Chapter 429: The First Card Falls

Pan Liu Xinyu's ninety-degree bow was almost enough to bury his head in the carpet.

This elder who has been a powerhouse in the Japanese financial world all his life now, like a newly enrolled elementary student, uses the most humble posture to swear loyalty to his teacher.

Lu Qingshan's face showed no trace of smugness, as if all of this were within his expectations.

He simply watched the other party calmly.

"Very good."

He spat out two words.

"Since we're now partners, I should also show some sincerity."

Lu Qingshan glanced at Ye Ning.

Ye Ning understood, took the third and final document from the black folder, and handed it to Pan Liu Xinyu.

Pan Liu Xinyu took it with both hands, opened it, and froze again.

The document's title was "Risk Hedging Strategy for Morgan Stanley Subprime Mortgage-Backed Securities".

It detailed how to hedge the risk of Morgan Stanley's 32 billion toxic assets exploding by buying credit default swaps (CDS) and short‑selling the related index.

It was a… antidote.

An antidote that could preserve Mitsubishi in the impending financial tsunami.

Pan Liu Xinyu's hand holding the document trembled even more violently.

He finally realized that the young man before him wasn't discussing business at all.

He was pointing him toward a way out.

First, with a lethal poison list, he pushed him to the edge of a cliff.

Then, with a devilish contract called "Titanic", he offered him a temptation to ascend to the heavens.

Finally, he gave him a life‑saving antidote, completely subjugating him.

Carrot and a big stick, threat and lure.

This young man from the East has taken the Imperial Mind Technique to its extreme.

"Mr. Lu's great kindness, Mitsubishi, the Pan Liu family… will never be forgotten!" Pan Liu Xinyu's voice trembled with sobbing as he bowed deeply again.

"I don't need you to remember my favor."

Lu Qingshan stood, walked to his side, and gently patted his shoulder.

"I only need you, according to the plan, to handle the first task."

"Now, immediately return to your office, convene an emergency board meeting. Then, before the Tokyo Stock Exchange closes, announce it to the whole world."

Lu Qingshan's voice was low, yet like a cold chisel, it hammered on Pan Liu Xinyu's heart repeatedly.

"Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group shall cease all capital‑injection negotiations with Morgan Stanley."

"The reason is that due diligence uncovered an 'unacceptable massive risk'."

Pan Liu Xinyu jerked his head up, his face filled with horror.

He had thought Lu Qingshan would have him cooperate, but didn't expect the first step to be so decisive, so ruthless!

It was equivalent to publicly announcing before the whole world that Morgan Stanley was a sinking wreck!

This wasn't merely terminating cooperation; it was a stab in the back!

"Mr. Lu… this… this will utterly enrage all of Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve…"

"So what?"

Lu Qingshan retorted.

"Do you think, after you give money to Morgan Stanley, they'll treat you as a friend?"

"No, they'll only see you as a foolish, Asian cash‑machine."

"When they recover, the first they will swallow is you, the 'benefactor' who knows too many of their secrets."

"But now, by stabbing them, everyone will fear you, respect you. Because you hold their Book of Life and Death in your hand."

Lu Qingshan's words completely crushed the last hint of hesitation in Pan Liu Xinyu's heart.

Indeed, better to be a feared enemy than a benefactor to be slaughtered.

"I… I understand now."

Pan Liu Xinyu clenched the document tightly, his expression like a gambler finally resolved to dance with the devil.

"Rest assured, Mr. Lu."

"Before 3 p. m. Tokyo time, the world will hear Mitsubishi's voice."

Having said that, he left the reception room with his secretary, not looking back.

His steps were even more resolute than when he arrived.

Saint Remo Apartment.

When Lu Qingshan returned to the top‑floor suite, the whole team's atmosphere remained in a tense wait.

The Morgan Stanley–Mitsubishi deal loomed over everyone's mind like a massive boulder.

"Boss, what's the status?"

David Cohen was the first to step forward, his face full of anxiety.

Lu Qingshan said nothing, merely walked to Ye Ning's side.

"Notify Wilson, and also our own trading team."

"'Titanic Plan', Phase One, officially launches."

"All allocated funds begin to purchase Lehman Brothers' put options in batches."

The order was issued.

Everyone in the room was stunned.

"Boss... about Mitsubishi..." Li Junjie couldn't help but ask.

"From now on, Mitsubishi is our ally," Lu Qingshan calmly announced the news.

"Ally... ally?"

David Cohen's eyes were about to pop out.

He opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something, but the massive amount of information slammed into his brain, leaving him unable to form words for a moment.

He just stared at Lu Qingshan as if looking at a monster, muttering repeatedly under his breath.

"My God... he went to the Four Seasons Hotel, and turned Japan's biggest capital into our... ally?"

"This is even more absurd than Moses parting the Red Sea..."

Lu Qingjun also wore a blank stare; he felt his perception being refreshed and reshaped by the big brother over and over again.

First he challenged the Emperor of Wall Street, and now he's even turned the Emperor's minister over to us?

"Stop standing there!"

Lu Qingshan's voice pulled everyone back from their shock.

"Execute the order!"

"Yes!"

Li Junjie and David Cohen jolted awake, their faces instantly replaced by a frenzy of excitement.

They rushed back to their computers, fingers pounding the keyboard like a torrential downpour.

Order after order to buy, routed through hundreds of disguised accounts, silently flowed into the options market.

They were preparing lifeboats to carve up the wreckage after the Lehman Brothers behemoth sank.

And just as they were buying wildly.

New York time, 11:30 a. m.

On the screens of every Financial Information Terminal worldwide, almost simultaneously, an urgent flash from Tokyo popped up in bold red.

【Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group issued an emergency statement: due to unforeseen massive financial risks discovered during due diligence, the group's board unanimously decided to immediately terminate all capital injection negotiations with the United States' Morgan Stanley.】

This news was like a deep‑water bomb detonating.

All of Wall Street, whose optimism had just surged because of the "9‑billion capital injection," was instantly blown to pieces.

Every trader stopped what they were doing, staring blankly at the short yet lethal text on the screen.

"Terminated? Why?"

"Massive financial risk? What risk? Didn't Morgan Stanley say everything was under control?"

"Scammers! They're all scammers! Wall Street is a huge lie!"

Panic, like a virus, spread to every corner of the market within a few seconds.

If even a giant like Morgan Stanley hides a "massive risk," what about the other financial institutions?

What about the Lehman Brothers, the one that was hyped up today...?

Investors' confidence began to crumble at that moment.

On the screen, Lehman Brothers' red K line, which had once shot up into the clouds, shuddered sharply the instant the news broke.

Immediately after, countless sell orders slammed out without warning!

The stock price fell in response!

Like a domino, the first piece fell.

In Saint Remo Apartment, everyone held their breath, watching the newly appeared, glaring green on the screen.

The dawn of victory was already showing.

At that moment, the private phone Lu Qingshan had placed on the table rang abruptly.

It wasn't the red encrypted phone.

Ye Ning picked up the phone, glanced at the caller ID, and her eternally unchanged expression finally showed a hint of movement.

She lifted her head and looked at Lu Qingshan.

"Boss."

"It's John Mc, the new Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Stanley."