Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On the morning of the 27th.

Inside a stand-alone office suite in the Xing Hai Edifice, Chen Jin, Ling Jundong, and several other senior company executives came in.

Hearing the movement, the young man in a light gold colored suit, who was working in the office, turned around. When he saw the people who had arrived, he quickly collected his expression and stood up abruptly, giving a 60-degree bow.

“President Chen, CEO Ling, good morning. Everyone, good morning.” The man in the suit was extremely respectful.

“Let’s do away with the pleasantries.” Chen Jin waved his hand. “Return to your position and tell us about the international crude oil futures market.”

Next to him, Ling Jundong also said, “Yurui, simply tell President Chen how much money the company made from yesterday till today?”

“Yes.” Yurui returned to his seat and adjusted the direction of the computer monitor. He used the mouse to call up a red and blue K-line chart. This K-line chart was a dynamic chart of the oil price changes in the international crude oil futures market. He put his palm on the far right side of the K-line chart that was like a vertical cliff. He gesticulated excitedly.

“President Chen, CEO Ling, this is the change in the price of oil from yesterday to today in the international crude oil futures market. It can be clearly seen that the price of oil has dropped from a high point of 95 US dollars per barrel to 40 US dollars. The price is lower than yesterday!

“Our company’s short-selling fund entered the market at a price of 90 US dollars per barrel. We’ve spent a total of 100 billion and have increased the leverage on our futures contracts to 10 times the original price!

“Originally, we had made a loss of more than 50%. Our company was definitely not a match for the big international financial institutions. If oil prices rise to 100 US dollars per barrel, we will have lost all of our initial 100 billion!

“But how could they know that Z country had ignited the artificial sun and achieved controlled nuclear fusion? We have embraced the era of unlimited energy! So, they have fallen headfirst and collapsed thoroughly. There are at least dozens of international investment funds that have gone bankrupt.

“As long as the price of oil drops to 90 US dollars and below, For every US dollar decrease in oil prices, we will make a profit of 10 billion. Now that oil prices have plunged to 40 US dollars, we’ve earned 500 billion!

“President Chen, in just one day, we have earned what is normally a year’s worth of profits in the crude oil futures market! And I estimate that oil prices still have room to decrease. It is entirely possible for it to fall below 30 US dollars, we can earn at least another 100 billion!”

The total would 600 billion! Chen Jin could not help but take a deep breath.

He quietly thought to himself, Speculation; it’s no wonder that some people like to speculate so much. When the money you earn in one day exceeds what you can earn working normally for one year. When the money that you are dealing with in a year exceeds what you can earn doing honest work for a lifetime. Then, even the most down-to-earth person who takes his labor and duty seriously would no longer be content with their lot. From this point on, even they would hope to get rich overnight.

This was the reason why many people were obsessed with gambling and speculation. They seemed to think that they could own the whole world once they have experienced luck once.

Chen Jin was not good at gambling. He looked down on the various kinds of speculation. He was also not interested in speculating stocks. As for lotteries and their ilk, they were even more of a cancer to this society. They could only breed the love of ease and comfort, and at the same time, the abhorrence of work. This would destroy the spirit of hard work and struggle in a nation.

The leverage of future contracts could readily go up or down three times, five times, ten times or a hundred times. Thus, he had even less of a desire to understand the fickle changes of futures leveraging in-depth. Besides the lunatics and the fools, who would play with this?

But it was also because of this that he had missed a chance to make a fortune.

That opportunity had come around in the past when Xing Hai Technologies had released the “High Energy 1” battery. At that time, the international price of crude oil had plummeted from 140 US dollars to 100 US dollars, and it had never returned to above 100 US dollars ever since. The opportunity to short 40 US dollars per barrel of oil was wasted like that.

At that time, Yurui was very upset and had lamented this loss. He thought of ways to convey his point of view to his boss, Chen Jin.

“What?” Chen Jin slapped his head. “At least 400 billion of income and I missed it?” He felt a little regretful. If only someone had told him earlier. He did not know that one could actually make such a fortune on the futures market. Moreover, the initiative to do so was completely in the hands of Xing Hai Technologies. The probability of making money was 100%.

Also, this could not be called speculation, it was straightforwardly, “picking up money.” He had actually not seen the opportunity to make a whole 400 billion and had completely missed it.

Chen Jin immediately reassessed the situation and came up with a conclusion—many things could not be viewed subjectively. Its existence was namely reasonable! Even if it brought about all kinds of disadvantages, it also had great benefits. As long as one used it well, it could bring huge benefits to oneself. If it was possible to achieve man-made control, the risk could even be reduced to zero, and the probability of making money would be 100%. Hence, after summing up the lesson that he had learned, he did not miss this opportunity.

Perhaps it was due to his conservative and cautious character, but Chen Jin felt that it was time to stop after earning this 500 billion. He did not think that his heart would be able to stand it if he were to continue playing in the market.

“Ok, President Chen, I, too, think that we can stop.” Yurui nodded and returned his gaze to the computer screen. He exclaimed in surprise, “Oil prices have fallen to 37 US dollars.”

Just in the time that they had a little chat, the price of oil had fallen by 3 US dollars per barrel. Xing Hai Technologies made another 30 billion. However, Yu Rui did not dally too much and quickly sold the oil futures in his hands. After the successful sale operation, the platform deducted a transaction fee, and Xing Hai Technologies made a profit of 500 billion.

After some time.

Yurui intended to enter the market again to buy 10 billion of futures to earn a little money but was surprised to find that the international oil futures platform was frozen and short-selling could not be carried out. This meant that in the entire platform, the money that had been used for one last transaction had been removed; and the speculators who had made that one last transaction had lost everything.

Yurui was dumbstruck. “The funds in the international oil futures platform total tens of trillions. Who is it that has earned trillions of dollars in an instant?”

He shook his head.

In short, many of the Western financial elites would be on the roof today!

…

Z country’s “artificial sun” device achieved great success that was akin to breaking through a wall of defense. In addition to causing the international crude oil price to plunge, it also caused a great sensation and repercussions internationally.

“This is a technology that should benefit humanity. Z country should not monopolize it.”

“Z is a big country that has big responsibilities! Please bear the responsibility that belongs to you and share some key technology.”

“We are willing to spend 100 billion for Z country to help us build an ‘artificial sun’. We’ll spend money to buy it!”

“Z country is a kind and friendly country. I believe the Z people will not abandon us.”

Most of the small and medium-sized countries were more restrained, and even their tone had become respectful and polite. They had published many reports that seemed to be about currying favor with Z country.

But Merica was almost going crazy! They put on a show of military exercises, nuclear weapons test drills and announced that they had entered the state of maximum readiness. Merica made tough statements on television every day and even issued an ultimatum—Z country was to surrender the “artificial sun” technology within 24 hours or they would have to bear the consequences.

…and etc. It was a series of domineering performances.

The whole world was holding their breath and watching with rapt attention. The days passed in a state of extreme nervousness.

This lasted until 20X4 in January when Merica finally abated. This was because the final year for the incumbent president’s office was nearly over. The new presidential election was about to begin. At this moment, the election was still the most important.

The whole world was relieved.

And in Z country.

The close attention that the “artificial sun” had garnered finally fell away. There were some media outlets who started casting their sights on Xing Hai Technologies. Suddenly, they made many shocking discoveries.