The domineering roar echoed throughout the venue as Solomon's martial arts skill displayed the might of a Grandmaster, drawing every eye upward. The music— intense electric guitar—erupted at that very instant! Brilliant lights once again enveloped the entire stage as Ya Fei’s nimble fingers coaxed the first roar of the concert from the electric guitar slung across her chest. Ya Xin’s bass followed immediately with a new surge of intensity.
The surging music instantly seized the entire stadium, capturing every soul! Music that had lost its soul descended upon the two girls once more after three long months!
Approach me closely, try to awaken that indifferent heart Kindle a fire in my core with passion like a blaze Illuminate this dark world With a heart burning fiercely in this life, roar out the soul's outcry Oh, loved ones, watching from above, I will live well Oh, loved ones, watching from above, terror shall be destroyed We will wipe away the tears from our faces and light up life with happiness This entire life will be lived with a burning heart Even if life is to burn out, it matters not Our lives will not be shattered by tears…
Qin Fen watched the two girls on stage pouring out their youth—a soul explosion suppressed for three months. This was a brand new track composed overnight, without even time for a few rehearsals with the band, yet it in no way hindered their performance or singing; everyone was completely engrossed.
On the massive projection screens, terrifying images of terrorist attacks provided by Yang Lie’s military division scrolled by: scenes of innocent citizens suddenly caught in the horror, the sorrow and despair of losing loved ones. Paired with the heavy metal rock of the Feixin Women’s Band, the already heated atmosphere instantly escalated to a blistering peak.
As the song concluded, the two girls wiped the sweat from their brows and bowed deeply. The projected images from the sky flickered, and a handsome Chinese-American mixed-race man in a crisp military uniform surveyed the entire crowd, his eyes glittering like stars: "First, thank you to the Feixin Women's Band for giving me the opportunity to speak here, thank you to the Feixin Women's Band for giving me the chance to speak through this entire federal live broadcast."
Yang Lie's appearance instantly commanded everyone's attention. Today’s Feixin Women's Band concert was vastly different from usual; nearly every moment was filled with surprises, yet these surprises were strangely stirring.
"I, Yang Lie, am from the Saturn Military Division." Yang Lie’s eyes swept the surroundings: "Many of you have likely heard that Saturn holds a group of terrorists in custody. Because of this, some human rights organizations have protested and criticized us. Some even say we lack faith, that we are insulting religion. What I say is this!"
Yang Lie let out a crisp cough, his eyes conveying a soldier's decisiveness and resolve: "We are not insulting religion. We respect all religions. Conversely, we cannot tolerate any organization that profanes religion. Organizations that use religion as a banner to disrupt the lives of civilians! Terrorists, aren't you supposed to be waging a holy war? Then your opponents should not be civilians!"
His resounding declaration spread through the network to every corner of the Federation. Yang Lie continued speaking without pause: "Now, I will announce the location of Saturn's military base. The terrorist elements should already be clear on the military camps across the Federation, correct? Then, direct your firepower! Your suicide bombs toward us, the soldiers! You are trained warriors; your opponents should be us, not innocent civilians! Religion, holy war—these are not excuses you should use to attack civilians. Attacking civilians and causing indiscriminate harm under the banner of religion—is that still religion? At most, it is heresy!"
The entire stadium fell silent, not even the spokesmen for the human rights organizations online or the supporters of the Saturn military paused their fierce debates. Yang Lie's words were replayed repeatedly across every corner of the network.
The Feixin Women's Band stepped back onto the stage, holding hands. The instruments capable of playing the soul still hung before them, and the spotlight and cameras returned to the two girls.
Ya Xin held the microphone with both hands, bowed to the audience, then straightened up, slowly looking around before speaking: "Hello everyone! Thank you for supporting us two young girls. Thank you all here. Next, we would like to invite a special guest to sing this song with us."
Boom! The hundreds of thousands in the stadium erupted into excitement, and those watching online also cried out in surprise. Since their debut, the Feixin Women's Band had never invited a guest, nor had they ever appeared as guests for any other artist.
