Empire of Shadows

When the president arrived at the gathering, the vice president and several investors were chatting happily.

This slightly improved the president's mood. He briefly tidied his appearance and strode into their midst.

These investors were well-known independent investors, and there were many such people in Detlan.

Someone once tried to investigate where an independent investor's funds actually came from—

There were always people interested in these independent investors, whether famous or not. They even thought that if they could access the source of funds behind these independent investors, they could bypass these people and talk directly to the capital providers.

But unfortunately, many of those who investigated these sources of funds disappeared.

People quickly realized that this was a forbidden zone that could not be easily explored.

Perhaps behind these ordinary faces were those high-ranking figures who frequently appeared in political news.

It was even possible that they were faces seen in the president's largest office.

People no longer cared where the money came from; they only cared whether the money could be invested in them.

"Sorry, I was held up by some matters," he said, taking his seat.

The vice president tactfully did not occupy his seat, but deliberately left it for him. Although he didn't have any particular feelings for the vice president, he thought the guy was okay.

However, he didn't have any other bad thoughts about him either, and didn't think he was a bad person.

Being good to someone doesn't necessarily mean that person will remember you.

But if you're bad to someone, they will definitely remember it, and remember it for life!

"What were you guys talking about?" he asked.

The vice president explained from the side, "We were talking about the recent malicious short selling targeting us in the market."

The president immediately picked up the topic, "Yes, malicious short selling, it's terrible."

"Actually, you all know that the Ligee Group's profits have been very stable every year, especially this year. Our financial report will give all investors a huge surprise!"

He glanced at the vice president, who acted as if he hadn't seen his gaze, which made him relax slightly. This indicated that the vice president hadn't said what he was about to say.

He couldn't always repeat what others had said, as it would make people think that he, the president, wasn't very capable. "The implementation of the prohibition order has caused the prices of all crops that can be used for brewing to skyrocket, especially grapes, whose prices have more than doubled twenty times."

"The company's appraisers believe this is not the end of it."

"We have agreements with many vineyards. For two or three years, we will purchase their grapes at low prices according to the contract."

One of the investors raised his hand, "Sorry, let me interrupt."

"If the price of grapes has increased more than twenty times, what if the vineyard owners are unwilling to sell to you?"

"Do you have countermeasures?"

The president's face revealed a reserved but smug smile, "We will not allow such obvious loopholes to exist in this transaction. If they breach the contract, we will claim three times the market value of the grapes as compensation."

"No one will risk bankruptcy to refuse to fulfill the contract!"

They always used various hegemonic clauses and regional monopoly power to frantically squeeze the plantations below.

If they breached the contract, they only needed to pay a small sum of money to tear it up.

But if farmers breached the contract, they would face the possibility of bankruptcy. Capital has never been sentimental.

And those who are sentimental can never become capital!

The investor was very satisfied, "Then it seems that your profits will be very high in the next few years!"

The president nodded repeatedly, "Yes, very high."

"So you can completely believe that the Ligee Group is an investment project that can be held for a long time. The company's return rate far exceeds the level of the same industry!"

Several investors nodded in agreement. This was indeed the case. The Ligee Group was indeed the best in terms of shamelessness.

But everyone was here for profit, not for a good reputation, so in the capital world, the Ligee Group was actually more famous.

The conversation stopped here, and the ripples generated by the remaining small details spread in everyone's hearts.

What the president wanted, he didn't say, but everyone knew. For a moment, the room became exceptionally quiet, and the few people became more focused on the food in front of them.

The president glanced at the vice president and gave him a look. The latter then said, "Although our expected profits will continue to rise, the market has become less friendly due to the actions of some hyenas."

"To avoid some undesirable situations, we hope to get some help."

One of the investors repeated his sentence, "Some help?"

The president took over the conversation and nodded in agreement, "Yes, some help."

"Help us support the stock price. We may bring forward the full-year financial report, which was originally scheduled to be released in January, by two to three weeks."

"So this is not a particularly risky thing, and it also has considerable profits."

Several investors discussed in low voices for a while. The president had thrown out his purpose and ideas, and they naturally had to discuss it for a while.

A few minutes later, one of the investors said, "Mr. President, what you are saying now is just what you are saying. We don't actually know the company's situation."

"However, we are very willing to believe you and benefit both of us from this opportunity."

"If possible, we would like to learn more about the Ligee Group's situation in the next two days before making a decision. What do you think?"

The president nodded, "No problem, very welcome!"

