The Financial Blade Is Drawn
The rain in Seattle turned into a continuous drizzle in the early morning, silently washing over the city's jungle of glass and steel.
On the edge of the city's financial district, an unassuming office building with a gray-blue glass curtain wall appears low-key and silent in the rain.
Compared to the surrounding skyscrapers that tout themselves as giants of international investment banks and hedge funds, it is almost deliberately ordinary.
The elevator doors slid open silently, revealing not a typical company reception area or logo wall, but a heavy, matte metal door that required dual biometric authentication (fingerprint + iris scan) to open. K stood before the door, letting the cold light sweep across his eyes. The lock made a soft "beep" sound before sliding inward.
The world behind the door is completely different from the gloomy rain and low-key atmosphere outside.
The space is enormous, with a ceiling height of over five meters, and has been designed as an open, futuristic combat command center. There are no partitions, only well-organized functional zones.
The most eye-catching feature is the giant curved LED screen that occupies an entire wall. It is divided into dozens of windows that display real-time indices, foreign exchange rates, commodity prices, and bond yield curves from major global exchanges. The data flows down like a waterfall, and colorful candlestick charts, intraday charts, and deep buy/sell orders are constantly refreshed, bringing the cold yet efficient digital world to life.
Below the screen, more than thirty professional workstations are arranged in a tiered manner. Each workstation is equipped with multiple high-definition monitors, a custom mechanical keyboard, a trackball, and a complex trading terminal box with flashing indicator lights of various colors.
The air was filled with the low hum of equipment cooling fans, the rapid tapping of keyboards, and the occasional, low but rapid voice of a phone call.
Dozens of men and women, ranging in age from their early twenties to their early fifties, sat in front of workstations, dressed in various styles, from neatly ironed shirts and trousers to comfortable hoodies and jeans. Without exception, their eyes were sharp as eagles, their fingers flying across the keyboards and mice as they stared intently at the screens in front of them, occasionally uttering a few technical terms or numbers into the hanging Mike.
The air was thick with caffeine, focus, and an invisible, tense pressure stemming from a money game.
Here, there is none of the frantic shouting and chaos of Wall Street trading floor; only a more precise and ruthless silent efficiency.
If a seasoned financial professional were here, they might recognize some of these faces—they are not unknown figures. Some have worked in the proprietary trading desks of top investment banks, some are senior traders at star hedge funds, and some are well-known in underground circles for their accurate capture of market trends and execution of complex derivative strategies.
Attracted by high salaries and "absolute freedom of action," they gathered here, forming this little-known financial war room.
K's appearance did not cause much of a stir. The few people who looked up and saw him simply nodded slightly before returning to their work. They knew that this aloof Asian man was the highest commander here, the only connection between them and the mysterious "boss," and the one who allocated vast sums of money.
K walked straight to a slightly elevated, open-plan area at the front of the hall, resembling a command platform. There was a simple metal table with only a few encrypted communication devices and a terminal controlling the main screen. He didn't speak immediately, but stood quietly for a moment, his gaze slowly sweeping over the busy crowd below and the global torrent of capital flowing across the large screen.
A few seconds later, he picked up an intercom on the console, pressed a button, and a calm but clear voice rang out throughout the hall through speakers hidden in various locations:
"Everyone, pause any non-urgent tasks you are currently performing. Assemble at the main screen in three minutes. There is a new, single priority task."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable, penetrating power. The hall fell silent instantly, save for the background noise of the equipment. Almost simultaneously, all the traders stopped what they were doing, whether they were dealing with multi-million dollar arbitrage orders or monitoring subtle fluctuations in a distant market. The instructions were clear and of the highest priority.
There was no whispering, no questioning. Their well-trained professionalism allowed them to quickly maintain their work status, set up automatic alarm programs, and then rise from their respective workstations, silently and swiftly converging in front of the giant main screen.
Soon, more than thirty people stood in neat rows, their eyes all fixed on K, who was standing in front of the command platform. Their expressions varied: some were curious, some were focused, some were eager to try, and some were slightly annoyed at being interrupted, but they all remained absolutely quiet and waited.
K's gaze swept over the group again, making sure everyone was in place.
He didn't use any amplification equipment; he simply spoke in his usual steady and clear voice, which, thanks to the hall's excellent acoustics, clearly reached everyone's ears.
"There's only one purpose for urgently gathering everyone here today."
He paused, his gaze sharp as lightning, and uttered the name, word by word:
I'm going to short Northwest Logistics Group.
As soon as he finished speaking, a brief, almost frozen silence fell over the hall.
