Living in a county town, starting as a stock market maker...

Gu Ming raised an eyebrow.

He looked at Su Qingying and thought to himself.

Unexpected?

What a joke.

Who else could make a Wall Street elite like you lose control of your emotions besides myself?

I wrote the script for this scene.

From the actors to the props, and even the audience's reactions, everything was designed by me.

Now, it's just time to wrap things up.

"Yeah?"

He picked up the slightly chilled Blue Mountain coffee on the table, took a sip, and his face remained expressionless.

"Then...let them prepare for the press conference."

"The scale needs to be bigger."

"I want all the capital in China to come and see."

……

three days later.

Beijing, International Convention Center, Press Conference Hall No. 1.

Hundreds of financial media outlets packed the venue. Flashbulbs went off incessantly, turning the air a stark white.

The audience was packed.

Sitting here are important figures in China's internet and capital circles.

The Vice President of Strategic Investment at Ali, the Director of Ecosystem Cooperation at Tencent, and the China Partners of Sequoia Capital, Hillhouse Capital, and IDG Capital... Each of these names carries significant weight in the eyes of startups.

Today, they are all just spectators.

In an inconspicuous spot in the third row sat a blond, blue-eyed white man.

His name is Robert. He is the representative sent by the AME Alliance and the manager of the Trojan Horse Fund, which they believe to be crucial in this Series A funding round.

At that moment, he held a glass of champagne, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Beside him, a young Chinese man, also from AME, asked in a low voice, "Mr. Robert, have we really acquired a 28% stake in Star Holdings through the three-tiered offshore fund structure?"

Robert swirled the liquid in his glass and gave him a disdainful look.

"Young man, this isn't about equity."

"This is... a trap."

"We pretended to be the lead investor, making that kid surnamed Gu think he had secured a huge amount of funding. But what we signed included clauses with 'liquidation preference' and 'veto power.' We can initiate liquidation or remove him as the founder whenever we want."

"He thought he had won the world, but he didn't know that from the moment he signed the contract, his company had already become 'AME'."

"Today, we're here to inspect the spoils of war."

The young Chinese man listened with great excitement, but when he looked at the young figure about to appear on the stage, his eyes were filled with pity.

It was exactly 10:00 AM.

The lights in the entire venue dimmed.

A spotlight shone on the center of the stage.

Gu Ming, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, slowly walked out from behind the curtain.

There was no music or PowerPoint presentation.

He stood alone on the stage, under the gaze of all the bigwigs and countless cameras.

He looked around the room, his gaze lingering on Robert's face in the third row for half a second.

Then he smiled.

Damn.

These people actually sent someone to witness the ceremony.

Is that confident expression on their faces a sign that they're afraid no one will know they're the biggest joke of the day?

Fine.

We'll satisfy you.

"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend the Series A financing press conference of Xingchen Holdings."

Gu Ming's voice, transmitted clearly through the microphone, reached every corner of the venue.

"I know that everyone is here today because they are curious about one thing."

"After rejecting almost all the top VCs, who did Starry Sky Holdings choose as our lead investor?"

He paused, his gaze becoming playful.

"Now, I will reveal the answer."

He snapped his fingers.

The huge LED screen behind them lit up instantly.

Everyone held their breath.

Robert even subconsciously sat up straight, ready to welcome his moment of glory.

An unfamiliar badge with an oriental flair appeared on the screen.

Below the badge is a line of calligraphy.

Longyuan Capital

The whole place fell silent.

Then, whispers broke out.

"Longyuan Capital? Who's that? Never heard of it!"

"Which newly established fund is so powerful that it can exclusively acquire Starry Sky's Series A funding?"

"Investigate! Quickly investigate this company's background!"

Robert's brows furrowed tightly.

wrong.

That's not how the script was written!

Longyuan Capital? Where did this come from?

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Gu Ming's voice rang out again.

"I know that this name is unfamiliar to everyone."

"Because this is a company that was only registered in Hong Kong yesterday."

"But what if I told you who the actual controller behind it is..."

Gu Ming's smile turned cold.

He snapped his fingers again.

The images on the big screen switched instantly.

A clear, notarized Hong Kong Companies Registry shareholding structure diagram, magnified countless times, was presented to everyone.

The sole shareholder of Longyuan Capital...

