Terra Calendar, 1590.1.2.
Fog City Stock Exchange · VIP Room.
An elderly gentleman in a tailcoat and a face mask was respectfully reporting to a blond, golden-eyed young man seated on the sofa ahead of him, drinking hot coffee. A large white dog lay at the blond young man's feet.
"Mr. Abraham, the sixteen stocks you purchased starting last April are now worth a total of 2.46 million. And because you hold a substantial amount of Farlan Railway stock, you are now the eighth-largest shareholder of the Farlan Railway Limited Liability Company."
"Also, the Fog City railway construction proposal you submitted in June was approved some time ago. Fog City's [Ouroboros Railway] is now expected to be completed this year."
By the time the elderly gentleman finished his report, the blond young man had finished his coffee. The elderly gentleman had been observing the expression of this wealthy "gentleman" before him the entire time, and he found not the slightest trace of joy at his growing wealth on that incomparably handsome face.
"May I ask you something?" Xia Xiu set down the exquisitely crafted cup in his hand, then fixed his gaze on the mask covering the stock exchange employee's face.
"If it is something I can answer, I will tell you everything I know," the elderly gentleman replied respectfully.
As usual, Xia Xiu began turning the ring on his right index finger with his left thumb and index finger. Narrowing his golden eyes, he asked the elderly gentleman:
"I only returned to Fog City from the Stockholm region the day before yesterday. After I got back, I noticed the streets outside were practically deserted. Even the people I did encounter were all wearing masks. Has some serious epidemic broken out in Fog City?"
At Xia Xiu's question, the elderly