How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 437

Want to Freeze Starlight Investment’s Funds Because I’m a Rogue? What’s Wrong With a Didi Driver Having Some Money?

Professor Yang had arranged everything during Yang Chen’s time abroad, eagerly awaiting his return so they could delve into “quantum entanglement” together at the Starlight Research Base in Haicheng.

As anticipated, Professor Yang called Yang Chen.

“Hello, Xiao Yang, are you all set on your end?” Professor Yang inquired.

Yang Chen: “I’m ready to go anytime.”

Professor Yang: “Excellent! Let’s depart tomorrow morning then, how does that sound?”

Yang Chen: “Sure, no problem! Let me handle the arrangements. We’ll depart from Daxing Airport at nine tomorrow morning. Is that alright?”

Professor Yang: “Perfect! See you at Daxing Airport at nine tomorrow morning.”

Yang Chen and Professor Yang’s dedication to research wouldn’t hinder Starlight Investment’s continued success in the U.S. banking sector.

Since Jin Ming oversaw the actual operations, Yang Chen had already established the overall strategy and pace. She simply needed to execute the established plan.

Poor Buffett made a wasted trip, failing to even meet Yang Chen.

However, he couldn’t passively await his fate; he needed to devise a counterattack.

Thus, he swiftly returned to the U.S. and contacted the Treasury Department to discuss strategies for rescuing the struggling banking industry.

Their collaborative efforts led to the introduction of several policies.

The most prominent and attention-grabbing was the federal government’s compensation for depositors’ losses.

However, this policy was merely a facade for outsiders, not fooling those in the know.

With global sales of U.S. Treasury bonds and redemption pressures mounting, how could they genuinely use funds to compensate depositors’ losses?

Promising grand but empty gestures was their usual tactic. Once the situation was managed, they could decide whether to honor their commitments later.

Recently, a major semiconductor group was enticed to invest and construct a factory, only to find the promised incentives and subsidies unfulfilled.

First, get people invested, then exert control.

Therefore, this policy essentially served as a smokescreen, facilitating the exit of major capital while deceiving naive investors into buying the dip and absorbing the losses.

However, certain pro-Western individuals grew excited, flooding Starlight Investment’s official Weibo and Jin Ming’s personal Weibo with taunts and insults.

Regardless, it was now an open game, and Jin Ming disregarded these comments, patiently awaiting the departure of major capital and the complete collapse of these banks.

Haicheng Starlight Research Base, Quantum Research Division.

Yang Chen and Professor Yang guided their respective teams in brainstorming research approaches, pooling their collective knowledge and insights to identify a promising direction for smooth research progress.

Research demanded patience and dedication; results couldn’t be rushed.

Even Yang Chen, typically unrestrained and freedom-loving, now lived and worked alongside the researchers at the base.

After about half a month, the collapse of Entrepreneurial Bank had faded from memory for some, but then news from the U.S. broke again.

The stock prices of Entrepreneurial Bank and Signature Bank plummeted by over 99%.

Entrepreneurial Bank’s stock price crashed from $106 per share to $0.4 per share, while Signature Bank’s stock price fell from $70 per share to $0.041 per share.

Before Starlight Investment announced its short positions, Entrepreneurial Bank boasted a market value of $212 billion, and Signature Bank had a market value of $110 billion, meaning the two companies collectively lost over $300 billion.

The $212 billion giant vanished in a mere half-month. Its delisting further diminished depositors’ chances of recovering their funds.

Starlight Investment seized this opportunity to buy back the short positions at the bottom.

Accounting for all expenses, the total net profit from shorting Entrepreneurial Bank and Signature Bank reached a staggering $88 billion, nearly doubling their initial investment.

The $48 billion profit from shorting National Trust Bank, with a net profit margin of only 40%, was comparatively modest.

However, this outcome was still highly favorable, and the specific amount earned was secondary. The primary objective was to solidify Starlight Investment’s reputation for outmaneuvering Buffett.

Starlight Investment needed to dethrone the old guard to ascend to prominence.

Evidently, they had now succeeded.

