Those who become billionaires are hardly ever simple folk.

Although luck plays a significant role, many quickly get washed out in the survival of the fittest.

As a "carnivore" class, they are most accustomed and adept at analyzing the psychology and plans of operators behind major events by piecing together various leaked subsequent information.

Thus, as more and more details surfaced, the true nature of the crude oil futures and the change of ownership at Headline Technology became increasingly apparent to the billionaires in Hong Kong, Tiandu, and Qindong.

First and foremost, the biggest winner in the whole affair was undoubtedly Chen Yan.

He not only went big and won big, successfully earning over 12 billion in cash in just over a month!

He also managed to swallow up Headline Technology, a company with the potential to become a major player.

Initially, everyone was puzzled: earning money is one thing, but how did Chen Yan manage to take over Headline Technology?

However, after Zhang Yonghao was expelled from Headline Technology and began to cry and seek help from within the circle, they finally understood why.

That sandbag Zhang Yonghao, in order to hitch a ride on Chen Yan's money-making express, mortgaged his own 20% stake to Chen Yan.

This was akin to seeking skin from a tiger.

If these billionaires put themselves in Chen Yan's shoes, they, too, would have gone to any lengths to secure that 20% share.

Thus, to this point, the various families and billionaires felt that everything could still be understood and accepted.

What shocked them, however, was learning that Chen Yan's final 5% stake was obtained from his sworn enemy, Zhao Qingtian.

They knew that Zhao Qingtian was Zhang Yonghao's ace up the sleeve.

It was precisely because of the widely known grudge between Zhao Qingtian and Chen Yan, as well as the power that was strong enough to protect Zhang Yonghao, that he dared to betray Chen Yan time and again to seek refuge with Zhao Qingtian.

Now, Zhang Yonghao had handed over his shares to Zhao Qingtian, who had turned around and sold him out?

What on earth had happened?

Had Chen Yan and Zhao Qingtian reconciled?

Had Chen Yan offered Zhao Qingtian an irresistible benefit that swayed him?

Or... was all of this just an act?

Due to insufficient information, no one knew the truth of the matter.

Nevertheless, this shrouded Chen Yan in a veil of mystery and power.

Although previously everyone acknowledged Chen Yan's strength, they mostly saw him as a newcomer yet to solidify his position.

This era easily creates myths, but most myths fade quickly, like shooting stars.

Because, at the end of the day, they lack the skills and methods to match their wealth.

This time, however, Chen Yan proved to everyone his capabilities and methods.

Subsequently, everyone began to reassess the losers of this episode.

To their surprise, they found that, apart from Chen Yan, everyone involved was a loser.

Zhang Yonghao lost.

Zhao Qingtian lost.

Even the entire Hong Kong financial circle lost.

And more frighteningly... in the Hong Kong financial circle, whether they bet on Chen Yan early or tried to burst his bubble later, they all lost.

Upon realizing this, everyone couldn't help but shudder.

Then they reanalyzed Chen Yan's wild gamble on crude oil.

Before, when things had not settled, they were unable to analyze. But now with the event concluded, they retraced Chen Yan's entire process.

They found that everything Chen Yan did was very stable and planned out.

From the initial position buildup, then progressively doubling down, to gradually increasing the margin, and finally reaping the benefits.

They had been unable to understand Chen Yan's plan.

But now, they suddenly realized what he was doing: he was laying bait, using an escalation tactic to gradually strengthen his position and lure the enemy.

If he had come in heavy-handed, throwing all his funds in at once, he could indeed have driven the oil price down, but don't forget: this is the real financial market, not a game.

If you want to sell, there must be buyers for the deal to happen; if you want to buy, there must be sellers.

The financial circle might not engage if they see you as too determined, or if they perceive too much risk.

Then, Chen Yan would just be playing with a bunch of retail investors essentially entertaining himself.

It was precisely because he lured the Hong Kong financial circle into the game that he had a counter-party to harvest from.

