Handong: Sha Li wants political achievements? I'll shut down the entire province.

Jingzhou International Hotel, Top Floor Meeting Room 1.

Li Dakang sat on the leather sofa, rubbing his thighs vigorously with both hands, his palms covered in cold sweat.

Across from me sat several blond, blue-eyed foreigners, all dressed in suits and ties, with arrogant manners.

Leading the group was George William, a representative of a multinational investment bank on Wall Street.

"Secretary Li, I saw what was happening outside from the car just now." George crossed his legs and swirled the coffee cup in his hand.

"With 300,000 people unemployed and vegetable prices doubling, the doors of your provincial party committee must be bursting at the seams, right?"

Li Dakang's face stiffened, and he coughed twice to cover his embarrassment.

"Mr. George, Handong has a solid foundation; this is just a temporary setback," he said, forcing a formal tone.

"If you invest now, the Bright Peak project is absolutely a goose that lays golden eggs!"

George put down his coffee cup and let out an undisguised sneer.

"A solid foundation? Secretary Li, the Lingxiao Consortium has drained you of all the basic technology and heavy equipment. You can't even build a thatched hut now."

He leaned forward, his sea-blue eyes gleaming with a greedy, ferocious light.

"We're willing to take it over, but the terms need to be changed." George held up two fingers.

"First, a $3 billion package to acquire Bright Peak and 120 other stalled projects in the surrounding area."

Li Dakang's eyelids twitched suddenly, and he almost jumped off the sofa.

"Three billion US dollars? That's just over 20 billion RMB! This is robbery!"

This price is less than half of the penalty fee left by Yan Qingfeng; it's practically robbing someone in their own home.

George shrugged, completely ignoring Li Dakang's anger, and continued to drop the second bombshell.

"Secondly, to ensure the safety of our investment, we will provide franchise rights for the future water supply, gas supply, and public transportation in Jingzhou City."

He paused, then grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

"We need to take over for thirty years."

"You're dreaming!" Li Dakang slammed his hand on the table and pointed at George's nose.

"To hand over the lives of the people to foreign capital? That's treason! I, Li Dakang, would rather die than sign that document!"

Sha Ruijin, who had been sitting and listening to the conversation, frowned deeply and coughed heavily.

"Comrade Dakang, sit down." Sha Ruijin's voice was low, revealing a deep sense of helplessness.

Li Dakang turned around in disbelief: "Secretary Sha! If we agree to these conditions, what will we become!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Sha Ruijin looked up at him, his eyes bloodshot.

"Hundreds of thousands of mouths are waiting to be fed! Did you bring back a single penny from your trip to Jiangnan Province yesterday?!"

Sha Ruijin's rhetorical question was like a blow to the back of Li Dakang's head.

He slumped back onto the sofa like a deflated balloon, clutching his head in anguish.

Sarrijin turned his head to look at George across from him and gritted his teeth.

"The provincial party committee needs to hold a meeting to discuss the franchise issue. But three billion US dollars is too little; we must increase the investment."

George understood the concession in Sarrikin's words and snapped his fingers triumphantly.

"Secretary Sha is a straightforward person. I'm hosting a private cocktail party at the hotel tonight, let's talk over drinks."

These foreign capitalists, like sharks smelling blood, were ready to tear this piece of fat meat, Handong, to shreds.

At the same time, at Lingxiao Manor on the outskirts of the city.

Sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on the rosewood desk.

The old butler, Afu, gently placed a miniature voice recorder on the table.

"Young Master, Ye Qingmei just intercepted some intelligence. George William's delegation is having tea with Sha and Li at the Jingzhou Grand Hotel."

Yan Qingfeng leaned back in his chair, his slender fingers toying with a pure gold lighter.

The recording clearly played George's outrageous remarks demanding the takeover of the Minsheng franchise.

"You think you can buy my stock at rock-bottom prices with just three billion US dollars?"

Yan Qingfeng pressed the pause button and let out a soft, cold laugh, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"They even dare to ask for tap water and gas. These foreign devils are incredibly audacious."

Afu stood to the side, his brows furrowed.

"Young Master, Sha Ruijin's attitude is clearly desperate; he's trying to use foreign investment to counterbalance our influence."

"If he really signs it, things will get really messy in Handong."

