"What you can do now," Shen Bi's voice was as clear as a scalpel cutting through glass, each word accurately piercing Niu Bijian's eardrum, "is to ask Xiaolin Tianwang to accept the land!"
The phone line seemed to freeze instantly. Newbigin subconsciously tightened his grip on the receiver, the cold plastic feeling penetrating his palm and reaching his heart. He almost suspected something was wrong with his hearing.
Begging? Begging that immature Japanese-Chinese businessman? Begging him to take over the Hong Kong Land Development? This is so ridiculous that it makes you laugh!
That was Hong Kong Land! The landowner who controlled prime land along both sides of Victoria Harbour! The "land king" with numerous prime properties on Queen's Road Central and Gloucester Road! It was the crown jewel of the Jardine Matheson empire and one of the most stable symbols of British power in the Far East!
Was he going to hand this endlessly milking golden cow over to the young man who had made his fortune through stock market speculation and tabloids? Was he even going to "beg" him to eat it?
It's the most ridiculous thing in the world!
"Peter!!" Niubijian suppressed his surging anger and sense of absurdity, his voice crackling with a hint of offense. "Are you kidding me? You want me, Niubijian, the boss of Jardine Matheson, to ask Xiaolin...Tenwang? To ask him to buy the land? Do you know what this means?"
Shen Bi's deep laughter came from the receiver. That laughter did not contain any warmth, but was filled with a coldness that saw through the world. Niu Bijian could imagine Shen Bi's expression at the moment, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, with a hint of amusement and pity.
"What does it mean? It means you're finding the most feasible way out for Jardine Matheson and yourself. It means you've seen the reality clearly, Sir Newbigin." Shen Bi's tone was unquestionable. "Do you really think that Jardine Matheson is still a popular and sought-after company? Or that golden prey that all capital is salivating over?"
"Open your eyes and take a look! Why are so many British companies avoiding it? Why are you even mortgaging it for a mere 10 billion Hong Kong dollars to save your life? Huh?"
Niu Bijian's breath hitched. Shen Bi's words were like a cold hammer, hammering at the fear that he subconsciously tried to avoid.
"That old fox, Huo Yingdong, is so cunning he's practically a demon." Shen Bi's voice continued, calmly analyzing, "Do you really think he's been blinded by his son's jealous drama? Or has the Huo family suddenly developed a new appetite and set their sights on this 'hard bone', Hong Kong Land?"
"He knows better than anyone else! He saw through our panic! He saw through what all British capital is worried about - the mainland!!" Shen Bi's voice suddenly became heavier, and he clearly uttered the curse that hung over the heads of all Hong Kong British capital.
"If he's dead, what are we afraid of? We're afraid of being liquidated, afraid of our assets being confiscated, afraid of our century-old foundation being wiped out in a single day! That's why he dared to strike at this very moment, taking advantage of our weakness to kill us! He took advantage of the widespread panic among us, and the moment we were withdrawing from Southeast Asia and Australia to protect ourselves, to bite hard at the piece of meat that is Hong Kong Land!"
A fine layer of cold sweat oozed from Newbigin's forehead. The smell of expensive cigars in the office suddenly became a bit choking. The bright lights of Victoria Harbour outside the window now looked more like a group of prying ghostly eyes to him.
Yes, this was the shadow that hung heavy over everyone's mind, a heavy, suffocating one. The precise and ruthless timing of Huo Yingdong's attack was no coincidence.
Chen Bi's voice slowed down, but it was more penetrating. "Let's take a look at this Kobayashi Tenwang you mentioned. What's his plan? Our HSBC fund monitoring system knows everything. Unless he has a fortune in secret bank accounts in Japan or elsewhere, the funds he mobilized have been almost exhausted after buying up that 7.5% stake in Hong Kong Land Development on the market."
"On the surface, how much money is left in the accounts of his shell company that started with the manga 'Dragon Jump'?"
Newbigin's thoughts raced. He recalled Kobayashi Tenwang's actions over the past few days—his high-profile announcement of his acquisition of Hongkong Land shares, his heated debates with Peter Ho in the press, the constant fabrication of negative news, and ultimately his substantial investment to acquire a 7.5% stake.
What's the goal? It seems like just a seat on the board of directors of Hong Kong Land?
"His goal," Shen Bi said, as if he saw through Newbijian's thoughts, "seems to be nothing more than a board seat. Maybe even just a temporary springboard to 'vent his anger'."
"Think about his previous tactics with those Chinese-owned companies. He bought in at low prices, created buzz, used the Asia Times to stir market confidence, drove up the stock price, and then quietly sold it at a high point. Each time, it was a precise transaction, and he made a fortune."
"What about this time? This time, after being provoked by Fok Chun-ting, he publicly targeted Hongkong Land, driving up its share price from HK$66 to HK$130. It even closed at HK$136 yesterday! Now, he's suddenly announced he's bought up over 5% of the shares and secured a board seat. He's definitely not going to make another move... He doesn't care if Hongkong Land's stock plummets; he just wants a board seat to show off his power."
"Furthermore, while you were repeatedly manipulating the Hutchison Whampoa stock, I suspect he was following your lead, constantly buying and selling, profiting quite a bit. To put it bluntly, the cost of acquiring the Hutchison Whampoa shares he currently holds must be quite low on average..."
Niubijian had to admit that Shen Bi's analysis was insightful. This Xiaolin Tianwang, while superficially a dandy and arrogant, acting like a fool squandering money on a whim, was actually calm and shrewd at heart. He thoroughly understood the rules of the financial market and was particularly adept at manipulating public opinion.
He's not a reckless man, but a shrewd financial hunter who knows how to use the image of "infatuation" to mask his predatory nature. This is far more terrifying than a simple madman.
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