NOVEL NEXT Chapter 640
China’s biggest holiday lasts for 9 days.
The Spring Festival is now just five days away.
“Thank you! Happy New Year, Boss!”
“20 yuan for one! It’s the same everywhere!”
Market traders stretch their throats and shout with booming voices, finally breaking their silence after being idle.
In Luoyang, the sounds of New Year wishes and chatty tourists blend together.
The night market in Luoyang is illuminated by vibrant neon signs.
“How about this?”
“What is it?”
Young girls peek into a store selling intricate red spring couplets.
Two little kids in long padded coats skillfully weave through the bustling crowd with a swift whoosh.
Even though it looks suspicious for just the two of them to be roaming the night market,
In the festive atmosphere, no one seems overly concerned.
Na-me and Luri link arms and escape to a less crowded street.
“Well, since we’re already here in Zhengzhou, we can’t skip Shaolin Temple. Luri, want me to buy you some tanghulu?”
“… Sure.”
Luri responds gruffly.
Her cheeks puffed out like she has a jawbreaker inside, going in and out.
Watching Luri, Na-me snugged up her arm a little tighter.
“Hey, come on. Chill. You know I’m not one to complain just because we moved around a bit.”
“You said you’d be back soon.”
She turns her head sharply and shoots a glare at Na-me.
There’s a heavy sense of blame and sorrow in Luri’s voice.
But Na-me understands her feelings just fine.
It was because she had left suddenly after placing a magic stone on Luri’s head that morning.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect it would take this long just to check some books.”
“What do you think I… waited for so long…!”
It was Luri who endured an excruciating 8 hours of immobility.
But at that moment, her body trembles with overwhelming physiological signals; her legs quiver, and cold sweat drips down her face.
Just at that humiliating moment of shame and disgrace, Na-me arrived.
If only Na-me had come just five minutes earlier to finish the practice,
Or if she had come five minutes later, Luri would have dashed straight to the bathroom, no matter the practice or anything else.
Her noble pride, as pristine as a black sapphire, received a nasty scratch.
To ease Luri’s sulking, Na-me kept an eye out for items that would catch her interest.
A glistening strawberry tanghulu shines under the neon lights and finds its way into Luri’s mouth.
“Yum!”
“Is it good? If it is, I want a bite.”
“This one’s all mine!”
Luri’s attitude softened a bit, and Na-me sighed in relief.
“You go ahead and eat. I can buy something else.”
“Just kidding! Have some too! Ahh!”
Although there were many people and goods at the market, there wasn’t much to see.
Every twenty steps, the shops reset with the same configuration of food.
As they exited the night market, taxi drivers were gossiping amidst billowing cigarette smoke.
“Are you headed to Shaolin Temple?”
“Shao-Lin? Just you two?”
“Yes. We’re going to see the fireworks festival.”
“Even within the Shaolin region, you kids have guts. Get in quickly.”
The hustle and bustle of the festival noise faded for a moment as the taxi started moving.
In the dim backseat, Na-me whispered to Luri.
“How’s the external manifestation going?”
“Well, I’m not so sure. My aura is coming out, but it feels like I need permission every time to let it out.”
“That’s because it’s your first time. If it just happened automatically, that would be weird.”
“I want to be helpful quickly.”
“Then act like a knee pillow. I’m going to lie down.”
The obsession with getting stronger wasn’t just Na-me’s problem.
Regardless of personal goals, the loss of powers from a past life stirs feelings of insecurity.
Na-me looked at Luri, who was sitting upright and staring straight ahead.
Eventually, she gazed down with pity before falling asleep.
Honk honk-
“We’ve arrived, ladies! Happy New Year!”
Once they arrived at Shaolin Temple, their freedom of movement was significantly restricted.
Novice monks in fluorescent vests waved their guiding wands, directing tourists to one side.
Na-me and Luri were swept along in the crowd, eventually coming to a stop at one point.
“Sigh. I just want to see this and then rest at the hotel. Right, Luri?”
“I feel the same. Is there really anything special about the fireworks?”
“But still, let’s value watching it together in a crowded place.”
“By the way, what does short selling mean?”
Until coming to Luoyang, Na-me had been busy making calls here and there.
She was gathering brokerage firms that provide prime brokerage services.
“You know what stocks are, right?”
“Yes. I know they’re a more advanced version of mutual participation certificates.”
“Since people around the world are buying and selling stocks, their prices rise and fall every second. I bet on the prices going down. So I borrowed stocks, sold them at a high price, and once I got the payment, I bought them back at a lower price to return them. That’s how I make a profit, right?”
“Ah.”
Luri scratched her cheek.
She understood but seemed not to fully grasp it yet.
Na-me decided to change her explanation a bit.
Boom-
A firework with a diameter of 1 km exploded in the vast night sky.
Luri jumped, startled by the incredible noise.
Na-me’s head slowly turned to her.
“I’m challenging you to a duel. Since you’re going to die anyway, I’ll just end it for you.”
Seeing the chilling expression, Luri’s breath hitched for a moment.
