Shadow Empire

Chapter 1056 Reversing
When people are drowning, they will hold on to anything they can grab, and will never let go.

Even if someone tells them it's a lie, a fraud, or a wrong result, they won't let it go.

There are always some scams in this world that are so simple and naive that even people who may not have graduated from high school can spot them.

But you're already underwater, about to drown. Do you still care whether you're grabbing a straw or a rope?

Are all the people who are scammed by swindlers who use the guise of various panaceas to defraud the elderly and sick fools?
There are definitely fools, but there are also some who aren't stupid, and some who even know it might be fake.

but……

What if it's true?

The host's words at the salon weren't exactly lies; he was simply stating a fact, a fact that everyone could see.

People's emotions calmed down considerably, and the tense atmosphere in the room relaxed. The people around Cooper, who had been tense and anxious, now had sunny smiles on their faces.

A stranger next to him was wiping the sweat from his forehead with a blue and white striped handkerchief and greeting him.

After they chatted for a while, the host continued, "Actually, you can find out by asking around."

“There aren’t many secrets in Detland, whether they’re from publicly listed companies, investment banks, or among industry professionals. Any secret becomes public information very quickly once a second person knows it.”

"Right now, there are many people on the three major exchanges buying up Hope Mining's shares at low prices, without any limit on the amount."

"They'll pay as long as you have it and are willing to sell it."

"Gentlemen, this is Detland, a land of wealth. No one would use their own money to do charity for their peers, absolutely not!"

"It didn't exist before, it doesn't exist now, and it won't exist in the future."

Why are they doing something so obviously against the tide at this time?

"To put it simply, it's about making a profit."

"Once the market panic selling ends, people will suddenly realize that its current price is lower than before Hope Mining received the authorization to hold state-owned assets in Lapa, and it will quickly rebound!"

"Furthermore, with the new mine under negotiation about to be acquired, its stock price will continue to rise."

"Do you remember what the president said at the company's profit-sharing meeting two months ago?"

"They will acquire more mining companies to increase the overall profits and scale of the company. I expect its price to rise to about two-thirds of its highest price after this round of bad panic."

"This is a very reasonable price, and it will continue to rise at a relatively slow pace."

"If they can renegotiate this state-owned asset agency contract with the new government, or if the new government recognizes the contract that Diego signed, then its stock price will be even higher than its previous peak!"

The host, his throat dry from talking, picked up a glass of sparkling wine from the table and downed it in one gulp. "I've heard that Hope Mining is actively engaged in public relations, and once their final battle is over, they'll begin lobbying the new government."

"In short, our situation is not as bad as people or outsiders imagine; in fact, it could be considered an opportunity!"

People looked surprised, including Cooper, who stood on tiptoe, looking at the host in the center of the crowd with a puzzled expression.

How can a stock that has plummeted to this level still be an opportunity?
Seeing the astonishment and confusion on the faces of those around him, the host smiled and said, "Gentlemen, I know that some of you were unaware of Hope Mining's future plans and missed the best time to invest."

"I'll start investing once its price goes up."

"At that time, the amount of money you invested wasn't much; it probably only accounted for a percentage of your total assets..."

He thought for a moment, then gave what he considered a reasonable figure: "twenty or thirty percent."

People around immediately nodded in agreement. After all, the market had already started to move. Some people were bold enough to jump in, while others were timid and didn't dare to follow too much, or they just kept watching.

Every investor will experience this situation many times: they are optimistic about a stock and have decided to buy it.

But just as they were about to buy, the market rallied, and it rallied in a frightening way, making them afraid to buy, or only daring to buy a small amount, and then regretting it.

They might think, "If I had been a little more decisive back then and bought them all, would I have become one of the 'miracles' that the people of Detland talk about?"

After all, not everyone can increase their net worth several times or even ten times; only a very few people can do it. Everyone will leave a significant mark here.

Unfortunately, once missed, it's missed, and most missed investment projects are no longer good investment projects.

The greater the price increase after a market rally begins, the greater the risk of further investment, and those who invest will likely miss out entirely on the rally.

The host pointed a finger at the ceiling, saying, "In the past, when we missed opportunities, all we could do was regret it and blame ourselves before going to bed at night for not being more decisive. We could only watch others show off their gains to us; there was nothing else we could do."

"But now, the opportunity has arrived!"

"It's like an airplane that's bound to take to the sky; it's even flown once already."

"If nothing unexpected happens, it will be very difficult for it to land again in its lifetime."

"But because of this unexpected turn of events, it fell back to the ground!"

"Gentlemen!" the host's voice became even more impassioned, carrying an even more seductive tone, "You've regretted missing the previous investment opportunity for months, but now, a second chance has arrived!"

"The plane that has taken off can still land and allow you to buy tickets on the ground and board the plane. This is the best opportunity!"

“We can invest the funds that we didn’t dare to invest before, or didn’t have time to invest, and then watch it take off again.”

Before he had even finished speaking, people started talking about it, and it seemed... that was indeed the case!

Some people felt that the price had risen too fast and that chasing it would be too risky, so they didn't dare to buy in. Of course, that was indeed the right choice, at least it avoided the current disaster.

