Chapter 32: Exhausting Every Effort, Yet Unable to Turn the Tide

Sun Changying still considered Yang Chen nothing more than a scapegoat with no background or capability, and he completely disregarded Yang Chen’s threats.

"Since you’ve put it this way, I have nothing more to say. Let’s see whose methods are superior. Use whatever tricks you have up your sleeve. I’ll show you how I turn the tide," Sun Changying said indignantly.

"Oh, all right. Just make sure you stabilize the stock price tomorrow," Yang Chen replied with a smile.

Sun Changying hung up the phone in a rage. However, being a veteran of the industry, he knew he had to remain calm; the more flustered he became, the easier it would be to make mistakes.

Sun Changying had spent most of his life accumulating a total fortune of about 8 billion, of which about 6 billion was the market value of his Changhui Group shares. The remaining 2 billion consisted of savings, wealth management products, real estate, and other investments.

Currently, Changhui Group had total liabilities of 120 billion, with less than 10 billion in liquid assets available on the books. If creditors were to demand payment all at once, even mortgaging or selling off all of Sun Changying's personal assets would be of no use.

Fortunately, Sun Changying had cultivated many connections over the years, and now was the time to leverage every relationship he could.

Early Monday morning, before the stock market opened, Changhui Group issued an announcement: Chairman Sun Changying would use his personal assets to increase his stake in the company, raising the total amount from the previously stated "no less than 100 million" to "no less than 1 billion."

The company’s board secretary, managers, and several other executives would also use personal funds to increase their holdings by no less than 50 million, pledging not to reduce their positions for the next three years.

At the same time, Changhui Group’s major partners pledged not to pursue debt repayment from the group for the time being.

Gaoling Capital, Changshan Capital, Huaxia Fund, Fuze Fund, and a total of 10 other investment firms promised to provide interest-free capital support whenever Changhui Group needed it.

With large-scale share purchases by shareholders and executives, major creditors holding off on demands, and investment institutions providing liquidity, this combination of moves would, under normal circumstances, cause Changhui Group’s stock price to surge, making it absolutely impossible for it to face delisting due to its price falling below par value.

When the market opened, Changhui Group’s stock dipped briefly before rallying, quickly rising by 8 percent and showing strong momentum to hit the daily limit.

Sun Changying was monitoring the market with his executives, and seeing the strong upward trend, everyone wore relieved smiles.

"We resolved the negative impact Yang Chen manufactured with all his resources using just a few announcements."

"A scapegoat with no money and no background wants to force our group into delisting? It’s absolutely ridiculous. With his meager strength, does he even deserve to face us?"

"We’ll spend a little more money to boost it further just for show, and the stock price will reach a safe level."

"It all comes down to the connections Chairman Sun has built over the years; otherwise, we wouldn't have won so easily."

...

Sun Changying laughed heartily, lit a cigar, took a puff, and said, "He’s just a hired hand. Making him Chairman of Sihai Group was merely to have him take the fall and keep the company from bankruptcy liquidation. He actually thought he had some real ability. My strategy has the weight of 40 years of experience behind it; can he withstand that? What does he have to fight me with?"

"Hahaha..."

The room erupted in laughter, the air thick with smugness.

But just then, Changhui Group’s stock price suddenly took a sharp turn downward, plunging from an 8 percent gain to an 8 percent loss in the blink of an eye.

Sun Changying was struck with terror; the cigar in his hand fell onto his trousers, and he jumped up in a panic to brush it off.

Ignoring the hole burned into his pants, Sun Changying immediately ordered, "Increase holdings immediately! We must hold against this drop!"

The executives nodded and scrambled to comply, using personal accounts or calling brokerage managers to help, frantically dumping over 50 million into the market.

At the same time, Sun Changying used his brokerage manager to purchase an additional 100 million shares with his personal funds.

Truth be told, under normal circumstances, when major shareholders and executives increase their holdings like this, the stock price usually rises.

But!

It didn't work for them.

The stock price only experienced a brief pull-back before plummeting again. The selling pressure was too heavy, and the price was quickly pinned to the daily limit.

"What is going on? Why is the selling pressure so severe? Who is selling? We can't buy it all—it's impossible to buy it all!"

"Could the institutions be offloading their shares? If they are selling too, we’re finished. We don’t have enough capital to absorb that much stock."

"Chairman Sun, didn't those institutions like Gaoling Capital promise to help us? Are they spreading false news to bait retail investors into holding while they sell off secretly?"

...

Sun Changying was completely panicked. If those institutions were secretly offloading, even selling off all his assets wouldn't be enough to save the stock price.

Sun Changying hurriedly called Zhang Shi, the head of Gaoling Capital.

"Hello, President Zhang, are you secretly offloading?" Sun Changying asked bluntly.

Zhang Shi replied with a smile, "We sold a little. If we don't offload in this situation, we might not be able to get out later. I have to be responsible for the company's shareholders and the investors who trust us."

"But didn't you promise to help me? You even said if I needed money, you would support me," Sun Changying questioned.

Zhang Shi immediately replied, "That’s right! If I don't sell the stock, where would I get the money to support you?"

Sun Changying: "..."