It is a family trust fund registered in the British Virgin Islands.

And the name of the ultimate beneficiary of that fund is clearly stated.

—Gu, Xing, Chen!

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Everyone was very excited.

"Holy crap?! Gu Xingchen?! Isn't that Gu Ming's original name?!"

"He voted for himself?! What kind of move is that?!"

"Using his own money to lead an investment in his own company? Where did he get so much money?! And this is completely illegal! Why would he do this?!"

Robert froze in his seat, his mind blank.

He stared at the glaring name on the screen, feeling short of breath.

He got it.

This is not a Series A funding round at all.

This was a capital operation designed by Gu Ming to launder a huge sum of money of dubious origin.

Instead of infiltrating, the AMEs ended up becoming laughable supporting characters in this drama.

Robert felt the eyes of everyone in the room on him, making his face burn.

"Yes, just like everyone can see."

Gu Ming stood on the stage, looking at the shocked faces of the audience and Robert's distraught appearance, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He slowly revealed the final mystery.

"This money comes from the last inheritance my father, Mr. Gu Wanxiong, left overseas thirty years ago."

"The recording pen that my adoptive father left me not only contained evidence of my enemies' crimes, but also the key to this revenge fund."

"I used my father's money to invest in the company I started for revenge."

"This is an independent closed-loop capital system. No one can get involved."

"From today onwards, the shares of Star Holdings will be locked up. The 'Mars Project' will continue indefinitely. Any attempt to undermine it will be a joke."

His voice was very powerful.

Every word was like a slap in the face to AME.

With a "plop".

The young Chinese man next to Robert suddenly lost his balance and slid off his chair to the floor.

Robert was pale, his hands were trembling violently, and he couldn't stand up.

……

That evening, Star Holdings held a celebration banquet.

A celebration banquet is being held on the top floor of the entire building.

Champagne bubbles splashed under the crystal chandelier.

All employees were happy.

They won.

Following Gu Ming, they overcame the giants and conspiracies, and established a new company of their own.

The three Wang sisters, dressed in gowns custom-made for them by stylist Gu Mingrang, walked through the crowd, holding wine glasses.

Their faces radiated confidence, which even they themselves found somewhat unreal.

The first phase of the "Mars Project" has been declared a success.

A new company, independent of traditional giants, has officially emerged.

Gu Ming did not participate in the celebration.

He stood alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a glass of whiskey, looking at the crowd below with a cold gaze.

He won the business game.

However, he also angered his adversary who had been lurking in the shadows for thirty years.

……

It's late at night, 11 p.m.

Gu Ming, reeking of alcohol, pushed open the door to his private office.

He needs quiet.

The moment the door opened, a strong smell of blood mixed with the smell of rust rushed out.

Gu Ming sobered up halfway.

His pupils contracted sharply, and with a "snap," he turned on all the office lights.

Under the lights, the office was empty.

But the smell of blood became even clearer.

The source was his desk.

Gu Ming walked over step by step, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

On his million-dollar Brazilian rosewood desk.

There were no files, and no computer.

There was only a rusty old paper cutter.

The blade gleamed coldly, firmly pinning a black and white photograph to the ground.

The smell of blood was coming from the handle of the paper cutter.

It looked as if a bloody hand had gripped that place.

Gu Ming's breathing stopped.

He reached out and, with trembling hands, pulled out the paper cutter.

When he saw the person in the photo clearly, he was stunned.

The photo shows Su Qingying.

She was tied to a dilapidated wooden chair, her hair was disheveled, there was blood at the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were closed, as if she had already fainted.

The background of the photo is an abandoned factory that he is very familiar with.

That was the place where his father, Gu Wanxiong, was driven to suicide by Shen Wanshan thirty years ago.

"Buzz—Buzz—"

Just then, the private cell phone on the table, whose number was known to only a few people, suddenly vibrated.

Caller ID: [Unknown Number]

Gu Ming picked up his phone, his knuckles turning white from gripping it so tightly.

He swiped to answer the call.

There was no immediate sound from the other end of the phone, only a heavy, hoarse breathing sound.

a long time.

An old and resentful voice slowly rang out.

"Gu Ming."

It is Shen Wanshan.

"The business game is over."

"Now, let's risk our lives."