However, the stock price returning to normal also means that the opportunity for a second round of price increases has reopened. Coupled with the host's comment that many people are accumulating shares at low prices, this gives people the feeling that it will definitely rise again!

Cooper, who had been on the verge of a breakdown, now had a smile on his face. He glanced at his stockbroker, who was also looking at him. The two smiled at each other, and he relaxed completely.

After the market reopened in the afternoon, Hope Mining's stock indeed stopped its sharp decline and began to trade sideways. There were some minor attempts to break upwards, but all of them failed.

In the past, the market might have panicked, but now, investors seem to have more confidence.

After the sharp drop, everyone calmed down, the market returned to rationality, and stocks began to rise steadily.

Hope Mining also issued a statement this afternoon, expressing their shock at these changes, but stating that they are actively following up and trying to resolve the issues, and will notify investors as soon as there is any further news.

As the stock price began to rise slowly but steadily, Cooper finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He and his stockbroker watched the market all afternoon until the close, hoping that the mining sector would not experience any further declines, and that there would be a significant trading volume and a very active market, with everything seemingly moving in a better direction.

"Going for a drink?"

After leaving the exchange, Cooper lit a cigarette and turned to look at the stockbroker next to him, who nodded twice.

They definitely need a drink right now to relax; the ups and downs these days have been just too exciting!
At that moment, they had no idea that right above them, on the very top floor of the office building, Edward was smiling and holding a cigar.

They've already made their first profit, and half of their chips have already been sold. Now, they just need to wait for the price to rise again before quickly exiting the market.

Why create such a "bullying" situation?
The reason is actually quite simple: market fervor and rationality are in conflict. If this conflict is not created, it means that it will be difficult for them to sell all the stocks they hold.

If a stock that was worth a few dollars rises to more than ten dollars, people will think it's amazing. But if it rises to tens of dollars, especially in a very short period of time, it's incredible.

The market's fervor will be doused with cold water, and then rationality will prevail.

People will then consider why the stock has risen so high, whether its current price is reasonable, and how much risk they would have to take if they invested.

While a surge in stock prices can attract more investors, it also leads to slower sales.

It would be better to cut your own losses, drive down the stock price, and then give people the feeling that everything will repeat itself, so that they can sell their shares more quickly.

Edward and this project are not normal financial investment projects. They are not trying to make it successful or to profit through financial investment.

This is a scam. Their ultimate goal is simply to sell all their shares, settle accounts quickly, and end the game.

Hopefully, the mining business won't last long; it's all a scam. The ultimate goal is to get money out of the company, not to manipulate the market or trade stocks.

Now that stock prices have fallen, market trading volume has increased. After some "propaganda campaigns," people believe that the plane has landed again to pick them up and take them back to the sky!
What a beautiful word, heavens!
Soaring through the sky has been a dream of humankind since ancient times, but in the past, limited by scientific and technological capabilities, they might not have been able to do so.

But now, they have that opportunity.

"How much do we have left?" Edward asked, holding a cigar that cost a little over ten dollars. He looked at his men behind him through the reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window.

A handsome young man in his thirties—there's never a shortage of people like him in this industry.

Only the most outstanding people can reach the top; it requires not only academic qualifications and abilities, but also appearance.

Sometimes, when they need to deal with certain difficult people, appearance can be surprisingly effective.

“There’s still about forty percent left,” the subordinate replied.

Edward put the cigar in his mouth with great satisfaction, bit the tip, and took a big drag.

After a few seconds, he slowly exhaled the smoke. "Very good, keep going. The finale is just around the corner."

"Make sure those who are going to run away get ready to run away, so they don't mess up the last act."

The young man behind him nodded. "I'll go and inform them right away."

Every now and then, a shocking mega-fraud case occurs in the federal financial sector, but strangely enough, the masterminds behind these frauds either vanish into thin air or surrender themselves to the police immediately and go to jail, as if there are no other surprises.

It might seem like there's no problem, but people never think about this: if the person is caught or escapes, what happens to the money?
Where did the money go?

No one has ever investigated this issue, or rather, those who have the right to investigate it, such as prosecutors and judges, have not.

They simply acted fairly and impartially, completing the case in a very short time. As for compensation and tracing the whereabouts of funds, those were none of their concern.

Ultimately, in people's eyes, it evolved into the fact that these fraudsters either disappeared or went to jail, and their money could never be recovered.

In reality, it's all just a script. Apart from the investors, everyone is an actor in this game, dutifully playing their own role.

Just like in this play, once they've sold all their shares, news will spread that Hope Mining has collapsed, the CEO has absconded, and it was all a scam.

Edward represents a group of capitalist and political figures who have amassed enough wealth to satisfy their greed for money for some time, until the next time.

Perhaps when capital and the government first collude to defraud investors, they will feel uneasy and guilty.

After all, this represents half a lifetime or even a lifetime of savings for many people. They were still dreaming of a better future, but suddenly they fell into an abyss from which they could not extricate themselves.

They will feel somewhat uncomfortable.

But after the second, third, fourth, and many more times, they became accustomed to it and numb to it.

This applies to everything. If you don't resist the first time, it means you're very likely you won't resist in the future, and your bottom line will be constantly trampled on and destroyed.

(End of this chapter)