In the two girls' own words: "We are not artists pursuing art, nor are we artists pursuing money or fame. We are simply warriors using music as a weapon to declare war on terrorists."
In entirely different fields, there was naturally no need to be another artist’s guest or invite anyone to be theirs. The two girls, with the help of 'Fire Maiden,' had fought their way up in a circle that many celebrities shunned, slowly achieving fame to this day.
These two, who always declared they would never invite any celebrity guest, why had they suddenly changed their stance today? It was too strange. Even when celebrities previously wanted to hold concerts under the banner of anti-terrorism and invited them, they had politely refused.
"A concert without sincerity, a concert only seeking profit—we refuse."
This single statement had made the two girls’ survival in the entertainment industry incredibly difficult, and it had also defined their reputation.
"The guest we are inviting is not any performing artist," Ya Fei walked slowly to stand beside Ya Xin, holding her microphone. The two exchanged a knowing, smiling glance: "This person is one of the most important people in our lives. If one day we get married, we will both marry him!"
The eyes of the entire Federation were focused on the two girls at this moment. In a society where monogamy had been established for countless years, such a declaration was explosive. People wondered who possessed such immense charisma that they could marry one of them—which would require generations of fortune—yet they were both loved by him? Such a man… such a man…
They should drag him out and beat him to death! Countless young men waited resentfully for the identity of the man the two girls would name.
A beam of light descended from above, illuminating a corner of the stage where Qin Fen stood, dressed in a simple police uniform that subtly hinted at something more profound.
The crowd’s attention instantly focused on Qin Fen, eager to see what this man looked like to inspire such words from the two girls.
Qin Fen looked blankly at the two girls. He hadn't known about this segment in advance; it was almost certainly something they had added last minute.
"Brother Qin..."
The two girls, known for their heavy metal rock, called out sweetly, revealing another facet of their personalities to the stunned audience.
Qin Fen walked step by step onto the stage, sighed as he looked at the two girls, and gently reached out to pat their heads.
"Please don't target Brother Qin," Ya Xin turned to look into the camera. "We like Brother Qin because he is brave, upright, and not a bad person. He is the best soldier we have ever met! We like all soldiers who fight for the people!"
Ya Fei winked playfully at Qin Fen, the blush on her cheeks impossible to hide even with makeup. She turned off her microphone and whispered softly: "Brother Qin, we like you, and we will definitely marry you someday!"
"What fierce girls, that level of impact..." Xing Wuyi watched the girls’ statements online, shaking his head repeatedly. "Luckily, my current position doesn't allow me to get too agitated. After this speech, military enlistment applications might reach a historic high?"
"Hello, what is the military's recruitment hotline number?" "Hello, tell me the military recruitment number, I want to enlist." "I want to enlist!"
The telephone inquiry center was instantly swamped with countless calls. The switchboard operators, already busy on a normal day, became flustered, wondering what was happening today. Every call they took was an inquiry about military recruitment numbers.
Eventually, the operators began answering the phone, and before the caller could speak, they immediately recited the military's recruitment hotline. The caller would then cooperate by hanging up, allowing others to get through.
The Feixin sisters adjusted their microphones back to normal, standing on either side of Qin Fen, and addressed the audience: "The next song is considered our signature hit. If you know how to sing it, roar along with us."
The two sisters handed the microphone to Qin Fen: "Brother Qin, sing with us."
Sing? Qin Fen stared blankly at the microphone the two sisters had pressed into his hands, momentarily unsure what to do. This was even more unexpected than if a Buddha had suddenly jumped from the audience to challenge him.
The music's intro had already begun, and Huo Niangzi's voice came through Qin Fen’s earpiece: "Sing. Sing however you want."
The musical intro transitioned into the climax, and the entire stadium followed the music into a frenzy. Glow sticks waved wildly, and explosive roars erupted from the girls' throats, drawing the entire venue into a collective roar.
This was the Feixin Women's Band's signature song; hardly anyone in the Federation didn't know the lyrics. Qin Fen was no exception.
The simultaneous roaring of hundreds of thousands enveloped the Feixin sisters' vocal lines. All the music converged, feeling like solid seawater surrounding Qin Fen, rushing past his ears into every corner of his body.
