As a Magnate, I Started Checking in at a Convenience Store - Chapter 416
Chapter 416: First Experience in London!
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
As night fell, the coastline lit up brilliantly!
At this moment, Zhou Chao was seated on the balcony of his hotel room, holding a cigarette in his hand, continuously taking drags from it. If it weren’t for his slightly trembling hands, one might have thought he was gazing at the night view of Monte Carlo in his heart.
“System, you’re fucking amazing. You almost scared the life out of me!”
As the cigarette burned out, Zhou Chao gradually calmed down.
Thinking about the information he had just received during check-in, excitement surged within him.
“One month from now, the Dow Jones Index will plummet by 7%!”
The moment he received this information, Zhou Chao immediately checked the market value of the Dow Jones Index online.
“A whopping 8.33 trillion!”
If I play my cards right, I can easily make over a hundred billion!” Zhou Chao couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the thought.
It was a long and sleepless night, and Zhou Chao didn’t know when he had finally fallen asleep. When he woke up the next day, it was already past 10 o’clock.
His phone had several missed calls, all from Lin Wu, Todd, and Abdullah.
After freshening up and changing his clothes, Zhou Chao opened the door and walked out. As soon as he left the bedroom, he saw Abdullah and others sitting on the sofa.
“Why are you all here?”
“Weren’t we supposed to go to London today? We waited for you for hours without any word from you. We tried calling, but you didn’t answer. We thought something happened to you!” Abdullah scolded Zhou Chao.
“Oh, hahaha, I was up late last night, and I went to bed really late!” Zhou Chao laughed it off, explaining the situation in simpler terms.
“Now that you’re up, let’s get ready to leave!”
Zhou Chao didn’t have much to pack, just a bag with clothes. Lin Wu picked it up without hesitation.
The group left the hotel and headed for the airport by car.
“Zhou, why don’t you join me on my plane? It can accommodate a few more people!” As soon as they arrived at the airport, Abdullah invited Zhou Chao to join his private jet.
“Or you can join mine; everyone can fit!”
Zhou Chao’s response left Abdullah stunned. His private jet was a Gulfstream G550, something not many people could own internationally.
“Zhou, is your plane large?”
“Of course, my plane is quite big. It’s a Boeing 747-8VIP, so it should comfortably fit all of us.”
Abdullah couldn’t help but mutter a curse. His own jet looked like a toy compared to Zhou Chao’s.
“Let’s go!”
Zhou Chao grinned and led everyone to his plane.
Upon boarding the plane, even the worldly-wise Abdullah couldn’t help but be slightly stunned.
The opulent and magnificent decor matched Abdullah’s taste perfectly, and he took a moment to admire it before averting his gaze.
“Your plane is similar to mine. I never knew you had such hidden wealth, Zhou!” Abdullah couldn’t help but admire Zhou Chao’s substantial resources!
“It’s not very convenient. It’s usually just us, and a large plane like this can be a bit of a hassle,” Zhou Chao remarked with a touch of frustration.
Hearing this, those standing nearby couldn’t help but twitch their lips, and even Abdullah rolled his eyes at Zhou Chao’s remark.
The plane quickly took off. Originally, Morocco wasn’t very far from the Eagle Country. The two chatted casually, and before they knew it, the plane had entered Eagle Country’s airspace.
Soon, the plane landed at London Airport.
At this moment, the convoy that had come to pick up the two had already parked at the private landing strip.
“Zhou, 1’11 go meet my subordinates first. I’ll catch up with you later!”
“Alright, I’ll explore London a bit and experience the exotic atmosphere here!”
Abdullah’s departure left Zhou Chao and Miles standing on the tarmac.
“Boss!” Miles greeted as Abdullah left.
“Let’s go, head to the hotel!” The weather in London was similar to that in Paris, with a pleasant and refreshing temperature.
The hotel arranged by Miles was right in the heart of London, adjacent to the London Eye and overlooking the Parliament building. The streets were bustling with people, befitting the world’s top financial center.
“Miles, tell me about the situation with the clubs,” Zhou Chao said, lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed.
“Boss, I’ve roughly gathered some information. Currently, only the English Premier League teams are suitable for acquisition, but it’s quite challenging. Many teams have multiple shareholders, making it difficult to secure a deal. The situation is quite complex!”
“What about the more famous clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, or the German Bundesliga clubs? What’s their situation?”
“Well, Boss, you might not be aware, but Real Madrid and Barcelona can’t be acquired. These clubs operate under a membership system, and there’s no owner. The power lies with the fans, who vote for the club president. As for Bundesliga clubs, they can be acquired, but ownership cannot exceed 51%, and the ultimate authority still rests with the fans. So, the value of acquiring them might not outweigh the disadvantages.”
Miles paused for a moment, hesitating as he said, “Boss, would you consider Manchester United, the Red Devils, as an option? If the acquisition of Liverpool doesn’t work out favorably, Manchester United could be an alternative. Currently, the management at Manchester United is in disarray, causing a lot of dissatisfaction among the fans. They all hope that someone who understands football can take charge.”
