The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

"325%!"

When Mohen Capital's "Mohen No. 1" private equity fund released its semi-annual operating report and dividend announcement, the astonishing rate of return, highlighted in bold, was like a depth charge, creating a massive wave in the otherwise calm capital market.

The report immediately ignited a frenzy in the financial sector and financial media.

It's important to understand that in the current economic cycle, a private equity fund achieving a double-digit annualized return is already considered top-performing.

According to the latest market statistics released by authoritative institutions, Xingbida, which stands out from the crowd, has achieved an astonishing six-month return of 276.53%, a terrifying figure that attracts countless investors and makes its peers look up in awe.

But Mohen Capital, a new institution established just over a year ago, had its first fund with a figure that was a full 50 percentage points higher than that!

"That's impossible!"

"Has the data been verified? Is there a problem with the calculation method?"

"Ink Trace Capital? Is that actor Shen Mo behind it? Isn't he filming a movie?"

"My God, what kind of Midas touch is this?!"

Astonishment, doubt, fervor, inquiry... a variety of emotions intertwined and spread in the market.

This news almost monopolized the headlines in the financial section.

Breaking News! Inkmark Capital's First Private Equity Fund Achieves a 325% Return, Crushing Xingbida!

Shen Mo's Capital Magic: From Top Celebrity to King of Private Equity?

"Decoding the Six-Month Returns of 'Ink Trace No. 1': Myth or Scam?"

"The Crown of 'Perfect Journey' Falls, A New King Ascends the Throne?"

……

Social media platforms and WeChat groups within the financial sector were abuzz with discussion.

When some industry analysts pieced together some of the astonishing details of "Ink Trace No. 1's" holdings, the market, after the initial shock, began to experience more complex and nuanced emotions.

"Zhongqingbao's stock price surged over 400% during the holding period!"

"Ourpalm's stock price surged by over 250% after they were acquired!"

"And then there's Huayi... My God, they made over 200% profit on Huayi, and with that short selling earlier, Mohen must have made at least 100 million!"

The release of these specific data points elicited not only astonishment but also a sense of disbelief and scrutiny.

"This can't be explained by luck; it's the precision of their targeting! Their ability to capture market hotspots and grasp the timing of individual stock price movements is simply phenomenal!"

"Zhongqingbao and Zhangqu are both mobile game companies. Last year and this year have indeed been the hottest sectors, but to be able to profit from the beginning to the end and then withdraw precisely near the peak is... truly amazing."

"The most brilliant move was Huayi's."

"After the failure of '1942,' we shorted at the high point, and when it fell to the lowest point, we directly accumulated shares at the low. The key is that Huayi was quite cooperative, and their subsequent operations directly brought Mohen on board, making money from both sides!"

"This requires an extremely deep understanding of the target company's fundamentals, market sentiment, and industry trends; it's not something the average person can do!"

"Just who is the investment research team at Mohen Capital? Zhao Feng is an experienced investor, but he has never shown this level of 'targeted killing' ability before."

"Could it really be that Shen Mo...? Isn't he a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy?"

"Now it seems that Shen Mo's investment in 'Love is Not Blind' and 'Lost in Thailand' was probably not just a cultural and entertainment strategy, but also a part of capital operation."

"He used the success of his entertainment projects to pave the way for capital operations, or rather, the two created a terrifying synergistic effect."

In the entertainment industry, the reaction was even more mixed, especially regarding Huayi Brothers.

"Huayi really... lost both his wife and his army."

"The movie lost at the box office, and it didn't gain any advantage in the open competition either. It tried to use its seniority to create a blacklist, but it failed. Instead, it was forced to settle by China Film Group. In the end, it even had to watch the other party make such a huge profit on its own stock!" His words carried a hint of schadenfreude, as well as a chilling sense of shared misfortune.

"The Wang brothers must be vomiting blood right now. All their hard work making movies and doing promotions doesn't even amount to a fraction of what others make by flipping their fingers in the stock market."

"This is terrifying! Mohen is no ordinary entertainment company!"

"This is nothing more than a financial behemoth disguised as an entertainment company!"

"Who will dare to go head-to-head with Mohen in business from now on?"

"You're thinking about making movies, doing marketing, earning salaries, and winning box office revenue, but they're directly manipulating your company's stock price and fleecing you."

