The Turbulent Times Facing Da Feng Capital

In the way, are we?

You bet!

Ever since Zucker founded Da Feng Capital several years ago, it had racked up one spectacular success after another on Wall Street. From the Asian financial crisis in 1997 to the Internet Bubble in early 2000, and then the Enron and Shitong scandals, among others—

Da Feng Capital had pocketed nearly ten billion dollars in total!

That record was enough to make its Wall Street peers green with envy. Fortunately, Zucker understood how deep the waters ran in finance. He always left room for others and never tried to take the whole pie, content to claim the juiciest slice.

But!

Even so, Da Feng Capital's enormous profits had made it a thorn in the side of countless Wall Street investment banks. Merrill Lynch Securities was especially hostile.

"Boss, I just reviewed our investment records from May 2000 through December 2001. To my surprise, we had repeatedly crossed paths and clashed with Merrill Lynch Securities over investments in Johnson & Johnson, Annuo Pu, Dell, HP, Boeing, and several other companies."

CEO Andy Chelope spoke in a grave tone.

"Heh!"

At that, Zucker burst out laughing. "Looks like I really have been getting in the way and costing Merrill Lynch a lot of money. In that case, it makes perfect sense that they'd want to take me down!"

Andy gave a bitter smile. "Boss, how can you still laugh?"

Zucker shrugged, unruffled. "Would you rather I cry for you? Relax! If I were Merrill Lynch, and someone kept getting in my way, I'd try to take him down too."

Andy nodded.

But a flash of understanding passed through Zucker's eyes.

Suddenly, all sorts of suspicions surfaced in his mind.

"Why is Merrill Lynch coming after me now? Why not sooner, or later?"

"Could this have