In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

The night outside the window was as thick as ink, as if it had permeated Chen Songqing's state of mind at that moment.

The strong liquor, instead of bringing warmth, brought a deeper chill and a ruthless, reckless abandon.

Li Jiacheng's path was blocked, and He Shanheng from Hengsheng Group coldly told him to go through the "formal procedures" without any enthusiasm whatsoever.

This effectively shut down his last hope of obtaining a large amount of legal financing in the short term.

This life-saving money was nowhere to be found for a while.

Caring Group has a debt of over HK$10 billion. Apart from some unsecured loans, the loans were actually obtained by either exaggerating the value of properties or by pledging stocks.

At least half of them were secured by stock loans.

This is why Chen Songqing has consistently used various means to keep the stock price of Jianing Group at a high level.

The stock price is not only a symbol of market value, but also the most crucial collateral and credit pillar of his vast debt empire.

Once the stock price collapses, it will be like removing the foundation stone at the very bottom of this debt pyramid. All mortgage loans built on inflated stock prices will face the risk of margin calls or forced liquidation, which will be an instantaneous and devastating chain reaction of collapse.

Normally, under normal circumstances, the collapse of Caring Group would not have been able to be concealed until October 1982, when the real estate crisis in Hong Kong in another world truly broke out.

Because of that Forbes article, the Hong Kong real estate crisis erupted more than ten months earlier than expected.

This led to the rapid collapse of Chen Songqing's Jianing Empire.

Nowadays, it's simply impossible for him to get money from other banks or finance companies.

Therefore, he could only place his sole hope on Hengsheng Group.

To date, among the major banks in Hong Kong, only the banks under the Hengsheng Group have not had any debt disputes with the Jialing Group.

Originally, Jia Ning owed Huifeng Bank HK$30 billion, but this debt had already been transferred to Standard Chartered Bank by Lin Haoran.

At the time, Standard Chartered Bank thought it had gotten a great deal.

Therefore, in theory, there is no direct creditor-debtor relationship between Hengsheng Group and its affiliated banks and Jianing Group.

This was originally considered an "advantage" by Chen Songqing; a relatively clean balance sheet might make Hengsheng Group less hesitant during the evaluation.

After all, many of the loan agreements he signed with other banks were not made public, and under normal circumstances, most of the Hengsheng Group should not have known about them.

For example, the billions of Hong Kong dollars he owes to Yu-Ming Finance Company are not publicly disclosed.

He also deliberately did not allow the company's finances to be disclosed to the public, the purpose of which was naturally to make it appear that the debt of Jianing Group was relatively small when people investigated.

However, he clearly underestimated Hengsheng Group, or rather, Lin Haoran's risk control capabilities and ruthlessness.

As a time traveler, Lin Haoran already knew just how shocking a debt black hole and financial fraud were hidden beneath the glamorous exterior of the Jianing Group.

In his past life's memories, the collapse of the Caring Group was one of the biggest business scandals in Hong Kong in the 1980s, involving huge sums of money, egregious methods, and wide-ranging implications, which shocked the entire Southeast Asian financial circle.

Although its collapse will not be fully exposed until next year, the seeds of crisis have already been sown, and internal decay began much earlier.

He Shanheng's reply, "following standard procedures," seemed like a businesslike response, but in reality, it was a cold dismissal.

Amidst the panic triggered by the Forbes report and the freefall in Carnegie's stock price, the so-called "formal process" meant lengthy due diligence, stringent collateral assessments, and a near-zero probability of approval.

Hengsheng Group has no intention of touching Jianing, a "high-risk asset" that is already exuding an aura of decay.

"Lin Haoran, do you really think you can stay out of this and sit back and relax?" Chen Songqing slammed the bottle down on the table, his eyes flashing with a crazed light under the influence of alcohol and despair.

As if he had made up his mind, he suddenly stood up, straightened his disheveled suit and tie, even though his fingers were still trembling slightly.

"Get the car ready!" he shouted towards the door. "To Kang Le Building, to Lin Haoran's office! Now!"

He wanted to personally venture into the lion's den.

