Chapter 311: The Great Depression

The global financial markets were calm and peaceful.
After several tumultuous waves stirred up by the Eastern behemoth "Fanghuan Investment," the market finally ushered in a rare period of tranquility.
The shipping company forcibly broken up by the EU saw its business continue to grow after restructuring;
Singapore, though severely damaged by the financial storm, quickly stabilized.
It even boasted that this experience had made the foundation of its national financial system "more solid."
Even Japan, which Fanghuan Investment had dragged into the mud, miraculously sounded the horn of revival and began comprehensive economic reforms.
This is how a typhoon leaves its mark.
From the ruins, new flowers always quietly bloom.
"But... something just feels fucking wrong!"
On Wall Street, Goldman Sachs manager Bell frowned, staring intently at the screen.
Fanghuan Investment's retreat was understandable.
Having suffered a major setback at the hands of the EU, they should know when to stop.
"But what on earth is the China Strategic Investment Fund doing?"
The real problem lies here.
That's the China Strategic Investment Fund, China's sovereign wealth fund, one of the world's largest players!
This behemoth has been exhibiting a series of inexplicable and bizarre actions for months.
"It dumped a large amount of bonds considered the safest assets, liquidated its holdings of high-quality stocks in various countries, and then…
used that money to establish short positions in the global market?"
Bell could hardly believe his eyes.
“Yes, Mr. Bell. Their actions are very dispersed and extremely covert. We only recently noticed the anomaly through clues from various channels.”
“The scale! Just how large is it?”
“That’s the problem,” the subordinate’s face was grim.
“Judging from the unusual movements of securities firms in various countries, it seems that China’s sovereign wealth fund is indiscriminately…
flooding the US, Europe, Asia, almost all major markets with money!”
“Wait!” Bell sat bolt upright.
“You mean… they’ve invested the freed-up funds in every financial market in the world?
And… shorting them all?!”
“I think they’ve gone mad! No, even the most reckless gambler in the world wouldn’t do something like that!”
The subordinate said decisively.
Yes, logically speaking, this is absolutely impossible.
A national sovereign wealth fund represents the face and credit of a nation!
Even a small portion used for speculation is enough to trigger a political earthquake, let alone such a large-scale short-selling operation worldwide?
This isn't investment; this is financial war!
"Their behavior is indeed highly abnormal.
They spent weeks quietly clearing their positions without alerting the market, and simultaneously establishing short positions.
According to our model estimates, the scale... is at least in the hundreds of billions of dollars."
"Didn't you just say that even a madman wouldn't do something like this?"
"Yes..." the subordinate smiled bitterly.
"But ironically, it seems that every time Fang Huan Investment makes a move, the Wall Street elites say the same thing."
"..."
Bell fell silent.
Yes, every time Fang Huan Investment makes a move, Wall Street thinks they've gone mad.
And every time, it's Fang Huan's opponents who are truly insane!
A terrifying thought rose in his mind.
The China Strategic Investment Fund and Fang Huan Investment both belong to the same country.
Could it be that Fang Huan Investment's silence...
is simply because it's manipulating a far more terrifying storm behind the scenes?
And that massive sovereign wealth fund is merely... a smokescreen it's throwing to the forefront?
"Investigate! Find out immediately what Fanghuan Investment has been doing lately!"
"Yes, Mr. Bell. But... there's another rather strange report."
"Speak."
"Do you remember... the report from a few months ago about the outbreak of unexplained smoke in Jiangcheng?"
"Jiangcheng?" Bell frowned. The name sounded familiar, yet he couldn't quite place it. "Where is that?"
"An inland city in Xia Country.
At the time, that report had a low priority, but now it seems the situation is rapidly escalating.
The WHO seems to have realized the seriousness of the situation. A month ago, they sent letters to all major pharmaceutical companies worldwide, requesting their assistance in researching the virus and developing a vaccine."
"How serious is it?"
"It's said that the WHO may soon declare a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern.'"
Bell knew nothing about medical terminology: "...Is this thing very serious?"
"Very serious. If the situation doesn't improve after it's declared, then the next step... will be a global pandemic."
Bell's brow furrowed instantly.
"You mean, a pandemic like the Spanish flu is about to spread worldwide?"
"Yes. The only difference is that its spread might be far more terrifying than any previous pandemic.
Because now, humans can travel by plane to any corner of the world within 24 hours."
An ominous premonition, like a chill, ran down Bell's spine.
"Of course, the WHO hasn't declared it yet, and perhaps the situation will improve soon."
"But what if... it doesn't improve? What if, as the intelligence suggests, a 'global pandemic' breaks out? What will the world become?"
"That... is hard to predict.
But what is certain is that once a 'pandemic' is confirmed, it means all countries will close their borders, and global trade and the flow of people will instantly..."
Before his subordinate could finish speaking, a flash of lightning pierced through the fog in Bell's mind.
He uttered the word on behalf of his subordinate, a word that would send the world trembling:
"The Great Depression! An unprecedented, historically unprecedented...global Great Depression!"
Trade ceased, transportation halted, and the globalization of human civilization came to an abrupt halt.
What followed was inevitably a global financial tsunami.
Everyone was gripped by fear of the unknown, frantically selling off all their assets.
That would be an apocalyptic scene a hundred times more terrifying than the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis!
“That… Mr. Bell,” the subordinate’s voice trembled, “Fang Huan and the Xia Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund… they…”
A series of clues raced through Bell’s mind, connecting and colliding, ultimately piecing together a scene that sent chills down his spine!
One, on the eve of the storm, sold off the shipping empire it had built, replacing it with a pharmaceutical company capable of building “Noah’s Ark”!
The other, before the storm hit, cleared out massive positions at all costs, frantically shorting the global market!
What all this meant, strung together, was self-evident!
“I fucking…!”
Bell abruptly stood up, his eyes filled with boundless fear and horror!