Moreover, when the crude oil futures crashed, it was the collapse of his counter-party that once again exploded the market price, causing the price of oil to drop once more and netting him even greater profits.

In other words, through step-by-step planning, he managed to turn his enemies into "assistants to his own victory" and harvested their wealth.

"That's a true financial master!"

"It's as if he has the ability to see through the future, with the eyes of God."

"He's like having the hand of God, single-handedly causing chaos in the entire financial market."

"One must not be his enemy in the financial market."

This was the conclusion drawn by many after their analysis.

Given that all major financial firms are the biggest capitals, and the people who work there are elites among elites, it was astounding that Chen Yan managed to manipulate them so easily—such a feat was truly terrifying.

Moreover, Chen Yan didn't just manipulate the Hong Kong financial circle, but during this period, he also schemed against Zhang Yonghao and Zhao Qingtian, making them hand over Headline Company on a silver platter.

This level of intricate strategy of killing several birds with one stone left everyone in awe.

Hence, after rerunning the whole event, they concluded: it wasn't that Zhang Yonghao was too weak, but that Chen Yan was too strong.

Losing to Chen Yan... wasn't shameful.

As for Chen Yan...

He was someone to befriend, not to make an enemy of.

The stir Chen Yan caused this time was indeed monumental, its influence still ongoing, like the eye of a vortex, pulling more and more people into its swirl...

And at that moment, Chen Yan was unaware that because of his actions, a tremendous storm was slowly taking shape.

He was in his office, chatting with... the little fairy, Lu Man...

...

Chen Yan's stir in the financial, capital, and billionaire circles was a bit too distant for ordinary people.

Although he made waves, it didn't have much impact on the lives of the everyday folk.

Most people were not even aware that someone had earned over 10 billion in just a month or that someone had forcefully taken over Headline Technology.

Take Lu Man, for example, who was oblivious to the crude oil futures crash, merely hearing rumors of a conflict in the oil sector.

In her world, life remained peaceful as ever, focusing on acting and enjoying the spotlight.

After completing an interview in Tiandu and being dragged by Song Chuang to promote "Wandering Planet," Lu Man returned to Qin Island and immediately sought out Chen Yan.

She locked the door of Chen Yan's office behind her and bounced around like a sprite, "Chen Yan! Chen Yan! I need a vacation! A long vacation!"

At that moment, Chen Yan, just finished with a barrage of calls from billionaires across the three regions, was busy with official duties.

Holding a pen, he reviewed documents without looking up and asked, "A vacation? What good does it do to tell me? Go find Sister Mei Li."

"She's your agent. If you want to adjust your schedule, shouldn't you talk to her?"

Upon hearing Chen Yan's words, Lu Man pouted, then leaned over the desk, pinning his documents beneath her, and with captivating eyes fixed on him, she said, "If talking to her would help, why would I come to you?"

"You don't know, ever since the agency was set up and she began recruiting a bunch of trainees, she's been working me like a donkey!"

"The trainees need a dance demonstration, she sends me. If there's a monthly assessment, she makes me a judge."

"If there's a notable trainee who wants to build a profile, she makes me bring them along on variety shows!"

"She even arranged for two or three trainees to follow me to Tiandu, just to ride on my coattails."

Chen Yan listened, trying to move her hand to rescue his document from beneath Lu Man.

But Lu Man completely ignored Chen Yan's attempts, pressing even harder as she spoke, forcing Chen Yan to listen.

"You have no idea how busy I am with my own stuff. Now, with training these trainees, it's even worse."

"And on top of that, there are the movies, dramas, and variety shows you assigned me. I'm swamped!"

She then shuffled Chen Yan's document under herself some more, puffed her cheeks, glared, and declared, "So, I'm taking a vacation, a vacation!"

Listening to Lu Man and watching her unreasonable antics, Chen Yan couldn't help but be both amused and exasperated.

He thought to himself, this woman must be cat-like.

She loved her freedom and didn't like being pestered.

But if she missed you, she would become clingy, wanting you to be with her or else she'd pester you constantly.

