Chapter 135: A Name Reaches the Governor

Under the Federation’s current broad environment, whether future development would move in a good direction or a bad one had in fact always been a subject of intense dispute.

Hidden beneath people’s optimism was a deep fear, along with despair and pessimism toward the future.

Perhaps the unprecedented prosperity of the financial markets at present was the last bit of strength certain people had offered up in order to prove that the “future” might not necessarily be bad. They had succeeded for many years, but in the end, they were still going to fail.

Whenever such a topic appeared, and someone took a clear stand with a view that went against the main trend, people would be drawn to his side.

In truth, the reason people were drawn over at this moment, the reason they gathered around William, was not necessarily because they wanted to hear William talk that irritating nonsense. They did not believe the future would get worse, though they had already prepared for that possibility and admitted it in their hearts.

What they wanted to do now was find flaws in William’s words and refute his view, using that kind of self-deception to convince themselves that all negative views were actually untenable, and that the future would only get better and better.

Ferraler smiled. He felt William had already grasped the essential trick of attracting other people’s attention. At least he himself had been drawn in. He did not squeeze into the group, but stood at the edge of the crowd like everyone else, watching William, watching him speak fluently among them.

“Before I came here, I also read today’s The Wall Street Journal. The Federation industrial index has once again set a historic high, and single-day trading volume has also set a new record...”

He stood in the crowd holding a wineglass. Not the slightest trace of youthful stage fright could be found on his face. There was only composure, and a bearing that made people calm down enough to listen to him talk complete nonsense.

He took a sip of wine. When he raised his glass, the people surrounding him suddenly breathed heavily. Some even whispered to one another, discussing the contents of what William had just said.

When he lowered the glass in his hand, people once again held their breath and looked toward him.

The feeling was excellent.

In truth, at a time like this, singing against the mainstream optimists was not a very good idea. When everyone was carrying a confused sort of optimism, if someone suddenly stepped forward and slapped them across the face, telling them the end was coming, that person would not receive gratitude. He would only receive complaints, negative emotions, and even opposition.

But William had no choice but to do this. He was too young, and he did not have a good family background. If he were the heir of some magnate or some great family, he would not need to do this at all.