In a slaughterhouse's freezer, large pieces of bloody beef hung. Kobe beef is very famous, and this beef processing plant called Inokawa is one of the largest slaughterhouses in the area, with over a hundred transport trucks entering and exiting daily.
What outsiders don't know is that this meat processing plant is a secret base of the Yamaguchi-gumi. Behind the thick walls of the cold storage room, there is a secret chamber of about 200 square meters. At this moment, dozens of men in suits were gathered in this chamber, many with yellow faces, but more with white faces.
Indeed, this was Jim's secret base, and all the people inside were financial experts from the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom, working here to attack the Japanese stock market.
On a huge workbench, there were over a dozen computers, with screens displaying numbers in different colors. However, the traders sitting in front of the computers were all disinterested in the constantly changing numbers. They lay or slumped on the desks, occasionally groaning.
The desk was a mess, littered with packaging boxes of various fast foods and drink cups. Even some cola had spilled onto the workbench, but no one bothered to clean it up.
At the end of the workbench, Jim was holding a large satellite phone, mumbling into the microphone. However, the content of his speech did not interest these traders at all.
It was no wonder; anyone who lost a billion dollars in a month would feel extremely depressed, especially when their total capital was only five billion dollars, and they were hedging in the Japanese stock market.
A thick atmosphere of pessimism permeated the not-so-large trading room. Everyone felt that the situation was hopeless, and even Maxim felt that a comeback was impossible.
After all, this money was not their own but came from different conglomerates. Thinking of the powerful means of these high-ranking conglomerates, most people present felt a chill down their spines.
"Alright, gentlemen, cheer up. We haven't lost everything, have we?" After a half-hour call, Jim finally put away the satellite phone and tried to boost the morale of the dejected traders.
"In this situation, it's no different from total annihilation!" A blond, blue-eyed white man said weakly. His name was John Miller, a trader from the UK who previously worked at Goodman's London branch, representing a European conglomerate.
His words resonated with everyone present, and all eyes turned to Jim, waiting for his rebuttal.
In the bullish Japanese market, any amount of capital used for shorting seemed like moths flying into a flame. At the peak of the short side in October, they had once almost suffocated the long side, but the Japanese market continued to rise as usual. The long side easily recaptured lost ground and even pushed the futures index forward significantly.
It was like a boxing match where one boxer was about to knock out the other, but suddenly another boxer appeared and knocked down the winning side with a powerful punch, even stomping on them a few times.
How could they continue?
"Gentlemen, I just received a message. Our superiors are very satisfied with our阶段性 work, and more funds will be injected soon." Jim, unperturbed by John's words, dropped a bombshell.
"Are you kidding?"
"How is that possible?"
"..."
Jim's words were like a drop of water in boiling oil, causing a huge uproar. Everyone was stunned for a few seconds, then looked at each other, seeing the same disbelief in each other's eyes.
Regaining their composure, they began to discuss heatedly. Most couldn't believe it was true. Had their backers gone mad, throwing stacks of dollar bills into the Pacific?
Only a few astute traders were thinking about the deeper implications, wondering what could make them so determined to short the Japanese stock market.
Jim was clearly prepared for such a strong reaction. He smiled and watched the heated debate without explaining. Gradually, the discussion quieted down, and all eyes refocused on him, waiting for his next words.
"Alright, gentlemen. According to reports from home, our battle in October has successfully attracted the attention of large funds from the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world. According to statistics, a large amount of capital has been flowing into Singapore in recent trading days, clearly intending to do something on the Nikkei futures."
Jim's face was calm, and he spoke slowly, showing no worry despite the huge losses, which reassured many.
"To be honest, we are the vanguard, stirring up the Nikkei futures market to attract the attention of international large capital. We have only completed the first stage of our strategic goal."
"What?"
"Does that mean we are cannon fodder?"
"Has our effort over the past month been just a child's play?"
...
Jim's words again caused a strong reaction. Only now did they realize they were just pawns on the table, their actions meant to stir up the undercurrents beneath.
The traders felt a bit disgruntled, but when they thought about the so-called second and even third stages of the strategy, they quietly suppressed their dissatisfaction. After all, this level of struggle was far beyond their reach.
"Gentlemen, don't be dissatisfied. Believe me, in the future, you will be extremely proud of this." Jim observed everyone's expressions but showed no emotion.
"Mr. Watson, how much capital are you talking about, and how much more will be injected in the future?" A question brought everyone's attention back. They realized they had overlooked a key point in Jim's words.
The speaker was Matt Bacon, also from the UK, and the British traders looked to him as their leader. Even among the elite traders from major global trading markets, he was an extremely formidable figure.
"That's a good question! The U.S. side has decided to add thirty billion dollars, bringing the total to fifty billion. European funds will also arrive soon, and the amount will not be less than this. I believe Mr. Bacon will receive the news soon. However, for the Japanese side, please discuss with your conglomerate's representatives to see if there is any possibility of additional investment!" After revealing a shocking number, Jim pointed out that European conglomerates would stand with the U.S. conglomerates, and finally addressed a yellow-faced man who had been silent.
Nakamura Shunsuke, the representative of the Japanese conglomerate, played a similar role among the Japanese traders. At this moment, his face was grim, and he only nodded subconsciously at Jim's words.
"Regarding Mr. Bacon's second question, over twenty billion dollars of capital has already flowed into Singapore, including well-known capital management companies like Tiger and Soros. I believe more capital will come in the near future."
Jim only mentioned two names, but it was enough to shock the traders. For them, funds like Tiger and Soros were giants, with capital management scales and annual returns that left everyone in awe.
In the late 1980s, several hedge funds gained fame due to their exceptional returns, sparking a global craze for hedge funds and ushering in a golden era for the industry.
Although a few of the people present managed hedge funds, their capital management scales and returns were far from those of the giants Jim mentioned. These funds managed billions or tens of billions of dollars and achieved remarkable returns, while the group of nearly twenty traders, with the full support of their conglomerates, managed a large sum of money with great trepidation, unable to act freely. As for returns, they had lost twenty percentage points in just one month.
In a true hedge fund, clients would have redeemed all their funds, and the fund would have been liquidated long ago.
"Will they all stand with us? After all, capital is profit-driven. If they stand against us, we will be caught between two fires." Matt, unlike the other excited traders, remained calm. After a moment's thought, he expressed his greatest concern.
"Regarding that, I can't guarantee anything. However, given the current Japanese economy, you all have a unified view, and I believe they will have a similar view. Gentlemen, the Japanese economy will not deviate from general economic laws, and there will be no samurai spirit. Once confidence is shaken, an adjustment is inevitable."
Jim's words were somewhat tactful, avoiding words like "collapse" or "plunge" to save face for the Japanese present.
"Additionally, since the first stage of the mission is complete, everyone will have a two-week break to visit Japan. However, please maintain contact in case of emergencies." After finishing his business, Jim gave the traders a two-week holiday to rest.
Hearing this, everyone cheered. They had been in this place full of the smell of raw meat for a whole month and were already fed up. Now, with the opportunity to go out, the traders quickly packed up and dispersed.
"Jim, if I'm not mistaken, your government is also involved. Tell me the complete plan!" After everyone left, Matt remained and said calmly.
"Impossible, Mr. Bacon. If you really want to know, ask the people behind you! Now, please step aside; I can't wait to enjoy some bacon!" Jim glanced at Matt indifferently and said expressionlessly.
(As the author has many other tasks to handle and needs to maintain the quality of writing, many comments have not been replied to in a timely manner. I hope for your understanding. In the future, the author will set aside time to respond to everyone's comments. Thank you for your active participation.)