Chapter 6209

Jacob was overjoyed by the incredible hardware foundation, but he also felt a twinge of concern for Charlie.

He wasn’t naive; in his eyes, the island before him and its accompanying facilities represented a financial commitment far exceeding mere tens of millions, amounting to at least hundreds of millions—at least 700 million dollars.

Elaine was equally lost for words. Worrying about Charlie, she voiced her concern: “Jacob, how much trouble could he be in for fraud?”

“I’m not sure, let me find out,” Jacob replied, reaching for his phone only to realize it wasn’t in his pocket—he had lost it some time ago.

Claire, stunned by the luxurious hiding place Stephen Thompson had prepared for himself and his family, interjected: “Dad, Mom, please stop guessing. Charlie invested in Bitcoin recently and made a significant profit. I overheard him say that the original owner of the island’s economy faced issues, which is why everything is being sold off at low prices. As you know, the global real estate market isn’t thriving, and property values on this small South Pacific island have plummeted. Just like our vacation homes in the suburbs, which were once very popular but now draw little interest.”

Hearing this, Jacob had an epiphany: “Oh, that makes sense now. These purely vacation homes truly lack value. A few years back, when vacation villas were trending, Lester bought an American-style villa with limited property rights situated in the mountains, about sixty or seventy kilometers from the city. He thought it would be wonderful to occasionally drive up there for a weekend getaway, but after a year of visiting, he stopped going. There were once some amenities, but as the visitors diminished, so did the facilities. When I last went, I couldn’t even find a cafeteria or anywhere to eat, and no takeout either. Now the house can’t even sell with a 30% discount.”

After he finished speaking, he gazed around at the stunning scenery and sighed, “You see, this place is thousands of kilometers away from the nearest land. Who would choose to come out here? It would be quite the gamble!”