Hong Kong film: The cop backs down, the ladies beg me to check his license.

Chen Taotao gave a bitter smile, his heart filled with helplessness! This is probably what the ancients meant by "a gentleman deceives others with principles."

As soon as it was light, Chen Taotao got up to wash. Although he hadn't slept all night and his face was a little pale, his eyes remained firm! He didn't believe that this "Iron Chain Across the River" was truly invincible; there must be a way to break it, he just hadn't found it yet.

Just as he was about to head out to the stock exchange, Dashan and Fangting rushed over.

Chen Taotao asked in surprise, "Why are you here so early? The exchange isn't even open yet."

He tried his best to sound relaxed! The team was in a difficult situation, and as the leader, he absolutely could not show the slightest anxiety, otherwise the team's morale would only drop further.

Da Shan's face was extremely grim, and he said in a heavy voice, "Tao Tao, something terrible has happened! Our supply lines have been cut off!"

Chen Taotao's hand, which was shaving, suddenly stopped, almost cutting his face. But he quickly regained his composure and continued shaving as if nothing had happened. He asked, "What happened? Tell me slowly, don't rush me."

Da Shan sighed and said, "The president of Wanguo Bank went to Europe some time ago. After the stock market closed yesterday, Chen Wanxian also went to Europe. I don't know what methods he used to persuade the president."

"Our application for additional funding, submitted yesterday, was rejected by the CEO. The bank will no longer provide us with any financial support!"

Boom!

A thunderbolt seemed to explode in Chen Taotao's mind, and Ye Tian's other warning resurfaced: "Beware of the International Bank. Those who are not of our kind will surely have different intentions. They will betray you sooner or later."

"He actually came right..." Chen Taotao was filled with regret and anger. If he had realized it sooner, he might not have ended up in such a passive situation.

Da Shan asked anxiously, "Tao Tao, what do we do now? Without bank funding, we can't continue fighting Chen Wanxian, and we won't even be able to make up for our previous losses!"

Chen Taotao took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and said, "The cut-off of the supply line is indeed a big problem, but our most critical issue now is to find a way to break Chen Wanxian's 'Iron Chain Across the River'."

"If we can't even crack the enemy's tactics, then no matter how much money we have, it will just be a waste, and we won't be able to win this battle at all."

Da Shan and Fang Ting exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness and anxiety in each other's eyes! They both knew Chen Taotao was right, but finding a solution was easier said than done.

Seeing their worried expressions, Chen Taotao said, "Mr. Ye Tian warned me yesterday that Chen Wanxian would use 'Iron Chain Across the River' against me, and also said that the Wanguo Bank was not trustworthy. Unfortunately, I did not heed his warning at the time, which is why I have ended up in this situation today."

"Now it seems that Mr. Ye is indeed an extraordinary person. His vision and predictions are incredibly accurate."

The three arrived at the exchange's VIP room, only to encounter something even worse upon entering! Most of the team members had collectively submitted their resignations.

Da Shan flew into a rage, pointing at those who had submitted their resignations, and said angrily, "The team is facing difficulties right now, and you're thinking of deserting your posts?"

"When Tao Tao was leading you guys to make money, why didn't you say you wanted to quit? Now that you've encountered a little setback, you want to run away? Don't you have any conscience?"

Those people showed no remorse whatsoever. One of them even said with self-righteousness, "The stock market is a winner-takes-all game. A person's luck is limited. Mr. Chen's luck has obviously run out. We don't need to drag him down with us."

"We have a long career ahead of us, and we don't want to leave such a stain on our resume."

Da Shan wanted to curse again, but Chen Taotao stopped him.

Chen Taotao showed no anger on his face. Instead, he said calmly, "Since you've made your decision, I won't force you. Let's part ways amicably."

"The finance department will settle your wages and bonuses according to the contract. May we all live well and meet again someday."

Soon, only Chen Taotao, Dashan who had followed him the longest, and Fang Ting, who had joined the team the shortest time, remained in the large VIP room.

