Chapter 330: They were actually in cahoots!

"Reporting to Chairman Qin. Fanghuan Investment has established a new asset management company, seemingly preparing to take over a portion of the national team's funds."
At the Jiangjin Group headquarters, Chairman Qin Han was listening to a report from his subordinate that particularly interested him.
"If they really do take over that massive amount of funds, they will leap from a private equity firm with hundreds of billions in assets to a trillion-dollar firm, becoming an undisputed financial behemoth even internationally."
"Wasn't there a huge uproar internally about the Huaxia Strategic Investment Fund before?"
"Yes. It's said that the higher-ups have already made a final decision. Although Wu Jianlin's use of sovereign wealth fund money for short selling was indeed a huge mistake, the result was undeniably good!
He doubled his assets in one fell swoop! And he secured enormous strategic space for the country."
Qin Han recalled this matter, finding it quite intriguing.
"There's another piece of news, Chairman Qin. Wu Jianlin just retired, and the very next day he joined Fang Huan Asset Management as an honorary advisor."
"Oh? Wait... so that means..."
"Yes." The subordinate understood immediately.
"That shocking trillion-dollar global short-selling attack wasn't the work of the national team at all.
Wu Jianlin was just a pawn in the game. The real mastermind behind it all is Fang Huan!
He might even have been on Su Hao's side from the very beginning!"
Just as he suspected.
Qin Han thought, now the logic makes sense.
He knew Fang Huan wouldn't simply take in an early-retiring official out of kindness.
So, it wasn't taking him in at all; it was fulfilling a promise, giving a well-deserved home to a highly decorated pawn!
"Any other negative comments?"
"No. The result was too perfect; no one could say anything negative.
Moreover, even in the US, everyone is full of praise for Fanghuan and the fund; there's not a single negative voice."
The most ridiculous thing is the reaction of the US conservative president.
Regardless of his initial purpose, the fund's move single-handedly saved the crashed US stock market.
So much so that the conservative president himself publicly praised Fanghuan Investment and the fund.
"Weren't they sharpening their knives, preparing to take action against them?"
"Everyone initially thought so too.
But now, looking at the US media, the White House even publicly expressed gratitude, thanking the Chinese national fund for its 'decisive decision and hard work'...
So... the conspiracy theory circulating outside is probably true."
"A conspiracy theory?"
"Didn't you also find it strange before? How could a Chinese sovereign wealth fund intervene so deeply in the US stock market, while the White House remained completely unresponsive?"
This is also what Qin Han finds most puzzling.
That conservative president is a protectionist who's extremely sensitive to foreign capital, always believing that keeping all foreign capital out of the country is the only way to make America great again.
Yet, this same person inexplicably approved the entry of China's sovereign wealth fund into the market, stirring up trouble in the US stock market.
"On the surface, that national team's money is just cannon fodder, like moths to a flame, doomed to die."
But the result was quite the opposite: the US stock market was saved, and they themselves made a fortune.
This was completely different from the situation when the US government's first market rescue attempt failed.
"So, the conspiracy theory is..."
"Yes. The conservative president, who was extremely opposed to foreign investment, actively introduced two massive overseas capital entities: 'Fanghuan Investment' and 'Xiaguo Fund'.
These two capital entities earned astronomical profits, and the US stock market was saved as a result.
After this, all the negative public opinion about Xiaguo Fund and Fanghuan's short selling was completely wiped clean.
This is almost equivalent to...
The conservative president personally intervened, completely clearing them of the stigma of malicious short selling, and letting them reap both fame and fortune!"
This is outrageous! If this isn't a conspiracy, then there are no conspiracies in the world.
"Wait… so you mean…"
Qin Han's pupils contracted sharply. He instantly understood the chilling implications behind this.
"If this is true, doesn't that mean Fang Huan Investment… no, that Su Hao…"
Damn it… Su Hao, he's actually in cahoots with the conservative president!?
***
"Right now, are there any oil storage tanks left on the market?"
In Fang Huan Shipping's conference room, Du Yuanhang's gaze swept over every executive present.
"Yes! Mr. Du, not just yes, there are tons! It's like they're giving it away!"
"Those oil storage tanks are practically being sold off like garbage now!"
"And the price?"
"Hey, don't even mention it. Ever since Saudi Arabia and Russia announced their intention to reach an agreement and jointly cut production, the price of these storage tanks has been plummeting like a slide.
Everyone's thinking that once the production cut agreement is signed, crude oil prices will recover, and then who will need empty storage tanks? Everyone's waiting to clear their inventory."
The news that the production cut agreement was about to be successfully reached spread like a spring breeze across the globe.
Affected by this, crude oil futures prices have begun to stir, slowly climbing.
In stark contrast, those once highly sought-after oil storage facilities are now being frantically sold off by various parties like hot potatoes.
"But... Mr. Du," an executive frowned, his face clearly saying, "I don't understand."
He asked cautiously, "Chairman Su...did he really give these instructions?
He wants us to immediately, right now, start acquiring all the oil storage facilities on the market?"
"Yes, his exact words were, 'Buy one, take as many as you can,'" Du Yuanhang said succinctly.
"But this doesn't make sense! Once the production cut agreement is implemented, these oil tanks will become completely useless; we'll lose money just sitting there!"
Admittedly, Fanghuan Shipping, thanks to Su Hao's series of unpredictable maneuvers, has a cash flow so abundant it could drown a person; buying these oil tanks is just a drop in the ocean.
But even with so much money, this isn't the way to burn it!
What's the difference between this and throwing bundles of banknotes into a fire pit?
The entire senior management team looked doubtful.
They were all seasoned veterans who had navigated the business world for years, yet they simply couldn't understand the logic behind this move.
“That’s true, but the one who gave this order wasn’t just anyone, it was Chairman Su!” another executive pondered.
“When has Chairman Su ever made a wrong decision? Could it be… that these oil storage tanks have another purpose?”
“You mean, he bought these tanks not to store oil at all, but for some other purpose?”
“Exactly! Otherwise, there’s only one possible reason for buying this ‘scrap metal.’”
“What possibility?”
The executive took a deep breath and uttered an unbelievable guess:
“Unless… that so-called production cut agreement suddenly collapses!
Not only will it collapse, but oil prices will instantly plummet, crashing to rock bottom!”
The conference room was deathly silent.
You could hear a pin drop.
A few seconds later, this eerie silence was broken by an barely suppressed “pfft,” followed by a burst of uproarious laughter.