Chapter 499: Star Sea International

In the blink of an eye, five days had passed!

Over the past few days, the entire Hong Kong stock market had been shrouded in gloom.

With the British Hong Kong government’s failed market rescue efforts, coupled with the impact of the mainland’s stance, the entire Hong Kong stock market had completely collapsed.

With no daily price limit system in place, and nearly everyone desperate to cut their losses and exit the market, everyone was holding their stocks high, eager to sell and hoping someone else would take them off their hands.

But who was willing to be the sucker at a time like this? Consequently, while there were many sellers, there were very few willing buyers.

Consequently, whether individual investors or institutions, everyone was forced to keep lowering their asking prices. The share prices of nearly all listed companies plummeted; some had even fallen by nearly half—truly a freefall.

With the stock market crashing, the Hang Seng Index was bound to fall.

On July 29, after the Hang Seng Index broke through the 1,500-point threshold, it plummeted another 100 points just one day later, falling below 1,400 points.

Although the decline moderated slightly in the following days, there was still no sign of a bottom.

By the close of trading on August 2, the Hang Seng Index had fallen to 1,321 points.

This relentless stock market decline has completely shattered investors’ already fragile confidence, and the entire Hong Kong Island—from the stock market to everyday life—has descended into chaos!

However, this had little impact on Li Yi. Over the past few days, aside from occasionally checking the Hang Seng Index, he had devoted almost all his attention to his investment firm.

Since the Far East Association had agreed to release them, they had terminated their contracts with Lan Xinyi and the others without any conditions attached.

Consequently, Lan Xinyi, Lan Xinming, Cai Bingyan, and others have now officially signed contracts with Li Yi’s Star Sea International Investment Company, becoming the first employees of this conglomerate destined to go down in history.

Subsequently, under Li Yi’s instructions, Lan Xinyi and the others first rented a large open-plan office in an office building near the city center to serve as the company’s temporary headquarters.

The reason they didn’t rent a larger space was mainly because Li Yi knew that property prices on Hong Kong Island were about to plummet. Rather than spending a fortune renting someone else’s property now, he preferred to wait until he could withdraw his funds from the stock market and then buy a standalone property at rock-bottom prices to serve as the company’s headquarters.

Although it was only a temporary office, Li Yi was unwilling to settle for anything less than the best.

After all, a good office environment not only lifts people’s spirits but also boosts employee productivity.

Therefore, after securing the office space, he immediately had it lightly renovated.

It didn’t need to be luxurious, but it had to be clean and tidy at the very least.

While the office was being renovated, Li Yi, along with Lan Xinyi and others, began a large-scale recruitment drive.

A qualified investment firm requires not only investment specialists but also professionals in finance, legal affairs, human resources, public relations, risk management, project evaluation, and more.

Even the smallest investment firm needs at least a dozen employees.

Li Yi had ambitious plans, so he needed a significant number of people. According to his plan, the first batch of employees alone would number no fewer than 50.

As the core team of the company, Li Yi had extremely high standards for every new recruit, and he personally interviewed every applicant who came in.

Because Li Yi’s standards were so high, they interviewed a total of 228 people over three days, but only 17 met his approval—an acceptance rate of less than 10%.

Although the company’s acceptance rate isn’t very high, the salary is quite attractive.

At the time, the base salary for most employees was only around 1,800 Hong Kong dollars; even in the financial industry, where wages were slightly higher, they rarely exceeded 3,000 Hong Kong dollars.

However, Star Ocean International Investment offers a base salary of HK$3,500, and the contract explicitly states that meal, transportation, and housing allowances will be provided, which add up to an additional HK$500 per month.

In other words, even the most junior staff at Star Ocean International can earn HK$4,000 a month, which is absolutely top-tier pay in the industry.

In comparison, someone like Lan Xinyi, who has been appointed as a department manager, has a guaranteed monthly base salary of HK$5,000. When you add up all the various allowances, her monthly take-home pay is no less than HK$7,000.

In addition, the company promises an end-of-year bonus, the amount of which will be determined based on the company’s year-end performance.

With such high salaries, especially in the midst of a full-blown stock market crash, the appeal was undeniable.

Every day, Star Ocean International Investment received a flood of resumes, many from highly educated candidates.

Determined to get the company up and running as quickly as possible, Li Yi went all out, personally conducting employee interviews first thing every morning. Finally, by the end of the workday on August 3, he had successfully recruited 50 new employees…

………..

Taiping Mountain, Cloud Peak No. 1!

Li Yi had just returned home and was about to take a shower when the phone suddenly rang.

Li Yi stopped immediately and answered the phone: “This is Li Yi, who’s calling?”

“Mr. Li, the boss is here!”

“Tell Old Huang to come up. I’ll be waiting for him in the study!”

“Yes, sir!”

Li Yi had just stepped into the study in his robe when he heard the sound of footsteps thudding down the hallway. Fortunately, the floor was covered with expensive carpets, so the sound wasn’t too loud.

Less than a minute later, Huang Lixing walked in, holding a bottle of red wine.

“Have a seat!”

Then Li Yi asked with a smile, “What made you think of coming to see me today?”

“I’m feeling a bit restless. I thought I’d come over for a drink!” Huang Lixing said with a sigh.

“What’s wrong? What’s got you so worked up?” Li Yi asked immediately.

“A friend of mine died!”

“Uh… Who? Do I know him? How did he die?”

“His last name was Lin. You don’t know him. He was also in investments. This stock market crash not only bankrupted his company overnight but also left him with debts he could never pay off in a lifetime, so he jumped off the roof of his office building!”

As he spoke, Huang Lixing had already opened the bottle of red wine in his hand, poured himself a glass, and downed it in one gulp!

It was clear he held this friend in high regard and was deeply saddened at that moment.

Li Yi didn’t try to comfort him. Instead, he poured himself a glass and silently took a sip alongside him.

The stock market is risky; invest with caution.

It’s easy to make money in the stock market, but it’s just as easy to lose it—especially under current conditions where price fluctuations are unregulated.

A single piece of good news can easily double a stock’s price, while a single piece of bad news can halve it in an instant—it’s truly a case of heaven one hour, hell the next.

And in the event of a market crash, the vast majority of people could lose their entire investment. Huang Lixing’s friend is not the first, nor will he be the last.

It wasn’t until he’d downed three glasses that Huang Lixing’s mood finally calmed down a little.

“Lin Shaolun called me before he killed himself, asking me to help him!”

“Did you refuse?”

“No, I just told him that all my money is tied up in the stock market right now, and that I’d help him resolve this once I’m done with my business there!”

At this point, Huang Lixing’s tone couldn’t help but turn bitter and angry: “That bastard thought I was stuck in the stock market just like him. He hung up the phone and jumped right after!”

Hearing this, Li Yi began to understand Huang Lixing. It was clear he had wanted to help the other man and had the means to do so.

But the other guy had completely misunderstood, and it ultimately led to a tragedy. This whole thing was just a total mess.

“So what are you going to do?”

“What else can I do? I’ll just keep an eye on his wife and kids, make sure no one takes advantage of them. Sigh!”

“Life and death are in the hands of fate. Just let it go,” Li Yi said.

“By the way, Li Yi, when the stock market closed this afternoon, the Hang Seng Index had already dropped to 1,256 points. When are you planning to cash out?” Huang Lixing asked.

“Tomorrow!”

“You’re really going to settle tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I reckon the Hang Seng Index will drop below 1,200 points tomorrow. When that happens, we’ll settle our contracts with the institutions, and the money will be safely in our pockets!”

“Alright, I’ll go with you tomorrow!”

“Alright!”

……….

Wan Chai Pier. The Green Dragon Society!

After hearing Li Yi’s analysis, Huang Lixing was in high spirits.

He was already quite wealthy to begin with; whether on Hong Kong Island or the mainland, he was a true millionaire.

Now that they’d made a huge profit in the stock market, Huang Lixing conservatively estimated his net worth to be at least 2 billion—most of it in cash—once the funds were settled.

If he could truly withdraw safely from the underworld, that would indeed be a rare cause for celebration.

But just as he was daydreaming about a cozy life with his wife and kids, Li Yi suddenly said, “Old Huang, I don’t think you need to rush into shutting down your pier business just yet. Instead, you should shut down the casino operations first!”

Hearing this, Huang Lixing was momentarily taken aback, staring at Li Yi in shock.

In his view, Li Yi was the kind of law-abiding citizen who strictly followed the rules—a fact evident from his past conduct.

Therefore, he assumed Li Yi would strongly disapprove of illegal activities like smuggling, but he never imagined he would say something so outrageous.

“Brother Li Yi, are you serious?”

Li Yi nodded and said, “I’m not joking. Although your dock business is indeed illegal in the eyes of the British Hong Kong government, it only harms the government’s interests—it brings nothing but benefits to the common people!”

“More importantly, your dock business will be of immense help to what we’re about to undertake. It would be a shame to just give it up like that!”

Actually, Li Yi didn’t have anything against the gray-area business of smuggling.

Although it is indeed an illegal business, whether smuggling is good or bad for a country depends on the circumstances.

Over the past few decades, we’ve been under Western blockades and embargoes, and many urgently needed supplies and industrial machinery were brought back into the country through smuggling.

Huang Lixing looked at Zhou Yang intently, making sure he wasn’t joking, then said, “Brother Li Yi, can you tell me exactly what you’re up to? Why do you need a smuggling team?”

“Bro, I started out as a laborer hauling heavy bags at the docks. It took me decades of hard work to get where I am today, so I know this business inside and out.”

“Don’t be fooled by the fact that shipping is a highly profitable business—the risks are unimaginable. You might make a fortune on ten trips, but one single mishap could wipe you out. So take my advice: if there’s any other line of work you can do, for heaven’s sake, don’t go down this path!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Old Huang, I know all that, but I’m not asking you to keep this team around to make money!”

“Then what is it?”

After a brief pause, Li Yi looked at Huang Lixing and said, “Old Huang, what do you think of the situation back home?”

“Apart from being a bit poor, things are actually pretty good!”

“Yeah, the country is poor!”

Li Yi continued, “A major reason the country is poor is the various blockades imposed on us by the West, led by the ‘Eagle Thieves’—from the economy to technology and every other aspect.”

“Although we’ve already implemented reform and opening-up, imperialism hasn’t given up on its ambition to destroy us. They still maintain strict controls over key technologies and equipment. Therefore, we need to use special means and channels to acquire technologies and equipment that benefit our people. In the future, this will be a major business focus for our investment company!”

After hearing Li Yi’s words, Huang Lixing was once again taken aback by his vision.

After a moment’s thought, he looked at Li Yi and said, “Brother, do you really think this will work? This isn’t like smuggling ordinary appliances—if we get caught, we’ll just have to pay a fine!”

“If we smuggle the kind of goods you’re talking about, and the British Hong Kong government finds out, they might treat us as spies!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Why wouldn’t it work? There are plenty of people on Hong Kong Island working covertly for the mainland, and I haven’t seen the British Hong Kong government dare to take action against them!”

Huang Lixing’s eyes lit up, and he immediately whispered, “Brother Li Yi, are you talking about the Huo family?”

Li Yi nodded with a smile!

It was common knowledge on Hong Kong Island that the Huo family worked for the mainland, and Huang Lixing knew this better than most.

The Huo family first began working for the mainland during the Korean War. At that time, large quantities of scarce supplies—such as medicine, gasoline, and tires—raised by patriotic merchants were stranded in Hong Kong and couldn’t be shipped back to the mainland. So, someone approached the Huo family and asked them to help smuggle the supplies across to Shekou Port.