Looking at the empty mansion, Chen Taotao suddenly laughed: "Now, we're truly in dire straits!"

Looking at his composed demeanor, Da Shan was filled with admiration: "Even at a time like this, you can still smile?"

Chen Taotao said nonchalantly, "What can I do if I don't laugh? Cry? Crying won't solve anything."

"Whether you laugh or cry, it's still a day. Instead of looking gloomy, you might as well face it with a smile. Maybe you can even come up with a solution."

"Come on, Dashan, Fangting, let's study Chen Wanxian's 'Iron Chain Across the River' together again. I refuse to believe that the three of us can't crack his trick!"

After speaking, he took the lead and walked to the computer, opening the equity structure and financial statements of Chen Wanxian's seven companies.

Da Shan and Fang Ting exchanged a glance, both seeing a determined look in each other's eyes! Since Chen Tao Tao hadn't given up, they had no reason to back down.

Da Shan immediately perked up, moved closer to the computer, and started analyzing the data with Chen Taotao; Fang Ting quietly prepared coffee and snacks for them, providing logistical support.

The morning passed quickly, and just as the stock market was about to open, Chen Taotao slammed his hand on the computer desk, a gleam of wild joy flashing in his eyes: "I found it! I've finally found Chen Wanxian's weakness!"

Da Shan and Fang Ting quickly came over and asked eagerly, "What flaw? Tell me quickly!"

Chen Taotao said excitedly, "'Iron Chain Across the River' and cross-shareholding can indeed resist takeovers to the greatest extent, and can even continuously supply chips, trapping opponents in a financial trap."

"But there is a prerequisite! The person who implements this tactic must have sufficient financial resources to support the operation of the seven companies and the transfer of assets."

"Based on our preliminary investigation, while Chen Wanxian is wealthy, he definitely doesn't have the financial resources to support such a large operation!"

"In other words..."

"Of these seven companies, one must be a hollow shell. It may look glamorous on the surface, but in reality, it's already insolvent and just an empty shell used to deceive its competitors!"

"As long as we can find this hollow company, concentrate all our funds, and launch a full-scale attack, Chen Wanxian's 'Iron Chain Across the River' will collapse on its own!"

Da Shan smiled with delight, but quickly frowned and said with a wry smile, "Tao Tao, your analysis makes a lot of sense, but the problem is, we have no idea which of these seven companies is Chen Wanxian's Achilles' heel."

"To find this hollow company, we need to test and eliminate them one by one, which will cost a lot of money and time."

"But now the bank has cut off our supply lines. With the little money we have left, we have no ability to test the waters, let alone find Chen Wanxian's weakness."

The ecstasy on Chen Taotao's face vanished instantly, replaced by deep helplessness and anxiety! The solution he had finally found could not be implemented due to a lack of funding, which was undoubtedly the cruelest reality.

But he quickly rallied, clenched his fist, and said with a determined look in his eyes, "There's a way, there must be a way!"

"Money isn't only available in banks; we can find ways to raise it ourselves!"

Da Shan sighed, "With such a tight timeframe, where are we going to raise so much money?"

A resolute glint flashed in Chen Taotao's eyes: "The loan shark market in Yiwan is very developed, and the interest rates are relatively reasonable. The interest on 10,000 yuan a day is only 150 yuan. With my personal assets and credit, I should be able to borrow enough funds."

"As long as the funds are in place, I can strike at the heart of the matter, find Chen Wanxian's Achilles' heel, and defeat him completely!"

Chen Taotao has a gambling streak at his core, earning him the nickname "King of All-in"! Once he sets his mind on something, he's willing to go all in, which stems from his absolute trust in himself.

Fang Ting walked over with the coffee. Upon hearing his words, her expression instantly changed, and she quickly said, "Tao Tao, you can't borrow money from loan sharks!"

"Loan sharking is a bottomless pit. Once you get involved, you can never get rid of it. Even if you defeat Chen Wanxian, you'll still be dragged down by loan sharks. It's a losing proposition!"