Chapter 37: The Light of Victory Against the Tide!

Alarm!
A sharp, urgent alarm instantly engulfed the entire trading risk control department.
Zhang Wei, the risk control supervisor, felt a chill run from his tailbone to the top of his head; cold sweat instantly soaked through his shirt.
In all his years in this industry, he had never seen anything like it:
Every screen within his sight was completely engulfed by a chilling green light, a symbol of collapse and disaster, flashing with an apocalyptic glow.
In an instant, his usually quick-witted mind completely froze, leaving only one thought—harsh, heavy, and desperate:
'Damn it, we're finished!'
Just minutes before, the entire department had been peaceful and relaxed, as if they had prematurely entered retirement.
Everyone was either chatting over coffee or enjoying afternoon tea.
After all, the market was stable; what "risk" was there to worry about that these people needed to "manage"?
Who could have imagined such a sudden turn of events!
Just now, without warning, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) dropped a bombshell, abruptly releasing entirely new regulatory policies!
This news was like a bucket of ice water poured into a boiling oil pan!
The market exploded instantly!
Sell-off! Frenzied sell-off!
Massive sell orders swept in like a flood breaking free of its dam.
"Boss! What...what do we do?"
Zhang Wei's legs went weak; he practically scrambled to Pan Xun's side, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
However, when he saw Pan Xun's equally pale and distraught face, Zhang Wei's heart sank into an ice cave.
"What can we do?" Director Pan Xun's lips trembled, his voice hoarse, filled with utter despair and helplessness:
"What can our risk management department do now? Rush up and unplug the server network cable? Call the exchange to suspend trading? Is this even something we can handle?"
He slammed his fist on the table and roared:
"Get the word out of there! Let those traders figure it out themselves! Cut your losses if you need to! Liquidate your positions if you need to! First come, first served! Hesitate any longer, and you'll lose everything!"
His words were rough, but the logic was sound.
This was a sudden financial tsunami, an uncontrollable force majeure!
The current situation had far exceeded the capabilities of their risk management department.
Could they possibly try to stop this raging flood with their own flesh and blood?
As for how to salvage even a small portion of the losses amidst this chaotic ruin, how to salvage even the most spilled water, even if mixed with mud and sand…
those are the questions that the traders truly fighting on the front lines with their hard-earned money are racking their brains over!
“I can only… I can only pray that it's not the worst possible outcome…”
Pan Xun finally slumped into his chair, muttering to himself, his gaze unfocused on the pale white light on the ceiling.
Faced with this market collapse, comparable to a natural disaster, any human struggle or effort seemed so pale and powerless.
These so-called risk control professionals could only stare blankly, helplessly.
Small, helpless, like prisoners awaiting final judgment.
Zhang Wei shuffled back to his workstation, his steps heavy as lead, his entire being feeling as if his backbone had been ripped out.
He felt so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood.
Damn it, that "demon nickel" incident had already thrown the entire department into chaos, nearly costing them their year-end bonuses.
He thought that was the biggest storm they'd ever weathered, but compared to this situation, that last little thing was nothing!
Not even worthy of carrying their shoes!
And all that talk about a "bonus feast," about "year-end dividends galore"...
It's all bullshit!
At this rate of collapse, this month, no, next month, even for several months, the entire department will have to tighten their belts and prepare to starve!
"Hmm? Wait... what's that over there—"
Just as Zhang Wei was utterly despondent, almost starting to ponder the nutritional information of a stock market crash,
his peripheral vision inadvertently swept across the monitor screen at the sea of ​​green representing collapse and despair…
Suddenly, his pupils contracted!
He caught a striking, blinding… glimmer of light!
A crimson flame, like a volcanic eruption, blazing amidst the bleak green, releasing an aura that seemed capable of consuming all coldness!
No! That wasn't ordinary red!
That was… that was the light of hope!
The light of victory against the tide!
When everyone thought the market would soar, frantically shouting "Charge!", "All in!", "Villas by the sea!";
When everyone was like a frightened bird, crying out "Sell! Sell! Sell!";
Only one team, initially like reckless rebels, now resembled a visionary, sober amidst a sea of ​​fools!
And this guy wasn't just talking about being different.
He actually did it!
Damn it, carrying a whopping fifty million in cash, like the most insane, cold-blooded gambler, amidst a bullish frenzy, resolutely went all in, betting heavily on—short positions!
This madman! This utterly ruthless man!
A name exploded in his mind like a thunderclap:
"Su Hao!"
It was that man, the man who single-handedly defied the entire market frenzy!
It was the legendary Trading Department Seven, and their monstrous manager, Su Hao!