At the time, the Huo family organized over a dozen ships and more than two hundred employees, working day and night to dispatch “special embargo shipments” to Shekou Port. Huang Lixing had only recently arrived in Hong Kong Island and was working as a porter at the docks controlled by the Huo family, so he was intimately familiar with the operation.

“Brother Li Yi, the Huo family is having a rough time right now. If you really go through with this, you’d better be prepared for the consequences!” Huang Lixing said.

Although the Huo family was highly secretive, the British colonial government in Hong Kong did not discover until the end of the Korean War that they had been secretly transporting scarce supplies across the strait.

But there’s no such thing as a wall that doesn’t let the wind through; eventually, the British Hong Kong government found out about it. As a result, for the past twenty-plus years since the 1950s, the Huo family has repeatedly faced malicious suppression and political isolation from the British Hong Kong authorities.

For instance, whenever the Huo family sought to purchase land from the government, even terms that had already been agreed upon would be renegotiated at the last minute. When they wanted to invest in a container terminal, the British Hong Kong government repeatedly raised the entry barriers, intending to deter them.

Li Yi was naturally aware of this, but he didn’t care in the slightest. Smiling, he said, “Old Huang, let’s not even mention that we have a legitimate company as a front—outsiders usually can’t detect this. Even if they did find out, so what?”

“Given the mainland’s tough stance, the British Hong Kong government won’t last long. The fact that they dare not touch the Huo family is the best proof of that!”

Huang Lixing thought for a moment and said, “Alright, since Brother Li Yi thinks this is doable, I’m definitely on board!”

Li Yi nodded, then asked, “By the way, Old Huang, does the investment company you registered for me have an office yet?”

“Um… I’ve got a few empty rooms here. With a little sprucing up, they’d be ready to use…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi shook his head and said, “No, that won’t work. There are too many people around here—who knows how many eyes are watching every day. I’d better find another place!”

“That’s fine. Since you’re running an investment firm, it really isn’t suitable to have an office over here at the docks!” Huang Lixing said.

“Okay, I’ll handle this!”

Then Li Yi added, “By the way, Old Huang, get some men ready over the next few days and have them stand by at the docks, waiting for my orders!”

Huang Lixing’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately whispered, “Brother, is it that young master from the Li family…”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Just keep this to yourself!”

“Alright, I’ll personally be stationed at the docks. As soon as anything happens, we’ll spring into action!”

“Alright, I’ll be heading out now!”

“Wait!”

Then Huang Lixing said, “I just got a call from Chairman Li’s assistant. He said he had something to give you, but he couldn’t reach you, so I told him to bring it here. Why don’t you wait for him?”

Li Yi knew that Assistant Zhou must be coming to deliver the contracts for Lan Xinyi and the others, so he nodded immediately and said, “Alright, I’ll wait then!”

“Alright…”

………

PS: There’s one more chapter before 11 PM!

After successfully taking over Cloud Peak No. 1, a cheerful Li Yi didn’t linger long in the mansion and quickly left with his entourage.

After descending from Victoria Peak, Li Yi immediately instructed Tie Ying to drive to Wan Chai Pier—he intended to pay a visit to the Green Dragon Society’s headquarters!

Of course, Li Yi wasn’t going there out of idle curiosity, nor was it simply for the sake of it.

Rather, he felt it was time to discuss the new company with Huang Lixing, and while he was at it, Li Yi also wanted to see Huang Lixing’s business operations on Hong Kong Island.

Tie Ying had received his instructions from Huang Lixing: Li Yi’s orders were his own. Even if Li Yi had asked him to take them to the Green Dragon Society’s headquarters, he wouldn’t have hesitated.

The convoy drove slowly through the crowded city for nearly an hour before finally arriving at a rather quiet pier.

Contrary to his expectations of towering skyscrapers, all he saw were low, dilapidated, old-fashioned houses—it felt as if he had stepped into a slum.

The dilapidation was one thing, but what left Li Yi even more speechless was that the vessels moored at the pier weren’t warships or cruise liners—they were all rickety fishing boats, none of which appeared to be even a thousand-ton class.

The desolation and dilapidation here stood in stark contrast to Victoria Harbour, which Li Yi had visited before.

After winding through the streets, the car finally came to a stop in front of a dilapidated industrial building.

Immediately, Iron Eagle honked the car horn!

Instantly, a piercing beeping sound rang out at the entrance.

Seeing the convoy approach, more than a dozen henchmen poured out from the factory.

Each of these henchmen wore tight black vests, their heads either shaved bald or dyed yellow, green, or an even brighter red.

Just seeing these guys standing on the street, you didn’t even need them to say a word to know what they were up to!

But this was a common sight in Hong Kong during the 70s and 80s, so it wasn’t exactly surprising.

As soon as he saw the henchmen approaching, Iron Eagle rolled down his car window and said, “It’s me!”

“We were blind not to recognize Brother Eagle, huh!”

With that, the leader of the henchmen pushed open the gate and let Tie Ying and his crew in.

Once the car pulled into the factory, Li Yi realized there was a whole other world inside.

From the outside, the entire factory appeared to be a single, unified structure, but once inside, it became clear that it was actually divided into several distinct sections.

Although there were many people bustling about inside—both men and women—their uniforms varied.

Some wore black vests, some wore white vests, and others wore orange vests; from a distance, they looked just like the sanitation workers on the streets of later times.

As far as Li Yi knew, although the Qinglong Society—to which Old Huang belonged—was nominally a gang, it was actually composed of three branches. These three branches operated independently, their relationship more akin to a cooperative arrangement.

As expected, the different uniforms represented the different branches!

Under Tie Ying’s control, the car drove all the way to the front of a large warehouse at the very back of the compound before coming to a stop.

“Mr. Li, we’re here!”

Li Yi nodded and got out immediately.

Seeing Li Yi get out, Lan Xinyi and the others also stepped out of the car, their hearts filled with a touch of trepidation.

“Mr. Li, the boss is inside. I’ll take you to him!” said Tie Ying.

“Alright!”

Led by Tie Ying, Li Yi and the others walked through the warehouse area and arrived at the section behind the factory building.

After passing through these makeshift warehouses, the space opened up before them, and a small four-story building came into view.

There were guards stationed at the entrance, but upon seeing Tie Ying leading the group, they did not stop them.

Once they had entered the building without incident, Li Yi noticed that the first floor was actually filled with people dressed in shirts and slacks. If it weren’t for the henchmen outside wielding knives and clubs, Li Yi would have thought he’d walked into a modern corporation!

Tie Ying didn’t take Lan Xinyi and the others upstairs; instead, he found an empty conference room on the first floor and settled them in there!

Only after that did he take Li Yi up to the fourth floor.

When he reached the door to Huang Lixing’s office, Li Yi saw A Biao standing outside with two bodyguards, while the sound of Huang Lixing arguing with someone could be heard from inside.

Even through the closed door, Li Yi could sense Old Huang’s anger.

Upon seeing Li Yi, A-Biao hurried over and said, “Mr. Li, what brings you here?”

“I had some business with Old Huang, but it looks like he’s a bit busy!”

“Right, the boss is in the middle of negotiations. Why don’t you wait in the reception room next door?”

“Alright!”

After arriving at the reception room A-Biao had mentioned, a henchman soon brought him some coffee.

Bored, Li Yi walked over to the window with his coffee.

Looking out the window, Li Yi discovered that the building was right on the waterfront. Not only was there a pier behind it, but several well-maintained speedboats were moored alongside it.

At that moment, Li Yi seemed to understand. Clearly, the Qinglong Society used this dock to transport smuggled goods to Hong Kong Island, then distributed them through various channels.

The fact that the Qinglong Society controlled such a large dock here clearly meant their power was not to be underestimated.

Just as Li Yi was deep in thought, a sudden loud crash came from outside—it sounded like a door slamming.

This was immediately followed by Huang Lixing’s furious roar…

A moment later, the door to the reception room where Li Yi was sitting swung open, and Huang Lixing walked in.

“Brother Li Yi, I got into a bit of a long argument with those bastards. Sorry to keep you waiting!”

“No problem, I haven’t been here that long anyway!”

“Come on, let’s talk in my office!”

“Alright!”

The two then walked one after the other into Huang Lixing’s office!

The office wasn’t very large, but it was nicely decorated.

After sitting down across from each other at a small round table, Huang Lixing immediately asked, “Brother Li Yi, what brings you here?”

“I’d like to talk to you about our new company!”

“Sure, I happen to have some time. What do you want to talk about?” Huang Lixing asked right away.

“How many people have we recruited for the security company so far?”

“Not many—just over ten, but I’m not sure how many will stick around in the end,” Huang Lixing replied.

“No problem. Just recruit people according to my specifications for now. Later, I’ll bring in a group of elite personnel from the mainland to take charge of operations!”

As he spoke, Li Yi thought of his brother-in-law. From what he knew, his brother-in-law wasn’t just an ordinary soldier. Although he’d never seen him in action, he had witnessed him lose his temper—and a single glare from him was enough to silence a whole gang of thugs.

So Li Yi planned to ask his brother-in-law when he got back, to see if he could help connect him with a group of retired comrades-in-arms.

If these men were willing to come to Hong Kong, their skills combined with their discipline would surely get the security company he and Old Huang owned up and running.

“Brother Li Yi, to be honest, I’ve never quite understood how this security company you’re talking about actually operates, or how it would benefit us,” Huang Lixing said.

Li Yi took a moment to gather his thoughts before replying, “I told you before I came here: I can help you get out of the underworld. Even if you truly wash your hands of it, you won’t have to worry about ending up dead on the streets—and this security firm is the key!”

“Just with this company?”

“Exactly. Most people who retire from the underworld only to meet a tragic end share two things in common: first, they lack the power to deter their enemies after leaving the scene; second, their retirement threatens the interests of too many people!”

Li Yi continued, “As long as we address these two issues, you can retire from the underworld whenever you want!”

“Can this security firm solve both of those problems?”

“Of course it can. Once this security firm is up and running, you’ll not only have the firepower to intimidate your opponents, but you’ll be even stronger. You have to understand that members of a legitimate security firm are authorized to carry firearms. With a gun in your hand, what is there to fear?”

Li Yi added, “Furthermore, once the company is established, you can recruit all your trusted brothers into the security firm. That way, the men who’ve fought alongside you through thick and thin can not only quickly clean up their records but also secure a well-paying job!”

“As long as these brothers of yours still genuinely support you, who could possibly touch you—whether it’s your enemies or your former partners?”

After hearing Li Yi’s analysis, Huang Lixing’s eyes were filled with excitement.

Having been in the underworld for so many years, he could naturally tell whether what Li Yi was saying was feasible.

Of course, if he had to do it on his own, it clearly wouldn’t work.

But now that Li Yi was stepping in to take charge, it would naturally be no problem. He could finally wash his hands of the underworld and retire in triumph!

However, Li Yi’s next words left him completely speechless!

Hong Kong. Mid-Levels Villa!

The Next Day!

Li Yi woke up early and gathered Lan Xinyi and the others.

Just as Lan Xinyi and the others thought he was going to lead the team to the stock exchange, Li Yi unexpectedly told them they were moving.

At this announcement, not only were Lan Xinyi and the others taken aback, but even Tie Ying, Ah Bin, and the others were stunned.

They were with Li Yi every day and hadn’t heard a word about him buying property anywhere—how could he just decide to move like that!

Just as everyone was puzzled, Li Yi grabbed a brown paper bag and led the group out the door.

Once they were in the car, Tie Ying immediately asked, “Mr. Li, where are we going now?”

“To the mountaintop—the Yunding Villa District!”

Hearing this, Tie Ying and Lan Xinyi, who was sitting in the passenger seat, were both stunned.

