Chapter 263: A Shocking Storm

"Spread the word," Bell decisively ordered.
"Also, let's investigate and see if we can follow Fang Huan's lead and establish a similar position."
Of course, for risk control, he dared not bet heavily.
But those "vulture funds" are a bunch of reckless gamblers; upon hearing the news, they would absolutely howl and charge headlong into Su Hao's trap without regard for the consequences.
This would be enough to make Goldman Sachs a fortune.
However, the most crucial question still lingered in Bell's mind.
"Just throwing money at it isn't enough... What exactly is that 'trigger'? I can't figure it out, I really can't."
Bell sighed deeply.
Having climbed to his current position, he had heard countless praises of him as a "born trader."
But only now, when he confronted that true "monster" from afar, did he finally realize—
In the face of true genius, he was ultimately just a mortal.
***
Japan, Central Bank Headquarters.
Every country has a central bank that acts as the "ballast" of its economy, and the Central Bank of Japan is no exception.
But frankly, the Central Bank of Japan has been quite idle these past few years.
The zero-interest-rate policy has been maintained for too long, and the script for the YCC (Yield Control Center) has long been written...
What they have to do is, like a precise machine, repeat fixed operations day after day.
Seeking no merit, only avoiding mistakes.
Clinging tightly to that delicate balance point, never moving an inch.
This is the survival philosophy of Japan.
Perhaps this is why Central Bank Governor Takeyama is deeply weary of his monotonous, tedious work.
However, perhaps even fate couldn't bear to see him so bored and decided to give his already dull life a little shock.
A thunderclap, without warning, exploded in the lifeless financial market!
"What the hell is going on?! Why did the yen exchange rate plummet?!"
"Report! The US suddenly released inflation data far exceeding expectations, leading the Federal Reserve to issue extremely hawkish statements and even urgently announce an interest rate hike far exceeding market expectations!
US interest rates soared, and the attractiveness of dollar assets instantly crushed yen assets."
"Report! Global capital is frantically selling yen and our government bonds to snap up dollar assets!"
"It's over! All stock market indices are also plummeting! And it's a panic sell-off!"
Zhu Shan's pampered face instantly lost all color, and cold sweat poured down his back.
Something that shouldn't have happened, or rather, something that was impossible, happened without warning!
"We had been monitoring short-selling forces for a while, but the scale was always within a controllable range! How could it suddenly turn out like this?"
Misfortune never comes singly!
"Even more devastating is logistics! For some unknown reason, global shipping has suddenly experienced widespread delays.
Goods that should be coming in can't get in, and goods that should be going out can't get out. The cargo piled up at major ports is about to explode!"
This massive logistical paralysis has affected all sectors, and panic, like a virus, is spreading wildly through the stagnant market.
“Then… those short sellers seized the opportunity and launched a full-scale attack!
Everyone is terrified now, selling everything at any cost!
The most terrifying thing is that there are just too many short sellers flooding in this time!
Those ‘vulture funds’ are like mad dogs, swarming in, and our defenses… simply can't hold them off!”
If it were just the initial crisis, the market wouldn't have collapsed to this extent.
However, those “financial vultures” with pure malice launched the most lethal coordinated attack at the most precise moment, instantly turning a small spark into a raging fire!
Ultimately, even institutions unrelated to the incident were swept up in this apocalyptic panic, frantically selling off their positions and joining the stampede frenzy!
“Then… can we still defend against it?” Zhushan’s voice trembled.
To maintain zero interest rates, the continuously falling prices of government bonds must be stopped.
This means the central bank must use massive amounts of funds to buy government bonds, but the current scale of the sell-off far exceeds their capacity to withstand it.
Even more critically, besides national debt, they also had to bail out the yen!
Fighting on two fronts doubled their ammunition consumption!
“Governor… if this trend continues… we have no choice but to raise interest rates.”
A subordinate said, his face ashen.
“In fact, the current situation has already exceeded the bank’s capacity to withstand it.”
“How much?”
“At least… at least 3% to 5%, only then can the market possibly stabilize.”
Hearing this number, Takeyama closed his eyes in despair.
Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
This wasn’t just raising interest rates; it was self-destruction!
This meant the Japanese government had personally abandoned the YCC (Yen Currency Interest Rate), abandoning the zero-interest-rate policy it had maintained for decades!
National debt interest rates are the “basal body temperature” of the entire economic system.
If it suddenly spikes, it means that the borrowing costs for the government, businesses, households…
will skyrocket.
A country that has maintained zero interest rates for so long, suddenly taking such a "mega-leap," will instantly bankrupt countless businesses and cause an unprecedented collapse in the real estate market!
The devastation will surpass even the "bubble burst" of the last century!
But what if they don't do this?
Then awaiting them will be an unprecedented financial tsunami, a disaster capable of engulfing the entire island of Japan!
"..."
Takeyama fell silent.
No, he had no time to be silent, nor the right to hesitate.
"Prepare a press conference immediately..." he forced out these words with all his might,
"No matter what, put out the fire first."
His subordinates fled in a panic.
The empty conference room was left with only Takeyama.
He was distraught, his gaze fixed on the window:
That once-prosperous city, now, appeared to him like a candle flickering in the wind.
Countless forces!
At the same time!
Such a precise and deadly combined attack!
This was no accident; it was an execution!
Behind this, there must be an invisible giant hand controlling everything.
Who is it?
He was powerless to investigate, and had no time to pursue it.
But one chilling realization pierced his very bones more clearly than ever before:
Someone! Thousands of miles away! In the blink of an eye!
Unleashed this devastating man-made storm!
And the cherry blossom tree in Japan, once as vibrant as fire, is withering away at an irreversible, suffocating pace! Rotting!
It is doomed.