Qin Fen's cells vibrated. For this moment, he forgot to analyze what the music was doing for his martial arts. He merely gripped the microphone, starting from a low hum, gradually building up his voice, slowly releasing his spirit, merging it into the souls of the hundreds of thousands singing out loud, as if transforming into a single drop of clear water dissolving into the ocean.
At this moment, Qin Fen felt as if he could sense the emotions of every person present—their joys, sorrows, happiness, and unhappiness.
This was an extraordinary feeling, like an extraordinary power. Qin Fen could even sense the sense of being moved in every person present, and this emotion seemed to integrate with his martial arts.
Wonderful, indescribable! Qin Fen suddenly spread his arms, pulling the two girls protectively behind him. At almost the exact same moment, a gunshot smelling of gunpowder sounded from above the stadium.
It was a shot fired by Yuwen Qian of the Lu Mercenaries! This professional hunter had turned the Feixin Women's Band concert into her hunting ground, and Qin Fen knew she would appear. He had intentionally left an empty sniper perch, the most suitable one for this woman.
She did not disappoint Qin Fen. Before the military snipers could locate their target, her bullet instantly blew away the brain of a terrorist mixed into the crowd.
Two massive arcs of blade energy swept down from the upper stands—a tangible blade slash followed by a roaring presence that instantly swept onto the stage. The man’s arms were intertwined, his ten fingers locked together, forming a massive hammer-like war-mace that smashed down from above.
Nineteen Stars, Earthly Gang Qi!
Without even looking at the two arcs of blade energy locked onto the Feixin sisters, Qin Fen saw two bright blades erupt not far behind him. Brooks and Xue Tian’s battle sabers immediately appeared on his left and right, crashing mercilessly against the incoming blade energy, their bodies shielding the sisters behind them.
Du Peng and Morade grabbed the Feixin sisters around the waist, pulling them back rapidly in retreat.
Qin Fen sank his waist, loosened his shoulders, and his entire body shook violently, his bones emitting a crackling sound like ten thousand mahjong tiles colliding. His joints rotated in circles, and behind him, two huge bio-beast energy wings—one white, one black—of the Divine Demon Body suddenly spread open. He stood with his feet planted firmly, ten fingers clawing the ground, knees slightly bent. Using his elbows and knees, he propelled himself upward in a move from the Left Dongting Five Sacred Mountain Fist style: Five Mountains Ascending to Heaven Cone. It was as if five great mountains materialized from within his body and shot upward, releasing all of his Eighteen Star level Earthly Gang Qi.
Upon contact of the four fists, the hair of both opponents instantly blasted outwards. Their super nano-combat suits billowed as if about to tear apart under the air currents.
The stage beneath Qin Fen’s feet, proven by experts to be exceptionally sturdy, let out a groan. Countless wooden planks shattered instantly, and the massive stage collapsed with a deafening roar.
The collision between the two powerhouses released an air current visible to the naked eye, expanding outwards in a circle. While these currents couldn't kill, they could certainly injure. Spectators near the front of the stage were thrown off balance by the blast; many felt a sweetness in their chests and spat up blood.
The blade energy and the battle sabers finally met. Brooks’ tiger's mouth split open, blood spraying out, and the powerful impact of the battle qi scattered everywhere, whipping his long hair around his forehead. He spat out a mouthful of bright red blood before completely dispersing the blade energy, his eyes fixed on the charging bizarre figure with a shock: Terror Tycoon Aslan! The Federation’s most notorious King of Terror!
Aslan’s eyes were unforgettable once seen, even if only from a photograph. Brooks would never forget the feeling when he first saw Aslan’s photo; even looking at him through the picture felt like confronting a ferocious beast from the primordial wilderness.
Yes! It was Aslan, the King of Terror! The leader of the Federation's number one terrorist organization, a terrifying monster who hadn't truly shown his face in a long time, occupying the top spot on the Federal Bounty List. The atrocities committed by a terrorist general like Yilansi were mere child's play compared to Aslan.
