American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 270 Lin Yu'an's New Value

"It means that GME has been shorted by 170%. This is not an opinion, not an emotion, but an objective mathematical bug that could trigger an avalanche at any time." Lin Yu'an's voice was calm and cold.

“This isn’t gambling, Brian. It’s an elementary school math problem. It’s just that the answer is so big that you smart people can’t believe it.”

"So, the premise that CAA's reputation has been damaged is simply not true, because I won't lose."

Brian found this arrogant confidence absurd and scoffed, "Lin, Wall Street has countless ways to turn a math problem that should equal two into zero. You're too naive."

This statement carries the air of an elder's contempt and admonishment towards a younger person.

However, Lin Yu'an's reply was completely unexpected.

“Brian, you’re right.” Lin Yu’an calmly admitted, “Unplugging the internet, spreading fake news, exploiting loopholes in the rules… I know all of that. I even know on what day, at what time, and in what way they will do these things.”

These words struck Brian like a thunderbolt.

"So I know how to find the safest and most precise route in this chaos, and then leave safely with my profits before they overturn the table."

These words completely placed Brian in the position of an outsider. All his previous sense of superiority regarding control and resources was shattered by Lin Yu'an at this moment.

Brian fell silent. He keenly sensed that behind this young man lay enormous risks and immense power beyond his control!

“So…” Brian’s voice was a little hoarse, “Why did you make this call?”

"Because of the deal." Lin Yu'an finally revealed his purpose, his tone becoming relaxed, as if the previous confrontation had never happened.

“I just felt that this feast was too lavish, and it would be a waste for me to eat it all by myself. So I decided to sell some of the tickets.”

“CAA can buy one. The price is the price of a jungle plane.” Lin Yu’an’s tone became sharp. “It’s not a gift, Brian. It’s just the price you pay for my information.”

This exchange completely overturned the nature of the entire conversation.

Brian fell into a long silence as he began to reassess the young man before him. He was no longer an "asset" with a bit of cleverness, but an "ambitious man" with an independent will.

“You have a big appetite, Lin,” Brian said slowly.

“Because the cake is big enough.” Lin Yu’an stood firm. “I can eat a part by myself, but with CAA joining us, we can eat the biggest piece of the whole cake.”

“I can provide exit timing accurate to the day, ensuring our profits are maximized. In return, CAA will gain not only profits, but also a proven track record of my special channels.”

He paused for a moment, then gave his final ultimatum: "Brian, this isn't a choice. This is CAA's only chance to gain my trust at the cost of an entire plane, after all, there's a cap on the penalty for breach of our contract."

"If we miss this opportunity, all that will be left between us in the future will truly be that cold, hard contract."

"January 26th is the final evacuation day," Lin Yu-an added. "I hope the plane is a tailpipe, and the bigger the Tundra tires, the better. I look forward to seeing it in Wiesmann."

After saying that, he hung up the phone, throwing a difficult problem—a mix of immense temptation and arrogant challenge—at the head of the Hollywood empire.

For his last call, Lin Yu'an made a call to Mati.

As soon as the call connected, Marty's signature aggressive voice came through: "Lin! You better have something good to do that will get me out of the arms of three beauties!"

Lin Yu'an ignored his crude remarks and reiterated the plan in the most concise language.

Before he could finish speaking, Marty practically roared into the phone, his voice so loud that Lin Yu'an had to hold the phone away: "Madman! You're a complete madman!"

"Do you even know what you're saying? Section 10b-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934! It prohibits any fraudulent activity related to the buying and selling of securities! What you're doing is a classic case of insider trading and market manipulation!"

He roared in rapid succession, "You're dragging me into this? Once the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) files a case, all our calls and emails will be used as evidence of conspiracy!"

“Those prosecutors in cheap suits will pounce on us like sharks smelling blood, devouring us whole! We won’t even be able to keep our law licenses, let alone make money!”

His roar was filled with the instinctive fear of legal risks that a professional lawyer has.

Lin Yu'an listened quietly until he finished roaring, then asked in an extremely calm, even slightly mocking tone, "Marty, are you done? If you're done, let's play a legal game."

"What bullshit game?" Marty said irritably.

"First, I am not an employee of any listed company, and I have not signed any confidentiality agreement. Therefore, my act of obtaining information does not constitute the legal requirement for insider trading. Is that right?"

Marty was stunned; it was true.

"Secondly, I did not spread any false information in the public market to influence stock prices. I simply informed my own lawyer of my personal investment decisions. This is private communication, not market manipulation. Right?"

Marty's breathing began to quicken as Lin Yu-an precisely dismantled his legal accusations.

"Third, my source is some friends I know in Alaska. They are not U.S. citizens and are not subject to U.S. law. Do you think an SEC subpoena can be sent to the permafrost of Siberia or the plateau of western China?"

These words were like a powerful punch, completely shattering Matty's professional defenses.

He was instantly speechless. As a top lawyer, he knew better than anyone that the law had boundaries. And the world Lin Yu'an spoke of lay precisely outside those boundaries.

