Gephra’s stock market uses a very unique system for IPOs. Before the market opens, a company going public must submit its issue price and the number of shares to be released to the financial regulatory office.

These shares are then sold at the listed price by the company directly to the market as the primary seller. This price cannot be changed until all the shares are sold.

Therefore, most companies intentionally set a conservative, often undervalued issue price. This helps the shares sell quickly and allows the market to begin fluctuating freely.

A lower starting price also attracts more retail investors. Since it’s affordable, people are more willing to buy in and give it a try.

Whether the stock price rises after the shares are sold depends entirely on how fast they sell. If they sell out immediately, demand will spike and the price will soar.

If the shares don’t sell out, the price may barely move or even fall.

This has led to another phenomenon: when a company is about to go public, they often sign financial agreements with individuals or organizations to pre-purchase their shares.

If the price meets the agreed valuation when the agreement matures, the shares are released to the market. If not, the company buys them back and relists them later.

The advantage of this method is that it can easily generate hype around a stock. For the market, a company willing to sign such agreements shows confidence in its own shares, which excites average investors.

It’s a unique, self-contained ecosystem. If this were happening in the Federation, the authorities would’ve stepped in long ago—such practices would be considered illegal market manipulation.

But this is Gephra, a monarchy. Its social structure is vastly different from the Federation. What’s illegal there is normal practice here.

When Lynch said he was bringing in 100 million, Richard’s eyes turned red with excitement.

His blood pressure shot up again!

He licked his lips, grabbed a bottle from the table, poured himself a drink, and downed it in one gulp.

With a hundred million in backing, tomorrow’s stock launch would skyrocket. His personal wealth would multiply several times over.

“Boss…” Richard looked at Lynch. “Thank you.”

“I don’t even know what to say. You came to support me when even my own parents wouldn’t. I really appreciate it.”

“You showed me the view from the mountaintop. You helped me understand the essence of life. Thank you doesn’t even begin to cover how grateful I am.”

Richard’s words were exaggerated. Lynch just smiled, and neither of them took it seriously.

Lynch patted Richard on the arm. “We’ve worked together. If no one else helps you, I will.”

Since he couldn’t stop this game from being exposed, he might as well make a profit from it.

High-interest capital raising is terrifying—its danger lies in the fact that it requires no real business operations or virtual costs. In the early and mid-stages, a company’s valuation can grow a hundredfold.

This means that once financial reports are disclosed, the market will inevitably go wild.

Any company, no matter what it does, as long as it’s expanding rapidly every month, will still attract investors—even if they see the risks.

The sharp ones are gambling—betting they can make enough money and get out before it all collapses.

Ordinary investors are gambling too—betting that the company won’t encounter any issues after they buy in.

Lynch wanted to fan the flames, make it all even crazier—and push Richard over the edge.

Richard being able to plan the IPO of Harmony Capital also meant he was actively trying to break free from Lynch’s control—a bad sign.

It meant Richard had become dangerous to Lynch. So Lynch decided to solve the problem in one clean move.

When he looked at Richard, his gaze was full of joy—no trace of hostility. As if the thought had never even crossed his mind.

“Boss, will you come to the launch tomorrow?” Richard asked, a little breathless, hoping Lynch would attend the celebration.

Lynch shook his head. “That wouldn’t be appropriate. You know I have a lot of labels attached to me. My relationship with Gephra’s authorities hasn’t exactly been smooth—it would just draw unnecessary attention to you.”

“But I will support you. Like I said, my money will be there.”

Richard was a little disappointed, but only slightly. If Lynch and Jania had shown up to support him, tomorrow would undoubtedly become a frenzy.

Unfortunately, Lynch didn’t agree.

After a bit more casual conversation, the two parted ways. Tomorrow was important, and everyone needed rest. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

After Lynch left, the others gathered around. One of them asked, “What did Lynch want?”

No one called him Mr. Lynch, nor did they show any proper respect. In fact, their tone hinted at dissatisfaction and suspicion.