Brooks never imagined he would encounter the King of Terror here today! He had expected the appearance of two terrorist generals under Yilansi, but he never thought the King of Terror himself would descend here.
While other terrorists preached 'holy war,' using it as an excuse for terror, doing the act of a whore while demanding a monument, Aslan had long abandoned such pretense. He seemed to derive pleasure purely from orchestrating terrorist attacks, as if the occurrence of terror was the only way he felt alive. He never claimed his actions were for 'holy war.'
This King of Terror had left his terrifying marks in many places on Earth; perhaps only within the direct sphere of influence of Qilin was there an environment he had not tainted.
Nineteen Stars, Earthly Gang! This represented a considerable gap from the Eighteen Stars, Human Gang, recorded in Federation documents! Although it was only a single star level, that one level represented what? Only true experts knew! What Earthly Gang represented—only those who had truly encountered it knew what that represented.
In that split second of eye contact, all Brooks saw in Aslan’s eyes was death, and only death, as if Aslan were Death Incarnate, the fierce flame of doom burning in his pupils.
Brooks twisted his wrist, transforming the Sky-Cleaving Saber Technique into a massive, shining blade glow tens of feet high, bringing it down directly upon Aslan!
The transition was too swift. One moment everyone was immersed in a sea of music; the next, the King of Terror had arrived. People didn't even have time to cry out before the earth-shattering roar of Qin Fen's collision with Aslan erupted. The entire stage instantly collapsed. Du Peng and the others immediately rescued the band members into the air to prevent them from being injured by the impact on the ground.
The Federation highly recommends two books. One is very straightforward: Jin Yi Dang Guo (The Brocade Robe Rules the Nation). I don't read much history, but this one is quite interesting. Seeing this reminded me of a line from New Dragon Gate Inn or the movie The Smiling, Proud Wanderer: "You want an imperial edict? Fine, write him one and be done with it." That wasn't said by the Emperor, though; it seemed to come from a Jinyiwei guard. Such arrogant and domineering words; that scene was truly badass. This book is worth reading.
The other book is one that has a little bit of horror but also a lot of warmth and is very entertaining. This book is also good, very interesting. It’s about someone’s experience encountering ghosts in a gaming continent; very interesting. Worth a read.
I didn't know the author of the latter book at all; someone recommended it to me, and I found it fun, so I'm recommending it to everyone. As for the former, I am also following it; it is indeed quite good.
Oh! A third book recommendation. It’s one of my older works. For those who have finished Jìmìe (Annihilation) and want something with more fervor, you can check out Bīng Rén (The Soldier/The Corpse Soldier). It’s complete; you don't have to wait; you can read it all in one go. I personally highly recommend this book, Bīng Rén.
Koizumi’s crazy and terrifying plan plunged Lin Feng into even more trouble. Devaluing the Japanese Yen had already given Lin Feng a massive headache, but the plan proposed by Kazama Erina plunged him into endless worry.
The consequences of kidnapping Koizumi Junichiro would be too severe. If the slightest hint leaked, Lin Feng would probably have to hide in war-torn Africa to avoid total pursuit by the Japanese government. In this matter, even his country couldn't save him. Although he might win the support of netizens—since Koizumi had recently visited the Yasukuni Shrine not long ago, angering Asian nations previously invaded by Japan during WWII, and causing public outrage domestically—netizen support would be useless.
After calming down and considering the consequences, cold sweat broke out on Lin Feng’s back.
"Erina, after careful consideration, kidnapping Koizumi Junichiro is not feasible. If even a whisper of this leaks, all my companies will be ruined. Betting my entire fortune for a hundred billion dollars is not worth it." Lin Feng shook his head.
Kazama Erina completely understood Lin Feng's hesitation and retreat. This plan was inherently reckless. She proposed it because there was a slim chance presented online. However, thinking about it now, she had been momentarily carried away by emotion. She felt too much gratitude and thankfulness toward Lin Feng and wanted to repay him.
"Boss, I also know this plan is incredibly crazy, and it would indeed invite immense trouble. If that's the case, we'll think of another way," Kazama Erina changed her mind immediately. But she couldn't let go of the plan entirely, as there wouldn't be another such opportunity. Furthermore, Koizumi Junichiro would only appear at her house the next night, possibly alone with her.