"This is no longer a competition on the same level."

This realization has left many of their peers, who were initially dissatisfied with the rapid rise of InkSign or who were trying to imitate it, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness and vigilance.

With this explosive earnings announcement, Mohen is not only declaring its powerful earning ability.

Furthermore, it demonstrated its "capital + entertainment" dual-core driven, disruptive business model in the most direct way.

It clearly sends a signal: I can create hit content; I can make big money playing the capital game; and even if you lose to me in competition, I can still squeeze some profits out of you.

This completely overturns the traditional entertainment company's single logic of making money through content production and channel operation.

Suddenly, the calls to collaborate with Inkmark became even stronger, and of course, they became even more wary.

Meanwhile, investors who had caught wind of this were frantically trying to find out when the next fund of Mohen Capital would open for subscription. Even the slightest rumor was enough to excite them.

However, no matter how noisy the outside world is, the headquarters of Mohen Capital, located in the core area of ​​the capital, remains calm.

When faced with a barrage of media inquiries and requests for "exchange and learning" from his peers, Zhao Feng politely and firmly deflected them all with the excuse that "everything is subject to the official announcement, and there is no more information to disclose at this time."

He knew his own capabilities. If he excluded the stocks designated by Shen Mo and only followed his and his team's choices, the return rate would probably be the market average.

What truly made this No. 1 fund so successful was that man.

At this moment, Shen Mo was sitting in his spacious office. On his desk, a tablet computer displayed a news notification that "Ink Trace No. 1 Fund has a return of 325%".

This astonishing gain stemmed from his reborn information advantage; all of this was simply a matter of following the clues and achieving success naturally.

However, he also knew that excessively high returns were a double-edged sword.

It brought Inkmark unparalleled prestige and appeal, but it also put him and his company in the spotlight. Every move they make in the future will be scrutinized under a microscope, attracting more hidden covetousness and challenges.

"A tall tree catches the wind..." Shen Mo tapped the table lightly, his eyes deep.

However, so be it if you attract attention!

What he wanted to build was a towering tree, a business empire.

This record-breaking performance is the best way for him to demonstrate his power to the entire capital market.

The turmoil in the capital market caused by him has only just begun.

The phone rang, and as soon as it was answered, Wang Changtian's cheerful voice came through.

"Mr. Shen, you're amazing!"

"President Wang is quite well-informed," Shen Mo replied.

"As an LP of our Ink Trace No. 1 Fund, it's only natural that I care about this."

"Now I'm starting to regret not investing more back then."

"I still don't have enough confidence in President Shen."

"This time, not only will I not withdraw from Fund No. 1, but I've also prepared a large sum of ammunition, just waiting for Mohen's Fund No. 2 to open its position."

Wang Changtian's voice on the other end of the phone was clearly excited.

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So, how does President Wang plan to trust Inkmark this time?"

Wang Changtian's voice calmed down, "Fiber optic cables are out of the question. The company's assets cannot be moved without the shareholders' approval."

He paused for a few seconds, then said, "I plan to personally invest 5000 million."

"Huh?! Mr. Wang has so much confidence in our Mohen?" Shen Mo was indeed surprised.

"Mohen's rating index in the industry is rising sharply right now."

"The films 'Beijing Love Story,' 'Lost in Thailand,' 'My Love from the Star,' 'A Little Reunion,' and 'A Little Joy' were all minor or even major hits, not to mention their previous returns of 400% and their current returns of 325%."

"President Shen, please don't think it's too little. This part is transferred from other funds. Anyway, we have to invest. Investing in other people's funds is not as good as investing directly in Mohen. After all, I have witnessed your achievements."

After hanging up with Wang Changtian, Tang Ren's Cai Yinong called back, conveying a similar message: they planned to add tens of millions of yuan in investment for the second phase.

"Since the tree has already attracted the wind, instead of hiding from it, we should let the tree take deeper roots and grow more lush branches and leaves."

"To instill fear in those who covet it, and to make those who follow in its footsteps look up in awe."

Shen Mo picked up the internal phone: "Notify the core team that there will be a strategic meeting in Conference Room One in half an hour."

Half an hour later, the core management team of Mohen Capital and Mohen Pictures gathered together.