They were, of course, familiar with the Cloud Peak Villa District—it was, without a doubt, the most luxurious residential area on the entire island of Hong Kong.

It was said that not a single ordinary person lived there—only Hong Kong’s wealthiest tycoons and most powerful figures resided there, and living there was a symbol of status.

To purchase property in the Cloud Peak Villa District, one must not only possess immense financial resources but also have substantial connections.

Those with slightly less clout could only afford luxury homes in the Mid-Levels area.

“Mr. Li, are you referring to the Cloud Top Villa District on Victoria Peak?” Tie Ying asked for confirmation.

“Yes, that’s the place. Let’s go!”

Upon receiving the affirmative reply, Tie Ying wasted no time; he immediately started the car and headed straight for the Cloud Top Villa District.

Huang Lixing’s villa was situated halfway up Victoria Peak; the straight-line distance to the summit wasn’t particularly far—in fact, it was quite close.

However, getting from here to the Cloudtop Villa District was far from as simple and quick as one might imagine, because along the way, their car was actually stopped four times.

Due to the continuous development of Tai Ping Shan by major real estate companies over the years, the entire mountain has been surrounded by various villas, estates, and mansions.

To protect these wealthy families, not only had the British Hong Kong government set up roadblocks here to inspect unfamiliar vehicles,

Even the security firms hired by the various villa communities have set up roadblocks. Unless you’re in a familiar vehicle or have someone to guide you, outsiders simply cannot reach the Peak smoothly.

As for attempting to commit any illegal acts here, that was even more difficult.

Consequently, public safety around Victoria Peak is absolutely the best on Hong Kong Island; some even joke that even if the Governor’s Residence were robbed, Victoria Peak would remain unscathed.

After more than half an hour of being stopped and going around, the motorcade finally arrived at the main gate of the Cloudtop Villas just before 8:00 a.m.

The main gate of the villa complex is the face of the property, and as the pinnacle of luxury residences on Hong Kong Island, the entrance to the Cloudtop Villas… certainly did not disappoint Li Yi!

Luxurious, grand, and majestic!

Of course, the security guards standing watch at the entrance were a fitting match for this grand gate. When they saw that Li Yi and his group were driving unfamiliar cars, they immediately stepped forward to stop them.

“Sir, this is the Genting Villa District. Without an invitation from a local homeowner, you are not permitted to enter!”

The service was thorough, and their attitude polite, but there was still a certain air of superiority to their tone.

Rolling down the window, Li Yi said calmly, “I’m the property owner here. I’m here to take possession of the house today!”

The security guard was taken aback at first. There were only 24 homes in the Cloud Peak Villa Complex, and he hadn’t heard of anyone selling theirs—so what on earth was this man here to take possession of?

But security guards here weren’t exactly lacking in sharp eyes.

Though unsure if it was true, he didn’t question Li Yi rashly. Instead, he hurriedly said, “Hello, sir. Please show us your ID and proof of ownership so we can register you!”

Li Yi didn’t beat around the bush; he simply handed over the manila envelope he was holding.

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, the security guard opened the manila envelope.

At a single glance, he recognized the property deed inside. Every deed for the Yunding Villa District was custom-made; it was virtually impossible for an ordinary person to forge.

But when he opened the document and saw that the property code was “Cloudtop No. 1,” he was completely stunned.

He had been working at the Cloud Peak Villa District for seven years and was well-acquainted with the layout. Among the 24 villas, Numbers 1, 5, and 9 were considered the most luxurious.

Villa No. 1, in particular, had caused a sensation across Hong Kong Island a few years ago when it was sold for 158 million Hong Kong dollars, but it was ultimately gifted by the real estate company that developed the estate to the Li family, the head of the Four Great Families.

For reasons unknown, no one from the Li family had lived there in recent years, and the mansion had remained vacant.

Who would have thought that this mansion has now become the property of the gentleman standing before him!

Stunned, the security guard hurriedly said, “Sir, I’m sure you’re aware of the situation regarding Genting No. 1. I need to report this to property headquarters. Please wait a moment!”

“Alright, but please make it quick!”

“Yes, sir!”

The security guard on duty returned the document folder to Li Yi and hurried off toward the security booth at the main gate.

Less than two minutes later, the young security guard jogged back to Li Yi and his group’s car, saluted, and said, “I’m sorry, sir, for keeping you waiting. Our manager will be here shortly. He’ll personally accompany you to take over the property!”

“Alright!”

Less than five minutes later, a black sedan pulled out from inside and stopped at the main gate.

Immediately afterward, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in his forties stepped out.

He jogged over to Li Yi’s car and asked respectfully, “Is that Mr. Li?”

“That’s me,” Li Yi replied casually.

“Hello, Mr. Li. I’m Xie Huatian, the property manager at Cloudtop Villas.”

Manager Xie continued, “We received a call from Assistant Zhou yesterday informing us that Villa No. 1 at Cloud Peak has been transferred to your name. All you need to do now is come to the property office to complete the paperwork, and I’ll take you to Villa No. 1 to take possession of the property!”

“Alright, thank you for your help, Manager Xie!”

“It’s no trouble at all—it’s my pleasure!”

“Please lead the way!”

“Sure!”

With someone to guide them, the rest was much simpler.

Soon, the group arrived at the property management office. After completing the necessary paperwork, Manager Xie escorted Li Yi and the others to the front of a detached villa.

As Lan Xinyi, Tie Ying, Lan Xinming, Cai Bingyan, Pang Qiaoling, and the others got out of the car one by one, they were all stunned by the massive villa before them.

What met their eyes was a small artificial lake; judging by the structures and lighting above it, it appeared to be a fountain as well.

A villa with an artificial lake and a fountain—can you believe it?

Next, the group got a proper look at the villa itself. It stood against the ridge of Taiping Mountain, entirely white, surrounded by nothing but lawns and rare tree species.

Shaded by lush greenery, it exuded a vibrant vitality.

The lower level of the villa was built into the hillside, featuring an irregular shape, while the upper section consisted of a three-story structure.

At a glance, the villa’s footprint appears to be no less than 1,500 square meters. Although it’s unclear if there are additional structures below ground, the four above-ground levels alone total five or six thousand square meters.

On Hong Kong Island, where every inch of land is precious, this is an absolutely unimaginable sight.

However, Li Yi paid it no mind; he merely glanced at it before opening the villa’s door and stepping inside.

Upon entering the villa, everyone was once again stunned by the opulent interior—marble staircases, exquisite carpets, and jade sculptures. It was the epitome of luxury!

What pleased Li Yi most was that the furniture inside was brand new. After asking Manager Xie a few questions, he learned that all the furniture had been replaced just yesterday afternoon.

Upon hearing this, Li Yi couldn’t help but nod, thinking to himself that Chairman Li was a decent guy—someone worth dealing with!

Li Yi then led the group on a thorough tour of the entire villa. They discovered that in addition to the four upper floors, there was a basement level primarily used for parking.

It was worth noting that the garage below even housed a brand-new Mercedes-Benz, which was clearly prepared for him by Chairman Li.

After successfully taking possession of the villa, Li Yi stood at the fourth-floor window, gazing down at the massive swimming pool on the first-floor rooftop, its waters rippling like emerald waves. He felt elated.

It had been only half a month since he arrived on Hong Kong Island on July 15th, and now he was living in the island’s most luxurious villa.

More importantly, this villa was not merely a high-quality residence for him—it was a stepping stone to breaking into Hong Kong’s high-society circles!

Now that he had the house and his first batch of employees, it was time to get that investment firm up and running…

………

After leaving the Li family estate, Huang Lixing felt a bit uneasy.

He couldn’t stop thinking about the words Li Yi had spoken just before leaving!

If it had come from just anyone, he might not have taken it seriously, but coming from Li Yi, it was a different story.

He knew what Li Yi was capable of. Since he dared to say that, it surely meant trouble was coming for the Young Master Li.

However, since Li Yi had made that remark without revealing the full truth to the other party, if anything were to happen to the eldest young master, would Chairman Li hold them responsible?

So, once they were in the car, Huang Lixing kept glancing at Li Yi beside him, hesitating to speak!

Naturally, this behavior didn’t escape Li Yi’s notice. So, as soon as the car started moving, Li Yi looked at Huang Lixing and said, “Old Huang, just say what’s on your mind. Don’t pull these little stunts—they’re bound to cause misunderstandings!”

Huang Lixing was instantly amused by Li Yi’s words and replied, “Brother Li Yi, that young Master Li really…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi cut him off, saying, “With a face like that, I’m just telling it like it is!”

“Is there any chance of a change?”

Perhaps to avoid any misunderstanding on Li Yi’s part, Huang Lixing quickly explained, “A few years ago, Chairman Li did me a favor. Though it might have been a small thing to him, I’ve always kept it in my heart. If possible, I’d like to return the favor!”

Li Yi said calmly, “Of course there are ways to change things like this, but I advise you not to get involved!”

“Why?”

“For one thing, even if you mean well and offer a warning, that young Master Li might not believe you—he might even mock you for it. It’s a thankless task!”

Li Yi continued, “On the other hand, given that young Master Li’s temperament, suffering a bit of a setback might not be such a bad thing!”

Upon hearing Li Yi’s words, Huang Lixing fell silent.

Everyone in Hong Kong knew Young Master Li’s temperament. Though he wasn’t exactly a wastrel, he was arrogant and haughty, making him extremely difficult to get along with.

He harbored a natural hostility, especially toward people in the business world and the underworld.

If he really stepped in to help, the outcome would surely be just as Li Yi had said.

After a brief pause, Huang Lixing spoke again: “Is it really okay for us to just stay out of this?”

“I didn’t say we wouldn’t get involved—it’s just not the right time yet!”

Huang Lixing’s eyes lit up instantly. He nodded immediately and said, “Iron Eagle is someone I trained from scratch—he’s absolutely trustworthy. If there’s anything you need, Brother Li Yi, you can just give him the order!”

“Alright!”

After saying that, Li Yi closed his eyes and fell silent.

Seeing this, Huang Lixing tactfully dropped the subject and turned his gaze out the window.

Meanwhile, Li Yi’s mind was carefully piecing together the details of Li Yunbao’s recent misfortune!

Li Yi wasn’t just making things up when he said Li Yunbao was in for trouble—it was a fact, and he’d heard it straight from Li Yunbao’s own mouth.

Of course, all of this had happened in his previous life.

He remembered that Li Yunbao had told him this story on the very day of his father’s funeral.

After the burial, once all the relatives and friends had left, Li Yunbao dragged Li Yi into his father’s luxurious mansion in Siam to drink.

Bolstered by the alcohol, Li Yunbao began telling him about himself and his father.

According to Li Yunbao, although he was the heir to a multi-billion-dollar fortune, he had never been interested in business from a young age. He believed that all merchants, including his father, made their money through bloodshed, which is why he despised the business world.

Compounded by his parents’ marital issues, he came to deeply resent his father as an adult, and their relationship was once extremely strained.

This situation persisted until around 1981, when the kidnapping incident finally made him realize that his father truly loved him. It was only then that the two men truly reconciled.

Li Yunbao also provided a detailed account of the kidnapping. He was abducted shortly after the 1981 stock market crash; his captor was the father of a friend.

The man had suffered massive losses in the stock market crash and was on the verge of bankruptcy, which is why he orchestrated the kidnapping.

Although he was eventually rescued by his father, the latter lost 500 million Hong Kong dollars in the process.

Compounded by the fact that his father’s company had also been severely impacted by the crash, he was forced to sell a portion of the family company’s shares, which ultimately triggered internal strife within the family.