This was a private visit regarding compromising videotapes concerning several cabinet ministers under Koizumi's command.
Lin Feng nodded, forcibly pushing the wicked thought from his mind. He recalled how, upon Koizumi Junichiro’s repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine and his damaging remarks toward the sentiments of the Chinese people, Lin Feng had often fantasized about savagely beating the bastard. Now that a real opportunity had arisen, the inner demon was naturally strong. Being able to give up the thought was already a feat.
"Thank you, Erina. Don't worry about this matter; I will find a way to resolve it. If you want to help me, then help me secure Sega’s hardware development department as soon as possible. Buy up more Japanese game companies. Once March arrives, the Japanese stock market is certain to undergo earth-shattering changes," Lin Feng let out a long breath and smiled easily.
As a man, he had no reason to let a woman worry for him.
"Understood, Boss. Rest assured, if you win this time, I'm certain the assets of numerous game companies will shrink drastically. Especially those facing massive losses like Fei Jiao (in Yen), they will inevitably resort to selling off real estate or copyrights to repay debts. That will be our prime opportunity for massive acquisitions." Kazama Erisa stated with certainty.
Lin Feng's heart stirred. This would allow him to expand his gaming domain once again. After all, while online games offered generous profits, they currently couldn't compare to the profits from standalone games. It was only in China, a place plagued by piracy, that most companies were forced into developing online games. Overseas, in Japan, Europe, and the US, standalone games still reigned supreme, generating annual profits in the billions of dollars.
Moreover, mobile devices were about to "devour" the entire planet, making future mobile entertainment a key focus. And all of this required the support of game companies! Japan was the kingdom of gaming. Seizing this opportunity to acquire a few game companies would be absolutely instrumental to the future development of his own gaming industry. However, this all hinged on one premise: he absolutely had to win this financial war.
Thinking of this, Lin Feng sighed; it truly was agonizing.
Just then, Lin Feng received a call.
"Mr. Lin, how are things? Are you troubled by this stock market situation? Should you perhaps reconsider my proposal?" From the phone came Croth's voice—faint, yet possessing an omnipresent sense of superiority that immediately grated on Lin Feng's nerves.
"Are dukes and nobles born that way? Just because you were born into a prestigious family doesn't mean you're inherently superior to ordinary people!"
"Mr. Croth, I'm merely agonizing over how to spend all the money I'm about to earn!" Lin Feng retorted coolly.
Croth was left speechless by Lin Feng's response for a long moment.
"Mr. Lin, since you are so bothered by having too much money, allow me to help you 'spend' some," Croth's voice grew increasingly arrogant. "Mr. Lin, I initially thought you were a wise man, a true leader who knew when to choose his battles. Now I see I was mistaken. You are nothing more than a petty local rich man guarding his few acres of thin farmland." With that, Croth coldly hung up the phone.
Lin Feng frowned. Croth’s way of mocking people truly cut deep without using vulgar language. After taking a few deep breaths, Lin Feng calmed the rage brewing inside him. He silently vowed: Since you look down on me and think I’m just a local country bumpkin, I will show you how this country bumpkin will crush you, the capitalist!
Beside him, Kazama Erisa bit her lower lip. Being so close to Lin Feng in the quiet room, she had clearly overheard Croth’s words. She felt extremely displeased by Croth’s blatant sarcasm towards Lin Feng. She hated seeing anyone insult him like that. Although she wasn't officially anything to Lin Feng, she deeply disliked anyone who mocked or insulted him.
Considering this, Kazama Erisa made a quiet resolution.
"Boss, there are a few things I need to handle at the company. I'll take my leave now," Kazama Erisa said softly.
"Right, be careful with your date with Koizumi tomorrow. Bring a few extra bodyguards," Lin Feng reminded her.
"Boss, don't worry. Koizumi won't dare to act rashly. If the few discs I possess were to leak, it would do him no good. While it might not affect his political career, it would certainly cripple his right-hand men," Kazama Erisa replied confidently.