It's 7 PM now, and he has informants at the Kang Le Building who know that Lin Haoran hasn't left yet.

Although they were both business tycoons in Hong Kong, Chen Songqing and Lin Haoran didn't have much interaction.

Previously, he had tried to collaborate with Lin Haoran on business matters on several occasions, but Lin Haoran had always refused.

In fact, there were only two transactions between the two.

One instance was when Lin Haoran sold the International Building to Chen Songqing's Caring Group for HK$10.68 billion.

On another occasion, Chen Songqing personally went to Wanqing Building and proposed to acquire Lin Haoran's 40% stake in Amigo for HK$9.2 million. After bargaining, the deal was eventually completed for HK$11 billion.

Both times, it was Jianing Group that initiated the transaction.

Both times, Lin Haoran made a fortune.

One side wanted to take the opportunity to continuously push up the stock price, while the other side wanted to make a lot of money. Both sides seemed to be very satisfied with the deal.

Lin Haoran had absolutely no interest in any other collaborations with the Jialing Group in the real estate sector.

Therefore, even now, their relationship cannot even be considered that of ordinary friends.

This is a point that Chen Songqing has always found very unpleasant.

He felt that Lin Haoran looked down on him!

However, he simply didn't believe it.

Li Jiacheng can dodge, and He Shanheng of Hengsheng Group can be evasive, but he doesn't believe that if he, Chen Songqing, directly confronts Lin Haoran at the door of his office, the other party can completely ignore him.

Even if he can't see Lin Haoran, he should at least make a scene so that everyone knows that he, Chen Songqing, the chairman of Jianing Group, is desperate and ready to fight to the death!

Perhaps this will force Lin Haoran or the senior management of Hengsheng Group to deal with him out of consideration for "impact".

The secretary arranged the vehicles with trepidation.

Along the way, Chen Songqing kept his eyes closed, his mind racing, trying to figure out what to say when he saw Lin Hao.

Threat?

Begging?
Showcasing "high-quality" assets?
Or should he throw out some "secrets" he knows about other real estate companies as a bargaining chip?
Alternatively, they could lay their cards on the table and reveal the potential chain reaction that could trigger if Caring collapses, plunging Xiangjiang Real Estate into an even more serious situation.
The Kang Le Building stands majestically in the night, with the Hongkong Land Group logo gleaming coldly on its rooftop.

However, to Chen Songqing's surprise, his car was politely but firmly stopped by the security guards of the Kang Le Building as soon as it arrived in front of the building.

"Mr. Chen, do you have an appointment?" The security guard clearly recognized the real estate tycoon who had recently been in the spotlight, but his attitude remained unchanged.

"No appointment! But I have an urgent matter and must see Mr. Lin Haoran immediately!" Chen Songqing pushed open the car door, trying to maintain the last shred of dignity, but the anxiety and toughness in his tone were obvious.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Chen, without an appointment, we cannot let you through, nor can we contact Mr. Lin for you. If you have business needs, please submit an application to the relevant department according to the normal procedure." The security guard's answer was impeccable, clearly showing that he had received rigorous training.

"Do you know who I am? I am Chen Songqing, the chairman of Jianing Group! I have billions of dollars worth of business to discuss with Mr. Lin! If this important matter is delayed, can you take responsibility?" Chen Songqing raised his voice, trying to exert pressure, which attracted the attention of some people coming and going around him.

The security guard remained expressionless and even took a slight step forward, blocking Chen Songqing's attempt to force his way through. At the same time, two other security guards also quietly approached.

Clearly, they had received prior notice; otherwise, they wouldn't have stopped him without even reporting to someone as important as Chen Songqing.

"Mr. Chen, please understand that this is company policy. If you insist on entering, we can contact the public relations department or the front desk for you, but senior management cannot meet without an appointment."

Chen Songqing's face turned from red to green, and then from green to white.

He sensed the undisguised, institutionalized indifference and rejection.

The other party didn't care about Chen Songqing's personal reputation at all, let alone his so-called "billions of dollars in business".

Clearly, the security guards had received instructions from above well in advance.

For Chen Songqing, this was utterly humiliating.