While mentally turning Lu Man into a "cat," Chen Yan stroked her hair and said, "Alright then. You want a vacation? I'll have Mei Li give you some time off."

Hearing that Chen Yan agreed, Lu Man immediately let go of the documents on the table and cheered like a child in the office.

However, before she could enjoy her happiness for a minute, Chen Yan started to pull the documents towards himself and said, "But now is a critical time for you."

"There's one month left until 'Wandering Planet' releases."

"This is the masterpiece I hyped up for you on Weibo. A lot of people are watching."

"And your arch-rival, Director Zhang's new work, is competing against you."

"And he comes with great momentum."

Lu Man paused in her actions.

Chen Yan put the documents down and continued reviewing them, while also saying, "Also, you are a major shareholder of the talent agency. The better the agency does, the more you'll profit."

"I've seen the results that Mei Li has achieved lately."

"She's fostered a group of promising newcomers. A few of them, I can tell, have a lot of potential."

"Just think, if we take down Xu Brothers Film Company and sweep up half of the entertainment industry, then these trainees will step up. In three to five years, every one of them could become top-tier celebrities."

"What would that make this talent agency? And what would you be?"

Chen Yan paused, "The agency will become the Huangpu Military Academy of the entertainment world, and you will be the principal."

"Combine that with your crown as a multi-billion dollar leading actress."

"You will become an evergreen in the entertainment industry. For the next twenty years in the industry, if you claim to be the number one actress, no one would dare to disagree."

The expression on Lu Man's face inevitably showed her deep thoughts.

Chen Yan, while flipping through the documents, looked up at Lu Man with a smile.

Seeing that she really took it in.

Then he hastily said in an ostentatious tone, "But, Man Man. I'm definitely on your side, if you want a vacation, I'll definitely support you fully."

Lu Man wasn't a fool, and she quickly guessed Chen Yan's strategy.

So, although she no longer wanted a vacation, she still "rebuked" him, "You evil capitalist!"

"I'm not taking a vacation, happy now? Waah waah waah!"

Seeing Lu Man break down, Chen Yan smiled and stood up to take her in his arms, hoping to coddle her.

Who knew that Lu Man's crying was an act... ever since she had consumed several bottles of Professional Potential Potion, her acting had improved by leaps and bounds.

Chen Yan, caught off guard, was truly fooled by her act and then... Lu Man succeeded in her cunning plan by biting his shoulder.

Suddenly bitten, Chen Yan drew a sharp breath, "Hiss. Ow ow ow."

Lu Man "hmphed" and said, "That's for scheming against me!"

Chen Yan raised his hand and gave Lu Man's plump buttocks a heavy smack, which made her body shake and she couldn't help but moan softly.

Then she looked up at Chen Yan with a wronged expression, her eyes brimming with spring passion.

Her desirous gaze seemed to melt Chen Yan completely, prompting him to bend down and capture Lu Man's cherry lips.

Lu Man raised her arms, wrapping them around Chen Yan's neck, and submerged into the sweetness of their kiss.

The room went from noisy to silent in an instant.

After a moment, as Chen Yan's hands began to move under her clothes, grasping the two tantalizing soft mounds, Lu Man finally came to her senses. She coquettishly slapped his hand away and teased, "This outfit is expensive, you know~ Don't you dare tear it."

Saying this, she attempted to escape, but Chen Yan wrapped his arms around her slim waist and said cheekily, "I like expensive things. It's a different kind of thrill to tear them apart."

Chen Yan's words made Lu Man blush.

She then gently slapped his arm and said, "Stop it~ We're still at the office."

"Let's go back to discussing what comes next."

Chen Yan's words earlier had indeed reminded Lu Man.

Now was indeed not the time for vacation. Because up next was a pivotal battle for Chen Yan in the entertainment industry and for her as well.

If they won, they would be the king and queen of the entertainment world.

If they lost, she might fall like a shooting star, or end up as Chen Yan's pampered wife.

And the latter was not what she wanted.