He pursed his lips, "Are you free tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow we can have a more in-depth mutual understanding regarding investment issues."

The so-called mutual understanding must be that these people are coming to check the company's operating conditions, etc. If it were six hours ago, he would urge the other party to do it as soon as possible, but not so soon!

Now that the chairman of the board is dead, the stock market will inevitably plummet when it opens tomorrow. Coupled with the short selling by those financial hyenas, it will inevitably trigger a series of market reactions!

So he now desperately needs someone to support them in the market, and these wealthy and mysterious independent investors are the best choice.

Not only because they have money, but also because of the relationships behind them.

In order to protect their wealth, these relationships will definitely give the Ligee Group some help!

The investors naturally would not refuse, and this was considered a successful exchange.

After sending these people away, the president's expression immediately became serious. He said to the vice president beside him, "There is something I need to inform you. Chairman Lee drowned in an accident and passed away."

The vice president looked at him and slowly opened his mouth wide, looking incredulous.

The president sighed, "The company's stock will definitely plummet tomorrow morning. You need to appease the emotions of the employees, as well as the board of directors and shareholders."

"We will get through this. At this critical moment, everyone needs to unite!"

He patted the vice president on the shoulder, "I will propose to give you a portion of the shares left by Chairman Lee."

"When this matter is over, my position will also be left to you!"

The vice president quickly lowered his head. His eyes flickered in the darkness, showing little of the desire for what the president said, and the respect for him personally.

There were only some inexplicable emotions surging in his eyes.

He originally thought that Lance would use the same method he used to deal with Steven to deal with Chairman Lee, but he didn't expect that this time his methods were so "meticulous" that even the president seemed to accept that Chairman Lee's death was an "accident."

The next morning, as the president had expected, the Ligee Group's stock price began to plummet, falling by seven percent as soon as the market opened.

For a company with a market value of over ten billion, seven percent meant that seventy million in wealth evaporated in an instant!

And it was still sliding down, and no one knew where it would go!

The president came to the company early in the morning to wait for the investors. If a large amount of capital was invested in the market at this time, coupled with some public relations influence, it might make people think this was a "washout" operation.

But after waiting and waiting, the president could only take the initiative to call the numbers on these investors' business cards.

"...Hello, I am..., we met last night," he communicated in a gentle tone with a slight smile.

But the person on the other side of the receiver didn't seem to be so tactful, "Mr. President, I read this morning's 'Detlan Finance Daily'. You didn't tell me that your company's chairman of the board drowned yesterday."

"I also found some reports that a director named Steven has also disappeared recently."

Hearing these words, the president was already a little dry-mouthed, "Sorry, I didn't mention this, but I don't think these things have anything to do with the company's development."

He emphasized, "Whether it's Chairman Lee, the board of directors, or myself, it's impossible to affect the company's profits and development!"

"We have the largest and most federal channels in the same industry. Our profits do not come from the work of a certain management, can you understand what I mean?"

But the investor on the phone was obviously not very willing to invest, "Although that's what you say, the current situation will have more and greater risks with some reporters' disclosure, you can't deny this."

"Every penny in our hands is very precious, and we can't invest more in high-risk projects, unless..."

The President's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Unless what?"

The sudden burst of laughter from the investor in the receiver made the President vaguely feel that this might be a 'plan'.

No error version at read! 6 = 9 + Book_Bar first published this novel.

"Unless the risk and the return are equally large, Mr. President!"

The President vaguely realized their intentions, and his tone became slightly heavier. "I'll consider it."

He hung up the phone and rubbed his temples, but he didn't have much time at the moment. Soon, the phone in front of him rang. After saying a few words, he hung up.

About ten minutes later, several shareholders directly barged into his office.

"If the newspapers hadn't told me about the major changes in the board of directors, I wouldn't even have known what happened!"

The shareholder at the front immediately started to make things difficult, and the President had to stand up. "I can explain..."

"I don't want to hear any explanations. I just want to know what solutions you have to deal with the current situation?"

"Many people outside are badmouthing the company, and our wealth is shrinking rapidly. What we want are solutions, not explanations!"

This was actually a very bad situation, like Mr. Jiao Baofu's bank.

If there hadn't been a bank run, then he might have been able to hold on.

If the depositors had trusted him and not run on him, then those public works he invested in, those bonds, those options, all kinds of wealth.

Perhaps after they matured and were cashed out, they could have filled everyone's loopholes.

