xymnovel The Deception Unfolds in Chapter 96
The Deception Unfolds in Chapter 96
The Deception Unfolds in Chapter 96
the next day.
40 Wall Street, New York, New York Securities and Exchange Commission.
This is a four-story granite building with six Collins columns on the front.
Every morning and afternoon, newsboys would deliver newly released newspapers to the front desk for the gentlemen to read.
Well-dressed stockbrokers would sit on leather sofas in the lounge, sipping coffee or tea while flipping through the day's news, discussing which stocks to buy and which to sell.
This morning's deliveries included newspapers and magazines such as The New York Business Week, The New York Herald, and The New York Tribune.
Charlie picked up a copy of "New York Business Weekly," and after flipping through it a couple of times, one article immediately caught his attention.
The title is: "Newland Light Metals Development Corporation: Stock Price Soars – Miracle or Scam?"
The article details the many suspicious aspects of the company from its inception to the present: it has never disclosed the specific refining process, never revealed the specific location of the aluminum ore, and never shown its production plant; everything is supported by a few public demonstrations and a few aluminum ingots.
The article concludes by asking, "If their refining process is truly feasible, why not build a factory? Why not take on the refining of bauxite from other companies?"
Is it possible that everything they've done is fake, including that unreasonably inflated stock price?
Charlie's lips curled into a smug smile. He closed the weekly magazine, picked up his coffee cup, and strolled slowly toward the table where Potter was.
Potter was engrossed in another newspaper, with a loaf of bread and a fried egg in front of him.
Charlie placed the weekly magazine on the table, pushed it in front of Potter, and laughed, "Potter, it's a pity, it seems our bet is over. They didn't even last a month, let alone three months."
"Oh?"
Porter raised an eyebrow, put down his newspaper, and picked up the New York Business Weekly, reading it carefully. "Indeed, unless they come up with a solution, I'm doomed."
"What are the solutions?"
Charlie chuckled and shook his head, saying, "I already told you, it's a scam company. You really expect them to produce aluminum refining technology?"
Potter took five Double Eagle gold coins worth twenty dollars from his wallet and pushed them on the table: "Fine, fine, I'll keep my word."
Meanwhile, elsewhere on Wall Street.
All the stockbrokers saw the contents of the newspaper, including the few who were the agents for the New Continent Light Metals Development Corporation.
"Damn it, I haven't even sold all 500 shares I was representing, and it's already gone bust?"
Inside a mining exchange, Ian Jensen threw down his newspaper and cursed.
He initially bought 500 shares at $15 a share, and although he has sold 300 shares so far, he is still losing more than $1,000.
And next, those guys who bought the stock and saw the news will definitely swarm in demanding to sell their shares.
He rubbed his temples, then immediately stood up and called out to his colleagues at the exchange, "I have two hundred shares of New Continent Light Metals Development Corporation stock, $23 per share. Anyone interested?"
The others just looked at him with schadenfreude, and no one said a word.
He gritted his teeth: "Twenty-two dollars?"
"Twenty-one dollars?"
"Twenty dollars?"
Jason took a deep breath, intending to push the price down even further, when he suddenly heard someone say, "Fifteen dollars a share, I'll buy them all."
He looked toward the direction from which the sound came and saw a man wearing a dark coat, vest, and trousers. His collar was stiff and he had a mustache.
"Mr. Tacitus Kilgo".
Jason called out the man's name. The two weren't very familiar with each other. He only knew that this man with the strange name was a colleague from the West who was very rich and had recently bought a lot of stocks that were losing money.
"Isn't $15 a share a bit low? My purchase price is $18."
Tacitus chuckled softly upon hearing this: "Buy price? So what?"
He took a leisurely sip of his coffee, his movements elegant: "Mr. Jensen, our industry doesn't care about that. We only care about who has enough guts, money, and luck."
"Fourteen dollars a share. I'll give you only ten seconds to consider."
Wasn't it just fifteen dollars?
Jason's face flushed red, but he gritted his teeth and suppressed his anger. He knew that now was not the time to argue. With the stock price plummeting, the sooner he sold, the less he would lose.
"Fourteen dollars a share, I agree!"
"A wise choice."
Tacitus took a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and pushed it in front of Jensen.
It was a New York bank note, printed with exquisite patterns and seals, and the amount was written in cursive script: Three Thousand Dollars.
"Consider the extra two hundred dollars as an advance payment. If any of your clients come to you to sell stocks, remember to save it for me."
"Reasonable."
Jason took the receipt, examined it carefully, and after confirming that it was correct, immediately signed the share transfer agreement.
He exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling completely relaxed. So what if he lost a little money? As long as he didn't go bankrupt, he could continue in this line of work.
He ordered a coffee and asked, "Mr. Kiergo, are you so confident that its stock price can recover?"
Tacitus pulled a gold pocket watch from his pocket, checked the time, and asked with a smile, "Mr. Jensen, have you forgotten where I came from?"
After saying that, he got up and left, leaving Jason standing there with a look of surprise and uncertainty on his face.
Meanwhile, at another mining exchange, as Hosea's voice faded into the distance, the broker who sold his stock wore the same expression as Jason.
"So, what exactly are we doing?"
In the evening, Arthur scratched his head, looking puzzled, and said, "First, they spent their own money to buy up their own stock and make it rise, then they released news to make the stock price fall, and now they want to buy the stock back—"
"Are you all thinking our Lord has too much money to burn for fun?"
The other three exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
"No, what are you laughing at?"
Arthur slammed his fist on the table and said, "We've been spending money like water these past few days, without making a single penny. Yesterday, John even asked me how much we'd earned here. I was too embarrassed to tell him, so I just laughed it off!"
Hosea looked at Dutch and said, "Dutch, you explain yourself."
Dutch suppressed his laughter, coughed, and said, "Alright, let me explain. Our purpose in doing this is very simple."
"First, we'll expose the loopholes ourselves, control the stock price, and buy back some shares from outside the company to facilitate our subsequent plans. Once the positive news is released tomorrow, we can earn even more."
Secondly, this stock purchase will establish our identities as stockbrokers, including Hosea, and give us initial recognition on Wall Street. This will make it easier to promote your Western Gold Mining Company's stock later.
"I see."
Arthur only half understood, but that didn't stop him from nodding. "When will my company's stock be issued?"
"No rush. Once Strauss's company stock has heated up, it'll be your turn."
The next day, early in the morning.
The third floor of the Broadway Building.
Strauss stood by the window, watching the increasing number of carriages and pedestrians below, a copy of "New York Business Week" in his hand.
"It's almost time." He turned to look at the other three people in the room.
Dutch leaned back on the sofa, a coffee in his hand, looking relaxed: "Have you notified all the reporters?"
"All fifteen newspapers have agreed to send someone," Strauss said. "Some even sent someone last night to confirm the time and place."
Hosea stood up and straightened his tie. "Dutch and I will go down first. If the reporters see us together, the rest of the scam will be hard to maintain."
"The carriage is already waiting at the back door. Arthur will drive it over once all the reporters have arrived."
Strauss nodded: "Understood, you may leave."
The three of them pushed open the door and came out.
Another half hour passed, and reporters began to arrive one after another.
At 8:30, the first floor of the Broadway Building was already packed with people.
Reporters from fifteen newspapers, along with a few speculators and onlookers who had caught wind of the situation, blocked almost half of the street in front of the building.
Strauss stood before them, smiling and composed.
Thank you all for taking the time to come today.
His voice was calm and measured: "I'm sure you all saw yesterday's *New York Business Week*."
That article. It raised some questions about our company, which is normal. Any new thing will encounter skepticism.
He held up the copy of New York Business Week in his hand, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
"I invited you all here today to address these questions."
A murmur of whispers arose in front of him.
Strauss raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet: "First of all, some people questioned that we have never shown the production plant."
My answer is that the factory does exist, but it's not in New York; it's on the West Coast, near a mining area in Nevada. Building a factory near a mine significantly reduces transportation costs—it's basic business logic.
A reporter raised his hand and asked, "Mr. Strauss, since the factory is in Nevada, how is the aluminum you produce transported to New York?"
Strauss smiled slightly: "That's a very good question, sir. Please turn around and look behind you."
Upon hearing this, everyone turned around and saw a freight wagon coming from the street corner and then stopping to the side.
Several burly men jumped off the carriage and carried over two heavy wooden crates with the words "New Continent Light Metal Company" printed on them.
After being carried back and forth several times, the wooden crates were placed one by one on the open ground in front of the building.
Strauss walked up to the first wooden crate and pried open the lid.
It glittered with silver light.
A full box of aluminum ingots, neatly stacked, reflected a dazzling light in the morning sun.
A gasp of surprise erupted from the street.
Strauss then pried open the second, third, and fourth wooden crates.
Each box was full of aluminum ingots, and the total weight of several wooden boxes was at least several tens of kilograms.
The reporters stood up and rushed to the front to begin sketching.
"Mr. Strauss, did you refine all of these?"