Lin Feng nodded, watched Kazama Erisa depart, and then walked over to the room where Abby Cohen, Li Zekai, and the others were gathered.
"Abby, I've made up my mind. We are going to short the Yen. You will handle all the funding arrangements. I will contact Soros," Lin Feng announced.
"Lin Feng, are you truly decided?" Li Zekai and the others exclaimed in shock. Once the decision to short the Yen was made, there was no turning back; it would trigger consequences across the board.
"Yes. Don't get involved in this matter. You've already made tens of millions of dollars, enough for you to acquire a Premier League club. Involving yourselves further would be detrimental to you, and I wouldn't feel right about it," Lin Feng considered before speaking.
"Brother Feng, how could you say that? At this point, how could we possibly step away? If we are going to fight, let’s fight this one together. I will put up all my personal assets to fight alongside Brother Feng this one time. I refuse to believe we can't win this!" Tang Jiacheng clenched his fist and declared.
"Exactly, us too," Li Zekai and Zheng Zhiheng nodded firmly.
Lin Feng frowned. He truly didn't want to drag them further into this. Their combined capital wasn't significantly vital to the overall situation now.
"It's only been a few years, do you think I'm the type of person who can only share prosperity but not adversity?" Li Zekai cut off Lin Feng, who was about to speak. "Worst case scenario, we start over from scratch. I refuse to believe that the four of us, united, can't defeat this Croth."
Lin Feng looked at the resolute faces of Li Zekai, Tang Zhicheng, and Zheng Zhiheng, his heart filled with gratitude. At this moment, the willingness of the three to stay involved meant a great deal to Lin Feng. It signaled that after this, the four of them would finally be true friends.
"Fine, this time the four of us will truly share brotherhood—unity brings unbreakable strength!" Lin Feng proclaimed with great spirit.
"Brotherhood brings unbreakable strength!" Li Zekai and the other two shouted, raising their arms.
Abby Cohen sighed enviously from the side. This is how male friendships are forged; it truly is admirable. Even if Lin Feng failed this time, having the friendship of Li Zekai, Zheng Zhiheng, and Tang Jiacheng meant he had the backing of three major families, making a comeback effortless!
Following this, Abby Cohen began leveraging her status as the former Chief Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs, the "Wall Street Oracle," to frequently contact banks in neighboring Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, hoping to secure loans.
Li Zekai and the other two returned to Hong Kong to prepare for final negotiations with their family elders regarding preparations for this ultimate confrontation, or to search for any potential turning points.
As for Lin Feng, he made a single call to Soros.
"Mr. Soros, hello, I am Lin Feng," Lin Feng said with a smile.
"Mr. Lin Feng, hello, I am Soros." Soros was not at all surprised to receive Lin Feng's call. This was precisely the time when international financial speculators like them should be uniting. The true reason Quantum Fund suffered a devastating defeat in Hong Kong last time, aside from the Hong Kong government's unreasonable market defense and the promulgation of arrogant clauses that infuriated him, was that when danger struck, former allies switched sides from short-selling to chasing the long position, catching Soros completely off guard and ultimately leading to his downfall!
Even if Lin Feng hadn't contacted him, Soros was already preparing to unite with other financial speculators to negotiate a joint attack on the Japanese stock market.
"Mr. Soros, I intend to short the Yen," Lin Feng cut straight to the chase, wasting no words.
Soros inwardly rejoiced upon hearing this; it was precisely what he had been considering.
However, unfortunately, he currently lacked sufficient capital. Furthermore, the Asian Financial Crisis had made him notorious throughout Asia, making it impossible for him to raise funds there. Transferring a large amount of capital from the US would take too long and would certainly be detected by the Japanese side. Moreover, given his current standing, he couldn't marshal much more capital. And with insufficient funds, he lacked the standing to challenge the Yen.
"I want to hire you as the main trader! You can take 20% of the profits," Lin Feng dropped a bombshell.
Shock! Soros was genuinely stunned this time. He absolutely had not expected Lin Feng to ask him to be the trader.
