I'm The King of Business & Technology in the Modern World-Chapter 69: Playing the Market

April 2020.

The global economy remained in freefall, and while most corporations struggled to survive, Sentinel Systems was thriving—an anomaly that had not gone unnoticed. Within weeks, whispers turned into full-blown discussions among international investors, regulators, and governments. The question on everyone's mind was the same:

How did Sentinel predict the crash so perfectly?

Inside Sentinel Systems' headquarters, Matthew sat at the head of the conference table, his senior executives gathered around him. The OLED screen at the far end displayed a financial report that had just been forwarded to them.

Daniel leaned forward, rubbing his temple as he read the latest intelligence update. "We've been flagged, Matt."

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Matthew barely looked up from his coffee. "By who?"

Daniel sighed and placed his phone on the table. "The United States Treasury, the SEC, and a few European financial watchdogs are asking questions. They want to know how we profited while even Wall Street's biggest firms suffered."

Angel scrolled through her tablet, eyes scanning the latest reports. "China's also taking notice. Their Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is watching how we outperformed their own cybersecurity firms. The European Central Bank isn't far behind—they're suspicious about our sudden liquidity. And Singapore's Monetary Authority is monitoring our rapid expansion into Southeast Asia."

Matthew took another sip of his coffee, unfazed. "And what's their concern?"

Daniel leaned back. "Their concern is that Sentinel's rise was too perfect. We placed our bets at the exact right time, we didn't suffer losses, and we came out on top while entire industries collapsed. To them, that's either incredible foresight or… insider information."

Angel sighed, closing her tablet. "It's more than just financial regulators, Matthew. Governments are watching now. If they decide you're a threat to economic stability, they won't just investigate—you'll be forced to play by their rules, or worse, they'll find ways to take you down."

A moment of silence settled over the room.

Matthew finally looked up, his expression cool and composed. "So, we've officially entered the big leagues."

Daniel shook his head. "You're too calm about this."

Matthew smirked. "I saw this coming."

Angel shot him a sharp look. "And what's your plan? Because if we don't address this properly, we could be facing regulatory crackdowns, frozen assets, and hostile policies from the world's biggest economies."

Matthew exhaled, setting his cup down. "We control the narrative before they do."

Angel frowned. "How?"

Matthew gestured toward the screen. "Governments are desperate right now. They need cybersecurity, digital banking, and data protection more than ever. We make ourselves indispensable—not just to corporations, but to nations."

Daniel rubbed his forehead. "So, you're saying… instead of hiding, we go bigger?"

"Exactly," Matthew said. "The U.S. government is looking for cybersecurity partners. We offer Sentinel's services—on our terms. Singapore and the UAE? They're searching for digital banking solutions to keep their economies stable during the pandemic. We offer them a deal. Europe is worried about liquidity? We invest in their markets, make them rely on us."

Angel let out a slow breath. "So instead of running… we integrate ourselves into their systems."

Matthew nodded. "If we become a critical part of their infrastructure, they won't shut us down. They can't."

Daniel sighed, shaking his head. "Jesus, Matt… You're not just playing the markets anymore. You're playing with governments."

Thanks to the pill that he had taken before this discussion, he was able to answer this properly.

April 10, 2020 – The First International Call

Matthew's private line buzzed. Angel picked up the phone from his desk and glanced at him.

"It's Steven Reynolds from the U.S. Treasury."

Matthew took the call, putting it on speaker.

"Mr. Borja," the American official greeted. "I'll be direct. Sentinel Systems has gained a lot of attention lately. The way you navigated the market crash, your liquidity, your expanding investments—people are asking questions."

Matthew leaned back, smiling slightly. "People should be asking why they didn't see this coming."

Reynolds chuckled, but there was no amusement in his voice. "Fair point. But Washington wants to understand how Sentinel was so well-positioned while the rest of the market collapsed."

Matthew's response was measured. "Strategic foresight. We assessed risk factors long before the pandemic hit full scale. The signs were there."

A pause. "Would Sentinel be open to working with us? The U.S. government is looking for partners in cybersecurity, especially given the increased risks during the pandemic."

Matthew's smirk didn't waver. "I'm open to discussions."

"Good. We'll be in touch." The call ended.

Angel crossed her arms. "They want leverage over us."

Matthew set the phone down. "Let them try."

April 15, 2020.

Angel sat across from Matthew, skimming the financial reports he had printed out.

"We're looking at a total of $10.6 billion in liquid assets," she said, barely believing the numbers. "Your stock portfolio has grown by 230% since January. Sentinel is now the largest privately held tech firm in Southeast Asia."

Daniel let out a whistle. "We just tripled our market value in three months."

Matthew only nodded, already expecting the result. "And the rest of the world?"

Daniel frowned. "Not doing so well. Airlines are near bankruptcy. Oil prices have crashed due to the Saudi-Russia price war. Retail giants are filing for insolvency. Governments are bleeding money trying to keep their economies afloat."

Angel's expression darkened. "And yet… Sentinel stands untouched."

Matthew's eyes gleamed. "Exactly."

April 20, 2020.

The stock market was still in chaos, and Matthew moved aggressively.

"We're buying up airlines that are about to fold," he said during a late-night meeting. "I want a stake in Philippine Airlines—it's dirt cheap now, but it'll recover once travel rebounds."

Daniel nodded. "Done. What else?"

"Logistics," Matthew continued. "Global shipping firms are struggling. We step in, acquire shares, and secure dominance in supply chains."

Angel was silent for a moment before she spoke. "So you're not just playing the market anymore. You're shaping the industries that will control the future."

Matthew smirked. "Now you're getting it."

April 25, 2020.

The global media was catching on.

The headlines flooded news networks:

"Did Sentinel Systems Exploit the Pandemic?" – Bloomberg

"How a Filipino Tech Company Became the Richest Firm in Southeast Asia During COVID-19" – Financial Times

"Market Manipulation or Strategic Genius? The Rise of Matthew Borja" – CNBC

Angel exhaled as she read the headlines. "They're coming after us."

Matthew remained calm. "Let them. They'll find nothing illegal."

Daniel, however, wasn't as confident. "Matt, you're challenging entire economies. If Sentinel becomes too powerful, we won't just face lawsuits—we'll have political enemies."

Matthew's smirk didn't fade. "Then we'll play the game better than them."