Crisis

"Mr. Hans, this is your prize. Five million Marks in total. However, you'll need to pay the taxes yourself." Karl von Jonath, the general manager of the German Welfare Lottery Company, handed a check to Hans, the first-prize winner, his face beaming with smiles.

After confirming the first-prize winner, Karl had rushed overnight to Düsseldorf, bringing a check for five million Marks. He had also notified major newspapers of the news. Now, he was presenting the prize to Hans in public, right in front of the reporters.

"I... I'm truly grateful to you." Hans was at a loss, as if in a dream. He had never imagined that God would favor him and let him win first prize. Even after taxes, he would still have four million Marks left! To him, that was a fortune. With this money, he could stop digging coal, and his wife and children would no longer have to squeeze into a tiny room.

"Mr. Hans, how do you feel right now?" a reporter asked, envy in his eyes. He envied the man's luck—why hadn't he won himself? If he had won first prize, he wouldn't have to work hard anymore.

"I'm very excited and very happy. Thank God, thank the German Welfare Lottery Company. I'm a coal miner, and life has been tough. But from now on, my life will be completely different." Hans was full of anticipation for the future.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the mission of our German Welfare Lottery Company is to give people a chance to change their fate. While two Marks isn't exactly cheap, most people can afford it. Using two Marks to exchange for an opportunity to change your life is undoubtedly a great deal. Once you win first prize, your life will be fundamentally transformed. Additionally, our company is one that gives back to society. From each lottery round's revenue, we regularly set aside a portion for social welfare investments, making the whole society better." Karl seized the moment to promote their mission. Though Karl was young, he came across as mature and unflappable.

"Clap, clap, clap!" The reporters and onlookers burst into enthusiastic applause.

The news that a coal miner had won first prize, pocketing five million Marks, was soon reported by major newspapers. Of course, Oscar and his team had spent a fair amount on PR for this. This reignited the frenzy for Double Color Ball sales. More and more people, eager to change their fate, threw themselves into buying tickets.

Even though two Marks wasn't a small sum for ordinary people, given the current wage levels, scrimping a bit was manageable. This drove Double Color Ball sales up once again.

By the fourth round, sales had risen to forty million Marks. After deducting costs and prizes, Oscar and his team's profit reached around four million Marks. Of that profit, Oscar's share alone was a full two million Marks. With this steady stream of income, realizing Oscar's plans became much easier.

The explosive sales of Double Color Ball naturally drew widespread attention. Many wanted to get their hands on this golden goose, but they found it impossible to make a move.

Although Oscar wasn't favored by Wilhelm II, he was still a prince of Germany. Targeting a prince's venture would be a direct provocation to the royal family. Without enough power, no one could withstand the royal family's wrath.

Moreover, the German Welfare Lottery Company donated millions of Marks weekly to Germany's civil affairs departments for social welfare, earning it an excellent reputation in society. Any rash move against the company would invite public condemnation.

Still, even so, Oscar could sense that as the German Welfare Lottery Company's money-making power grew, those greedy individuals were losing their restraint.

In a capitalist society like Germany, even the royal family had to tread carefully in the face of big capitalists.

"Karl, we've now run six rounds of the lottery, with total profits reaching ten million Marks. After deducting the two million Marks donated to civil affairs, we have eight million left. This one million is yours." Oscar handed Karl a check for one million Marks.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I never imagined we'd recoup our costs in just over ten days. From here on, it's pure profit." Karl beamed. Though he only got ten percent of the profits, he was more than satisfied. At the current profit rate, he could pocket over two million Marks a month.

"Mm, but with all this money we're making, others are getting jealous. There's no shortage of capitalists eyeing us for a takeover." Oscar felt a strong sense of crisis.

"Your Highness, can't your status deter them?" Karl's expression turned serious.

"For now, it should hold them off. But as we rake in more and more money, they'll soon lose patience. When that happens, my status as an ordinary prince won't scare them off." Oscar shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Then what do we do?" Karl knew all too well the bloodiness of capital accumulation. For profit, those capitalists would stop at nothing. Oscar's princely title wouldn't truly make them hesitate. If Oscar could rise further and become Crown Prince, that might make them think twice.

"Karl, go to the palace and find your father. Have him give this check to my Father Emperor. Our earlier decision was to give twenty percent of the profits to the royal family. I hope Father Emperor will see this money and our father-son bond and grant us his protection."

Karl nodded. "Understood, Your Highness. I'll head to Potsdam right away."

Karl knew that if the royal family could warn off those greedy bastards, they would likely abandon their designs on the German Welfare Lottery Company. After all, since Germany's unification, the royal family's prestige in the country was at its peak. Even the big capitalists wouldn't dare openly defy them.