After returning to the kitchen, William checked his watch. An hour had passed, and the beef stew was nearly ready. He sliced onions and carrots, added seasonings, poured in some red wine, and the beef soup was done.
Initially, he wanted to make rice but couldn't find any, so he used the electric griddle to make three pancakes instead. Finally, he washed the green peppers to prepare a simple and aromatic stir-fried beef tenderloin with green peppers. Reflecting on how long it had been since he last enjoyed Chinese food made his mouth water.
While William was stir-frying the beef, he felt Alexander quietly approach him from behind. Alexander gently rested on William's shoulder and kissed him, saying, "Dear, I didn't know you could cook. You're amazing. Here's a reward." She kissed him again on the cheek.
William turned and softly said to Alexander, "Alright, be careful of the oil. You can take the beef soup and pancakes to the dining room. I'll finish up with the stir-fried beef and then make some broccoli. You can set the table."
"No problem," Alexander replied with a cheerful smile.
After finishing the broccoli, William brought the dishes to the dining table where Alexander had already set out the cutlery and plates. Seeing William with the food, Alexander got up happily and gave him a kiss.
They poured some red wine and clinked their glasses. Alexander ladled out a bowl of beef soup for William and then one for herself. After tasting it, she was immediately captivated by the flavor and praised, "This is delicious, thank you, dear. This is the first time someone other than my parents has cooked for me. I love you so much for this."
This little charmer could be quite endearing with her coyness and sweetness. "As long as you like it. I used to eat at Chinese restaurants often and enjoyed it so much that I asked the chefs for some tips. This is actually my first time making Chinese-style dishes."
William tasted it himself and thought it was decent, though the broth lacked a bit of depth, possibly due to the absence of beef bones in the stock.
William served Alexander some stir-fried beef tenderloin with green peppers. Alexander repeatedly said it was delicious, but she didn't eat much. Instead, she watched William eat, occasionally picking food for him.
They enjoyed a wonderful Chinese meal together. After they finished, Alexander quickly got up to wash the dishes. They playfully washed and cleaned up together, laughing and joking.
As the sky darkened, Alexander excitedly pulled William onto the balcony to look at Mount Titlis. The area around them was quiet and peaceful, with only three villas, including theirs.
Alexander happily hugged William's arm, resting her head on his shoulder. They sat on the balcony, sipping red wine and whispering to each other. Eventually, when Alexander felt cold, they reluctantly went back inside. They spent the night in front of the fireplace, lying on the sofa, talking until late, and then fell asleep under a blanket.
The next morning at 9 am, Alexander woke up feeling rested but noticed William was no longer beside her. She put on her pajamas and looked around the villa, finally spotting William outside on the balcony.
To her surprise, she saw William and Brian Mills sparring in the snow. She knew how skilled Brian was and was amazed that William could keep up with him.
Though Brian Mills was very experienced and adept, age had caught up with him. After about ten minutes, he began to tire, and a few minutes later, they stopped and embraced, laughing and chatting.
William found Brian's close combat techniques very practical—simple, direct, and targeting weak points like joints and the throat. These moves had a lot in common with many martial arts techniques William had seen in the System.
The purpose of hand-to-hand combat, aside from sports, is to neutralize an enemy as quickly as possible. William gained a lot from this first real combat experience.
As they sparred, Sam and his team watched in amazement. They knew how formidable Brian Mills was, as their whole team couldn't match him in combat. Yet, in the final moments, Brian couldn't keep up with William at all. They recognized that William hadn't used his full strength; otherwise, Brian wouldn't have lasted as long.
Sam, astonished, said to the others, "Is this the difference between a noble lineage and us ordinary folks? Our boss is so young, how did he train? Towards the end, Brian was no match for him. And where did he learn those combat skills? They seem designed to kill."
Bernie, who knew a lot about combat, commented, "Those techniques are indeed meant to kill. They're more effective than the ones used by the military. Did you notice the boss's knife-hand skills? Many of his moves mimicked using a dagger, like an assassin. He also seems well-versed in various special forces combat techniques, which he uses instinctively. My God, how much do these centuries-old nobles know that we ordinary people don't? I feel so disheartened. The boss went from nothing to a billionaire, inventor, archery master, and now he's amazing at hand-to-hand combat too. If my child had half his abilities, I wouldn't be working so hard at this age."
"So, the boss wasn't exaggerating about his shooting skills on TV?" Clarence asked.
"It must be true. Shooting and archery share many similarities. If he's that good with a bow, handling a gun should be even easier. And with his wealth, he can afford any gun he wants," Bernie replied.
"I still find it hard to believe. How can someone have so much energy to learn everything?" Casey shook her head.
"Why don't you challenge the boss and find out?" Clarence suggested.
"You do it if you want. I'm not looking for trouble. What if he gets mad and docks my pay?" Casey responded, shaking her head.
Seeing Alexander on the balcony, William greeted Brian and the others and walked back to the villa. After having breakfast with Alexander, William gathered everyone and they took two MVPs provided by the hotel to the ski resort.
After changing into ski outfits and gear, William and Alexander took a cable car to the beginner slopes.
Being Brazilian and a novice model, Alexander had never skied before. William, coming from southern China, had also never skied. They both took lessons in the morning, and by noon, William was racing down the slopes on his own.
Watching William master skiing so quickly, Alexander clung to him, insisting he teach her. She refused to let him leave her to ski by himself. When William declined, she pouted and clung to him, even playfully pushing him over and collapsing onto him, laughing at her own antics.