***
Meanwhile, in the manager's office of Trading Department Seven, at the eye of the storm.
"..."
Su Hao himself was staring blankly at the screen before him, his face expressionless, revealing neither joy nor anger.
On the screen, green numbers cascaded down like a waterfall, and the candlestick chart plummeted like a precipice, depicting a shocking financial disaster.
But his eyes were deep and calm, utterly unmoved, as if everything unfolding before him was merely a pre-written script.
However, even before the China Securities Regulatory Commission's bombshell regulatory announcement, his heart was not as unyielding as it appeared.
Frankly, he had hesitated, he had wavered, like a reed in the wind, struggling between "persistence" and "giving up."
Just as his inner turmoil intensified, his inner conflict nearly twisting him into a pretzel—
"Boom!"
That announcement, like a hammer of judgment falling from the sky, struck the seemingly indestructible stock chart with precision and ruthlessness!
And then… nothing happened.
The stock chart collapsed.
It crashed and burned, leaving a mess.
'Outside…it seems like complete chaos.'
He could clearly hear the sudden uproar outside the office:
Footsteps were chaotic and disorderly, like a herd of frightened beasts fleeing;
Suppressed screams, wailing cries, and the sounds of various objects being knocked over mingled together, rising and falling.
Those so-called elites, usually impeccably dressed and refined, had now shed their masks, revealing their most primal fear and madness, staging a vivid rehearsal for the apocalypse.
This scene of utter chaos and wailing was truly the first he had ever witnessed since joining Fanghuan Investment.
"Manager!"
His peace and quiet was short-lived; the office door was slammed open with a loud bang.
His employees, like a band of defeated soldiers fleeing a battlefield, surged in.
These guys, their eyes wide, breathing rapidly, their faces a mixture of extreme shock, ecstasy, and a hint of unbelievable disbelief.
Their gazes were unfocused, as if they'd all taken drugs, half their souls seemingly gone.
"M-Manager! How...how did you know?"
One of them spoke first, his voice trembling, looking at Su Hao as if he were a prophet from mythology.
"Holy crap! Manager, you're amazing! Incredible!"
Another speculated mysteriously, "Could it be...could it be that you...have an inside source at the China Securities Regulatory Commission?"
Su Hao nearly choked on his saliva upon hearing this.
Insider? What a joke!
He was just a freeloader before, where would he possibly know any bigwigs at the China Securities Regulatory Commission?
"Ahem," Su Hao cleared his throat, deciding to maintain his aloof image, waved his hand, and said slowly in a nonchalant tone, "It's pretty much a given."
"There's an old saying, 'When even grandmothers with kids are rushing into the stock market, it's pretty much a sign the bubble is about to burst.'"
This was a so-called "stock market guru quote" he'd gleaned from some obscure corner while idly reading investment books.
Anyway, it sounded plausible, perfect for showing off.
The underlying logic is actually quite simple:
When a market overheats to the point that even the least likely group to invest is being drawn in, it means irrational euphoria has reached its peak, and the inevitable collapse is not far off.
"That's true... but this is too..."
Everyone looked at each other, still finding it unbelievable.
This is too mystical! It's practically like fortune-telling!
"Quiet! Quiet!" At this moment, Liang Haiyuan, the team's elder brother, stepped forward.
He was experienced and understood the situation perfectly, and immediately shouted:
"Is this the time to be agonizing over this? The manager's brilliant strategies, his insightful vision of the future—how could we mere mortals possibly fathom such things? Everyone, perk up! Listen carefully to my instructions!"
Liang Haiyuan, a highly senior figure in the company, finally calmed the group of energized individuals, who fell silent.
"Manager! Please advise! What should we do next?"
Liang Haiyuan turned to Su Hao, his tone becoming incredibly respectful, his eyes filled with fervent trust and expectation:
"Should we continue holding these positions, waiting for even greater gains? Or… close out a portion and secure our profits?"
Su Hao, upon hearing this, silently moved the mouse; the white cursor…
steadily hovered above the red "Sell" button.
A tiny movement could transform the astronomical profit on the balance sheet into real cash.
The office fell silent instantly. All eyes were fixed on his hand gripping the mouse, and even breathing became subconsciously softer.
“…”
However, several seconds passed.
Su Hao's heart was deathly still, utterly undisturbed, without even the slightest ripple.
That inexplicable premonition, that instinctive "intuition" that drives him to make decisions at crucial moments, was now as if asleep, completely unmoved.
‘Strange…is the timing not right yet?’
He frowned slightly, deciding to wait a few more minutes.
Time ticked by, the office eerily quiet, broken only by the low hum of a few computer fans.