Starlight Investment initially gained recognition by profiting from the oil industry and solidified its reputation by conquering the U.S. banking sector.

From this point forward, people worldwide might not recall their country’s president’s full name, but they would undoubtedly recognize Starlight Investment.

Starlight Investment finalized its transactions and initiated the gradual repatriation of funds.

After all, money held abroad couldn’t truly be considered one’s own, so transferring it back home as quickly as possible was essential.

Subsequently, Jin Ming released an announcement via Starlight Investment’s official Weibo account.

“I have consistently emphasized that the last laugh is the sweetest. When bank stocks were soaring, I cautioned everyone to avoid this situation at all costs. This is basic trading knowledge: release positive news to entice inexperienced investors [leeks, a common term for novice investors] to follow the trend and take over, and once the major players have exited, the stock price can be driven down without hesitation. Unfortunately, some individuals stubbornly disregarded this advice and have now suffered such significant losses that they’re unrecognizable. But this is not the worst of it. Worse is yet to come. According to U.S. securities law, Entrepreneurial Bank is no longer eligible for listing. Within two days, perhaps even today, the news of Entrepreneurial Bank’s delisting will surface. In the current climate, depositors’ funds will undoubtedly not be fully recovered. The extent of their compensation will depend entirely on the disposition of the acquiring company and the insurance provider. This incident underscores that the safest country globally is our Dragon Country [China]. Ordinary citizens who venture abroad are destined to be exploited, working tirelessly and afraid to voice complaints. They genuinely risk being harmed. In our country, you can at least voice your grievances a few times without fear of reprisal. Wealthy individuals who go abroad risk being exploited or abruptly dispossessed. They have no recourse and dare not speak out. Our performance this year has been exceptional, and we intend to take a break. Good night, everyone.”

The fools who blindly praised the U.S. for supporting the banking industry were silenced. They could only feign ignorance and retreat into the shadows, lamenting the embarrassment their beloved homeland had suffered.

The genuine Dragon Country citizens rejoiced and flooded the comments section with congratulatory messages.

“Congratulations, congratulations! Starlight Investment achieved fame in a single battle, and from now on, everyone will know the name of Starlight Investment. Take a well-deserved rest and return to harvest the foreign investors when they’re ripe.”

“The comment section is unusually quiet today. Finally, the online trolls [1450s, referring to paid internet commentators] are absent. A few days ago, their master’s empty promises delighted them, and they were all kneeling and licking. Now, their master is merely drawing a grand picture to cover the escape of major players. I genuinely pity those trolls. They are repeatedly humiliated, yet they persist in their subservience.”

“My classmates working and residing in the U.S. have been calling me these past few days to inquire about Starlight Investment. According to them, Starlight Investment is currently the most discussed topic in the U.S. Even ordinary citizens are debating why Starlight Investment can seize their wealth. In other words, they blame Starlight Investment for taking their inaccessible funds. It’s truly absurd. I can’t fathom their reasoning.”

…

The self-proclaimed exceptional Eagle Sauce [United States] was exploited by individuals from the Eastern country [China], and they won this game fairly, causing them considerable embarrassment.

Consequently, relevant individuals voiced their discontent at a routine meeting.

An official from the Eagle Sauce Treasury Department stated at a routine meeting: “I am deeply concerned that someone would blatantly short the U.S. banking industry during a period of gradual global economic recovery. The financial and economic stability of the U.S. is not only crucial to the interests of the American people but also to the safety and stability of all mankind. We observe that the collapse of Entrepreneurial Bank and Signature Bank jeopardizes the funds of numerous depositors. I believe Starlight Investment should bear full responsibility for this, and they cannot simply profit from depositors worldwide. We will investigate and implement appropriate measures to address this crisis and ensure Starlight Investment pays the price, assisting the affected investors and depositors in recovering their hard-earned money.”