“This isn’t a crime, Marty.” Lin Yu’an’s voice carried a hint of cold laughter. “This is a perfect arbitrage operation conducted within legal boundaries. Clean, legal, and untraceable.”

Marty made a "hoarse" sound in his throat, a reaction to a mixture of extreme excitement and fear.

He immediately realized that Lin Yu'an's real purpose in making this call was not to give him investment advice, but to conduct an ultimate stress test of his legal fastidiousness and professional instincts.

He was asking: You, Marty, are you the quack who only dares to quote classics in court, or the villain who dares to seize enormous profits?
“Lin…” Marty’s voice was hoarse, each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

“As your chief legal counsel, I warn you that this phone call never happened. Our call log, and any future evidence that might point to it, must be completely and thoroughly destroyed!”

But Lin Yu'an knew that Mati had already made his position clear.

The call is interrupted.

Marty sat motionless for a long time in his study, which overlooked the entire Los Angeles cityscape at night. He wasn't trembling with fear, but with excitement!

“The perfect crime…” he murmured to himself.

As a mad dog who has spent his whole life wallowing in the quagmire of law, he realized that the risks were huge, but the rewards were equally huge, and most importantly, it was theoretically flawless!

After thinking for ten minutes, he picked up another untraceable phone and dialed his trader's number.

“Use my trust account in the Cayman Islands, set up in my son's name, to buy $500 million worth of GME call options. Yes, that crazy stock. Make the transaction record look like a diversified risk hedge. Don't ask why, just do it.”

He hung up the phone, poured himself a glass of the strongest whiskey, and drank it down in one gulp!
After ending the three phone calls, Lin Yu'an turned off the satellite phone and threw it into a drawer.

The three seeds, already imbued with an irresistible allure, were planted by his own hands.

He knew that from this moment on, his relationship with those three Hollywood moguls was no longer a simple contract; they had become gamblers in the same boat, in an unprecedented high-stakes gamble.

And he was the only dealer.

In his office in Los Angeles, Scout Braun stared at the trading screen of his recently placed order, his expression complex. Just then, his personal cell phone rang; the caller ID showed Brian Lord.

Scout took a deep breath and answered the phone.

"Brian."

“Scooter,” Brian’s steady voice came from the other end of the phone, “I just finished an interesting call. The other person was a prophet from Alaska who predicted a war that was about to break out on Wall Street.”

“Brian, my friend, this prophet, also called me.”

“GME.” The two said the code almost simultaneously.

A brief silence fell between the two ends of the phone call, a cooling-off period after the exchange of information.

“He asked me for a jungle plane,” Brian broke the silence first, “as payment for his information.”

Scout rubbed his temples. "He didn't ask me for anything. He just gave me a friend's advice. But... Brian, he mentioned his source."

“It’s China and Russia.” Scout’s voice became hoarse. There was silence again on the other end of the line, but this time, Scout could clearly feel the pressure building up rapidly.

“Scooter,” Brian finally spoke, his tone calm, but each word like a slap of ice, “Now, I need you to answer me very, very honestly.”

"When did you find out that the ace you signed from Alaska was connected to the poker tables in Moscow and BJ?"

This question was far more damaging than any outburst. It didn't directly accuse Scout, but it tied his professional judgment to the risk of treason. Like a giant question mark, it hung over Scout's head.

Scout answered immediately, “Just now on that phone call, Brian.” He knew that any hesitation would be interpreted as concealment.

"Before today, all my assessments of him were based solely on his performance on camera. I thought I had found a gold mine."

"But now it seems that I may have... dug a crack leading to the abyss."

“Crack…” Brian chewed on the word, then let out a soft, ambiguous laugh.

“That’s a very apt description. So, my old friend,” he emphasized, “have you considered another possibility?”

Brian's voice became distant and dangerous, "Is it possible that this so-called rift was something you knew all along, and something you carefully prepared for me... a surprise? A surprise to test the strength of our twenty-year friendship?"

Scout's heart skipped a beat. The suspicion that he had been set up was finally being brought to the forefront.

This is not a trial by a superior to a subordinate, but a most fatal test of trust between two equal power players.

If Scout cannot provide a perfect answer, their unbreakable alliance will, from this day forward, develop an irreparable rift.

Scout offered no anger or defense. He simply retorted in a tone a mixture of weariness, self-deprecation, and a hint of madness, "Brian, if I truly had such powerful connections, would I still need to stay with CAA and share my commercial artists with you?"

This arrogant yet absolutely honest rhetorical question, like a sharp blade, instantly sliced ​​through all suspicion.

Yes, if Scout really had that kind of energy, he wouldn't need to play by the rules of Hollywood. He could become the next Brian Lord, or even surpass him. There's no need to set up a game with a newcomer in such a crude way.

Brian was silent on the other end of the phone. A few seconds later, his signature deep laugh came through.

“You’re right, Scout. It seems we’ve both learned a lesson from this young man.” The ice of suspicion melted away instantly, and the two returned to their allied positions.

"So, what's your opinion on his so-called channels?" Brian asked, as this was the real core issue.

Scout pondered for a moment, sorting through the jumbled information in his mind: "It's unlikely to be at the official level. Neither the Kremlin nor Zhongnanhai would interfere in Wall Street in this way. The risks and rewards are completely disproportionate."

