"Ladies and gentlemen! After our media offensive launched in various countries, and with over half a year's continuous fermentation, a large number of foreign investors have already brought a massive amount of capital to the table.

After a slight decline due to the delivery of Tulip bulbs, the prices rebounded strongly within a day. However, since everyone is waiting for Tulips to appreciate further, there's very little circulation of bulbs in the market.

I believe it's time to release our futures contracts onto the market. The first shot of the Tulip winter trade will be fired by the 'Eye of Wealth.'"

Argo, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was eloquently speaking at the podium in the circular meeting room.

A unique emblem of a compass and a golden eye hung on the central wall, clearly indicating that this was an internal meeting of the "Eye of Wealth."

The "Eye of Wealth" initially was just a secret association composed of major bankers and capitalists from various countries.

But after seizing power in the Lowland Republic, they have openly stepped onto the stage, gaining enormous economic and political influence.

They own a grand headquarters building in Antwerp City, as well as their own independent armed forces.

Hearing Argo's briefing, combined with their market research, these wealthy organization members were already somewhat tempted.

They never intended to actually harvest next year's bulbs as per the Tulip contracts, and none of the big figures present were fools. They all understood the bigger the gain, the higher the risk.

However, driven by profit, everyone wanted to sell at the highest price to gain the maximum benefit.

The consortium that monopolized the next year's production existed precisely to ensure this point.

"Although Prophets and the Priests of the Wealth Church can no longer obtain any useful information from this frenzy.

Our analysts, however, have made reasonable predictions based on the current supply and demand relationships, and prices cannot continue to rise indefinitely. Risks indeed exist.

The suggested timeframe is best before next spring.

Moreover, having gained this experience, the application scenarios for futures are plentiful. Cotton, steel, coal, inkwood, indigo... and other bulk commodities can all use this approach.

For everyone, this is an avenue rich with opportunities to harvest wealth!"

They now clearly realize that futures are mainly not about goods, but standardized tradable contracts targeting financial assets like stocks, bonds, etc.

Take the Tulip contracts, for example. There are no very explicit rules in the futures market, no specific constraints on buyers and sellers. Contracts can easily be bought and sold again, changing hands several times in a very short period.

This allows these major bankers and capitalists to potentially stir up the market, sell short and go long, and reap wealth wantonly.

The prospects appear infinitely promising!

"Moreover... a resolution has been officially passed this morning and should now be distributed to exchanges across the regions. The path for large-scale futures trading is completely paved!"

Argo took out a document and slightly displayed it to the organization members, immediately causing a wave of cheers.

Driven by huge profits, speculation is by nature crazy and irrational.

To further promote the sustainable growth of this kind of trading, the Upper Council and the government controlled by the "Eye of Wealth" have also launched a specific policy.

As long as speculators are willing to pay the government an insurance fee of 5% of the amount, the government is willing to provide guarantees.

If speculators default on the transaction, they will be fully responsible for taking over, adding fuel to the already blazing hot Tulip trading.

Their idea is simple: given the current price growth trend, it won't take many trades to hedge the risk. Moreover, in the fervid Tulip trade, this is not a rare event.

Thus, the resolution was reached.

All members stood up and exclaimed the words of the "Eye of Wealth":

"When money speaks, the truth falls silent! The future of the world belongs to the 'Eye of Wealth'!"

"The future of the world belongs to...."

However, just when this torrent of capital was about to sweep forth.

Bang—!

The closed gate was suddenly pushed open, and Summerfield, a major shareholder of the Tulip Guild who had been exceptionally absorbed into the 'Eye of Wealth,' rushed in gasping for breath.

With a face of panic, he urgently shouted as if seeking help:

"It's not good! Someone has started selling bulbs in the exchange today, not just one or two people, but many, many people. The price of Tulips... has collapsed!"

Even those accustomed to big scenes couldn't help but feel a jolt and experience a dizzying sensation.

"Oh~ my True God!"

...

In fact, three days earlier.

Throughout the entire Lowland Republic, in many cities' Tulip exchanges, bars, private clubs... and all places where Tulip bulb transactions could take place.

A very similar scene appeared.

Speculators from abroad or locally suddenly found someone sidling up to them mysteriously saying:

"Hey! Friend, we have spot Tulip bulbs, all top-grade varieties, interested?"