Reporter: “But Starlight Investment is merely shorting your country’s banking industry within the established rules. What crime have they committed? Ultimately, your country’s banking industry has inherent problems, and Starlight Investment simply capitalized on the opportunity. Shouldn’t you focus on resolving the issues within the banking industry and preventing such crises from recurring? Why shift the blame to Starlight Investment? If shorting according to the rules warrants bearing responsibility, then should Soros be held accountable for shorting Southeast Asia, Muddy Waters for shorting Luckin Coffee, Hindenburg for shorting the richest man in A San [India], and Bridgewater Fund for shorting Europe? Do you also expect them to cover the losses of the entities they shorted?”

The scene fell silent.

An official from the Eagle Sauce Treasury Department glanced helplessly at the reporter, and just as he was about to speak, he hesitated.

After nearly 30 seconds of silence, the official awkwardly stated: “Next question!”

The reporters at the scene erupted in laughter and jeers.

The only way to deal with a rogue is to employ their own tactics, as they are intimately familiar with their own shamelessness. Only by using this shameless method against them can they be silenced.

The reporters were also mischievous, particularly those from countries that had been exploited. Wouldn’t they seize the opportunity to vent their frustration?

A reporter from A San [India] asked: “Mr. Gallen, please address the previous question. We are all eager to know whether your country will treat domestic and foreign investors differently when addressing the same event. I believe my colleagues here share my interest in the answer to this question.”

Subsequently, reporters from European countries joined in the jeering, demanding that the official answer the question.

Is it acceptable for U.S. capital to short and profit from other countries everywhere, but unacceptable for capital from other countries to profit from the U.S.? Is this still a fair, just, and open investment market?

This question was unanswerable.

If he affirmed that there would be no differential treatment, then they couldn’t impose any punitive measures against Starlight Investment in the future.

If he admitted that there would be differential treatment, wouldn’t that be declaring to the world that this isn’t a fair investment market, and that capital from other countries can only be exploited, but not profit from the wealth of Americans?

The official conferred briefly with his assistant before stating: “I apologize, but I have an urgent matter to attend to. Today’s routine meeting is adjourned.”

The reporters at the scene once again erupted in laughter and jeers, showing the Eagle Sauce Treasury official no respect.

This infuriated the official, who immediately instructed his assistant: “Remember their faces. Next time, they are barred from entry. We must replace them before they are allowed in! Fack!”

Soon, the news reached Dragon Country [China]. Netizens following Jin Ming and Starlight Investment quickly left messages urging her to transfer the funds as soon as possible, fearing they might be blocked in a few days.

In the evening, Jin Ming, having completed her work, prepared for bed. She opened Weibo and saw the messages from netizens.

She then posted a response on Weibo.

“Thank you for your concern for Starlight Investment. I have also seen the relevant news. I can only say that since we dared to act, we are not afraid of them resorting to rogue tactics. Starlight Investment’s funds must be guaranteed safe in any country worldwide. Anyone who dares to steal our money must face all possible consequences. Officials may consider various diplomatic issues and hesitate to act rashly, but we will not. Whoever dares to steal our money, we dare to make them pay ten or a hundred times the price. Go to bed early, everyone. End a beautiful day with a good night’s sleep. Good night, everyone.”

Netizens left messages and comments.

“This response is a bit arrogant. Dragon Group [likely referring to the Chinese government] is helpless, what can an investment company do? If they genuinely freeze their funds and prevent them from being transferred back, what can they do?”

“To be honest, I also find this Weibo post a bit pretentious. However, considering Starlight Investment’s previous actions, I believe they are capable of delivering on their promises.”

“Ultimately, it hinges on the true strength of the boss behind Starlight Investment. If the boss is powerful, Jin Ming’s words are confident, not pretentious. If the boss behind the scenes lacks sufficient strength, she can only express verbal defiance.”

“Waiting for Eagle Sauce [United States] to genuinely freeze Starlight Investment’s funds. I want to witness the power of the boss behind Starlight Investment.”

…

Soon, Eagle Sauce [United States] began to act.

They didn’t directly freeze Starlight Investment’s funds but contacted their counterpart in a certain Asian country, hoping to compel Starlight Investment to voluntarily relinquish the profits earned from shorting the banking industry through negotiations and communication.

