The opening ceremony of an asset forum conference was about to begin.
This was the year 2001, and ridiculous high-end events had yet to become as common as they would be more than a decade later.
The asset forum, for example, was a concept they had taken from the West. Most people initially did not know what such an event entailed.
Basically, this was an event where a group of successful entrepreneurs would sit down with a few fake economic experts as they proceeded to predict and discuss their hopes for the country’s financial situation or the industry’s developments.
If the people attending were not powerful enough, then the forum became a joke.
However, this asset forum conference in Waterhoof City was held by Seatreasures International Group, and the person invited was a renowned financial expert in the country. Large companies in Waterhoof City’s financial industry were also present.
The most well-known attendee would be the vice president of Haddock’s Chamber.
Everyone knew that the symbol of Teo Chamber of Commerce was Seatreasures International Group, which was worth tens of billions on the market. The Teo and Haddock Chambers of Commerce also had many conflicts and they were at great odds with each other.
Therefore, this forum, with so many inter-connected figures, was already incendiary before it even began.
Especially when word got out that Haddock’s Chamber of Commerce’s vice president was Jasper. People were in an uproar when they did a background check on Jasper.
The majority shareholder of JW Company.
JW was no longer the small company that no one knew of in the past.
With its subsidiaries involved in the dot-com, electronics manufacturing, real estate, and entertainment industries, JW was starting to look more like an established group.
Especially to people in Waterhoof City, where Jasper was leading the construction of the future tallest building in the world.
The strangest part of all was that Jasper’s birth and path to entrepreneurship had nothing to do with Haddock’s Chamber of Commerce.
Some more knowledgeable people also knew that Jasper was in confict with the previous president of the Haddock Chamber of Commerce Waterhoof City branch. In fact, Jasper was also directly involved in the other’s downfall.
So why did Jasper suddenly become the vice president of the Chamber’s Waterhoof City branch?
Under countless curious and confused gazes, the asset forum proceeded anyway in Waterhoof City’s W Hotel’s main conference hall.
The car slowly drove toward W Hotel’s lobby entrance, and from afar, Henry exclaimed as he sat beside Jasper whilst observing the frenzied atmosphere in front of them. “It actually looks legitimate.”
The hotel’s lobby entrance was already surrounded and packed with reporters while a large group of suited workers with identity cards draping from their necks tried to maintain order.
Under the continuous flashing of cameras, the event had the atmosphere befitting of an important conference.
“Seatreasures International Group wants to use this forum to crush Haddock’s power in Waterhoof City so that they can get a foothold in the Waterhoof City, the country’s financial center’s financial industry. It’s only normal they would arrange such a grand event.”
Jasper was unsurprised as he replied.
Henry’s eyes suddenly lit up and he snickered, pointing at a young man who was speaking to someone darkly not too far away. “That’s the stupid f*cker from that day, no?”
Jasper looked up at the young man and realized that it was Dudley.
“His father, Alban Ball, is the founder of Seatreasures International. I guess you could consider Dudley as its heir, so it makes sense that he’s here.”
“This is going to be fun!”
Henry rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Let’s make it clear now, don’t pull me back if that stupid f*cker jumps up. I’ve been holding it in these past two days and I’m at my limit.”