It was precisely through these experiences that Li Yunbao truly matured and learned to understand his father.

Although he still hasn’t taken over the family business, his relationship with his father has improved significantly because of this kidnapping incident.

In this lifetime, the stock market crash erupted as expected, and barring any surprises, the kidnapping would happen as well.

Li Yi had originally intended to help Li Yunbao avoid this disaster, but upon further reflection, he realized it might not be such a good thing after all.

Perhaps for Li Futiao and Li Yunbao, the loss of a few hundred million yuan was nothing; what mattered most was that father and son could reconcile.

Li Yi clearly remembered that in his previous life, after hearing the story of Li Yunbao and his father, he had been filled with envy.

In Li Yi’s view, no matter what, Li Yunbao and his father had ultimately chosen to reconcile, and Li Yunbao was even able to be by his father’s side to fulfill his filial duties in his old age.

But he himself had never had that chance, because his father had long since passed away from illness. Li Yi knew his father had never forgiven him before his death, and there had been no reconciliation between them.

That was precisely why Li Yi had merely given the Li family a gentle reminder, without delving into further details!

Li Yi decided to take things one step at a time, doing his best to play this role convincingly without affecting the course of events from his past life!

Ideally, he could teach that brat Li Yunbao a lesson while also preventing the Li family from suffering financial losses.

Of course, with the money earned from the stock market, even if those 500 million yuan were actually stolen, it wouldn’t deal a crippling blow to the Li family.

So, Li Yi wasn’t under any pressure!

However, the situation at the Li family estate was quite different!

After Li Yi, Huang Lixing, and the others left, Li Yunbao and Li Yunling also departed the Li family estate. Apart from the servants and bodyguards, only Li Futiao and his assistant Zhou Xinghua remained in the vast estate.

In the study, Zhou Xinghua frowned and said, “Chairman, regarding the bet between the young master and Mr. Li…”

Before Zhou Xinghua could finish, Li Futiao said calmly, “Yunbao will lose!”

“Then why didn’t you stop the young master?” Zhou Xinghua asked, puzzled.

“Why should I stop him? Besides, with Yunbao’s stubborn temperament, do you really think I could stop him even if I wanted to?”

Hearing this, Zhou Xinghua fell silent.

He knew the temperament of the eldest young master, Li Yunbao, all too well. While others might be listened to to some extent, the Chairman’s words would most likely backfire.

At that moment, Li Futao sighed and said, “Yunbao is too stubborn and too arrogant. The young scions of the island’s prominent clans give him a wide berth out of respect for me, which makes him think he’s some kind of big shot—unaware that he’s nothing more than a frog in a well!”

“This Mr. Li Yi is a ‘dragon crossing the river’ from the mainland. People like him are born with a never-say-die spirit. A greenhorn like Yunbao, with no real social experience, is no match for him at all.”

“Young Master is going to get the short end of the stick!”

“Haha, what’s wrong with getting the short end of the stick? It’s a blessing in disguise!”

Li Futiao continued, “In Yunbao’s current state, only by taking a few hits will he learn how treacherous the world is. It’s only after suffering a few setbacks that he’ll truly grow up!”

Zhou Xinghua wasn’t stupid; he understood instantly that the chairman intended to use Mr. Li to toughen up the young master.

“But if the young master loses, will you really make him work at Mr. Li’s company?”

“Hahaha, of course! How else will that kid ever learn just how high the sky is and how thick the earth is?”

“I understand, Mr. Zhou!”

“Hmm, by the way, how’s your investigation into this Mr. Li Yi coming along? Logically speaking, someone like him shouldn’t be a complete unknown!” Li Fu asked.

“We’re getting close. I expect we’ll have news soon!”

“Good. Let me know immediately when you have any news!”

“Yes, sir. By the way, Chairman, those last words Mr. Li said…”

“Haha, he’s just playing games. Don’t let it get to you!”

“Yes!”

………

PS: I really can’t write any more today, so just one chapter!

Looking at Li Yi’s smug expression, Zhou Xinghua couldn’t help but recall the scene that had unfolded in the living room two days earlier.

That day, this young man had made a bet with the Chairman with exactly the same expression!

As a result, the Chairman had no choice but to vacate Cloud Peak No. 1 and hand it over to him.

Now that this young man was clearly trying to trick his own young master again, Zhou Xinghua naturally couldn’t let his master fall for it.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he spoke up to warn Li Yunbao.

“Young Master…”

However, before he could finish, Li Futiao cut him off, saying, “Xinghua, go to the study and bring me the items on the desk!”

Zhou Xinghua was no fool; he could tell from the tone that the chairman didn’t want him to get involved in this matter.

He rose decisively and headed toward the study.

Meanwhile, Li Yunbao hadn’t noticed anything amiss at all; instead, he stared at Li Yi and asked, “How do you want to bet?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “It’ll take a long time to get below 700 points. How about this: you name a number, and I’ll guess when it’ll be reached. Let’s bet on that!”

“Hahaha, a bet like that? That’s truly a rarity. Do you really think of yourself as a stock market guru?” Li Yunbao said with a laugh.

He simply couldn’t believe anyone could predict stock market trends with such accuracy—let alone pinpoint the exact day a certain level would be reached—unless they were possessed by a divine being.

“I have no interest in being some ‘stock god,’ but I do trust my own judgment!” Li Yi said calmly.

Li Yunbao immediately replied, “Since you’re so confident, I’ll take you up on that bet. But what’s the stake? Just so you know, I don’t have much money.”

“Haha, betting money is so boring!”

Li Yi then added, “Here’s the deal: if you lose, you work for me for three years. After three years, you’re free to go!”

“You want me to work for you? Do you even know what I do?”

“I know—you’re a lawyer. As it happens, I’ve just set up an investment firm on Hong Kong Island, and I happen to need a legal counsel. You seem like the perfect fit!” Li Yi said.

“Interesting. But what if you lose? What can you offer in return?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “I’ve told you what I want as a prize. What do you want? You tell me.”

Li Yunbao frowned, then said, “I won’t take advantage of you. If you lose, you have to leave Hong Kong Island and aren’t allowed to set foot here for three years!”

Hearing this, Li Futiao’s expression shifted slightly; his son had gone a bit too far.

He’d intended for Li Yi to knock some of the arrogance out of his son, but he hadn’t expected the young man to dare propose such a wager.

“Yunbao…”

Before Li Fuzhao could finish his sentence, Li Yi said with a laugh, “Alright, I accept your wager!”

Li Yunbao looked at Li Yi and said, “1,200 points. You tell me when the Hang Seng Index will drop to that level. If you’re right, I lose; if you’re wrong, you lose!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Li Yi replied, “The second trading day of next week—August 4th!”

“Alright, then we’ll wait and see. I hope you don’t try to back out when the time comes!” Li Yunbao said.

“I’ll stand by my bet—I’ve got enough guts for that!”

Then Zhou Yang suddenly grinned and said to Li Yunbao, “Attorney Li, I’m looking forward to you joining us!”

Just as Li Yunbao was about to speak, he heard a series of heavy footsteps approaching from behind.

Turning around, he saw his father’s assistant, Zhou Xinghua, walking over with a stack of documents, which he respectfully placed on the dining table in front of his father.

“Chairman!”

Li Fu gave him a nod, then pushed the documents directly toward Li Yi, saying, “Mr. Li Yi, you’ve accepted the challenge—here are the property transfer documents for Villa No. 1 at Cloud Peak. From now on, that place is yours!”

Li Yi didn’t hesitate; he took the documents and put them away.

Standing nearby, Li Yunbao and Li Yunling were both stunned—they both knew exactly what the Cloud Peak Villa was.

Stunned, Li Yunbao immediately stood up and said, “Dad, didn’t you say that Villa No. 1 at Cloud Peak was Yunling’s dowry? Why are you giving it away?”

Li Fu gave his troublesome son a sidelong glance before replying, “A couple of days ago, I made a bet with this Mr. Li Yi—and I lost. The stakes were this property, Villa No. 1 at Yunding!”

“What…?”

Li Yunbao was instantly dumbfounded. Not only had his old man bet his sister’s dowry, but he’d actually lost!

“What did you bet on? Why such a big stake?”

“What we bet on doesn’t matter. What matters is that your old man lost!” Li Fuzhao said nonchalantly.

Li Yunbao, meanwhile, shook his fist at Li Yi and said defiantly, “This time, I’m definitely going to win!”

“Your dad said the same thing two days ago!”

“Uh…”

Seeing his son repeatedly get the short end of the stick at Li Yi’s hands, Li Futiao couldn’t help but nod.

Among his peers in the younger generation, there weren’t many who could keep his son in check. If Li Yi could really help him learn some patience, it might not be a bad thing.

As for the wager, Li Futiao hadn’t given it a second thought.

Setting aside whether Li Yi would actually hire his son at his company, what difference would it make even if he did?

His son had no intention of taking over the family business anyway. Working at that company wouldn’t make much of a difference—and who knows, maybe he’d learn more by working with Li Yi!

“Mr. Li Yi, from what you’ve said, it sounds like you plan to settle down and develop your business in Hong Kong for the long term. Is that correct?” Li Fuzhao asked, looking at Li Yi.

“That is my intention!”

“Then I’m curious—which industry do you plan to enter, Mr. Li Yi?”

“I haven’t quite figured that out yet, but for now, I’ve had Old Huang register two companies on my behalf!” Li Yi replied.

“Oh, what kind of companies are they?”

“One is a security firm, and the other is an investment firm!”

Upon hearing Li Yi’s words, Li Fu fell silent.

He could understand an investment firm, but he simply couldn’t fathom why Li Yi would set up a security company.

This was a murky business—even the local tycoons and powerful families on Hong Kong Island couldn’t navigate it easily. How could Li Yi, a young outsider, possibly break into this industry?

“We welcome Mr. Li Yi to Hong Kong. Once your company officially opens, the Far East Group looks forward to collaborating with you!”

Hearing this, Li Yi realized that Li Futao was conveying the Li family’s stance: they did not oppose him.

If Li Yi and his team could gain a foothold in Hong Kong, they would be more than happy to work with him!

“Hahaha, there will definitely be opportunities!”

Li Yi then added, “By the way, Chairman Li, I want Lan Xinyi and her trading team. Name your terms!”

Originally, Li Fuzhao hadn’t had much of an impression of Lan Xinyi and the others, but over the past few days, due to Li Yi’s short-selling of the Hang Seng Index, he had taken notice of those young women.

Hearing that Li Yi actually wanted to poach those young women, he smiled and said, “Since Mr. Li Yi has taken a liking to them, it’s their honor. I’ll have their contracts sent over tomorrow!”

“Thank you so much!”

Li Yi then glanced at Li Yunbao beside him and said to Li Fuzhao again, “Chairman Li, I, Li Yi, have never liked owing anyone anything, especially favors. How about this—let me cast a divination for you!”

“Divination? I had no idea Mr. Li Yi had such a hobby. However, I personally don’t place much stock in feng shui, so let’s just skip it,” said Li Futiao.

Standing nearby, Li Yunbao frowned and said, “Feng shui and divination are nothing but tricks to play on people’s fears. Our Li family doesn’t believe in that sort of thing!”

Huang Lixing, who was standing nearby and knew Li Yi’s capabilities, hurriedly interjected, “Mr. Li, it’s rare for Brother Li Yi to be in the mood to read someone’s fortune. Just treat it as a bit of fun—it certainly can’t hurt!”

Li Futiao noticed that Huang Lixing’s attitude seemed a bit off, so he knew something was amiss. After thinking for a moment, he said, “All right, then. We’ll trouble you, Mr. Li!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Your son’s brow is dark, his forehead is ashen, his cheeks are dull, and his ears lack luster—all ominous signs. Barring any surprises, he’s in for a bloody disaster in the near future!”