The answer, of course, was without exception.

The Faceless Men executed Aiven's plan, quietly entered the village, and refrained from shooting. They bypassed the Guild to trade and conducted private dealings with interested buyers.

Compared to futures contracts that required an additional 'time cost' of a year and various uncertainties in between, buyers, favoring the 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' mentality, were naturally more willing to accept tangible spot trades.

It's just like the early days of savings business when old folks trusted a passbook with black-and-white paper instead of a bank card showing mere numbers.

Most importantly, the price of Tulips in the trading market was constantly rising, changing with each hourly update.

However, these sellers were agreeable, fully giving them the chance to gather funds. As long as the settlement was completed on the same day, pricing would be based on the opening figures from the morning.

Therefore, everyone who managed to grab this batch of Tulips felt remarkably lucky.

However.

This continued for three whole days, with sources always available for those who wanted to buy, finally alerting some shrewd individuals who noticed something was awry.

Furthermore, the scale of selling Tulip bulbs spread across the entire Lowland Republic. Although the trading volume in each city wasn't particularly high, nationally, it was enough to jolt the skyrocketing price curve.

Aiven aimed to reap a significant harvest in the Lowland Republic while the feverish market remained unaware.

One bite, and it was all oil in his mouth!

During this time, Saint Angel and the Goddess cast their gaze upon them, further unsettling the already extremely chaotic Spiritual World affected by these extensive connections.

No Prophet could use Extraordinary means to make an accurate prediction about this significant international event and Aiven's sniping action.

By the fourth day, some of the smart people's confidence began to waver, and they started selling following the Faceless Men, stirring the Eye of Wealth consortium.

The 'musical chairs game' officially commenced.

'It's just a flower! How many people would really trade a house, dozens of tons of cheese, or dozens of sheep for it?'

Once the reflection began, it couldn't be stopped. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Previously, within just half a year, Tulip prices had been driven up nearly seventy times, reaching an unprecedented peak.

But the peak only lasted until this just-started winter month.

With the day's tentative market offering turning into panic-driven massive sell-offs, it took just a single day.

The ever-expanding bubble finally burst completely.

'Sell, sell, at a discount, I'll take only half of the contract amount!'

'I'll take just a third!'

'Buy mine, buy mine!'

The massive sell-off by speculators plunged the market into an unprecedented panic state.

The still bright Tulips became a hot potato no one dared to touch. Bulb prices fell like a boulder rolling off a cliff, plummeting uncontrollably.

Seeing the situation deteriorate, the Republic government decided to intervene to curb the panic sell-off.

But it was too late; lost confidence wasn't something administrative measures could easily restore.

Subsequently, an unprecedented collapse overwhelmed the entire nation like an avalanche.

The 'Lowland Republic's' Tulip market, glorious and flourishing just days ago, turned into a hell of creditors chasing debtors amidst driving rain and bitter winds!

In an instant, thousands were bankrupt.

Numerous speculators who went bankrupt borrowing to buy or leveraging banks to buy Tulips even jumped into the sea like dumplings.

Even powerful businessmen and major institutions, caught off guard, were left severely injured by the vast quantities of hoarded bulbs.

In just about a week, the entire Lowland Republic, along with several surrounding countries, was wailing in despair.

Ding!

'Cheers!'

Huddled in St. James's Palace, Aiven clinked glasses with Liweina, celebrating a harvest in just a few days that nearly equaled the Duchy's annual GDP.

The thrill of swinging the sickle to reap the crop was undeniably enjoyable!

However, things hadn't ended there.

At that moment.

Seeing the devastation on the ground, masses of innocent 'flower farmers' and 'plantation owners' swiftly united.

They waved in their hands the trading contracts signed when Tulip prices were high, along with heaps of Tulip bulbs picked up everywhere, and gathered in Antwerp City.

They demanded that the contracting parties and current contract holders—numerous banks and investment institutions, collectively known as the 'Eye of Wealth'—fulfill the payments.

Apart from the two-tenths advance payment, which had almost drained the Eye of Wealth's liquid capital, they also needed to pay the remaining eight-tenths according to the agreement.

And this step was Aiven's true critical strike aimed directly at the core!