Who was Chen Songqing in Hong Kong?
That's one of Hong Kong's real estate giants!

Even when facing someone like Governor Merrih, the other party would speak to him on equal footing.

Since his rise to power, when has he ever suffered such humiliation in Hong Kong?
Even the security guards of a building dared to so directly refuse him entry, without even giving him a chance to inform them!
This wasn't a security guard's obstruction; it was clearly Lin Haoran who had given orders long ago, strictly forbidding Chen Songqing from stepping into the Kang Le Building!

"Good, very good!" Chen Songqing nodded repeatedly, his anger turning into a laugh, the last shred of reason in his eyes seemingly burning away. "Lin Haoran, Hengsheng Group, you guys are really something!"
Are you just going to stand by and watch us die? Are you trying to drive us all to our deaths?

He stopped trying to break in, turned abruptly, got back into the car, and growled at the driver, "Go back! Back to the company!"

The Kang Le Building outside the car window shrank rapidly in the rearview mirror, its cold light seeming to mock his embarrassment and defeat.

Chen Songqing leaned back in his chair, his chest heaving violently. All his plans, all his hopes, all his escape routes seemed to have been completely severed by the two closed doors he had been given tonight.

Li Jiacheng is avoiding him.

Lin Haoran and Hengsheng Group turned him away.

The bank is pressuring us to our death.

The condition for underground banks is to leech off others and exploit them.

The market is abandoning him.

Shareholders and creditors are pressing harder.

Is there really no way out? No!
There's another way!

A more insane, more dangerous, but possibly the only way to stir up the situation and force out changes!

Since you all want to see me die, and since this market can no longer accommodate me, Chen Songqing, then I'll flip this table!
Smash the pot!

If you want to die, let’s all die together!

They stirred up the waters of Hong Kong real estate to the extreme, turning everything upside down so that no one could escape unscathed!
A plan, both incredibly dark and strangely exhilarating, took shape in his mind.

Who is he?
He is Chen Songqing, a ruthless figure who fought his way up from the bottom in Hong Kong's real estate industry over several years!
He had witnessed the most glamorous side of this industry, and he also knew its most sordid secrets.

To expand, to raise funds, and to resolve troubles, how many companies and how many bigwigs have resorted to shady methods?

Inflating assets, forging contracts, bribing officials, manipulating stock prices, illegal fundraising, tax evasion...

He knows far too much about these hidden scars!
Not only did he know about Jianing's own company, but through various business dealings, private exchanges, and even less-than-proper channels, he also obtained information about the dirty secrets and fatal weaknesses of many other real estate companies, and even some so-called "high-quality" companies.

In the past, these were unspoken secrets within the industry, bargaining chips for checks and balances, and trump cards that would never be revealed unless absolutely necessary.

But now, Chen Songqing has reached a point of no return! He has nothing left to lose!

"What if I were to expose all this dirt through 'reliable' channels, bit by bit, or all at once?" Chen Songqing's lips curled into an almost ferocious grin.

"It doesn't need to be fully confirmed. As long as there is enough public opinion and enough doubt is raised, that's enough."

While the market was still reeling from the Forbes report and Li Jiacheng's plea for help, news suddenly broke that "a well-known real estate company is suspected of massive financial fraud," "a real estate giant has serious problems with land approvals," "several real estate developers and bank executives have engaged in improper transfer of benefits," and "a listed company's annual report is shockingly inflated"...

These messages, whether true or false, are enough to completely shatter an already fragile confidence!
At that point, it won't just be a short-term plunge in real estate stocks; Hong Kong will truly and thoroughly fall into an economic crisis!

All industries will be affected, foreign capital will flee at an accelerated pace, local funds will flee in panic, the credit system may be frozen, and a full-blown financial crisis may indeed be triggered!

Given that situation, could the Hong Kong British government still sit idly by?

Can the Governor's Office remain as stable as Mount Tai?

Can major banks like Hengsheng, Bank of East Asia, and Standard Chartered remain unscathed?
Can Lin Haoran, the "leader in stabilizing the market," continue to "buy the dip" from his lofty position?

