Not only was the speaker confused. All the other people looked at Ted and thought he wouldn’t mention this group of people without a purpose. Once he started to talk about this group of people, it must mean that Ted might be cooperating with them or that he might have the intention of doing so.
Ted had always been a prudent person.
He would not exaggerate things and make it sound untrue. He also wouldn’t directly tell others things that were impossible to happen.
Since all the listeners were businessmen. They were naturally inclined to put profits in the first place. After Ted had said so, some people started to yearn for what he said, but they dared not get their hope too high.