“I agree,” Brian said. “So, it’s more likely… an unofficial white glove?”

“Yes,” Scout picked up the conversation, and the two began to think alike. “Perhaps a Russian energy oligarch who, after being sanctioned, is eager to find new growth points overseas?”

"Or perhaps it's some kind of 'red capital' that wants to make money in the American financial world and teach Wall Street a lesson? These two possibilities are the most likely."

“Anything is possible.” Brian’s voice carried a hint of excitement. “Whichever it is, it means that behind Lin Yu’an stands a massive force that we have never encountered before, a force that operates outside the rules!”

"He is no longer just a simple entertainer, Scooter; he is a mobile bridge connecting the unknown world."

“A bridge that could explode at any moment,” Scout added with a wry smile. “And he seems to know exactly how much his bridge is worth. He’s setting a price for us.”

“Risk and opportunity always go hand in hand.” Brian’s tone became decisive. “Now that the bridge has appeared, there’s no reason not to go and take a look. Now, let’s talk about specific tactics. How much have you invested?”

Scout didn't hide anything: "I've already bought five million, which is the largest amount of entertainment funds I can mobilize without affecting core assets. He gave me a specific exit date: January 26th."

"So fast?" Brian then chuckled, a laugh carrying the composure and charisma of a superior. "Five million? You're still as timid as ever, Scout."

“After all, I can’t compare to your family’s wealth and business. What about you? How much are you planning to invest?” Scout countered.

"Let's use ten million to test the waters first," Brian said casually, as if discussing what to have for dinner that evening.

Scout knew that the ten million Brian mentioned was likely just a base figure. Knowing his style, he could easily multiply his bets several times over once he knew which way the tide was blowing.

"However, my way of playing might be a little different from yours."

“How so?” Scout asked.

“Your $500 million was a gamble based on trust. You were thinking of winning from start to finish, weren’t you?” Brian pointed out Scout’s thoughts incisively.

"My ten million is based on a proven strategy. I don't care if it's $20 or $30 now."

“I will immediately have the Swiss side begin to absorb the shares in batches. But what I need to see is not a rise in stock price, but something unusual.”

Scout was puzzled: "Abnormal?"

“That’s right.” Brian’s voice became as precise as a scalpel. “I want to see how the short sellers react when there are buy orders worth tens of millions of dollars in the market.”

"Will they increase their short selling to try and drive the price down, or will there be panic selling? I want to see if the sentiment on social media will change dramatically due to the influx of funds."

"I want to see just how big a splash will be made when I throw a stone into this stagnant pool!"

Scout suddenly realized.

Brian wasn't waiting for others to give him signals; he was creating the signals himself and observing the market's response!

“My ten million is that stepping stone,” Brian continued. “If the market’s reaction confirms Lin Yu’an’s prophecy, the short sellers are already too vulnerable to be defeated, and retail investors’ emotions can be easily ignited.”

"So, before the real tipping point arrives, when Melvin or Citron publicly declare war, I will use the second and third tranches of funding, on a much larger scale than now, to quietly complete the final setup."

"At that point, it will no longer be about going with the flow, but about creating trends."

Scout was filled with shock; this was the mindset of a top predator. He was just a gambler, while Brian was the house trying to control the game.

"Operationally," Brian continued, "we'll make a fortune quietly. This isn't an official CAA investment. Use your own offshore accounts and clean up any traces. I'll use a Swiss fund to ensure there's no legal connection to the company."

"We cannot allow the company's balance sheet to have any direct connection with this level of geopolitics."

"I see."

“In addition,” Brian added, “have your assistant team start researching the models and modifications of top-of-the-line jungle aircraft, from the Piper Cub to the de Havilland Beaver, and give me a detailed report on each one.”

"Once GME's prediction comes true, we will deliver this toy to him as soon as possible."

Scout was somewhat puzzled: "So proactive? Shouldn't we be..."

“This isn’t proactive; it’s investing in the future,” Brian explained, with a hint of instruction in his tone. “If he wins, it proves that his channels are truly effective.”

"By then, a plane will be exchanged for the next, and the next, divine pronouncements. Scout, remember, for this kind of person, control is the lowest form of tactic; bribery and binding interests are the true methods."

“We need to make him understand that as long as his information is valuable, CAA will be his most generous partner. The rules will still be set by us, just in a different way.”

“Okay, I understand.” Scout was completely convinced.

“Scooter,” Brian said finally before hanging up, his tone returning to its initial calm, “keep an eye on him. Besides GME, I need to know whether behind this crack he dug lies a treasure or a monster that will devour everything.”

The phone hangs up.

Scout looked out at the night sky. The fear and pressure in his heart had not dissipated, but a hint of... crazy excitement had emerged.

He and Brian, these two top predators in Hollywood, haven't encountered prey that makes them feel both out of control and excited at the same time in a long time.

Lin Yu'an, this mysterious young man from Alaska, has successfully made himself the center of this game.

-

(Almost there! I'll soon have enough money to buy a big farm!)

(End of this chapter)