The excitement on Richard’s face quickly faded. He dismissed the girls in the room and poured himself another drink.

He played with the glass, the clinking of ice quickly drowned out by the music. He looked around and shook his head. “He just saw a profit opportunity.”

“I know Lynch well. He’s like a vulture. Wherever there’s something to gain, he’ll show up.”

“Tomorrow, our stock will be a huge success. With or without him, it won’t matter much—but we still need to keep an eye on him.”

Richard thought for a moment. “Find someone reliable to keep tabs on Lynch. Make sure he’s only here for the money…”

The next morning at nine, outside the Royal Exchange Hall of the Gephra Empire, a crowd of elites gathered. Today was Harmony Capital’s IPO.

Richard moved through the crowd, shaking hands and chatting with various people. His face showed clear excitement and joy.

Not far away, the nobles also wore restrained smiles—they were key players in this feast too.

Before its IPO, Harmony Capital had already undergone two real rounds of fundraising and share expansion. The nobles had completed their entry—they helped Richard solve many problems. Now it was time to reap the rewards.

“Mr. Richard, what do you think Harmony Capital’s closing price will be today?” a reporter shouted.

Richard had answered this question more than once, and each time, he responded with pride.

“Miss, I have a feeling—we’re going to witness a miracle today!” He didn’t give a direct answer, instead opting for a dramatic prediction.

Harmony Capital’s issue price was only 2.5 Sol—not high, but not especially low either.

After their discussions last night, they believed today’s stock price might break past 10 Sol.

A fourfold increase meant everyone on the team would see their wealth grow at least four times—at least.

Within a week, Richard’s personal assets could exceed 50 million.

This was a world he had never imagined before—a world driven purely by money.

In this moment, he no longer felt the urge to leave. The profits from the stock market were enough to keep Harmony Gold Bonds running, while continuing to attract an endless stream of investors.

This time, if he left, it would either be never—or with a staggering fortune.

At 9:25 a.m., sunlight streamed through the gaps between buildings and landed on him. Bathed in light, Richard felt the admiration in the eyes of those around him, and it was as if his soul had become weightless.

This was the feeling.

He took a deep breath—yes, this was it. A feeling too wonderful for words. The entire world seemed to revolve around him.

“Do you know him?”

In front of the TV, Jania was sprawled ungracefully across the couch. Before visiting the Federation, she would never have done this. Her royal upbringing forbade such behavior.

Even ordinary citizens of Gephra wouldn’t lounge like that. The nobility had always been their role models. Though commoners couldn’t reach even the lowest tier of noble life, they still sat properly in chairs or on sofas—instead of lying down.

Uncouth was the word people used most often.

But after going to the Federation, Jania had discovered a new world—sofas designed purely for comfort.

Some were made specifically for lying down, complete with built-in racks for snacks and drinks.

You could recline fully, and without ever standing up, reach everything—food, drinks, even the remote control. It was perfect.

Gradually, she had come to love watching TV while lying on the couch.

Learning discipline is hard; it takes willpower. But picking up bad habits? That’s easy. A single lapse in thinking is all it takes.

Lynch nodded. “I know him—he’s a friend, sort of.”

He kept it vague, and Jania didn’t press. She casually brought up Harmony Capital.

“I know about it. I even bought a little. Its profit model is interesting. Do you think there’s a problem with it?”

She shifted forward, resting her head on Lynch’s leg. Lynch gave a half-smile. “I don’t know much about this sort of thing. But if your regulators say there’s no issue, then there probably isn’t one.”

Jania glanced at him thoughtfully. She didn’t think it was that simple.

But Lynch wasn’t wrong. If no one in the empire saw a problem with it, maybe there really wasn’t one.

Surely the intelligence of an entire nation couldn’t be less than that of Lynch alone?

Unnoticed, time had already reached 9:30.

The gates of the Royal Exchange opened…