Do not!
They can't!
In order to maintain Hong Kong's status as an international financial center and for the sake of social stability, the government may be forced to intervene.

They might even announce extraordinary measures, such as temporarily freezing debt collection and lawsuits against the real estate sector, establishing a special task force to handle the crisis, and possibly requiring banks to suspend loan collection and provide emergency liquidity support...

Just like how we dealt with the banking crisis back then!
Chaos is a ladder.

Especially when the chaos becomes so great that it threatens the entire system, the original rules will be broken and new opportunities will emerge.

Perhaps Chen Songqing could find a moment of respite amidst this ruin and chaos, and even take advantage of the window of opportunity presented by government intervention to reorganize his assets and find a way out, or simply take advantage of the chaos to transfer some assets and execute his "final plan" in his drawer.

This is undoubtedly a high-stakes gamble, a reckless gamble that stakes the entire Hong Kong real estate industry and even financial stability.

If he fails, Chen Songqing will become a sinner for all time and die without a burial place.

But what if, just what if it succeeds?

What if it actually forces the change he wants to happen?
On the top floor of the Kang Le Building, Lin Haoran had just received a report from the building's security captain.

He walked to the round window and looked down at the main entrance of the Kang Le Building.

Although the distance of two hundred meters made it impossible for him to see the situation downstairs, he knew that at this moment, Chen Songqing's Rolls-Royce was driving away in a sorry state at the entrance of the Kang Le Building!

When He Shanheng heard that Chen Songqing was trying to get a loan from Hengsheng Group, he knew that Chen Songqing would definitely try to contact him.

Therefore, he told the building's security captain in advance to stop Chen Songqing if he came to the Kang Le Building!
Lin Haoran had no fear of offending this powerful figure who was about to fall from grace in Hong Kong's business world.

He was even somewhat looking forward to seeing what kind of crazy reaction Chen Songqing would make in a desperate situation.

This is not out of cruelty, but a calm judgment based on an understanding of human nature and market rules.

He knew that someone like Chen Songqing, who rose to power through adventure and cunning and was inherently gambling and violent, would never sit idly by when cornered. Instead, he would act like a wounded snake, spitting out his last and most deadly venom.

"Boss, Chen Songqing just left like that, won't that...?"

Liu Xiaoli, standing to the side, watched Lin Haoran's back as he gazed out the window, and asked softly with some concern.

She also heard about the dire situation of the Jianing Group from Lin Haoran, and knew that Chen Songqing was a ruthless person who would do anything.

"He won't let this go so easily."

Lin Haoran turned around, smiled, and continued, "He was turned away twice, especially since he couldn't even get in the door of my place. Given his personality, he'll only go even crazier next."

He probably still holds some 'things' that can stir up trouble.

"Should we take precautions in advance?" Liu Xiaoli asked.

"No need. He has no leverage over me. I'm a tough nut to crack, even if he goes crazy."

Lin Haoran spoke calmly, but his words revealed a strong sense of confidence.

Although his business empire is vast and complex, his core assets are clear, his cash flow is healthy, and although his early rise to wealth may have involved some risks and calculations, it all followed the basic rules of the business game and can withstand scrutiny.

More importantly, the current status and reputation of his numerous companies, such as Wanqing Group, Hongkong Land Group, and Hong Kong Electric Group, are built on countless successful business operations, sound financial performance, and social responsibility demonstrated in critical moments. They cannot be easily shaken by a few unfounded rumors.

Therefore, he appeared very confident.

Meanwhile, upon returning to the Jianing Building, Chen Songqing did not go directly to his office. Instead, he entered a highly secluded private room in the building, known only to him and a very few trusted confidants.

There are no windows here, the soundproofing is excellent, and some of the most sensitive documents and communication equipment are stored here.

He opened a heavy safe, which contained not cash or jewelry, but stacks of neatly organized documents, photos, copies of audio tapes, and several notebooks with special contact information.

These are his "talismans" and "bombs" that he has carefully collected and preserved over the years.

He pulled out several file folders labeled with other company names, and then took out the notebook that recorded the contact information of several special media figures, investigative journalists, and even some foreign intelligence brokers.