Interactions between countries are invariably intertwined with various interests. Both sides offer each other satisfactory concessions, and there is nothing that cannot be negotiated.

…

Yang Chen and Professor Yang had been immersed in research at the experimental base for over a month and had identified the correct approach to proving Bell’s inequality [a theorem in quantum mechanics]. If this experiment succeeds, the Yang-Yang duo will overturn Einstein’s belief that “God does not play dice.”

Professor Yang had previously mentioned that the Nobel Prize Committee had already prepared the trophy for “quantum entanglement,” and it was up to them to claim it.

One of the primary reasons is that proving the existence of quantum entanglement would establish them as more influential than Einstein in the field of quantum mechanics and particle physics, justifying the award of a Nobel Prize.

It was graduation season again. Yang Chen had previously agreed to Dean Chen Zhigao of the School of Integrated Circuits at Tsinghua University to deliver a speech to the school’s students.

Chen Zhigao called today, inviting Yang Chen to address the students in the conference room of the School of Integrated Circuits at Tsinghua University at 9:00 a.m. the day after tomorrow.

Frankly, Yang Chen wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about this type of engagement.

However, he was deeply interested in talent.

He intended to go and say a few words, hoping to recruit some valuable individuals to the Starlight Research Base.

Tsinghua University, as one of China’s top universities, sees many of its outstanding graduates go abroad each year, never to return.

This represents not only a waste of educational resources and talent but also a disguised way of sending talent to competitors, a significant loss for the country.

Therefore, Yang Chen’s speech this time is not only for his own benefit but also to help the country retain talent.

The country is constrained by limited resources and cannot offer excessively high salaries and benefits.

But Yang Chen has the financial means and is willing to provide talent with sufficiently attractive compensation, ensuring they can work at the Starlight Research Base without financial worries.

Even if they don’t achieve groundbreaking results, it’s still preferable to them joining competitors.

Right?

Today’s research concluded, Yang Chen and Professor Yang exited the laboratory first, leaving the others to complete the final tasks.

Professor Yang: “Xiao Yang, I truly didn’t expect you to be so gifted in this area. You’ve achieved such remarkable progress through self-study. It’s a shame. If you had received proper training from a young age, your accomplishments would undoubtedly surpass mine.”

Yang Chen: “Haha… Perhaps it’s a case of ‘planting flowers intentionally, but they don’t bloom; planting willows unintentionally, but they thrive.’ If I were forced to study dry data and experiments every day, I might not be able to cope. During my school days, I was only average in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, always falling short of top grades. I initially wanted to apply to Shuangdan University [a nickname for Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, two prestigious universities in China], but my score of 620 was too low, so I had to settle for the slightly less prestigious University of Finance and Economics. Now, I approach my studies with a playful attitude, free from pressure and psychological burdens, which allows me to learn faster and even enhances my imagination.”

Professor Yang: “Haha… what you said makes sense. In any case, it’s undoubtedly a blessing for our country to have a talent like you.”

Yang Chen: “Professor Yang, you’re too kind. I haven’t reached the point of being a blessing to the country. By the way, I’m returning to Beijing to attend the graduation speech at the School of Integrated Circuits of Tsinghua University. I’ll go back tomorrow. Are you planning a trip back home? It’s been over a month since you were last home, why don’t you go back and visit too.”

Professor Yang: “Hehe… okay. Then I’ll accompany you back.”

Yang Chen: “Great! Professor Yang, have a good rest, I have some matters to attend to. See you at the airport tomorrow morning.”

Professor Yang nodded, and Yang Chen departed quickly.

Jin Ming has been updating Yang Chen on the dual pressure from Eagle Sauce [United States] and Dragon Country [China] these days. He needs to understand the specific situation and devise countermeasures.

In short, the money I’ve earned must be able to flow freely, and I can transfer it wherever I choose.

Want to freeze it?

Want me to give it up voluntarily?

No way!

It’s still free today, so hurry up and read it. Thank you to the bosses who have followed here, hold your fists [a gesture of respect and gratitude].