NLG –Northwest Logistics Group, the Walton Family's flagship publicly traded company, is one of the largest integrated logistics service providers in the Pacific Ocean Northwest Region. Its business covers port operations, land transportation, warehousing and distribution, and supply chain solutions. Its market value fluctuates between two billion and four billion US dollars. It is a Nasdaq component stock and a major holding for many local pension funds and institutional investors.
Short it?
Almost the instant K finished speaking, a man at the front of the crowd, who looked to be in his forties, with slightly receding hair, wearing frameless Glasses, an Oxford shirt, and khaki pants, frowned.
His name is Richard Thorne, former head of proprietary trading at Morgan Stanley, known for his keen understanding of fundamentals and market sentiment. He is the de facto, informal chief strategist of this temporary team.
Thorne stepped forward, adjusted his Glasses, and spoke in a tone that was clearly questioning yet remained professionally restrained, "Mr. K, the target is NLG? With all due respect, that might... present some practical difficulties."
His voice drew everyone's attention. Everyone looked at him, knowing that Thorne never questioned orders lightly, and when he did speak, there was always a reason.
K's expression remained unchanged; he merely raised his hand slightly, signaling for him to continue.
Thorne licked his slightly dry lips, quickening his pace and speaking clearly:
"NLG's fundamentals currently appear quite healthy. Last quarter's financial report showed stable revenue and profit growth, ample cash flow, and a low debt ratio within the industry."
It's not one of those tech bubble stocks whose valuations are inflated by storytelling, but rather a traditional industry leader with solid assets and stable cash flow.
He paused, then continued:
More importantly, the Walton Family has been operating in Seattle and Washington State for decades and is deeply entrenched. NLG has long-term and in-depth cooperation with the stock sales, bond issuance, and M&A advisory departments of almost all major investment banks, including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and JPMorgan Chase.
This means that a large portion of the NLG stock (stocks available for short selling) in the market is controlled by these large banks, whose interests are deeply intertwined with the Walton Family. They will not easily, or at least will not, lend large amounts of stock to external forces like us for short selling without sufficient justification.
It could even conversely, provide liquidity support when stock prices are impacted.
He glanced at his colleagues around him, who also looked thoughtful, and added the most crucial point:
"To successfully execute an effective and devastating short-selling operation, especially against a company of NLG's caliber, we don't need small-scale actions that cause it to drop by a few percent. We need a sufficiently significant 'catalyst,' a 'story' that can trigger market panic, lead to institutional selling, and ultimately cause the stock price to collapse."
Typically, this requires concrete evidence, such as: financial fraud, concealing huge losses, inflating revenue, major product safety incidents, or significant legal and ethical risks such as insider trading, sex scandals, or bribery involving senior executives.
Thorne's gaze returned to K's face, his tone sincere and direct:
"And these 'stories,' or rather, evidence, Mr. K, based on all the publicly available information, data models, and intelligence channels we currently have, for the time being... none."
NLG looks like a flawless stone. If we forcefully try to attack it based solely on our financial advantage without sufficient negative catalysts, the most likely outcome is that we will spend a huge amount of money to only cause some fluctuations in its stock price, which will be absorbed by its market-supporting forces and long-term investors.
This will not achieve the strategic results you might expect, and it will prematurely reveal our intentions and strength.
He finished speaking. The hall fell silent, with only the data flowing silently on the giant screen. Almost all the traders agreed with Thorne's analysis.
They are all experts and know that shorting a well-established and well-connected local leading enterprise is by no means easy, especially when lacking "ammunition" (dirt). A direct attack might be counterproductive and could even alert the target, leading to a backlash.
All eyes were on K's face, waiting for his response, or rather, waiting for him to give the reason why he "had to short" the stock, or... his trump card.
Faced with Thorne's reasoned and well-founded questions and the probing gazes of the crowd, K's face showed no displeasure. Instead, a faint, almost imperceptible smile slowly appeared. That smile contained no warmth, only a calmness of having everything under control.
"Mr. Thorne, and everyone else," K began slowly, his voice still steady, "I know all about the issues you raised: NLG's fundamentals, its relationship with major investment banks, the key 'catalyst' needed to short it..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and continued, "Those 'news' you're asking for—about financial fraud, product safety issues, or executive scandals... for now, we haven't obtained any concrete, immediately verifiable evidence."
This answer sent a chill down the spines of many, including Thorne. Without a "story," how could they fight this battle?
However, K's tone immediately shifted, carrying an undeniable weight:
"However, there is one thing we can, and are ready to, fully support you with."
He paused briefly, as if giving everyone time to process and anticipate, then, clearly and steadily, uttered a number:
"The amount of funds provided for your operations and allocation in this sell-off targeting NLG is --"
He surveyed the entire room, speaking slowly and deliberately:
"One billion US dollars."