She felt like a small bird, not a canary. Although she longed for love, she also longed for freedom. She didn't want to be tied up by someone for their entertainment, to be played with...

So, they proceeded to discuss the upcoming challenges thoroughly.

After Headline Technology was dealt with, Chen Yan's influence in the media had significantly increased.

His next target was the Xu Brothers and the entire entertainment industry.

Especially with both Headline Technology and Douyin being top traffic media platforms, Chen Yan was essentially at the domestic media apex.

With such an advantageous position, it was like fighting the entertainment world at a lower dimension.

Although the entertainment industry isn't the most valuable compared to other sectors, it holds its unique appeal: influence.

Imagine if Chen Yan really took over the entertainment industry, controlling half the movies, TV shows, variety shows, celebrities, and artists under his company.

He would be able to mobilize any industry or business venture at a moment's notice, instantly kicking it into high gear.

And if he wanted to propagate certain values or messages, they could swiftly penetrate the minds of the entire audience.

Never underestimate the power of celebrities. While their influence is limited among older demographics, it's immense among younger populations.

Plus, due to the star effect, they could amplify a hundredfold the impact of marketing campaigns to thousands or tens of thousands...

So, the priority now was to strategize and win the upcoming battle, thwart Director Zhang, take down Xu Brothers, and dominate the entertainment industry.

The two discussed their plans for well over an hour.

Actually, it wasn't anything particularly novel, just leveraging momentum, promotion, channels, and subsequent attacks on Xu Brothers.

The most valuable aspect perhaps was the partnership with Headline Technology.

Previously, when Chen Yan and Yang Rou were planning, they didn't factor in the acquisition of Headline Technology. Now, it wasn't part of their calculations.

But now, Chen Yan and Lu Man included the roles of Headline Technology's flagship products—Headline and Douyin—into their strategy.

Upon reviewing, they realized just how potent these two platforms could be...

To not exaggerate, they felt that if Headline Technology fully promoted 'Wandering Planet,' an increase of two to three billion in box office wasn't impossible.

Once the plan was set, they reorganized the steps and decided to pass the instructions down and execute accordingly.

Stacking the documents, Chen Yan said to Lu Man, "Alright, let's leave that matter here. I'll talk to Sister Rou about it later."

"Then, it's up to you two for the execution."

Hearing Chen Yan's words, Lu Man nodded, "Okay. I'll also talk with Mei Li in a bit to see how the variety show she's been preparing is coming along."

"If we can release that show earlier, we can take over the market after Xu Brothers fall."

While they were discussing, suddenly the office door was banged on "thud thud thud."

Hearing the knock, Chen Yan and Lu Man paused, and then Chen Yan called out, "Who is it?"

A sweet voice came from outside, "It's me, Chen Yan—He Mengxue."

Hearing He Mengxue's pleasant voice, Lu Man made a face at Chen Yan and then mimicked in a lowered voice, "It's me~~ Chen Yan~~~"

Chen Yan glared at her and then stood up to open the door.

There wasn't anything for him to hide, since He Mengxue knew about his and Lu Man's relationship, so Chen Yan felt there was no need to conceal anything.

Thinking this, he went to the door and opened it.

However, when the office door opened, He Mengxue burst with joy, leaping onto Chen Yan's body, hugging him tightly, and excitedly said,

"Chen Yan! You're amazing! How did you do it? How did you predict the situation so accurately, and how did you manage to take over Headline Technology?"

"Tell me! Tell me!"

Hearing He Mengxue's words, Chen Yan laughed and patted her little bottom, intending to teach her not to be so boisterous.

But right at that moment, Chen Yan suddenly froze.

Then he felt a chill down his spine, and a cold sweat broke out.

Because he realized something:... He Mengxue knew about his relationship with Lu Man, but... Lu Man didn't know about his relationship with He Mengxue!!

With that thought, he turned around stiffly, looking back at Lu Man.

Indeed, Lu Man was staring at them in disbelief, shock filling her eyes...

——————

The book is nearing its end. It's time to prepare for the Crystal Palace.

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