Before Li Futiao could speak, Li Yunbao glared at Li Yi and said, “The ‘bloodshed’ Master Li speaks of—surely you don’t mean a nosebleed from a heat stroke?”

“A bloodshed disaster is a sign of great misfortune. Though his life will be spared, he will suffer a substantial financial loss. I have said all I need to say!”

With that, Li Yi said no more, rose immediately, and took his leave of Li Futiao.

He then left the Li family estate together with Huang Lixing, leaving behind a deeply furrowed Li Futiao and a huffing and puffing Li Yunbao…

………..

Hong Kong Island. The Li Family Estate!

Although only two days had passed, the treatment Li Yi and Huang Lixing received upon returning to the Li Family Estate was completely different.

Although they were still stopped at the main gate, this time it wasn’t bodyguards who escorted them inside—it was Li Futiao himself, who had come out personally to welcome them.

“Mr. Li Yi, Hall Master Huang, welcome to the Li family estate!”

Saying this, Li Fuzhao extended his hand.

Li Yi gave it a light shake and said with a smile, “Judging by Chairman Li’s mood, it’s clear this stock market crash hasn’t had much impact on the Far East Association. That’s truly cause for celebration!”

“Hahaha, the Far East Association’s ability to weather this storm is entirely thanks to Mr. Li Yi.”

“Chairman Li, you’re joking. I wouldn’t dare take credit for that!”

Li Yi didn’t dwell on the topic any further. Instead, he looked at the two young people behind Li Futiao and asked, “Chairman Li, may I ask who these two handsome young men and beautiful young women are?”

“Let me introduce them to you. This is my son, Li Yunbao, and my daughter, Li Yunling. You’re all young people—I hope you’ll get to know each other better in the future!” Li Futiao said.

In truth, Li Yi had recognized them long ago. Standing behind Li Futiao were his son and daughter: Li Yunbao, Hong Kong’s most low-key rich kid, and his love-struck younger sister, Li Yunling.

That’s right—Li Yi was no stranger to the Li siblings.

In fact, the one in the Li family who was truly on good terms with Li Yi was Li Yunbao.

In his previous life, his company had run into major trouble in Hong Kong and needed to go to court. Someone then recommended Li Yunbao—who was already a top-tier lawyer—to Li Yi.

Although the guy was rather arrogant in his dealings with others, his professional skills were truly top-notch. Li Yi had originally thought the case had little chance of success, but this guy managed to win it outright.

Later, when Li Yunling went to the mainland for a trip and got into serious trouble, Li Yunbao had no choice but to turn to Li Yi for help.

Li Yi didn’t turn him down. After paying a hefty price, he managed to get Li Yunling out of trouble, and the two became very close friends as a result.

From then on, Li Yi entrusted all legal matters for his company on Hong Kong Island to Li Yunbao, and for decades, there had never been a single misstep.

“I’m Li Yi. It’s a pleasure to meet you both!”

Saying this, Li Yi extended his hand.

Li Yunling was eager to step forward, but Li Yunbao beat her to it—he certainly didn’t want his little sister shaking hands with this guy who looked like nothing more than a pretty-boy.

“Li Yunbao, attorney at Dingcheng Law Firm!”

Before Li Yunling could say a word, Li Yunbao spoke again: “This is my sister, Li Yunling, a student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong!”

Li Yunling hadn’t expected her brother to rob her of the chance to shake hands with the handsome guy, and she couldn’t help but shoot Li Yunbao a glare.

Li Yi wasn’t the least bit surprised by Li Yunbao’s behavior. Having spent so many years with him in his previous life, he knew full well that this guy was a die-hard sister-obsessed guy.

While he wasn’t exactly a pervert, he was exceptionally strict when it came to his own sister.

Of course, Li Yi was more than happy to see him stop Li Yunling from shaking his hand.

Li Yunling was an absolute beauty-obsessed person; in her eyes, looks were everything. In his previous life, ever since he saved her, she had been clinging to Li Yi.

That “clinging” lasted a full five years. If Li Yi hadn’t been completely opposed to marriage, he might have lost control.

In this life, he already had a wife and child, so it was naturally out of the question for him to have anything with her. Therefore, Li Yunbao’s intervention was perfectly timed.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Yi and Huang Lixing followed the Li family into the estate!

At that moment, in the estate’s dining room, the servants were ready to serve the meal!

This reminded Li Yi of his visit to the Li family estate a couple of days earlier. Back then, they had also been invited, but Li Futao had merely exchanged a few brief words with them in the living room—he hadn’t even offered them a drink of water.

In contrast, today’s treatment made them feel like honored guests.

Premium steak, Australian lobster, double-headed abalone, and tuna—every ingredient was of the highest quality.

In the decanter on the table, the deep red liquid exuded a faint, aromatic scent. Just from the smell alone, Li Yi knew it was Romanée-Conti—a true masterpiece of fine wine.

Clearly, Li Futiao had sent people to investigate Li Yi’s preferences; he had this aspect down to a tee.

Once everyone had taken their seats—host and guests alike—the servants immediately poured wine for them.

Then, Li Fuzhao raised his glass and said, “It is a great pleasure to have Mr. Li Yi and Hall Master Huang join us for dinner. I am also deeply grateful to Mr. Li Yi for helping the Far East Society avoid disaster. Here’s to you both!”

With that, Li Futiao tilted his head back and downed the half-full glass of red wine in one gulp.

Seeing this, Li Yi and Huang Lixing had no choice but to follow suit and down their glasses as well.

“Mr. Li Yi, as far as I know, the Hang Seng Index has plummeted to around 1,500 points. I wonder if you’re ready to close the net?” Li Futiao asked again.

Li Yi smiled and said, “No rush—it’s not time yet!”

Hearing this, Li Futiao looked at Li Yi and said, “Mr. Li Yi, it seems you aren’t very optimistic about the Hong Kong stock market this time!”

“No, quite the opposite. I’m still very bullish on the Hong Kong stock market; I just don’t think the Hang Seng Index has hit rock bottom yet!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“If I may ask, at what level do you think the Hang Seng Index will finally hit bottom?” Li Futao asked with interest.

“Below 700 points!”

At this remark, everyone present was stunned.

Especially Li Futiao and Huang Lixing—their expressions shifted from shock to delight.

Li Futiao, of course, was the one who looked shocked. As the head of the Far East Club, he was taken aback by Li Yi’s remark.

If the Hang Seng Index were to plummet below 700 points, that would mean the Hong Kong stock market would revert to levels seen three years ago—a blow that could hardly be called minor.

He couldn’t help but silently calculate the potential impact on the Far East Club!

Huang Lixing, on the other hand, was naturally delighted. He was calculating in his mind just how much money they could make if the Hang Seng Index plummeted below 700 points.

He hadn’t realized it until he did the math—and the result gave him quite a shock.

If the Hang Seng Index really did fall below 700 points, his and Li Yi’s profits would reach a staggering 9 billion Hong Kong dollars. If it actually reached that level, both he and Li Yi would become among the top 20 wealthiest people in Hong Kong overnight.

The Li siblings standing nearby were equally stunned by Li Yi’s words, especially Li Yunling, who was rather innocent and, to top it off, a total sucker for good looks.

Seeing that Li Yi’s looks were exactly her type, she immediately said with admiration, “Mr. Li, you’re so amazing!”

Seeing her sister swooning again and gazing so adoringly at this foreigner, Li Yunbao frowned and said, “Mr. Li, if we go by your calculations, wouldn’t two-thirds of Hong Kong’s stock market value evaporate? Is that even possible?”

“Why not?” Li Yi retorted.

“The government won’t let that happen. Didn’t they step in to rescue the market before? They’ll definitely do it again this time!” Li Yunbao said firmly.

However, Li Yi replied calmly, “Once the stock market crashes, even if the government is willing to bail it out, it won’t take effect overnight. Besides, the British Hong Kong government might not be willing to keep plugging this hole.”

“If you don’t believe me, ask Chairman Li—he knows this better than either of us!”

Li Yunbao instinctively glanced at his father. He knew that, as a leading figure in Hong Kong’s Chinese business community, the British Hong Kong government would have to go through his father if it wanted to rescue the market.

Li Futao saw that everyone’s gaze had turned to him, and he immediately set down his knife and fork.

After a brief silence, he finally sighed and said, “Mr. Li Yi is right. The British Hong Kong government has no intention of rescuing the market anymore. In fact, they began cutting their losses and exiting the market yesterday afternoon. The plunge in the Hang Seng Index is directly linked to their actions yesterday!”

Upon hearing this, Li Yunbao was completely taken aback—this “mainland-born” man had actually hit the nail on the head.

But he still retorted defiantly, “Even if the British Hong Kong government doesn’t step in to prop up the market, I still don’t believe the Hang Seng Index will fall below 700 points!”

Seeing that this guy was just as stubborn as he remembered, Li Yi couldn’t resist the urge to knock him down a peg.

“In that case, why don’t we make a bet?”

Hearing this, Li Futao, Huang Lixing, and Zhou Xinghua on the other side all instinctively shuddered inwardly.

To them, Li Yi—with his smile plastered across his face—now looked like a fox luring little chicks into a trap!

At 4:00 PM, with a full two hours still left before heading to the Li family estate for the banquet, Huang Lixing arrived at the Half-Mountain Villa with A Biao and the others.

There was no helping it; after all, they were attending the Li family’s banquet that evening.

Although they didn’t know if the Li family had invited only the two of them this time, or if they had invited others as well.

But in any case, it was better to arrive a little early to avoid being rude!

Huang Lixing had come not only to urge Li Yi to leave early but also to deliver a piece of news: the Hang Seng Index had plummeted to 1,548 points!

1,548 points—that was an exciting figure!

According to the data from when Li Yi had shorted the market, the Hang Seng Index had already fallen by 175 points.

In other words, Li Yi had already raked in a staggering 1.575 billion Hong Kong dollars from shorting the Hang Seng Index!

Huang Lixing was genuinely stunned by this pace of profit. They’d smuggled a shipload of appliances from South Korea and Taiwan with great trepidation; after bribing the customs enforcement team, making 800,000 Hong Kong dollars was already a decent haul.

And out of that 800,000, he had to pay salaries and bonuses to four or five hundred company employees and his underlings. After all that, a single shipment actually left him with just over 400,000 Hong Kong dollars.

Most importantly, smuggling isn’t something you can do every day; getting ten shipments a month was already a stroke of luck.

Therefore, relying solely on smuggling, his annual net profit wouldn’t exceed 15 million Hong Kong dollars; the rest of his income came entirely from the casino.

But even so, his total annual earnings amounted to no more than 30 million Hong Kong dollars.

In other words, if he continued on this path, even if he worked until he died, his net worth would never exceed 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollars.

Yet, with just a single stock trade with Li Yi, his total profits could reach 1 billion Hong Kong dollars. dxmbang

Huang Lixing was truly stunned!

He swore that after this, he would never touch stocks again—it was just too terrifying!

In contrast to Huang Lixing’s excitement and anxiety, Li Yi remained remarkably calm.

Although HK$1.5 billion seems like a lot to Huang Lixing, when converted to US dollars, it’s only about $300 million.

Compared to what Li Yi has planned, that amount is actually a bit meager.

Of course, even so, Li Yi hadn’t expected the Hang Seng Index to plummet so sharply.

It had plummeted nearly 200 points in just two days, which inevitably reminded Li Yi of the “October Stock Market Crash” that would occur on Hong Kong Island a few years later.

