Chapter 630: Social Baptism Lesson

As expected.
Just as predicted.
The President of Country M and his staff felt as if they had just received a vivid lesson in the harsh realities of life.
They felt a profound sense of shame for having genuinely felt Su Hao's "sincerity" for a fleeting moment.
Today, they had once again learned a valuable lesson from this bloody reality:
Never expect to see even the slightest bit of so-called "kindness" from Fang Huan Investment or Su Hao.
"Mr. President, the situation is exactly as we anticipated the worst-case scenario!
Fang Huan Investment is playing a long game. They deliberately triggered this unprecedented financial tsunami to turn all of Country M's great companies into their private property!"
The President nodded slowly, his expression unreadable.
"So, you mean we should stop Fang Huan's acquisition plan?"
"Uh? That...that..."
"For your own lives," the president's tone was calm and even, yet carried a suffocating pressure,
"And for the future of our country, we'd better not do that."
"!?!"
"Because, from the moment Fang Huan stepped forward, there was no place for us at this table."
He pushed the list to the center of the table:
"Go with this list, mobilize our major funds to co-invest.
I want to see what kind of show Su Hao is planning."
One can imagine that at this very moment, those tycoons not on this list...
were probably still popping champagne, fantasizing that "Fang Huan's daddy's" life-saving money was about to arrive.
Little did they know, the man they regarded as their savior was about to throw them not a lifeline at all.
but a trident that could nail them, ship and all, to the depths of the sea!
***
Top floor of Stella's headquarters, Country M.
Smark sat behind his minimalist desk, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand, like a gambler awaiting the final result.
However, calling him a gambler wasn't quite right, because his face showed none of the anxiety or tension a gambler should have.
The reason was simple—the answer to this gamble, that man named Su Hao, had already written it down on a small piece of paper and handed it to the world.
Just moments ago, after Fanghuan Investment released that globally shocking "declaration of salvation," it immediately sent official letters to governments around the world, including Country M.
Smark's intelligence was that the letters included a list of companies they intended to acquire, ostensibly inviting governments to cooperate in salvaging this sinking financial ship.
"Tsk, these hypocrites." Smarck's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"They call it a 'global coordinated bailout,' but to put it bluntly, isn't this just legalized armed robbery?"
This is undoubtedly the largest stock manipulation case in human history.
But the brilliance lies in this: when you're manipulating the market alone, it's a crime, and getting arrested is inevitable.
When you're manipulating the market with the Federal Reserve and governments around the world, it's called "quantitative easing," it's called "maintaining financial stability!"
This is like a village facing famine, where only the landlord has surplus grain.
Even if the landlord was a scoundrel before, now the villagers have to kneel down and call him a living Buddha.
This is why, even though everyone can see through Fang Huan Investment's ulterior motives, no government dares to utter a single word of dissent.
Because the whole world knows that, apart from Fang Huan Investment's overwhelming financial power, no one can save the global stock market, which is already in the ICU and its electrocardiogram is almost flat.
"Although the methods are a bit dirty, it has to be admitted that only Fang Huan has the capital."
Smark took a sip of his drink, feeling quite pleased.
"Chairman."
Finally, the news he had been eagerly awaiting arrived.
The moment the secretary pushed open the door, Smark's lips curled into an uncontrollable smile, a confident grin spreading across his face.
"How was it? What was the result?"
It's here! The red envelope from that Eastern God of Wealth has arrived!
He couldn't wait to get the money and revive Stellar's stock, which had plummeted like a stopped electrocardiogram...
Then he'd rekindle his grand dream of colonizing Mars and get those stalled rocket engines roaring again!
These days of idleness, stuck in the office counting ants, were worse than prison.
Now, this boring time was finally going to end!
"Tell me," Smarck leaned forward like a child waiting for candy, "how much does that Su guy plan to buy from us? Two hundred billion? Or five hundred billion?"
The secretary didn't speak. This capable lieutenant, who had used all his connections to successfully obtain intelligence from within the government, now wore a constipated expression that said, "Boss, we're doomed."
"What? You think they're not throwing enough money at all? A little less is fine." Smark waved his hand magnanimously.
"As long as Fang Huan's funds enter the market, it'll be a bellwether. Those sharks on Wall Street who smell blood will naturally follow... Then you won't have to worry about money."
"Chairman... Chairman..."
The secretary's voice trembled as if a violin string was about to snap, "Um... our Stella... isn't even on the list."
"What?" Smark was stunned, thinking he had misheard.
"The 'core bailout company list' that Fang Huan submitted to the US... doesn't include Stella's name."
"!?!"
Boom—!
As if struck by an invisible lightning bolt, Smark sprang up from his chair, his knee slamming hard against the corner of the table without him even noticing.
"What the hell are you talking about? Our Stella... isn't on the list? Bullshit! That's impossible!"
He roared, spitting as he spoke:
"If you don't bail out the leading stocks, what kind of market are you trying to save? Stella is the face of the M-share market!
Without us, how can the market be pulled up? Even a novice investor knows that!
Is Su Hao's brain filled with mush?"
The secretary was on the verge of tears, her voice filled with despair:
"It's not just us... Chairman.
Now, all companies that have secured large-scale loans from banks using their stocks as collateral have been removed from the list."
"Wh-what the hell?"
Thump.
Smark's heart skipped a beat.
A chill ran down his spine, instantly sending a shiver down his spine and chilling him to the bone!
At that moment, he understood everything.
That madman Su Hao never intended to bail out the market!
That kid had only one goal from beginning to end—
To annex, to control, to bring the whole world into his private backyard!
"That bastard…is he trying to force us to our deaths and then devour us?"
Smark gritted his teeth, his voice laced with blood.
This wasn't just a hint; it was a blatant conspiracy!
Under the guise of a market bailout, he would let specific companies suffocate in liquidity depletion, then swoop down like a vulture to peck at the carrion!