"I can't sign it." Yan Qingfeng stood up and casually threw the recording pen into the trash can.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the outline of Jingzhou city in the distance, a terrifying murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"The meat from Handong can only rot in my pot."

Yan Qingfeng stood with his hands in his pockets, his voice so cold it could freeze bones.

"Are these foreigners trying to take advantage of me while I'm flipping the table?"

"Then just break their legs and make them crawl back to Wall Street."

The study door was suddenly pushed open.

Su Jianxin, wearing a floral shirt and flip-flops, swept in like a gust of wind.

His eyes, dark from lack of sleep, gleamed with a bloodthirsty fervor.

"Master Yan! You called me?" Su Jianxin rubbed his hands excitedly. "Are we going to deal with those white pigs?"

Yan Qingfeng turned around and looked at his most ruthless financial hounds.

"Have you figured out the details of George William's parent company?"

"I know it all!" Su Jianxin snapped his fingers and pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

"The William Consortium, a Nasdaq-listed company. They recently invested in a large copper mine in South America, and their cash flow is stretched tighter than a musical instrument string."

He leaned closer to the desk, lowered his voice, and his tone revealed a fierce edge.

"As long as we have enough funds, I can break through their moat in less than two days, or even in half an hour."

Yan Qingfeng walked to the liquor cabinet and poured two glasses of whiskey.

He handed Su Jianxin a glass, and the glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.

"How much usable ammunition is left in that secret overseas account?" Yan Qingfeng asked casually.

Su Jianxin tilted his head back and gulped down the liquor, wincing from the spiciness.

"Two hundred billion. Not RMB, but US dollars." He grinned, laughing like a madman.

"Mr. Yan, if you throw all this money into Wall Street's pool, it could trigger a localized tsunami."

"That's enough." Yan Qingfeng put down his wine glass and picked up the Gospa cigar from the table.

With a "ding," the lighter flickered up a pale blue flame, igniting the tobacco leaf.

Yan Qingfeng exhaled a thick white smoke ring and squinted his eyes in the smoke.

"Go, activate the financial nuclear arsenal."

"I want to see the announcement of the bankruptcy liquidation of the William Consortium before midnight tonight."

Su Jianxin was so excited that he trembled all over and suddenly stood up at attention, giving a poor salute.

"Alright! Just you wait and see, tonight we'll put on the most expensive international fireworks show for you!"

After saying that, he turned and ran, his flip-flops making a loud thud in the corridor.

As night falls, the lights are on.

The crystal chandeliers in the top-floor banquet hall of the Jingzhou International Hotel are dazzling.

The melodious violin music flowed through the air, and the champagne tower reflected a hazy glow.

Li Dakang changed into a new suit, held a wine glass, and forced a smile as he weaved through the crowd.

Since Sha Ruijin has set the tone for talks, he has no choice but to grit his teeth and continue the play.

George William stood in the center of the hall, holding a glass of expensive champagne, his face flushed.

"Secretary Li, cheers to our upcoming century-long cooperation!" George raised his glass high.

Several foreigners joined in the commotion, as if they had already pocketed the core assets of Handong.

Li Dakang gritted his teeth, just about to raise his wine glass.

"Bang!"

The two heavy, carved wooden doors of the banquet hall were suddenly and violently slammed open from the outside.

The door slammed against the wall with a deafening crash, startling the violinist so much that he snapped a string.

Everyone turned around in astonishment.

Then the CFO of the William Group rushed in, stumbling and crawling.

His expensive bespoke suit was completely wrinkled, his blond hair was a mess like a bird's nest, and his tie was askew on the back of his head.

"Mr. George! Something's happened! The sky has fallen!"

The CFO turned deathly pale, as if he had seen a ghost, and collapsed onto the expensive carpet.

George frowned, walked over with displeasure, and kicked the other man in the thigh.

"You bastard! What's wrong with you? Can't you see I'm entertaining a distinguished guest?!"

The finance officer clung tightly to George's shoes, trembling like a leaf.

He raised his head, his face covered in tears and snot, his voice cracking and distorted.

"Headquarters just called urgently! As soon as Nasdaq opened, a trillion dollars of unexplained funds dumped shares and shorted us!"

"Our parent company's stock triggered circuit breakers three times, and our cash flow has completely dried up!"

"The chairman has ordered you to immediately cease all acquisition negotiations in Handong, buy a plane ticket back to China, and file for bankruptcy protection!"