Even if they couldn't fill them, the scale of the hole wouldn't be too big, but because the bank run came too quickly and too frantically, people lost their minds and trust, and he had no way to deal with it.

Companies, especially listed companies, especially listed companies under the capitalist system, are actually not much different from banks.

Reputation and confidence are very important elements!

Most companies borrow money, have debt problems, and have debt ratios.

A company's debt ratio of no more than half is considered a financially healthy company.

The larger the company, the more places there are that require payment of funds. For example, the Liji Group's trade relations with those contracted farmers are often not settled immediately.

They will first take the agricultural products from the farmers, and then put them into the market without processing or after rough processing.

Those big customers will not pay them immediately either. They will first sell 70% of these goods before settling part of the payment.

When they are almost all sold, they will settle the payment when they purchase goods again, and then continue to purchase goods, holding back payments.

The Liji Group, which receives the money, has to pay employee salaries and various expenses. They will not settle the farmers' payments immediately, but will settle part of them.

The purpose of doing this is not only to need cash flow, but also a business strategy.

As long as you don't settle all the payments, then if the farmers encounter unfair treatment, they will also endure it.

Because there is still a large sum of money in the company's hands. If they fall out, the farmers will worry about whether they can get the money back.

After all, in the Federation, demanding the final payment also requires going to court, which means hiring a lawyer, which means unbearably heavy litigation costs.

The larger the scale of the Liji Group, the more places it owes money to.

Farmers' payments for goods, payments from some upstream and downstream companies, and also bank loans and private loans, there are many.

When the Liji Group's operations are normal, these people will not actively ask them to demand this payment, after all, they will still do business in the future and cannot tear their faces apart.

But once the Liji Group's operations have problems, or there is a lot of negative news, causing the creditors to lose trust and confidence in them, then they will also face the bad situation of a "bank run."

One phone call after another keeps coming in demanding payment, farmers, those upstream and downstream companies, even banks are starting to urge them to pay back the money as soon as possible!

A company owes you a million dollars. Now you hear that this company is going to go bankrupt. The only thing you will do is call them and urge them to pay back the money as soon as possible!

And this will exacerbate the company's capital drying up and may lead to bankruptcy.

This is also why the President went to find those investors!

He needs someone to backstop the stock, to rebuild the trust and confidence of investors and business partners!

He needs to let these people know that this is not an insurmountable difficulty, and that the company will soon return to normal!

But first, you have to come up with something convincing, and you have to show determination and courage!

Of course, the current situation is not particularly bad. After all, for the company, it's just that there was a bit of an accident on the board of directors, and there are some rumors outside.

So the President immediately said in a deep voice, "If we ourselves become uncalm, how can we make the outside world believe that everything is normal with the company?"

"Believe me, I will solve these problems. I am more worried than you about something happening to the company!"

"But I also know better than you that nothing unexpected will happen to the company. Next week, next week we will release this year's financial report to the public. I believe everything will be fine when they see these things."

He comforted these shareholders, "Three days, I guarantee, three days will make everything better, one to two weeks to get everything back to where it was!"

Several shareholders stared at him with slightly red eyes. The one at the front said, "You better be able to do what you promise!"

After a good deal of comforting, he calmed down the emotions of these people, and then let the Vice President deal with those shareholders and creditors, while he himself summoned the heads of several departments to the office.

"I need to respond immediately, to express our position, to collect those comments that are unfavorable to us, and then sue them!"

"This is obviously premeditated. They and those financial hyenas are all in the same gang. Let the people in the news department issue an announcement."

"We will pursue the legal responsibility of all media that maliciously spread rumors, including individuals and organizations. We will pursue them all."

"Also, tell people that there will be changes in the board of directors. The former chairman of the board falling into the water and dying is just replacing a candidate in advance. This has nothing to do with our operating situation."

"Also, go and press those mud dogs who react the most violently back into their mud!"

"I'll give you a week. If the situation doesn't improve after a week, then you can pack your things and get out of the company!"

The President's roar in the conference room became the focus of discussion for all employees. Some people thought it was a small problem, but others thought that the company had encountered a big problem.

They even speculated in private when the company would be finished!

Even people inside the company think so, let alone people outside the company.

The President was extremely busy. He constantly met with senior bank executives, met with the mayor, councilors, and met with various people.

In two or three days, he actually managed to turn the situation around a bit.

But just as he breathed a sigh of relief and felt that things would get better, another very bad thing, something that no one had expected, happened...