktail party with London's financial elite, we learned that several major traders from Barclays and Lloyds are selling off British pounds in small batches through offshore accounts!"
Hoshino clutched the receiver, his mind going blank, his gaze fixed on the doorway through which Takuya Nakayama had just disappeared.
Sugiura's excited voice continued on the other end, but Hoshino could no longer hear him.
Barclays, Lloyds, offshore accounts... The words buzzed in his ears, merging into a single thought: The Managing Director... he was right about everything!
Exactly as he predicted!
"Hoshino? Hoshino? Are you there?" Sugiura sensed something was amiss on the other end of the line.
"I'm here! I'm here!" Hoshino jolted awake, his voice pitching higher. He lowered his tone, as if sharing a world-shattering secret. "Sugiura, don't panic. Listen to me! Just three minutes before you called, the Managing Director—he just left my office!"
"The Managing Director? What did he say?" Sugiura, in London, instantly perked up.
Hoshino cleared his dry throat and repeated word-for-word Takuya Nakayama's declaration that "bankers have no fatherland" and his directive to "keep a close watch on British domestic banks."
With each sentence, Sugiura's breathing grew more labored.
When Hoshino reached the part about "if even they start dumping British pounds, that means the Bank of England is on the verge of collapse," Sugiura went completely silent, leaving only the sound of gasps.
After a long pause, Sugiura asked in a dreamy, almost disbelieving tone, "Hoshino... does the Managing Director... have a listening device planted in our Investment Department?"
Hoshino couldn't answer that question.
He was starting to doubt everything himself.
"Don't ask me, I don't know either," Hoshino said with a wry smile. "Now I realize our company's greatest asset isn't the game consoles or even those stocks—it's the Managing Director's brain."
"Exactly! He's practically infallible!" A tremor of fervor shook Sugiura's voice. "Hoshino, do you remember what the Managing Director said about the Arctic bear during the oil futures incident? Now it's the old British lion's turn—"
It was midnight in London, and Sugiura, already drowsy from the cocktail party, had been looking forward to catching some sleep after his report.
But now, every drop of blood in his body felt like it was boiling. Sleep was the furthest thing from his mind.
He bolted upright, grabbing a notepad and pen from the hotel room. "Quick, Hoshino! Go over the Managing Director's key points again! Not a single word can be missed!"
Hoshino immediately repeated Takuya Nakayama's instructions and analysis point by point:
"Keep a close eye on the domestic banks' moves—"
"A sharp interest rate hike will be the final signal—"
"Get out before they react—"
"Only money we've secured is our money!"
Sugiura scribbled furiously, committing each word to memory.
"I understand!" Sugiura exhaled deeply, his voice unusually resolute. "Don't worry. I'll arrange for three shifts of round-the-clock surveillance on Barclays and Lloyds tomorrow—those bastards! At the same time, I'll handle the logistics for building our position. Have you secured the funding on your end?"
"Yes, it arrived half an hour ago," Hoshino replied, his excitement growing. "Sugiura, this time we'll work from the inside and out! We're about to pull off another big score—we're going to get rich again!"
"No," Sugiura said with a smile. "It's the Managing Director who's about to make us rich again."
"Hahaha, just like during the Gulf War last year. Get some rest. I'll contact the investment department at U.S. Headquarters today and have them keep an eye on Wall Street's movements." Hoshino seemed to remember something and added, "Oh, and I'll also reach out to Director Hoshino."
"Alright, I'll leave the U.S. side to you. I'm heading to bed. We'll be watching over so much capital in the coming days—we need to stay sharp. You too," Sugiura cautioned Hoshino before hanging up.
After ending the call, Sugiura gazed at the quiet London night through the window, suppressing the excitement and greed in his eyes before hurrying off to wash up.
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