At that time, the Hang Seng Index had plummeted 420.81 points in a single day, a drop of 11.1%.

Fortunately, no matter how badly the stock market crashed, they didn’t suffer any losses.

On the contrary, the more the Hang Seng Index plummeted, the greater their profits became.

It was just a pity for those investors on Hong Kong Island; who knows how many would be driven to the brink this time.

But Li Yi wasn’t the type to feel sorry for others; if those people dared to enter the stock market, they had to be mentally prepared for such outcomes.

His current focus was on how to test Chairman Li’s waters that evening, to get the Li family to join him in buying the dip on Hong Kong Island.

Of course, if that guy were around, things might go a bit more smoothly…

………

Li Family Estate. Study!

At the very same time Li Yi and Huang Lixing were preparing to attend the banquet at the Mid-Levels villa, Li Futiao was also discussing the evening’s gathering with others.

Besides Li Futao, two young people—a man and a woman—were seated in the study. They were Li Futao’s son, Li Yunbao, and his daughter, Li Yunling.

“Dad, is there a reason you suddenly called Ling’er and me back?”

Li Fuzhao looked at his son and said, “I called you both back to meet someone!”

“Which family’s scion is it this time? I’ve told you I don’t want to get involved in the family business, nor do I want to associate with the scions of those wealthy families. Why do you insist on forcing me?” Li Yunbao said, frowning.

Standing nearby, Li Yunling, worried that her brother would get into another argument with their father, hurriedly said, “Brother, just hold your tongue for a moment. Let’s hear what Dad has to say!”

Li Futiao was at a complete loss when it came to his son, who was completely devoted to becoming a lawyer.

After a brief silence, he sighed and said, “The person I’m introducing to you today isn’t some scion of a prominent family, but a genius from the mainland!”

“What genius? Are there even geniuses on the mainland?” Li Yunbao said with a look of disdain.

“A man who single-handedly swept through the Hong Kong stock market, raking in 370 million Hong Kong dollars in just four days—doesn’t that count as a genius?” Li Futao said in a stern voice.

Li Yunbao froze upon hearing his father’s words.

Meanwhile, Li Yunling, standing nearby, said with admiration, “Daddy, if someone really made 370 million Hong Kong dollars in four days, doesn’t that make him the stock god of Hong Kong?”

“Even the ‘Stock God’ isn’t as extraordinary as him!”

Li Futao continued, “Just three days ago, he used five times leverage to short the Hang Seng Index with a massive 2 billion Hong Kong dollars. The next day, the Hang Seng Index plummeted, and it has already dropped 200 points.”

“By a conservative estimate, in the short span of just two weeks since he entered the stock market, he’s raked in at least 2 billion Hong Kong dollars!”

“2 billion in half a month? That means he’s averaging over 100 million a day, doesn’t it?”

At this, the Li siblings were left speechless, staring in utter disbelief.

Although they came from a wealthy family and enjoyed unparalleled living conditions, they were well aware of how difficult it was for ordinary people to make money.

Take Li Yunbao, for example. Even after working tirelessly for months on a single case, he might only earn a few hundred thousand.

If he was lucky enough to handle a financial dispute case involving a large sum of money, his earnings might exceed a million.

But such cases often drag on for a year or two, or even two or three years.

Making over 100 million yuan in a single day—even to them, that would be a pipe dream.

“It’s even more than that. Thanks to his warning, our family not only avoided a loss of over a billion, but we also made a huge profit!”

Li Yunbao paused briefly before saying, “Someone like that certainly qualifies as a genius, but what does that have to do with me?”

Li Futao shot him a glare and said, “I think you two siblings should spend more time interacting with young talents like him…”

Before he could finish, Li Yunbao frowned and said, “Not interested. I have plans tonight…”

Before he could finish, Li Yunling, standing nearby, cut him off and said, “Brother, if you don’t want to meet that person, go ahead. I want to meet him!”

Then, her eyes sparkling, she added, “A stock market genius from the mainland! Just thinking about it gets me excited. By the way, Dad, what does he look like? Is he a hottie?”

“He’s a hunk!”

Li Yunbao looked at his sister’s starry-eyed expression and couldn’t help but rub his forehead. “How old are you, anyway? All you think about is handsome guys. Fine, I’ll stay and meet this so-called genius too!”

He knew full well that their father had always wanted to find a suitable match for his younger sister. Inviting this man into their home must mean something.

And with his little sister being such a hopeless romantic—she’d be glued to the spot the moment she saw a handsome guy—he’d have to keep a close eye on her!

Seeing that her “scheme” had succeeded, a sly smile flashed across Li Yunling’s eyes.

Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door.

“Come in!”

“Creak!”

As the study door swung open, Assistant Zhou Xinghua strode in and announced, “Chairman, Mr. Li is here!”

Li Futiao immediately stood up from his seat and said to his son and daughter, “Our guest has arrived. Come, let’s go out and greet him!”

Then, as the Li siblings stared in astonishment, Li Futao strode out the door.

The Next Day!

By the time Li Yi got out of bed, it was already 9:00 a.m., and the stock market had already opened.

The reason he slept in so late was mainly because he had partied so hard the night before; he hadn’t gotten back until 1:00 a.m.

With Huang Lixing as their host, Li Yi, Lan Xinyi, and the others not only enjoyed the most expensive steak and wine on Hong Kong Island, but also, led by Huang Lixing, paid a visit to the island’s largest casino.

Li Yi had been on a winning streak last night. Huang Lixing had exchanged 100,000 Hong Kong dollars for chips for him, and not only did he not lose it all, but by the time they left the casino, he had actually won 40,000 Hong Kong dollars.

Of course, Li Yi didn’t go to the casino just for fun, and certainly not to gamble.

To him, the stock market is the biggest casino of all; no gambling game is as thrilling as the stock market.

So, if he were simply seeking thrills, he wouldn’t have needed to come to the casino at all.

He went to the casino partly to get a feel for Hong Kong Island and its people. As a place where all sorts of people mingle, the casino offers a glimpse of the world’s diverse characters and the full spectrum of human life.

On the other hand, Li Yi wanted to make an appearance, so that the wealthy families and triad groups of Hong Kong Island—both large and small—would know he existed.

As expected, all the wealthy families in Hong Kong Island have already taken notice of him.

After all, he had raked in massive profits from the Hong Kong stock market three times in less than a month, walking away with hundreds of millions each time—it was impossible not to attract attention.

Especially this last time—by a conservative estimate, his profits amounted to at least several billion Hong Kong dollars.

And since the vast majority of that money belonged to the Hong Kong-British government and the major aristocratic families—only to be plundered by a nobody like him—there were likely plenty of people who felt resentful and unwilling to accept it.

Given Li Yi’s understanding of Hong Kong’s elite families, it was inevitable that some among them would lose their patience and take action against him and Huang Lixing.

Under normal circumstances, the smartest thing for them to do right now would be to stay indoors and lie low.

But Li Yi was not one to play by the rules. If he had merely intended to make a quick profit and leave, hiding would naturally have been the best choice.

But clearly, Li Yi didn’t see it that way.

The current domestic environment isn’t ideal for investment, whereas Hong Kong is one of the fastest-growing regions in all of Asia, so naturally, he wanted to establish a foothold here.

Under these circumstances, hiding was certainly not the best option!

After getting up, Li Yi didn’t head straight to the stock exchange; instead, he summoned Lan Xinyi to his study.

“Mr. Li, you wanted to see me?”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Have a seat. There are a few things I’d like to discuss with you!”

Lan Xinyi had come to understand Li Yi’s temperament by now; she knew he wasn’t one for small talk, so she immediately sat down in the chair across from his desk.

“Mr. Li, what do you want to talk to me about?”

“What kind of contract did you sign with Far East?” Li Yi asked straight to the point.

“A standard employment contract!”

“For how many years?”

“Mine is for five years; everyone else’s is for three!” Lan Xinyi replied.

“How many years are left on your contract, and what’s the penalty for breach?”

“I have one year left, and the penalty is 500,000 Hong Kong dollars!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “I’m planning to set up an investment firm on Hong Kong Island. Would you be interested in working with me? The compensation will definitely be the highest in the industry.”

Lan Xinyi hesitated briefly, then said, “Mr. Li, personally speaking, I would be more than happy to work for you!”

“But we’re members of the Far East Association. Without the Chairman’s approval, we simply can’t leave the Far East Association. A single word from Chairman Li could not only get every company to blacklist us, but our families wouldn’t even be able to survive on Hong Kong Island!”

“What if I were to handle that Chairman Li?” Li Yi said calmly.

“That would be no problem at all!”

“Good. Then it’s settled. You and your team should get ready to start work!”

“Yes!”

Then Lan Xinyi suddenly said, “Mr. Li, shall we go take a look at the stock exchange today?”

“No need. The stock market crash is a foregone conclusion; there won’t be any changes in the short term!” Li Yi said.

Li Yi knew not only that the market wouldn’t stop falling today, but that it would continue to do so for the next week, only beginning to stabilize slightly by early August.

But that would be merely a slight stabilization, not a halt to the decline.

Therefore, during this period, Li Yi had absolutely no need to go to the stock exchange every day!

Although Lan Xinyi didn’t know why Li Yi was so confident in his judgment, she was well aware of her own status and role, so she didn’t press the matter further and simply stepped out.

After Lan Xinyi left, Li Yi fell into deep thought.

If all went as expected, his money-making spree in the stock market would be over in about a week, and it was time to think about what path to take next.

Originally, his trip to Hong Kong Island had two objectives: first, to leverage the stock market crash to “make a profit without risking his own capital,” aiming to complete the second phase of his accumulation.

On the other hand, he intended to help Old Huang extricate himself smoothly from the vortex of the underworld!

As for anything else, he hadn’t given it much thought at the time.

But now, his plan to “borrow a chicken to lay eggs” had essentially succeeded—and he hadn’t just laid one egg, but a whole basketful.

As for helping Old Huang extricate himself from the underworld’s vortex, that was a simple matter.

After all, the security company has already been established, and they’re currently recruiting staff.

When the time comes, he’ll find a way to recruit a group of elite personnel from the mainland to serve as the backbone of the security firm.

With capital, manpower, and legal authorization to possess weapons, by then, not only would Old Huang have extricated himself from the Blue Dragon Society—who would dare say no even if he were to swallow the Blue Dragon Society whole?

As the saying goes, “He who fails to plan ahead will face immediate troubles.” Therefore, the most pressing matter now is to figure out the path forward: whether to take the money back to the mainland or develop his business in Hong Kong.

Li Yi had been pondering this very question for the past few days, but ultimately, he decided that taking the tens of billions of Hong Kong dollars he’d raked in from the Hong Kong stock market back to the mainland wasn’t a wise move.

First, reforms on the mainland had only just begun. Although foreign investment was permitted, there were strict restrictions on both the scale and structure of such investments.

For a country with a per capita GDP of less than $200, an influx of tens of billions of Hong Kong dollars would not only raise questions about whether they would even accept it, but it would also make him an easy target for scrutiny.

Li Yi had no intention of becoming a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered!

Second, following this stock market crash, Hong Kong Island was bound to undergo a major shake-up across all sectors, presenting plenty of opportunities.

He could certainly take advantage of this market crash to aggressively buy up assets in the local real economy and financial sector.

Although the impact of this stock market crash is significant, Hong Kong’s future remains promising.

As one of the Four Asian Tigers, the speed of its economic development is evident to all; as of now, no other place in the country can compare to it!

Take GDP as an example: in 1980, Hong Kong’s total GDP had already reached $28.8 billion, while Shanghai—the most economically developed city on the mainland that same year—had only $20.8 billion, and other regions were far below that figure.