"Mr. Lin, forgive my bluntness, but don't you have the 'Wall Street Oracle,' Abby Cohen, under your wing? Why seek me out?" Soros asked, perplexed.
"It's simple. Abby is unparalleled in her predictive accuracy. But in the actual execution on the futures market, she is inferior to you. Especially since you possess an advantage others lack: you have previously shorted numerous Asian countries and governments. You have experience with victory and experience with defeat. I believe that this time, you will absorb the lessons from your disastrous defeat against the Hong Kong government, and you will certainly win!" Lin Feng explained.
Lin Feng's words were slightly stinging, dredging up Soros's painful past, but for Soros, they were entirely pertinent. In the art of currency speculation, no one in this era surpassed him!
"Fine, Mr. Lin, I agree. But I have one condition!" Soros thought it over and then stated.
"What condition? Speak freely!" Lin Feng asked.
"Just as I once declared in the Asian Financial Crisis that 'The Hong Kong Government is Bound to Lose,' I require you to step forward and plainly state that 'The Japanese Government is Bound to Lose,'" Soros stated without reservation.
"What!" Lin Feng was shocked. Soros's move back then was widely deemed utter foolishness, as no one had ever dared to challenge a government head-on—never. But Soros had done it. That initial grand ambition, those words, had driven everyone mad. Unfortunately, Soros ultimately lost. That "magnificent feat" became nothing more than the rantings of a madman. Now, the opponent being challenged had shifted from the Hong Kong SAR to Japan, the world's second-largest economy, yet Soros was asking Lin Feng to do the same. Lin Feng truly suspected Soros had gone mad.
"Mr. Lin, I am not mad. The situation is currently unfavorable to us; many international financial speculators are hesitating. If there is even the slightest ripple when we start shorting the Yen, I fear those speculators will switch sides again and start chasing the long position. At that point, no amount of capital you possess will matter. I hope your powerful call can rally all the financial speculators to unite. You must remember, your status now is far higher than mine was back then. After all, you carry the title of the world's third-richest person, and you have the backing of the Chinese government," Soros argued bitterly. If those financial speculators hadn't stabbed him in the back, he might not have lost back then. Of course, the intervention of the Chinese government was the ultimate reason for Soros's crushing defeat.
"This..." Lin Feng hesitated. This matter involved massive repercussions. If he did this, he would thoroughly become the enemy of all Japan, and his company would suffer severe blows there, likely making it impossible for him to establish a foothold in Japan in the future.
"Mr. Lin, I understand your concerns, but don't forget, even though the Americans dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, they are still immensely popular there. As long as you can bring them benefits and profits, the pragmatic and realistic Japanese people won't care what you did before. Even if you raped their mothers, as long as there is enough profit, they will still welcome you," Soros said dismissively.
Lin Feng's eyebrows shot up at Soros's words. While highly insulting, they were undeniably accurate. The Japanese truly were like that! Facing the US, the nation that dropped two atomic bombs on their soil, the Japanese harbored no resentment, instead showing deference. Especially in the US-Japan relationship, Japan continuously backed down. If the US said the Yen should appreciate, it appreciated; if they said it should depreciate, it depreciated. Their loyalty was more fawning than a lapdog's!
However, the prerequisite was whether he could offer the Japanese the same kind of benefits. One must remember that the Japanese are also famous for being petty, vindictive, and nursing grudges. If they sought retaliation, Lin Feng would certainly suffer greatly.
Of course, compared to kidnapping Koizumi Junichiro, challenging the Japanese government wasn't such a huge deal. In the 21st century, there was freedom of speech! Moreover, everything he did was strictly following the rules of the financial game. If anyone was violating the rules, it was the Japanese government. In the financial world, government funding to save the market was considered a violation of financial rules. It’s just that when the nation's survival is at stake, no one strictly adheres to that rule—not even the US!
"Fine, Soros, I agree. But since I'm taking such a huge risk, I absolutely do not want to fail. I expect you to utilize every ounce of your skill!" Lin Feng stated with firm conviction.
"Rest assured, I will not fail this time!" Soros vowed solemnly. (To know what happens next, please log in to J, there are more chapters, support the author, insist on reading legitimate content!)