“Hmm,” Zhou Chao nodded in response.
Miles made a valid point, especially considering that Abdullah was also targeting Liverpool. As friends, Zhou Chao didn’t want to engage in a behind-the-scenes rivalry. So, when Miles mentioned Manchester United, Zhou Chao found it intriguing.
After pondering for a moment, Zhou Chao spoke, “Let’s temporarily set aside the plan to acquire Liverpool and focus on Manchester United. If the consortium behind Manchester United is unwilling or deliberately raises the club’s valuation, I don’t mind playing the role of a corporate raider and initiating a hostile takeover.”
“Boss, rest assured, the consortium behind Manchester United is the Glazer family, with assets totaling only £4 billion. It’s like a fly trying to stop an elephant when it comes to us!” Miles confidently stated.
“Alright, use KE Law Firm’s name to handle this. I entrust it to you entirely. If there’s anything you can’t handle, give me a call!”
“Yes, Boss, I promise to complete the mission!” Miles said excitedly and then left.
After Miles left, Lin Wu turned to Zhou Chao and said, “Boss, what’s your plan for acquiring football clubs?”
“What else? To make money, of course!” Zhou Chao grinned at Lin Wu.
“Make money? Boss, with a snap of your fingers, you can earn more in a year than these clubs make!”
Do you think I’m unaware of that?” Zhou Chao gave him a sarcastic look.
“Eh!” Lin Wu looked bewildered, while Todd, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but chuckle and cover his mouth.
After a few hours of rest, Zhou Chao left the hotel with Lin Wu and Todd to explore the sights of London.
The streets were crowded with people, and it felt slightly congested.
As they were admiring the scenery on the streets of London, a young foreigner suddenly bumped into Zhou Chao.
“Ah, I’m sorry, I was in a hurry and didn’t notice!” the young man quickly apologized.
“It’s okay, just be more careful when walking in the future,” Zhou Chao replied with a faint smile, looking at the young man.
“Alright!” The young man hurriedly left.
“Follow him!” Zhou Chao’s face suddenly turned serious as he watched the young man walk away.
“Boss, what’s wrong?” Lin Wu couldn’t help but feel nervous.
“He stole my wallet!”
Both of them had a cold gleam in their eyes, and they quickly followed the thief. Zhou Chao calmly trailed behind.
“I didn’t expect this guy to be so rich. There are almost a few thousand euros in here, along with many bank cards!” The young man flipped through Zhou Chao’s wallet in an empty alley.
“In the black Swiss bank card in the wallet, there are billions of US dollars. Do you want to go together and withdraw it?” Zhou Chao had appeared beside the pickpocket without them noticing.
His sudden voice startled the thief, who took a few steps back, bumped into the wall, and then stopped. After recognizing Zhou Chao’s face, he quickly turned to run away.
“Bang!” Before he could run more than a couple of steps, he crashed into Lin Wu, tumbling to the ground. At the same time, Todd also appeared from another alley.
“Why aren’t you running? Why did you stop?” Lin Wu said as he approached the pickpocket.
“Shit!” The thief cursed angrily, pulled out a dagger from behind, and swung it toward the three of them, seemingly trying to scare them away.
“Son of a b****!” Lin Wu shouted and delivered a flying kick that sent the dagger flying. He followed it up with a kick that knocked the thief to the ground.
At this moment, Todd also reached the pickpocket’s side, found Zhou Chao’s wallet, and tossed it to Lin Wu. Then he picked up the pickpocket and walked deeper into the alley.
“All, ah!” Two screams came from the depths of the alley, and then Todd returned with a smirk on his face.
“Did you kill him?” Lin Wu asked nervously as he looked at Todd.
“How could that be? I just gave him a beating. He probably won’t be able to continue in this line of work in the future.” Todd didn’t explicitly state what happened, but Zhou Chao noticed a drop of red on Todd’s hand.
“Alright, let’s go. Don’t let this little incident spoil the mood,” Zhou Chao said, heading outside without looking back.
After Zhou Chao and his group had left for quite some time, four or five people arrived at the alley entrance. They searched around and eventually found the young pickpocket at the far end of the alley. They then left with him.
After taking a stroll and tasting some of London’s specialty cuisine at a charming British-style restaurant, they enjoyed the view outside the window while savoring the delicious food. It was a delightful experience.
Unknowingly, the sky grew darker.
With their energy still high, Zhou Chao and his two companions planned to experience London’s vibrant nightlife.
However, as the night advanced, the streets of London became increasingly crowded, and the atmosphere was quite lively. Everywhere along the streets, there were small pubs, and people gathered in groups, sitting at roadside pubs, enjoying drinks, and chatting.
London’s rich and colorful nightlife truly shattered Zhou Chao’s previous stereotype of the city being conservative and old-fashioned.
By the banks of the River Thames, there were various street performances, people dancing together, and a mix of instruments such as guitars, saxophones, and electronic keyboards playing music that intertwined, broadening Zhou Chao’s horizons..