Regarding per capita GDP, although Hong Kong Island has a large population, its per capita GDP still reached an astonishing $5,700, fully comparable to developed countries like the UK and the US.

During the same period, the mainland’s per capita GDP was only $194.

The results of this comparison speak for themselves: the economic development of the two regions was in completely different leagues.

This is not to say that Hong Kong is particularly superior, but rather that its economy holds potential, so there is no need to worry about being trapped in a losing position.

By buying low during the stock market crash, future returns are bound to be substantial.

However, Li Yi was well aware that it was clearly impossible for him and Huang Lixing to dominate Hong Kong Island on their own.

The waters of Hong Kong Island are simply too deep; those unfamiliar with the scene who venture in recklessly are likely to drown. To bottom-fish in Hong Kong Island, they must find allies.

Fortunately, he had already found such an ally: Li Futao and the Li family behind him!

Tonight’s banquet was the perfect opportunity, and he decided to thoroughly test Li Futao’s intentions!

At this thought, the corners of Li Yi’s mouth couldn’t help but turn up slightly…

……….

PS: One more chapter before midnight!

Hong Kong. The Mid-Levels Villa!

When Huang Lixing arrived, Li Yi had just finished his shower and was getting ready to take his men out to dinner.

After returning from the city center at noon, he’d been holed up in his room resting and had only just woken up.

As for the stock market, he hadn’t paid it the slightest bit of attention—what was meant to be would happen regardless of whether he watched it or not.

After his shower, Tie Ying came up to ask whether they should order in for dinner or go out to eat.

Li Yi thought for a moment. He’d never gone out to eat, drink, or have fun in downtown Hong Kong Island at night, so he immediately decided to have a big meal in the city that evening, and then have Tie Ying take him around afterward.

However, just as the group had gathered, Huang Lixing pushed open the door and walked in.

Seeing Li Yi and the others like this, Huang Lixing immediately asked, “Brother Li Yi, are you guys heading out?”

“Yeah, we were just about to head out for dinner. What brings you here, Old Huang?” Li Yi said with a smile.

“I need to talk to you about something!”

Seeing that he seemed rather urgent, Li Yi replied immediately, “Alright!”

Li Yi then turned to Lan Xinyi and the others and said, “You guys wait downstairs for a bit. Huang and I are going upstairs to talk about something!”

Without waiting for Lan Xinyi and the others to reply, Li Yi headed upstairs with Huang Lixing.

The two entered the study one after the other. As soon as they walked in, Huang Lixing said somewhat excitedly, “Brother Li Yi, did you know the Hang Seng Index has dropped to 1,645 points?”

“I hadn’t noticed—I just got up!” Li Yi replied honestly.

“How could you not know? We made 600 million this afternoon—600 million!”

As he spoke, Huang Lixing’s expression was visibly elated.

No wonder he was so excited. Counting the money they’d made in the previous few days, the two of them had raked in 1 billion Hong Kong dollars in the stock market in less than two weeks.

Although he would only get less than half of that, it had already doubled his net worth.

Li Yi smiled and said, “Old Huang, you didn’t come all this way just to tell me that, did you?”

“Not exactly, but aren’t you excited? That’s 600 million!”

“Of course I’m excited! Who says I’m not?” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“But I don’t see it…”

“There’s no need to show how excited you are on your face. Besides, we haven’t closed the deal yet. It’s not too late to get excited once the funds have been settled!” Li Yi said.

“So when are we settling up?”

“What’s the rush? Just wait and see!”

“Are you saying the Hang Seng Index is going to drop further?”

“Heh, Old Huang, you don’t really think this stock market crash will end that easily, do you?” Li Yi said casually.

“Uh, probably not. Every time there’s a stock market crash, it lasts at least half a year, sometimes three to five years—it rarely recovers in just a few months!”

“Exactly. Just wait. I’ll let you know when it’s time to settle!”

Li Yi knew full well that this stock market crash lasted a full year and a half, and it wasn’t until 1983 that there were finally signs of a rebound.

As for the Hang Seng Index, it plummeted from 1,810 points all the way down to 676.30 points.

In other words, even based on current levels, it would need to drop nearly another 1,000 points before hitting bottom.

Of course, Li Yi wasn’t going to wait until the market bottomed out before cashing in. Not only would that take too long, but the British Hong Kong government wouldn’t allow them to drain the Hong Kong stock market in one fell swoop.

After all, the total market capitalization of the Hong Kong stock market was minimal at the time; if they had actually waited for the Hang Seng Index to bottom out, the British Hong Kong government and major institutions would have suffered losses of at least 17 to 18 billion.

Even if the British Hong Kong government were willing to grit its teeth and accept it, the wealthy aristocratic families wouldn’t tolerate it. After all, the stock market is where they go to fleece the little guys—how could they possibly stand being fleeced themselves?

Therefore, Li Yi’s bottom line is to close the deal at the trough of the first wave of the stock market crash—around 1,200 points.

Once that level was reached, although the Hang Seng Index would continue to fall, the declines wouldn’t be significant.

It would drop by three to five points a day, occasionally rebounding by two or three points, and eventually settle at around 600 points over the course of a year and a half. There was no need to drag this out for so long.

However, it was enough for him to know these things himself; there was no need to tell anyone else.

Huang Lixing had long been utterly in awe of Li Yi’s investment acumen, so he didn’t press the matter further.

“Brother Li Yi, you can handle this as you see fit. I was just asking out of curiosity—don’t let it weigh on your mind!”

“Got it!”

“By the way, I got a call from Chairman Li this afternoon!” Huang Lixing said.

“I expected as much. Did he ask you about me? Did he say he wanted to meet me? And was he very polite about it?” Li Yi asked.

Huang Lixing looked stunned. “Brother, you even figured that out?”

“Haha, there’s no need to ‘calculate’ that—a little analysis is all it takes to reach that conclusion!”

“You really didn’t calculate it?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “I really didn’t have to calculate it. Once that news was released, investors sensing the whiff of war wouldn’t have the heart to invest. The small investors have all fled, so the stock market is bound to crash.”

“And Chairman Li, following my warning, quietly slipped away this morning. If things go as expected, the Far East Association should have made a killing this time!”

“Right, they definitely made a killing. My informant on the stock market side reported that the Far East Association was dumping a lot of shares this morning, and since the asking prices weren’t very high, it actually sparked a scramble among investors!” Huang Lixing said.

“Heh, that’s exactly right. Under these circumstances, Chairman Li must have wanted to check in with me about the situation. But since he couldn’t reach me directly, he had no choice but to come to you!”

Li Yi continued, “Since he’s coming to you for help, he’s bound to be a bit more polite. Don’t you think that makes sense?”

Huang Lixing nodded and said, “You’re right. But don’t worry, Brother Li Yi—I didn’t tell him a thing!”

“Actually, it wouldn’t have mattered much anyway. With Chairman Li’s connections, it was inevitable he’d figure out my identity!” Li Yi said nonchalantly.

“If he finds out, that’s his problem. In any case, without your permission, I’ll never reveal your identity, Brother Li Yi!” Huang Lixing declared.

Li Yi nodded; Old Huang’s words pleased him greatly.

He hadn’t misjudged him—this guy was someone he could count on!

“Brother Li Yi, Chairman Li asked me to tell you he’d like to host a dinner for you at the Li family estate tomorrow night. Will you be coming or not?” Huang Lixing asked again.

“I’ll go. If I’m not mistaken, he’s finally ready to honor our bet. Someone’s giving me a house—why wouldn’t I go?” Li Yi said with a smile.

“Brother Li Yi, are you really planning to accept Chairman Li’s property?”

“Are you worried he might get upset about it?”

“Not really. I just think we’ve made a decent profit this time—there’s no need to take risks over a mere piece of real estate!”

Huang Lixing knew all too well that the waters of Hong Kong were far too murky. No one could tell what lurked beneath the surface—whether it was a human or a demon—especially with a powerful family like the Lis, who were truly the kind to devour their prey without sparing a bone.

However, Li Yi just smiled and said, “Old Huang, only by taking this property will Chairman Li feel at ease!”

“Well…”

“Heh, you know, the hardest debt to repay is a debt of gratitude!”

Hearing this, Huang Lixing fell silent instantly.

After a long moment, he finally said, “Brother, you really see things clearly. I’m truly in the dust compared to you!”

“Alright, enough with the musings. Let’s hurry down and eat—we’re starving!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“Hahaha, look at me—once I get started, I just can’t stop! Come on, come on. Tonight, I’m treating everyone to the most expensive steak on Hong Kong Island!”

“That sounds great—and we’ll have to pair it with the finest red wine!”

“No problem…”

After that, the two left the second-floor study together.

When Li Yi announced that Big Boss Huang was treating everyone to the most expensive steak and wine that evening, the living room erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

Then, led by Huang Lixing, the group set off in a grand procession from the Mid-Levels villa, heading straight for the city center…

……..

Hong Kong. Far East Stock Exchange!

“Ding!”

As the bell rang, the stock market—which had been temporarily suspended—finally reopened amid great anticipation.

However, unlike the morning’s across-the-board gains, the market descended into chaos from the very start of the afternoon session.

The sudden return of the “Young Elite Group” brought news that struck like a thunderbolt, catching everyone on Hong Kong Island completely off guard.

Such negative news immediately alerted the more perceptive institutions to something amiss.

Compounded by the example set by the Far East Stock Exchange, these institutions and wealthy families were eager to cut their losses and exit the market before retail investors could even react.

No one is a fool; in such a situation, even a slight delay in exiting would mean being buried alongside a stock market destined to collapse.

Unlike brick-and-mortar businesses, where there’s at least a floor even if you lose money,

But once the stock market collapses, there is truly no place to bury the dead; real money vanishes in the blink of an eye, leaving not even a crumb behind.

Suddenly, the market was flooded with institutions placing massive sell orders.

With so many people selling off their shares, and desperate to find buyers, these institutions set their asking prices lower and lower.

This abnormal situation left all investors bewildered, and they all sensed that something was wrong.

The stock market is inherently a place where investors chase rising prices and sell on dips; the more this happens, the fewer buyers there are.

In the blink of an eye, the stock prices of major listed companies plummeted in a rare three-day freefall, yet few dared to step in and buy. Major institutions and wealthy families found themselves trapped in their positions.

The stock market’s violent fluctuations left the entire Hong Kong Island in a state of utter despair, and the plummeting share prices inflicted heavy losses on all institutions and investors.

Those holding real estate company stocks, in particular, were left utterly devastated.

Just a few days earlier, they had taken advantage of the British Hong Kong government’s market rescue efforts to aggressively buy the dip, purchasing these shares at rock-bottom prices, hoping to make a killing.

But no one could have imagined that just a few days later, the market would collapse without warning, with stock prices plummeting at a visible pace.

To make matters even worse, the Hong Kong stock market had no daily price limit mechanism; in principle, prices could fall all the way down to the issue price or even below it.

Suddenly, every investor on Hong Kong Island realized a terrifying truth—a stock market crash was upon them. And this wasn’t limited to the Far East Stock Exchange; the same was happening at the Gold and Silver Stock Exchange, the Kowloon Stock Exchange, and others.

It truly proved the old saying: “If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach? When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact!”

At the same time, the Hang Seng Index was inevitably dragged down, plummeting relentlessly!

At 1:30 p.m., just after the market opened, the Hang Seng Index stood at 1,736 points, but by 2:00 p.m., it had dropped to 1,702 points—a staggering plunge of 34 points in just half an hour!

And that was just the beginning. By 4:00 p.m., the Hang Seng Index had fallen another 37 points, dropping to 1,665!