"The information Old Ghost released is the first wave of creating chaos, mainly targeting me and Lin Haoran, to muddy the waters," Chen Songqing muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with calculation and ruthlessness.

"Next comes the real feast. I want all of Hong Kong, no, the whole world, to see how many festering sores are hidden beneath the glamorous exterior of the real estate industry in this so-called 'Pearl of the Orient'!"

He began to filter his targets.

You can't throw out the most potent ingredients right away; that would look too fake and could easily backfire.

We should proceed step by step, mixing truth and falsehood, starting with some small and medium-sized real estate companies that have a certain reputation. We should expose some relatively "mild" but enough scandals to raise questions, such as falsely reporting sales figures, environmental issues in projects, and labor disputes caused by unpaid employee salaries.

Then, the investigation escalated, targeting larger companies that were competitors of Jianing or that he had personal conflicts with, implying that their land sources were questionable, that they had ambiguous relationships with government officials, and that their financial statements contained significant doubts.

Finally, when market panic reached its peak, several "bombshells" were dropped, directly targeting certain top, seemingly invincible industry leaders, implying that they might have engaged in systemic fraud or extremely serious illegal and irregular activities that could shake their foundations.

At the same time, it is necessary to cleverly combine the outbreak of these "dirts" with the Forbes report, Li Jiacheng's plea for help, and the background of the overall bursting of the Hong Kong real estate bubble, to create a terrifying narrative that "the entire industry is rotten to the core," "the crisis is far beyond imagination," and "foreign short sellers are justified."

We need to guide public opinion and convince the public and investors that this is not a problem of individual companies, but rather a terminal cancer of the entire Hong Kong real estate and financial system!
The channels for dissemination should also be carefully selected.

Besides underground channels like Lao Gui's, we also need to find ways to infiltrate influential financial media outlets and the Hong Kong branches of international news agencies. We can even consider anonymously sending "materials" to relevant departments of the Hong Kong British government, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and even financial regulatory agencies in London through certain channels.

The pressure should come from all sides, making everyone feel uneasy and overwhelmed.

Chen Songqing, like a mad director, began to orchestrate a devastating drama.

He no longer considered morality, law, or consequences; all that remained in his heart was the fury of revenge and the instinct to survive.

He wants all those who abandoned him, ignored him, and drove him to the brink of despair to pay the price!
He wanted to make this indifferent market feel his final "power"!
He picked up the secure phone and began dialing those long-forgotten numbers one by one.

With each call, he would use a deep, seductive voice to throw out fragments of "earth-shattering secrets," promising huge profits or hinting at sharing the spoils after "bringing down the giant."

Some contacts were shocked and hesitant, while others excitedly sensed an opportunity to make a big splash or reap huge profits.

That night, Chen Songqing's secret room was brightly lit.

A series of venomous instructions, transmitted silently through encrypted phones and special messengers, flowed into every dark corner of Hong Kong.

A desperate, indiscriminate terrorist attack targeting the entire industry is being meticulously planned.

Its destructive power may far exceed that of the Forbes report that sparked panic.

Meanwhile, Lin Haoran, who was on the top floor of the Kang Le Building, saw that it was already past 8 p.m. and prepared to leave his office.

He walked to the window, looking down at the sleeping Hong Kong, pondering the press conference in Singapore tomorrow, the market operations in New York, and the "harvesting" that was about to begin in Hong Kong.

Unbeknownst to him, right here in this city, a crazed gambler he had refused to meet had already pressed the countdown button for an even more devastating bomb.

The complexities of Hong Kong real estate are about to escalate dramatically in ways he never anticipated.

The last page of 1981 slowly turned as Chen Songqing plotted his insane schemes.

The New Year's bells are about to ring, but what they bring may not be hope, but a darker and more violent storm sweeping through Hong Kong's capital markets.

In the eye of the storm, there are calm hunters like Lin Haoran, desperate gamblers like Chen Songqing, and countless ordinary people and businesses who are unaware of what is about to be swallowed by the giant wave.

Hong Kong's fate is sliding towards an even more unpredictable crossroads. (End of Chapter)