"Mr. Strauss, when did this shipment arrive?"
"Mr. Strauss————"
Strauss raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet before slowly speaking: "This batch of aluminum ingots, totaling fifty kilograms, was just shipped from the West Coast to New York yesterday."
They proved three things: First, our factory does exist and is in normal production; second, our refining process is indeed feasible, enabling the delivery of such a large quantity of finished products at once;
As he spoke, he opened the last wooden box, which contained a collection of exquisite aluminum ornaments.
The necklace, ring, brooch, and cufflinks gleamed with a cold white light in the sunlight.
"Third, we have begun experimenting with making various ornaments using aluminum, and we plan to start selling them."
The reporters' sketch pens moved so fast they felt they couldn't keep up with the pace.
Strauss ignored them and continued, "In addition, I have two more things to announce."
"First, effective immediately, Newland Light Metals Company is officially accepting external bauxite refining services. Any individual or company that brings bauxite can have it refined by us for a reasonable processing fee. For specific pricing, please come to our company for a face-to-face meeting."
He paused, then continued, "Secondly, our company has decided to build a new refining plant in New York."
The initial site selection for the factory is in Brooklyn, and it is expected to be completed and put into operation within six months.
As soon as he finished speaking, reporters eagerly raised their hands to ask questions. Strauss answered them one by one, from the size of the factory to the cost of refining, from the source of the ore to the sales channels of the jewelry, answering fluently.
More than an hour later, the reporters returned home with their findings.
They not only had countless news materials, but also small aluminum trinkets given to them by Strauss, such as an aluminum cufflink or an aluminum tie clip for each person.
Everyone was stunned by Strauss's arrogance.
It's small, but it's worth tens of dollars! That's two months' salary for them!
Encouraged, the reporters worked quickly; the fastest, a reporter from the evening paper, finished the article that very afternoon, and the newspaper circulated on the streets: "Exclusive Secret Formula Confirmed Again! New Continent Light Metals Company Receives Fifty Kilograms of Aluminum Ingots!"
"Has the age of aluminum arrived? Newland Corporation announces plans to build a factory in New York to handle external refining business!"
From skepticism to amazement: How a company silenced all doubters in a single day!
By evening, Wall Street was in complete turmoil.
Inside the Securities and Exchange Commission, Charlie sat blankly on the sofa, several newspapers spread out in front of him.
Porter sat opposite him, holding an aluminum cufflink in his hand, examining it closely. He had just had it bought from a journalist he knew, for fifty dollars.
He looked at his friend with a smile: "Charlie, when are you going to give me that two hundred dollars?"
Charlie grabbed the newspaper from the table, read the article about the fifty kilograms of aluminum ingots and the construction of a factory in New York again, and finally slammed the newspaper down on the table.
"Oh shit."
He pulled out his wallet, counted out two hundred dollars, and slapped it in front of Potter. "Take it!"
Potter smiled and put away the money, then placed the aluminum cufflink in front of Charlie: "This is for you, keep it as a souvenir."
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at various exchanges on Wall Street had completely changed.
The brokerage firms that acted as agents for issuing shares of New Continent Light Metals Company were practically worn down by the crowds at that moment.
"I want to buy New Continent's stock! As much as you can!"
"I didn't buy it yesterday for $23, but I'll take it for $30 today! Place my order now!"
"Thirty-five dollars? I'd buy it for thirty-five dollars!"
Ian Jensen sat in his seat, completely bewildered by the frenzied crowd before him.
At this time yesterday, he was still desperately trying to sell off his two hundred shares, and in the end he had to sell them to a man named Tacitus Kilgo at a low price of fourteen dollars a share.
Today, Newland's stock price has rebounded to $23, and it's still rising.
How much did he lose?
Just as he was about to make calculations, he suddenly saw Tacitus Guirgo walk in from outside the door.
The man with the mustache still maintained his elegant and composed demeanor.
"Mr. Kiergo!"
Jason practically jumped up and rushed to him. "Mr. Kiergo, are you planning to sell those stocks from yesterday?"
Tacitus looked at him and smiled slightly: "Make a move? Why make a move? I'm optimistic about New Continent Company's prospects and plan to hold it for the long term."
Jason's face turned green.
Tacitus patted him on the shoulder and said gently, "Mr. Jason, in our line of work, foresight is very important. Next time you have an opportunity like this, remember to think it through more carefully."
Jason's face turned green. He shook off Tacitus's hand and suddenly ran towards the door.
If they won't sell, then they won't sell. I'll go find Mr. Strauss and beg him until I get some more shares!