The word "billion" exploded like an invisible thunderclap in the silent hall!
"Hiss--"
Although everyone present was a seasoned trader who had seen it all, at this moment, almost everyone gasped in shock! Many people wore expressions of disbelief and astonishment, their eyes widening involuntarily. Even Thorne, who was usually calm, suddenly had his pupils contract behind his glasses!
One billion US dollars!
Keep in mind that NLG's total market capitalization, based on yesterday's closing price, was only $2.87 billion! What does a billion dollars in dedicated short-selling funds even mean?
This is almost a third of the target company's market capitalization! In a stock with relatively low liquidity, this huge sum of money, if used properly, could trigger a devastating tsunami!
It doesn't need many complicated "stories" to set it up; it is the most violent and direct "story" in itself! When the market discovers that an unknown and terrifyingly large army of short sellers has suddenly gathered and is aggressively pressing down, panic itself becomes the best catalyst.
This goes beyond the traditional "finding vulnerabilities and targeting" short selling model; it's closer to a form of capital crushing. It's about using absolute financial power to forcefully breach a solid wall and then unleashing a flood of panic to completely destroy it.
K was pleased with everyone's reaction. He needed them to feel the weight of the funds and the determination they represented.
He paused for a few seconds to allow his shock to subside before continuing, his tone regaining its calm and control:
"Also, regarding what you mentioned, NLG's products may not have any problems at the moment..."
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the ceiling, directed towards a distant direction where a storm was brewing, and slowly added:
"But soon, problems will arise."
The words, though spoken softly, struck everyone like a cold bolt of lightning. Thorne abruptly looked up at K. The other traders instantly grasped the chilling subtext behind those words—we have a backup plan.
It's not that there's no "story," but rather that the "story" is on its way, about to unfold. Funding is a crushing hammer, while the impending "product problem" is a powerful bomb planted in advance on the enemy's side. The combination of the two...
"Now," K's voice became resolute again, his sharp gaze sweeping across every face, "I need you to act immediately. Analyze NLG's shareholding structure, major shareholders, derivative positions, and all key levels on the technical charts."
Design multiple short-selling strategies, including but not limited to direct short selling, buying put options, constructing spread combinations, and using ETFs and index derivatives for indirect attacks.
Calculate the efficiency of capital utilization, risk exposure, and potential returns under different scenarios. I want you to establish a short position in the shortest possible time that will cause NLG significant pain.
He leaned forward slightly and emphasized his words:
"Remember, what I want isn't minor fluctuations or small-scale manipulations. I want to see a cliff appear on NLG's stock chart in the shortest possible time. I want to see market confidence in it collapse like an avalanche. I want to see everyone who's associated with it start scrambling to escape."
"You are top-notch professionals. I'm entrusting this money and this task to you," K concluded, his voice filled with absolute trust and undeniable pressure. "Now, back to your posts. Get moving. I want results as quickly as possible."
After saying that, he stopped talking and turned to walk to the control terminal behind the command console to retrieve more detailed historical transaction data and related reports from NLG.
The deathly silence in the hall was shattered. It was replaced by a sudden surge of excitement and urgency, like a high-voltage current passing through it. One billion dollars! Plus an impending, fatal "product problem"! This was no longer a task shrouded in doubt, but a hunting ground brimming with deadly allure and limitless possibilities!
Thorne took a deep breath, rubbed his face vigorously, and his eyes instantly became incredibly sharp and focused. He turned to his colleagues, who had also recovered from their shock and whose eyes were beginning to gleam with excitement, and clapped his hands loudly:
"Did you all hear that? What are you waiting for?! Go back to your seats! Immediately pull up all of NLG's data! I want every financial report from the past five years, every conference call transcript, all relevant research reports, and all major shareholder changes!"
Technical team, please mark all key support and resistance levels, calculate the VIX correlation and Beta value!
Derivatives team, list all tradable NLG option chains and related ETF components! Quantitative team, I need three entry models with different levels of aggressiveness on my desk within an hour! Hurry! Get moving!
With Thorne's rapid and clear instructions, the entire hall instantly sprang into action, like a sophisticated war machine!
The sound of keyboard typing suddenly became as dense as a torrential downpour, and the calls rose and fell. The data windows on the large screen were rapidly switched. NLG's stock price chart, deep order book, and option chain were magnified to the center of the screen and repeatedly analyzed, calculated, and measured by countless sharp eyes.
The air was burning, money was roaring, and a bloody prelude to a financial massacre, conducted without gunpowder but even more ruthless, officially began on the fifteenth floor of an inconspicuous building in Seattle on this rainy morning.