“Then the damage falls solely on Shaolin. I won’t involve the local merchants.”
At that moment, Luri had no idea.
That a short sale worth trillions would destroy everything that the opponent has built and devastate their surroundings.
*
[Overseas Stock Gallery]
[Bought Shaolin Coffee as a NoName-related stock and got burnedㅠㅠㅠ][25]
(Na-me’s Shaolin Coffee Vlog.jpg)
I thought the Shaolin Coffee would boom since I ate it so deliciously, but it keeps dropping by 6%ㅠㅠㅠ
I invested 3 million won and want to commit suicide… how many chickens is that?
[Comments]
– Crying over a 6% drop lol. Just 300 seeds to complain about.
– Are you an idiot? I really hate NoName and Shaolin.
└ (User) Why? Didn’t you go on a trip to China to see Shaolin Temple?
└ Don’t trade stocks, you fool lol.
– Beginners should just do it in the market; China is a graveyard.
– Just cut your losses and say you supported Na-me.
└ (User) ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
February 3, 2054, Tuesday.
What stocks will hit the ceiling and floor today sparked heated discussions in the stock community.
The market opened.
Shaolin Coffee dropped by 6% and fell another 3% after that.
Had the author heeded the advice in the comments and cut losses, they might have avoided additional losses.
But no one remembered that post.
[Shaolin Energy | ▼ 27.31% | ₩14,900]
News broke that all six major securities firms in South Korea had collaborated for a staggering 1 trillion won worth of short selling, causing chaos in the market.
The daily short selling transaction amount in the Korean stock market was around 1 trillion won.
And it was all concentrated on one company.
Even in a stock market where all sorts of things happen, it was the first instance of aggressive short selling in Korea.
[Bloomberg | Shaolin Energy crashes 27% due to massive short selling… Joint assault by securities firms]
[Financial Times | Shaolin Energy drops 27% after 1 trillion won short selling from Korea]
[The New York Times | Shaolin Energy plunges 27% from 1 trillion won short sale led by Korean brokers]
The incident was widely reported, sending shockwaves around the world.
Just the day before, after rehearsing for the Spring Festival event, Shaolin Temple found itself facing an unexpected calamity.
A convoy of worldwide broadcasting station vehicles blocked the entrance to Songshan, creating a scene of chaos.
Bang bang bang-
“Is it a revenge of the short selling orchestrated by the NoName Wizard!”
“Where is the Shaolin leader now? Let us in!”
“When will you express your position!”
“Please wait…! The Elder Council is in session…!”
Without anyone needing to voice it, the mastermind behind the incident was NoName.
However, at noon that day, an unexpected video was uploaded to Na-me’s V-tube.
[NoName Official]
[The Fireworks of Shaolin Temple Have Emotion (Zhengzhou & Luoyang Edition)]
A genuine tourist enjoying himself in China before the Spring Festival.
Accepting skewers nonchalantly given by vendors who think he’s cute.
Wandering through the beautiful Luoyang night market.
Praising the grand fireworks of Shaolin Temple.
– Is it really Na-me who orchestrated the short-selling incident?
– Wait, weren’t Shaolin and Na-me rivals?
– Na-me is super cuteㅠㅠㅠㅠ
– How do you eat that chicken feet skewer ㄷㄷ
– She said she went on a spontaneous trip but looks like she’s really enjoying it hehe
– If Na-me is indeed behind it, isn’t this a t-bagging video? lol
– TAMAYA~ (Fireworks Boom at Shaolin Temple)
It seemed even Shaolin temporarily entertained the thought that Na-me wasn’t the culprit.
But soon enough, a 118-page report titled “Shaolin Energy Report” was published by Janjeol.
The contents were nothing short of shocking.
Shaolin Energy was a failing company that had achieved growth on the back of Shaolin Coffee and 16 other rapidly growing firms.
In this process, the rate of internal transactions among affiliated companies reached 80%, and these false transactions were used to manipulate the stock price.
More than 50% of their reported sales were fabricated, and funds transferred to Shaolin Energy were suspected to be used to maximize government subsidies.
News even suggested that key executives had sold stocks worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Shaolin was already on the verge of getting approval for expanding their magic power plant from the government.
What a timely attack.
Even activist investors from the U.S. joined in after seeing the report.
[Shaolin Energy | ▼ 31.56% | ₩14,030]
Tuesday market close.
The stock price that was around 20,500 won plummeted to 14,030 won.
A market cap of 1.1556 trillion won was evaporated.
[Finally Revealed: The Identity of the Invisible Hand]
(Trash talk against Na-me.gif)
It was you, NoName!!! Arrgh!!!
The cash-bursting dinosaur is terrifying lol.
[Comments]
– The stock market is scary ㄷㄷㄷ If you’re out of NoName’s favor, you’re done for.
– Isn’t it even easier? If Na-me is on the rise, then the path forward is clear.
– If you don’t understand, just commit a cash loss and move on haha.
– Die. | And then Shaolin died.
– This is an urban legend lol.
[That Crazy Na-me]
Only threw a lawsuit and burned 1 trillion?