Shen Mo didn't waste any time on pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"First, public opinion guidance." He looked at Lin Wei, the public relations manager.

Regarding fund returns, we will maintain our current low-key approach of "no explanation, no boasting".

"However, necessary publicity is essential. We should release our research findings through third-party analysis institutions, emphasizing that our profits stem from accurate judgments of industry trends and downplaying the speculative nature of short-term operations."

"What we want to cultivate is the image of a strategic investor, not a hedge fund tycoon."

"Understood, Mr. Shen." Lin Wei quickly took notes.

"I have already connected with several influential financial think tanks and independent analysts, and the next step is to connect with news and interviews on mainstream financial television channels."

"Secondly, capital accumulation and in-depth industry cultivation." Shen Mo's gaze turned to Zhao Feng.

"Most of the excess profits of 'Ink Trace No. 1' are divided into three parts."

"A portion of the revenue is converted into the company's capital, and the second portion continues to be allocated to the long-term investment sector, further increasing holdings in stocks such as Apple and Moutai."

"The third part is to establish and prepare the 'Ink Trace No. 2' Internet Industry Fund, and transform 'Ink Trace No. 1' into a cultural and entertainment industry fund. The scale of the two funds has been expanded to the billion-level in this fundraising."

"Ink Trace No. 1's investment focus is on the integration of the upstream and downstream of the industry chain—content IP, content production, technology platform, derivative product development, and online..."

"Mohen No. 1's investment focus is on the integration of the upstream and downstream of the industry chain—content IP, content production, technology platform, derivative product development, online experience, and even overseas channels."

"Ink Trace No. 2's investment focus is on the development of the Internet industry—5G mobile Internet upstream and downstream, communications, technology, software ecosystem, and terminal consumption."

He paused, then emphasized his words.

"For this round of fundraising, the profit-sharing period has been changed to once a year."

"What we need are allies who believe in Mohen and are willing to walk alongside Mohen all the way."

"Then we will build a complete closed-loop ecosystem, making it impossible for others to target us."

Excitement flashed in Zhao Feng's eyes, and he nodded emphatically.

"Understood, Mr. Shen! We'll go wherever you point! We'll definitely transform this capital advantage into real industrial control."

Chen Zhixi immediately chimed in: "The film industry will fully cooperate, selecting high-quality projects, connecting resources, and ensuring that funds are invested accurately and yield high returns."

"Third, consolidate alliances and divide potential rivals."

Shen Mo lightly tapped the table with his fingertip.

"Wanqing, on my behalf, send a non-public briefing to Mr. Sun of Tencent, Mr. Lei of Xiaomi, Mr. Zhang of ByteDance, Mr. Wang of Magnesium Group, and our core partners of the 'Moying Alliance'."

"The content need not involve specific operations, but only emphasize the stability and long-term planning of Inkmark Capital, and reiterate our position of open cooperation and shared development."

"Especially for Mr. Sun, I can reveal that we are currently evaluating several super IP projects that can be deeply integrated with the Tencent platform."

A subtle smile curved his lips.

"We must reassure our friends, draw those who are wavering to our side, and make potential enemies weigh the costs of being our adversaries against the benefits of cooperating with us."

Zhou Wanqing understood immediately: "I understand, I will handle things properly."

"Finally," Shen Mo looked around the room, his tone carrying a sense of epoch-making certainty.

"The success of 'My Love from the Star,' 'A Little Reunion,' and 'A Little Joy,' as well as the stunning returns of this fund, have earned us unprecedented attention and a voice in the industry."

"But this is just the beginning. Next, we will promote the 'Ink Mark Standard'."

What is the "ink mark standard"?

"It's about high-quality products, industrialization, and data-driven approaches."

"From script evaluation, actor selection, production process to marketing strategy, we need to establish a replicable and measurable system."

"We need to build a consensus in the market that labeling something as 'Made by InkSign' and adopting InkSign's standards means a double guarantee of quality and profitability."

"This will be the cornerstone for us to weather any storm and even lead industry transformation in the future."

The turbulent waves of capital are being guided in his hands, washing away and reshaping the entire landscape of the cultural and entertainment industry.

The wind has risen, and he is about to ride this wind to soar to great heights.