*What the hell? You call this support?*

Zhang Shi added with a smile, "Chairman Sun, if there's nothing else, I’ll hang up. I still need to watch the market."

Zhang Shi hung up immediately, giving Sun Changying no chance to speak.

Sun Changying then quickly called Xue Jian, the head of Changshan Capital.

"Hello, President Xue, have you been selling shares?" Sun Changying asked.

Xue Jian replied with a smile, "Apologies, my trader’s hand slipped, and we sold a tiny bit. But I’ve already reprimanded him; I guarantee we won't sell any more today."

*Damn it, the stock is already locked at the daily limit; you can't sell even if you wanted to.*

"President Xue, you can't do this! We agreed you would help me! You deliberately let me issue fake news to trick retail investors into not dumping their shares, and then you ran off first, didn't you?" Sun Changying asked.

Xue Jian replied with a smile, "Chairman Sun, saying that really hurts a brother's feelings. I sold the stock to recover capital so that I can support you when you need it."

"But if none of you sold, the stock price would return to a safe level, and I wouldn't need your support," Sun Changying countered.

"Oh, you don't need my support? You should have said so earlier. I’m hanging up now, I have a guest to meet," Xue Jian said with a smile and immediately hung up.

Sun Changying: "..."

Sun Changying called other capital firms and large retail investors who held Changhui Group shares. They all gave lip service to supporting him, but in reality, they were all offloading.

Only now did Sun Changying realize that those capital firms and investors had only said they supported him so he would issue announcements to soothe retail investors into not panicking, allowing them to sell off more of their holdings.

Sun Changying threw his glass in a rage and shouted, "Dammit! There’s no loyalty among people in this business. Even now, they are exploiting me. How is this any different from kicking a man when he's down or looting a burning house?"

Just then, a call came from the front desk: the presidents of the five major banks had arrived with their teams.

Sun Changying forced himself to calm down and hurried to meet them.

"Presidents, please, help me out. Don't do this to me at a time like this. I will remember your kindness for the rest of my life," Sun Changying pleaded.

The five presidents pulled out the notices sent by their headquarters and handed them to Sun Changying. They were acting in strict accordance with their head offices' requirements: either Changhui Group paid off its overdue loans, or they would petition the court for the group's bankruptcy liquidation.

Changhui Group owed these banks a total of 85 billion, 53 billion of which was already overdue, while the group had less than 10 billion in liquid assets—there was no way they could pay it off.

At that moment, his secretary ran over in a rush.

"Chairman Sun, the construction and renovation companies we work with are here. They are demanding we settle their accounts immediately."

Sun Changying roared, "Tell them all to get out! I don't have money for them!"

The creditors heard Sun Changying’s roar and immediately followed the sound.

"Chairman Sun, so you’re here? Oh, the bank presidents are here too? Chairman Sun, please settle our accounts. I must receive payment today, or I’m not leaving."

"I must get my money too. This is the hard-earned money of our migrant workers. If I can't get it back, I can't answer to them, and they refuse to work anymore. If it delays projects for other companies, that will be a real problem."

"Our company still has 5 million in outstanding payments. That’s a small amount you can easily scrape together, so please, Chairman Sun, do us a favor and settle it."

...

Sun Changying shouted, "Don't all come at once! You all come for money at the same time, where am I supposed to find that much? Come one by one, I promise I will settle with everyone. Can you do that?"

The creditors shook their heads and refused. They wouldn't leave without payment, and they weren't going to let Sun Changying leave either. At worst, they would start a fight.

It was clear these creditors were terrified that Changhui Group would collapse and they would never see their money again.

With the example of Sihai Group fresh in their minds, they weren't about to take any risks.

Sun Changying had planned everything beautifully; he never imagined reality would unfold this way.

Meanwhile, Yang Chen was by the villa pool with the six beauties, swimming and sunbathing.

"Chairman Yang, aren't you worried at all about Changhui Group? After all, Sun Changying has been in the business world for decades; it’s impossible for him to be defeated by you so easily. Should we find the media to create some hype and publish some negative news about Changhui Group?" Zhao Jing asked while applying sunscreen to herself.

Yang Chen opened his mouth to eat a grape fed to him by Chen Xi, then smiled and said, "Worry? Why worry? Haven't you already seen how good my luck is? Fate itself will arrange everything to help me succeed in shorting the stock. We don't need to do anything; just enjoy this beautiful time. You girls keep applying your sunscreen—put some on your legs, and on your chest too. It doesn't look good if you get a tan. Ah, yes, just like that..."

Yang Chen possessed the "Short Selling Guaranteed" skill rewarded by the system. He didn't need to worry about anything; he only had to prepare for the short sale, and the situation would naturally develop in a direction favorable to him.

Sun Changying had used every method at his disposal, yet he still couldn't reverse the situation.

Huang Wei asked with a smile, "Chairman Yang, do you need a massage? Let me give you one, and maybe I can rub off some of your luck."

"Hmm? Can that work? I want some of Chairman Yang's luck too. Let me rub your legs," Bai Zhi said immediately after.

"Then the left leg is yours, and the right is mine," Gao Ya said.

Seeing the others competing for Yang Chen, Chen Xi directly hugged Yang Chen’s head and said, "His head is mine; you all can divide the rest."