All those who sexually harassed and were fined are literally nothing lol.
[Comments]
– If you’re on NoName’s bad side, stop thinking about living in Korea.
– Probable new rulebending ㄷㄷ
– The one who harassed the goddess. Isn’t that somewhat cool?
└ Oh…
└ Wait a minute, lol.
– I thought it would end with countersuit, but a 1 trillion short sale is ridiculous lol.
– Companies are trembling…
Then Shaolin released a 513-page rebuttal the next day, countering Janjeol’s claims point by point.
The Shaolin leader took to the podium and began a lengthy four-hour speech.
[As seen, this report by Janjeol is entirely based on groundless speculation and false facts. Our Shaolin Energy has grown transparently and fairly through close cooperation with the government.]
[External forces are trying to undermine the endless development of Shaolin. They envy our success and seek to obstruct our growth.]
[The NoName Wizard, driven by childish emotions and a desire for revenge, is stirring confusion in the economic market. Now is the time for our shareholders to unite with patriotic hearts and defend the honor of Shaolin.]
Did the leader’s earnest plea resonate?
Indeed.
34 years ago, the case of Luckin Coffee.
After relentless attacks by short-selling hedge funds, the truth of their fraudulent accounting was uncovered, resulting in their delisting from Nasdaq.
But they then marketed themselves as a patriotically distressed company under the Sino-U.S. trade war, and the Chinese people rallied together.
As a result, when they were kicked out of Nasdaq, they went from having 2,000 stores to growing into a global corporate giant with 20,000 stores.
“There is no trial that the people cannot overcome when they unite!”
To restore the stock price that fell by 31.5%, they would need to increase it by another 46.1%.
They knew it would be a tough road, but Shaolin’s supporters each pitched in to invest in Shaolin Energy.
And within just two days.
[2054. 02. 04.]
[Shaolin Energy | ▲ 20.11% | ₩16,850]
[2054. 02. 05.]
[Shaolin Energy | ▲ 14.30% | ₩19,260]
The stock price that was once 20,500 won seemed to be recovering.
News that Na-me had already caused 100 billion won in losses spread, and the supporters of Shaolin rejoiced.
Immediately, mockery of Na-me erupted in the community.
[CEO Goldbug ← Just got mad and torched a trillionㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
The staff below must be fumingㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Comments]
– It’s not over yet. The losses from short selling are theoretically infinite.
– If it doubles from here, I’ll have to pay back my initial loss plus another trillion ㄷㄷ
– Better close the position and dodge for nowㅠㅠ
– You can never underestimate the madness of Chinese people. Even if it’s a failing company, they’ll still buy it up.
– Is Na-me’s mental state okay?
[2054. 02. 06.]
[Shaolin Energy | ▲ 0.21% | ₩19,300]
On February 6, Friday, just a day before the Lunar New Year.
The stock market closes early at 1 PM local time.
Though a mere 0.21% rise was all it took, three days of consecutive increases carried significance.
“Leader, the authorities have launched an investigation.”
“It was to be expected once Na-me exposed it. But do not forget that the people stand with Shaolin.”
Even if it means sacrificing other companies, the accounting manipulation must be covered up.
If Shaolin Energy falls, everything ends.
However, the Chinese government also pays close attention to public sentiment.
If it’s argued that the stock price has swiftly recovered, there are plenty of escape routes.
“Something unseemly has intervened to wreak havoc. Everything is for the greater good of Shaolin and the Middle Kingdom…”
BEEP-
[The market has closed.]
“…!”
“Ha.”
“Ahh…!”
Surrounding the leader, the Eight Great Guardians all stifled their gasps.
Jagwang Seung lifted his heavy eyelids.
How many nights had he lost due to that kid with money?
Feeling the Buddha’s power firsthand, a smile like that of a deity graced his lips.
“Hm?”
But wait, what was this?
An unbelievable outcome unfolded before him.
A number that absolutely shouldn’t have appeared.
[2054. 02. 06.]
[Shaolin Energy | ▼ 29.01% | ₩13,700 | Early Closure]
“Why, why is the stock price…!”
[NoName Official][Live]
“Happy New Year and enjoy your break! See you in five days, leader.”
“Another short sale!”
[When the time comes, you’ll know who was right.]
Shaolin Energy would see no price fluctuations for the next five days.
Stocks that could turn into toilet paper in a day were frozen due to the Lunar New Year holiday.
[Here’s an extra trillion for your New Year’s gift, Grandpa!]
Na-me’s final act of kindness.
[Real-time Best]
[Why Ijo-won is in a fit of laughterㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
(Ijo-won President Sakuranbo.mp4)
(NoName’s total short sale of 2 trillion won.jpg)
Is NoName really insane?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
The cash-bursting dinosaur is unbelievably terrifyingㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Comments]
– It won’t stop until it’s possibleㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– Wait, it rose again? What a profitㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– The report revealed it! It exposed them as a failing company! Na-me did all the work!
– Are these idiots raising it on purpose?
– They said it was Ijo-won, so I thought something would happenㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– The reverse New Year’s money is terrifyingㅠㅠㅠ