Chapter 611: The Art of Kicking Someone When They're Down

As if things weren't going to go wrong, something even more terrifying was yet to come.
A financial intelligence officer, pale-faced, practically stumbled in:
"Mr. President! Even more devastating is that North Korea's 'digital laundering center' has also been destroyed!
Now... now Western intelligence agencies have likely intercepted their core server data in its entirety!
It contained... the encrypted asset ledgers of almost all of our high-ranking personnel!"
A military "fresh force," an "ammunition depot," and a financial "money laundering port"—all vanished overnight!
The Imperial President rubbed his increasingly thinning hair, feeling as if every strand was screaming, wanting to escape from his stressed body.
He now faced a choice between two deadly options:
Option A:
Immediately withdraw elite troops from the battlefield to urgently reinforce the long Far Eastern border, preventing Western forces from taking advantage of the power vacuum in North Korea.
Simultaneously, find a way to bring the out-of-control North Korean troops under control.
But this would be tantamount to completely selling out the front lines, rendering all previous efforts futile.
Option B:
Fight to the death on the front lines, but leave the Far East wide open.
Even more critically, the financial lifeline has been cut off, military spending and ammunition are unsustainable, and death is inevitable sooner or later.
The Imperial President clutched his forehead in anguish, his temples throbbing.
How could things have come to this?
If North Goryeo were still alive, he should be commanding the allied forces of both countries, strategizing how to divide the post-war spoils, not posing this damned choice!
To make matters worse, across the ocean, the former president, who had been somewhat friendly to the Empire, had lost the election!
Instead, his cunning old rival regained power.
Heaven knows what insidious tricks that old fox will devise to torment him this time!
***
Fang Huan Investment Conference Room.
As news of the incumbent president's re-election spread globally, the global stock markets, which had been taut like a steel wire, finally breathed a sigh of relief and returned to their usual calm.
Traders were excitedly discussing how they had avoided the potential calamities brought by the previous president's rise to power.
After all, that guy had publicly declared that if he were elected, all countries with which they had trade agreements would have to renegotiate!
"If he had really won, the already shaky global stock markets would probably have been kicked off a cliff,"
a trader said with lingering fear.
"Oh dear, thank goodness he wasn't elected.
When I saw the news, that guy was getting shot and yelling at the crowd; I really thought he was going to have his moment of triumph, a triumphant return!"
The timeline where CP was elected?
Su Hao, holding his coffee, smiled knowingly.
Interesting. If such a timeline existed, I wonder what things would be like now?
Unfortunately, there are no "ifs."
In reality, the incumbent president in the West has been successfully re-elected.
"The latest news is that the incumbent president is preparing to further strengthen economic sanctions.
They've seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with North Korea,"
Liang Haiyuan, sitting next to Su Hao, remarked.
"The Empire's economy is currently on the verge of collapse, making this the perfect opportunity to strike while the enemy is down and deliver the fatal blow."
In the past, the Empire had cleverly circumvented sanctions by using North Goryeo.
Now, that shield is gone, and the Empire has instantly fallen into dire straits.
The current president, with his extremely keen sense of opportunity, precisely seized this fleeting chance.
"A guy who can make a strong comeback from the depths of his political career—this president is truly a master of the art of 'kicking someone when they're down'," Su Hao commented calmly.
"But the problem is, this time, the fire has reached our feet."
Liang Haiyuan suddenly spoke, his expression turning grave.
"An unexpected thing has been added to the sanctions list: Bitcoin!"
This is what you call gods fighting, and mortals suffering.
"Chairman Su, a top-level secret communication has arrived from the West.
They say they've obtained the Empire's private 'ledger' from North Korea and are seeking our assistance in handling related crypto assets.
They fear that taking action themselves would trigger a market catastrophe and inadvertently wipe out a large number of innocent accounts, and hope to hear our advice."
This is hardly "assistance"; it's clearly handing over a hot potato, along with the highest decision-making authority, with utmost respect.
Su Hao asked, "What will they do if we refuse to assist?"
"They'll probably use the most rudimentary method: take that dubious list and demand that all their global 'allies' indiscriminately freeze all Bitcoin accounts even remotely associated with the ledger."
Liu Bo replied,
"At that time, the Bitcoin market will immediately experience an epic avalanche, and the assets of countless innocent people will vanish."
"And we, as industry leaders, will inevitably be greatly affected."
"But if we assist, it will also be troublesome.
Bitcoin's success today is based on its golden reputation of 'decentralization' and 'not being controlled by a central authority.'
If we do this, it's like slapping it in the face, telling the world: this thing is a joke."
This is yet another deadly dilemma.
"Therefore, Fanghuan Exchange held an emergency meeting overnight and drafted several plans. Chairman Su, this is the list."
Su Hao took the list and quickly scanned it.
The plans were varied. Some suggested a radical approach: "better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free," directly blocking all suspicious addresses as requested by the US;
Others suggested a more vehement approach, ignoring the US's requests altogether.
However, these solutions all seemed so clumsy and brutal, failing to touch the sensitive chord within him.
Liu Bo's words flashed through Su Hao's mind—"The assets of countless innocent people will vanish."
Should the trust and wealth of a vast number of ordinary investors be sacrificed to punish a few?
This reckless "strangulation" was so similar to the methods of Western politicians.
This was not the future he wanted to see, nor was it the foundation of Fanghuan Exchange.
He could not accept this brutal ban, leaving innocent people who trusted this technology and this platform with nothing.
Until…
Su Hao's gaze fixed on a corner of the list.
"…AML?"
"Anti-Money Laundering Intelligent Judgment System."
Liu Bo immediately explained,
"Its core logic is that AI automatically filters suspicious fund flows and locks them, preventing them from flowing. But the essence of this plan is that it's not a permanent freeze.
Our initial plan is to freeze them for ten days, and after ten days, regardless of the investigation results, they will be automatically unfrozen."
"So..." Su Hao's eyes narrowed slightly, "This is just... a formality?"
"Yes, Chairman Su. A gesture for the outside world."
Liu Bo nodded,
"We're demonstrating an attitude of 'cooperation' to the US without truly destroying market confidence or harming innocent people.
Because a permanent freeze would instantly trigger a market-destroying panic sell-off.
At that time, the Fanghuan Exchange, this vast business empire we've painstakingly built, might collapse overnight."
A performance?
This plan sounded somewhat weak, even ridiculous.
However, the moment he saw it, Su Hao's long-dormant intuition resonated clearly and strongly.
It was as if it were telling him that behind this seemingly absurd drama lay a key capable of unlocking the entire game!