Just when everyone thought it had bottomed out, the index plunged another 20 points right before the market closed.

By the time the market closed that afternoon, the Hang Seng Index had fallen to 1,645 points—a full 68 points lower than when Li Yi had bought in.

At HK$9 million per point, Li Yi had raked in a staggering 600 million in just one afternoon.

……..

Wan Chai Pier. Qinglong Society!

Huang Lixing had only just returned to the headquarters when he received a call from an informant at the stock exchange.

Upon learning that the Hang Seng Index had fallen, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

Although he had known things were settled when he saw the news while eating, it wasn’t until he actually received the confirmation that he felt completely at ease.

On one hand, the money he and Li Yi had invested in the stock market was safe; on the other, President Li’s situation was also under control. Having managed to cut his losses in time, he likely wouldn’t cause trouble for him and Li Yi anymore.

Who knows, he might even use this opportunity to curry favor with this big shot.

If that were to happen, he’d be able to walk all over Hong Kong Island from then on.

However, what Huang Lixing hadn’t expected was that, just as the market was about to close that afternoon, he actually received a call from Li Futiao.

“Ring, ring, ring…”

Hearing the phone ring, Huang Lixing answered immediately.

“Huang Lixing of the Qinglong Hall speaking. Who’s this?”

“Mr. Huang, this is Zhou Xinghua. The Chairman wants to speak with you!”

Hearing the voice on the other end, Huang Lixing immediately stiffened and hurriedly replied, “Alright!”

Then, Chairman Li’s cool yet slightly authoritative voice came through the line: “Hall Master Huang, I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“No… no, Mr. Li, please just tell me what you need!” Huang Lixing replied respectfully.

“It’s hardly an order. I heard that Mr. Li Yi didn’t go to the exchange this afternoon, so I wanted to ask about the situation.”

Huang Lixing quickly replied, “To be honest, my brother trades stocks differently from others. As for when he plans to make a move or when he intends to close out his positions, I have absolutely no idea.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, then Chairman Li spoke again: “Then do you know what the Hang Seng Index is at right now?”

“Well… I’m not entirely sure!”

“It’s already dropped to 1,645 points. That means you’ve made 600 million in just one afternoon. Why don’t you give Mr. Li Yi a heads-up?”

Huang Lixing’s mouth fell open; he was genuinely stunned by the news.

Earning 600 million in a single afternoon!

Good grief, the fortune he’d built up over a lifetime of risking his neck on Hong Kong Island wasn’t even as much as what this guy had made in half a day!

It took Huang Lixing quite a while to come to his senses, and he finally said, “Mr. Li, my brother is quite reliable when it comes to business. He doesn’t need me to remind him!”

“Master Huang, I’d like to know the identity of this Mr. Li Yi. Would you be so kind as to share a few details?”

Hearing Li Futao’s words, Huang Lixing fell silent.

After a long moment, he let out a soft sigh and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Li.”

Li Futiao was no fool; he immediately understood what Huang Lixing meant. He, too, fell silent.

The two sat there on opposite ends of the phone line, neither speaking, the atmosphere somewhat oppressive.

After a long while, Li Futiao’s voice came through the phone again: “Hall Master Huang, is that Mr. Li Yi really worth all this trouble?”

“You know very well that if the Li family so desires, not only would a mere Hall Master like you be wiped out, but the entire Qinglong Society could be reduced to ashes overnight!”

“It’s worth it! Brother Li Yi saved my life, my wife’s life, and my daughter’s life. I cannot betray him!” Huang Lixing said with unwavering resolve.

“Very well, Hall Master Huang, you’ve truly impressed me. Rest assured, I have no intention of targeting Mr. Li Yi, much less you!”

Hearing this, Huang Lixing felt a slight sense of relief.

He believed that a man of Chairman Li’s stature wouldn’t deceive him over something like this.

Just then, Li Futiao’s voice came through the receiver again: “Please pass a message to Mr. Li Yi for me: I’m inviting him to the Li family estate tomorrow evening. Hall Master Huang, you’re welcome to join us as well!”

“Alright, I’ll pass the message on to Brother Li Yi!”

“Hmm, then I’ll look forward to welcoming you and Mr. Li tomorrow!”

“Alright!”

After hanging up the phone, Huang Lixing realized his back was already drenched in cold sweat.

Facing off against a heavyweight like Chairman Li was simply too much pressure.

He slumped in his chair and took a long moment to catch his breath before calling out toward the door, “Ah Biao, get the car ready immediately. We’re heading to the Mid-Hill Villa!”

“Yes!”

………..

PS: I had to go to the hospital today, so things ran a bit late. Please forgive the delay!

Li Pengfei, the young business leader, returned empty-handed, while the other side had made a strong statement, vowing to do whatever it takes.

This news left Huang Lixing and the others completely stunned!

No one present was a novice, especially Lan Xinyi and the others. As top-tier traders, they all understood just how significant the implications of this were.

Recently, negotiations between the two sides had reached an impasse; neither was willing to back down, and the tense standoff had everyone on edge.

It was at this critical moment that Li Pengfei, a young business leader, led a delegation of elite figures from the business and industrial sectors—the “Young Talents Group”—to the other side. They presented relevant proposals on the issues at hand, hoping to ease the tense atmosphere between the two parties.

Of course, everyone’s primary concern was that war might break out between the two sides.

When Li Pengfei and his delegation traveled there, they were met with high expectations from all sectors of Hong Kong society, and he himself was brimming with confidence. However, to everyone’s surprise, the proposal was rejected.

The impact on all sectors of the economy was immense and unprecedented.

One can imagine that when this news spread here, the investment confidence of both ordinary residents and wealthy conglomerates would inevitably suffer a severe blow, and all of this would ultimately be reflected in the stock market.

In other words, the stock market is bound to crash!

After a long silence, Huang Lixing suddenly burst out laughing: “Hahaha, my good brother, you really outdid yourself!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “You’re not worried anymore?”

“Hahaha, what’s there to worry about now!”

“If you’re not worried, then let’s head back. I need to get some rest too!” Li Yi said.

“Hey, Brother Li Yi, aren’t you going to the exchange?”

“Why go? The market isn’t going to hit rock bottom in a single day anyway!”

Huang Lixing quickly understood: it was one thing for such news to be reported, but it was another matter entirely for it to actually affect the stock market—it would take at least a few days for the news to take hold.

“Alright, I’ll head out then. I’ll come find you at the Mid-Levels Villa tonight!”

“Alright!”

After Huang Lixing left, Li Yi took Lan Xinyi and the others back to the Mid-Levels Villa!

……..

Li Family Estate. Study!

At the very same time Huang Lixing and Li Yi were dining at Yuan’s Restaurant, over at the Li Family Estate, Li Futao was listening to a report from his assistant, Zhou Xinghua.

“Chairman, this morning we sold off 80% of the shares we held. However, the market rose slightly this morning, causing the stock price to go up a bit. Our losses…”

“Just tell me the exact amount!”

“As of now, the loss is at least 90 million Hong Kong dollars!”

Li Futiao frowned. Despite their massive sell-off, the stock price hadn’t fallen—it had actually risen slightly. Clearly, the upward momentum was truly fierce.

If they hadn’t sold, the share price might have been significantly higher than it is now.

In other words, their actual loss was far greater than just those 90 million.

After a brief silence, Li Futao asked in a low voice, “What about that young man? How is he doing?”

“He’s in even worse shape. The Hang Seng Index jumped 6 points this morning, and he took another massive loss of over 54 million Hong Kong dollars. Counting yesterday’s losses, he’s lost over 130 million in less than 24 hours…”

“I’m not asking how much he lost, but where he is now. Did he cut his losses and exit the market?” Li Futiao said.

“No, he hasn’t. Although he was present at the exchange this morning, he just sat there watching quietly without making a single move. He probably isn’t willing to walk away just like that!” Assistant Zhou replied.

“Any activity at the other exchanges?”

“Everything’s normal. However, our massive sell-off has raised their suspicions. We’ve received calls from quite a few companies this morning asking for an explanation—even they called us!”

“How did you respond?”

“I told them it was just a routine business adjustment, not a panic sell-off!”

“Hmm, you did the right thing!”

“Chairman, what should we do now? Should we keep selling the remaining shares?”

Li Futiao frowned, just as he was about to speak, when the phone on the desk suddenly rang, cutting off their conversation.

Without hesitation, Li Futao grabbed the phone and answered it!

However, after just a few words, he jumped straight up from his seat, his expression one of utter shock.

The call lasted no more than three minutes, but Li Fuzhao remained standing for a long time.

Since the voice on the other end wasn’t very loud, Assistant Zhou couldn’t make out what was said. Seeing that the market was about to open in the afternoon, he couldn’t help but ask, “Chairman, should we still sell off the remaining shares?”

Li Futao seemed to snap out of his daze, shook his head, and said, “It’s too late!”

“Ah… What do you mean, there’s no time?”

“Xinghua, do you know? Li Pengfei and his team have failed!”

“Li Pengfei—didn’t he go over there…? Are you saying they rejected his proposal?” Zhou Xinghua asked, looking stunned.

“Right, and they told him outright that he must buy back every single share, no matter the cost!”

“War?”

“We can’t rule out that possibility!”

Zhou Xinghua quickly caught on and looked at Li Futiao, saying, “Chairman, the stock market… the stock market is about to crash!”

“Hmm, if things go as expected, it’s going to crash!”

As a key player in the market rescue effort, Li Futiao was well aware of the limited resources available here. Even without such dire news, the funds they could muster were extremely limited; the main support still came from the major stock exchanges and the powerful families behind the listed companies.

Now that this news had been released, those powerful families would inevitably flee quickly; no one would be foolish enough to wait around to be buried with a stock market on the verge of collapse.

Without the support of these powerful families, they alone were clearly unable to hold the fort; a stock market crash was simply inevitable.

Zhou Xinghua said with a shudder, “Thank goodness we got out this morning. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!”

“That’s right. Once you’re trapped in a losing position, at best it’s a major setback; at worst…”

“It’s a pity we still have 20% of our shares left that we didn’t manage to sell. I wonder if it’s too late to sell them now?”

“The major players have already bailed out; that remaining portion doesn’t matter anymore. What I’m wondering now is, how could that Mr. Li be so certain the market was going to crash?” Li Futiao said with interest.

“Chairman, do you think he might have known about this in advance?”

“It’s possible!”

Li Futiao then added, “Xinghua, immediately pull all our strings to investigate this young man’s background. Just tell me straight—this young man is no ordinary person!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Has the villa at Genting been cleared out yet?”

“Not yet, but it should be ready by tomorrow!”

“Hmm, don’t prepare No. 9. Switch it to Cloud Peak No. 1!” Li Futiao said.

“Chairman, that’s Cloud Peak No. 1! Are you willing to give that away?” Assistant Zhou said, looking utterly shocked.

He knew full well that Cloud Peak No. 1 was the Chairman’s largest and most luxurious villa aside from the Li Family Estate, worth no less than 100 million Hong Kong dollars.

It was originally intended as a dowry for the young miss; he wouldn’t even let himself stay there normally. Assistant Zhou couldn’t believe they were now giving it away for free—the very thought made his heart ache.

“Hehe, Xinghua, think bigger. Do the math—how much did we make on this deal?”

“A conservative estimate of 500 million!”

“Exactly. Without Mr. Li, we would’ve lost at least 800 million. That’s 1.3 billion in total—and I’m giving them a villa worth over 100 million. It’s a fair trade!” Li Fu said with a smile.

“I understand!”

“Go make the arrangements. Get everything ready over there and wait for my call!”

“Yes…”

………