The stock market erupts into chaos.

  At 9:15 A.M., the market opens with call auctions—a crucial ten-minute window where buy and sell orders collide to establish opening prices based on genuine supply and demand. But what happens next is predatory by design.

  HiTV plummets to the -10% limit within seconds. Storm Video crashes two minutes later. The trap is set. Countless novice traders—oblivious to the system's cold mechanics—see these artificially capped prices and mistake them for fair value. They rush in, placing buy orders, unaware they're walking into a slaughter.

  This isn't coincidence. When Gang Yao architected the A-Shares trading system, he deliberately obscured this critical detail. No warning. No indicator showing when a price is artificially limited rather than market-determined. His design allows institutional vultures to methodically offload overvalued stocks onto unsuspecting individuals who believe they're getting fair market prices. In the days to come, countless retail traders will sacrifice their life savings to learn this cruel lesson about the A-Shares limit system.

  By 11:30, as the market breaks for lunch, devastation spreads across overpriced internet stocks. Twenty-some have hit their limit prices, frozen in free-fall.

  I watch the carnage unfold on my screen. HiTV's trading volume is staggering—4 billion shares changing hands in just half a day. This translates to institutional investors—primarily state-owned and foreign—systematically dumping billions of shares onto naive individual investors.

  I don't know exactly how much Lyra has made from this bloodbath, but I'm sure my share will reach seven figures, perhaps even eight. And this massacre has only just begun.

  … …

  Before the afternoon session begins, Junru raps on my door. "Yuan Ma has arrived, sir.”

  I stroll unhurriedly to my private conference room. The tech titan himself—Yuan Ma—sits waiting alongside Gang Yao and Eric Jin. My eyes catch on a young woman beside Ma—Snow Ma, the central figure in the Dapeng "suicide" case from just two weeks prior. Notably, Bao Fang is absent today.

  "Chairman Bo," they rise in unison as I enter, even Yuan Ma without his characteristic recalcitrance.

  Yuan Ma—infamous for his audacity. The same man who once declared that "the Republic faces no systemic financial risk because it lacks a properly developed financial system." The same man who forced the Director of Market Regulation to publicly apologize for commenting on counterfeit goods flooding his Aladdin marketplace.

  He can afford such arrogance. His father once saved Qiuhan Wang's life. But today, his body language betrays a different posture—he's here to make concessions regarding Antz Financial.

  "Please, sit," I gesture casually, approaching Yuan Ma with calculated warmth, clasping his hand firmly. "At last I meet the great entrepreneur himself. Truly an honor."

  He bows with practiced humility. "Chairman Bo, any success I've achieved comes only through the benevolence of the nation and the Party. It's visionary officials like yourself who have cultivated the environment allowing ordinary citizens like me to flourish."

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  I nod appreciatively and settle into my chair, the power dynamic crystallizing with each movement.

  Eric Jin speaks first. "Chairman Bo, regarding our previously suspended IPO—we've rectified the optics completely. The unfortunate rumors surrounding Ms. Snow Ma have been dispelled. Law enforcement has exonerated her, confirming the young man's suicide. We're positioned to resume the IPO process immediately. Would you consider it appropriate to proceed?"

  He presents a leather portfolio with choreographed deference. Inside lies a shareholding restructure summary, police report clearing Snow Ma of wrongdoing, and meticulously placed media clippings from Central Television, People's Daily, and New Republic. Each piece gleams with manufactured positivity, heralding the impending IPO. The price tag for such coordinated coverage must have been substantial.

  But the crown jewel is the first page—the shareholding adjustment. Tomorrow Investment has acquired an 8% stake in Antz Financial, while Constella Investments has secured 4%. Both transactions executed at Series D valuation. This document serves as confirmation: they've capitulated to my demands. Today's meeting is merely ceremonial.

  I turn to Gang Yao, whose eyes glitter with barely concealed ambition. "Yao, this falls within your purview. Your assessment?"

  His lips curl into a self-satisfied smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. The subtle shift in his posture—shoulders back, chin slightly elevated—betrays his intoxication with his own influence.

  My public deference to him in Yuan Ma's presence is calculated theater, elevating his perceived stature. It reinforces his delusion as the unassailable "King of IPOs," while positioning myself as merely the final signatory. A perfect setup.

  "Chairman," he begins, voice rich with unearned authority, "media sentiment surrounding Antz Financial has been overwhelmingly positive. Market anticipation for this historic offering is palpable." He pauses dramatically, savoring his moment. "By approving this IPO, you'll be making history—not merely for A-shares, but globally. This will dwarf anything seen on the NYSE or NASDAQ."

  I nod thoughtfully while projecting mild concern. "The market showed significant volatility this morning. Several tech stocks hit their limit-downs. Might introducing Antz now aggravate market instability?"

  "Not at all, Chairman. You're overthinking this," Gang replies with thinly veiled condescension, his fingers drumming once on the polished table. "The market operates on momentum. Today's tech sell-off stems from criticism of HiTV, which some mistakenly view as our tech sector's vanguard. A prestigious enterprise like Antz—backed by Yuan Ma's impeccable reputation—is precisely the catalyst our markets need. Antz will become the new bellwether, eclipsing HiTV and Storm Video entirely."

  "I see," I respond, satisfaction coiling within me. This is precisely the statement I needed from him. The recording devices embedded in the room capture every syllable, adding to our dossier of evidence.

  "Yao, equity issuance has been your domain for years. I'll defer to your expertise in this instance as well. But remember—eschew expedience for sustainability. Stability supersedes all. Don't jeopardize Party and public interests through hasty decision-making."

  These words are carefully calibrated, shedding responsibility while placing accountability squarely on Yao's shoulders.

  Every disaster requires a scapegoat. The Party rarely rescues victims' life savings, but invariably preserves its own reputation. In this case, the sacrificial lamb has already been selected and stands ready for slaughter.

  He walks directly into the trap. With a smile radiating dangerous confidence, he declares, "Absolutely understood, Chairman. Your dedication to country and citizenry is truly exemplary. Rest assured, we won't disappoint. We'll safeguard the assets of both Party and people."

  "Excellent," I turn to Yuan Ma and his entourage, voice measured. "I'll leave you to finalize the details. I wish you tremendous success."

  "Thank you, Chairman Bo," they respond in unison.

  I exit unhurriedly, allowing myself the smallest smile only after clearing the threshold.

  In the Republic, profitable ventures abound. But creating wealth while transferring all risk to others—that's the rarest form of arbitrage. And that's precisely what I've orchestrated.