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William and Alexander spent the entire day at the ski resort. When they were tired, they would head to a restaurant or café to eat and drink coffee. After resting, they would go back to skiing. William became enthralled with the thrill of speeding down the slopes and couldn't get enough. They skied until nearly dark before finally heading back to the villa.
That evening, Alexander decided to showcase her cooking skills and prepared a Brazilian dish, feijoada. It was a black bean stew with various smoked meats, sausages, pig's ears, and pig's tails. William thought it was decent but a bit too greasy.
Alexander had been worried that William might not be accustomed to ingredients like pig's ears and tails, but to her surprise, he enjoyed the feijoada without any reservations and ate with gusto.
Brian and the other Americans, however, struggled to appreciate the dish. They typically avoided offal and cuts like pig's ears and tails, so they stuck to drinking beer and eating grilled meat, barely touching the feijoada.
Seeing William enjoying the dish she made, Alexander felt overjoyed. She believed William was eating the pig's ears out of love for her, and she watched him eat with adoration, occasionally cutting pieces of grilled meat and placing them on his plate.
Though Alexander couldn't eat much herself, watching her beloved enjoy her cooking warmed her heart.
Brian and his team, seated nearby, were bemused by the couple's public display of affection. They were feeling overwhelmed by the amount of "dog food" being served.
Brian Mills couldn't bear to watch any longer. He stood up and offered, "Anyone want more grilled meat? I'll go cook some."
"Count me in. I prefer mine well-done," Sam said, getting up.
"Can you grill a couple more for me, please? Well-done too. Thanks," William added.
His appetite had doubled lately. After finishing a large bowl of feijoada and two pieces of grilled meat, he still wasn't full.
"Dear, you shouldn't eat too much at night. It's not good for digestion," Alexander said with concern.
"It's okay. I'm only half-full. For some reason, my appetite has doubled, and my strength has increased significantly. I used to get full with much less food," William replied.
Clarence, the team's part-time medic, looked puzzled and asked, "Boss, did your strength increase after your appetite grew?"
William thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, it seems that way. I wasn't this strong before. Now, I feel like my strength has multiplied several times. Do you know why this might be, Clarence?"
Clarence pondered for a moment and suggested, "Boss, you might be experiencing a second growth spurt. You're not yet twenty, and it's possible to grow taller and stronger between twenty and twenty-five. I recommend you get a full check-up when you have time."
William had a pretty good idea of what was happening. His body was continually being enhanced by spatial magic, strengthening his bones and muscles. He knew that once the transformation period was over, his appetite would likely return to normal.
"Alright, I'll get a full check-up when I return to London," William agreed.
After dinner, everyone stayed in the dining room, drinking beer and chatting. William took the opportunity to learn more about the USA from Brian and the others. They talked about Apple, basketball, and the current president, Benjamin Arthur. They also joked about the current Secretary of Defense, Ruth McMillan, who was known for her compassion and tendency to cry often on TV—a trait they found baffling.
The group chatted until 10 PM before dispersing. William and Alexander washed up and went to bed. Alexander had been sleepy earlier, nodding off against William during their conversation, which prompted the group to call it a night.
Despite enjoying a fun-filled three-day vacation in Switzerland with Alexander, William remained vigilant about the stock market every night. Everything appeared to align with his previous life, reassuring him. On the evening of the 6th, William called Phillips.
"Hello, this is Phillips. Mr. Devonshire, what can I do for you?" Phillips answered.
Holding his phone, William said, "Phillips, your vacation is over. Gather the team. We're resuming operations tomorrow."
"Understood, sir. We'll be ready. See you tomorrow," Phillips replied.
The next day, William arrived early at the National Bank's VIP room. Ten traders were already waiting for him, sensing that today's move would be bigger than the last.
Brian Mills and his team meticulously scanned the VIP room with anti-surveillance equipment multiple times. Sam sat at the computer to check the network security. After giving William a thumbs-up indicating everything was secure, William nodded. He stood by the window with a glass of Château Latour, quietly observing the distant forest.
He felt a surge of excitement. Opportunities like this only came once in a decade, and the odds were heavily in his favor. The impending crash of the Nasdaq was not yet on anyone's radar because the trigger wasn't in the tech sector itself.
Although there were many issues, the real cause of the tech stock crash would be the drag from the biotechnology sector—a fact that experts would only identify in hindsight, years later.
Everyone in the room could sense the magnitude of the impending move. Despite William's youth, his serious demeanor exuded a powerful presence, creating a tense atmosphere. Everyone remained silent, focusing on their tasks.
"Mr. Devonshire, there are five minutes until the US market opens," Phillips reminded.
William nodded and said, "Let me know the Nasdaq opening price."
Five minutes later, a trader shouted, "The market is open!"
"What's the Nasdaq at?" William asked.
"5043 points," the trader replied.
William thought for a moment but remained silent. Ten minutes passed, and the trader called out again, "5044 points."
William still didn't react. Half an hour later, the trader shouted, "5045 points."
"What's the trading volume like?" William inquired.
Phillips quickly answered, "The volume is low. There are a lot of buyers, but not many sellers."
Damn, it's now or never. Resolving to act, William immediately instructed, "Sell short, $350 million, 3% margin rate, three-month futures."
"What?"
"Am I hearing this right? Is he crazy?"
"Shorting the market? How is that possible?" The traders were shocked, hesitating to act.
"Mr. Devonshire, are you sure about shorting the market?" Phillips asked urgently.
"It's at 5046 points now," a trader called out.
"$350 million, 3% margin rate, three-month futures, short the market, now! Immediately!" William commanded with burning intensity. "Or you can all leave, and I'll do it myself."
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