Darkstone Code-Chapter 748 - 0746 Everyone is playing mind games

The audience in front of the television is now highly focused on watching the program on TV, and the questions asked by the host are the ones that many investors involved in Yuanrong Gold Certificate most want to ask.

If everything Yuanrong Capital claims is false, then how can it afford to pay the monthly rebates, and moreover, it has never been in arrears, with the money being transferred into the account as scheduled?

If the experts can’t explain this, the investors will not believe what those experts say, let alone trust Ledu Daily, which only seeks profits from naked women.

Yet, even though people are unwilling to believe this fact, hoping the host can outdebate the two experts, their hearts still can’t help feeling restless and uneasy.

Just like the beginning of the program stated, even the most famous foundations couldn’t sustain such a terrible rate of return, so why can Yuanrong Gold Certificate?

Have they invented a new way of financial profitability?

Or is mining gold more profitable than imagined and calculated?

Or perhaps...

They look at the experts, hoping they can’t answer this question—since they’ve claimed Yuanrong Capital might be fraudulent, how has it managed to fulfill agreements on time and transfer real silver into all investors’ accounts?

A different degree of smile appears on the faces of the two experts, smiles that are somewhat... off-putting.

Those who feel this are investors in Yuanrong Capital, who detect strong malice on these two people’s faces.

"We have a hypothesis that, in fact, the current rebates of Yuanrong Capital come from the fees people pay when purchasing Gold Certificates."

Expert One glanced at Expert Two, who immediately continued, "Let me give you an example for clarity. Suppose I now take out one hundred bucks to buy a Yuanrong Gold Certificate, as per regulation, they must give me an eight percent rebate every month..."

The two experts start demonstrating on-site, using some white paper and pens to write some small paper pieces that represent money, "I have a hundred bucks in their hands. Even if they have no income source, the money I gave to them is enough to support them giving me a year’s rebate!"

Actions in their hands keep going, one by one, paper pieces marked with the number "eight" are passed from Expert One to Expert Two.

Expert One shakes his head at the camera, "As long as Gold Certificates keep being issued, it can ensure that the rebate situation is always good, but this is not a good thing."

"To satisfy more and more rebate scales, they can only issue more Gold Certificate products."

"The more Gold Certificate products are issued, the better the company’s performance looks. After all, apart from printing costs and management tax, everything else is pure profit."

The host, being sharp, suddenly interrupted, "So actually this money couldn’t possibly support a year, because they also have to pay taxes?"

The two nodded without speaking. The studio suddenly fell silent, as if the host and experts were digesting the content.

The face of His Majesty the Emperor turns extremely dark, "Send for the Minister of Finance, and people from the Golden Certificate."

As the highest ruler of the Empire, His Majesty’s orders are effectively executed. The Minister of Finance, who was having dinner, had to put down his knife and fork, and lead his subordinates to the Imperial Palace.

On the way there, they already knew what had happened, possessing the same keen political sense as His Majesty, the Minister of Finance vaguely sensed that this isn’t simple, but for the moment, he didn’t have any clues.

Before the ceremony was over, His Majesty impatiently asked, "Exactly how large was Yuanrong Capital before the IPO?"

The contents mentioned in the television program are not particularly profound academic issues; they are very common and understandable, and he could also understand them.

In short, Yuanrong Capital has been fraudulent, and the case is not small, potentially implicating a large group of people and affecting another big group.

Whenever there is bad news like this, His Majesty often suffers from persistent headaches. He supported his forehead with one hand while glaring angrily, "I expect you to think clearly before speaking."

Several staff members quickly contacted other departments through calls, mainly the tax department, the Federation’s taxation institutions being organizations of the Imperial Family, though they do not wield the same power as the Federation’s Tax Bureau with armored vehicles, they are similar.

They also have their own armed tax collection team, just not as exaggerated as the Federation’s, more so as a symbol.

Tens of minutes later, the main person in charge of financial monitoring wiped the sweat from his forehead while speaking softly, "Your Majesty, a bit over two billion..."

"Two billion... a bit more?" His Majesty’s tone is somewhat ethereal, and his eyes also lost focus.

He knows the number is massive, but had not anticipated it to be this enormous!

According to the television program, if Yuanrong Capital has to pay close to twenty million in rebates monthly, plus what is deducted by taxation, they could collapse at any moment.

Once collapsed, or if some among them embezzle funds and flee, it means there will be a two billion black hole!

The Emperor’s eyes regain focus, looking towards the people before him, he asks a question, "Yuanrong Capital has such a big issue, how did it pass the audit for the IPO?"

"Everything is clearly spelled out on TV. They don’t even have an intangible product, how did it pass under your watch to get listed successfully?"

The Minister of Finance detects something wrong at this moment, the person in charge of financial monitoring starts trembling slightly.

How did it pass?

Of course, someone said a word, and they "fixed" the procedures, opened many gold stores, and passed!

This is actually a shortcut method. If no accidents occur, naturally, there won’t be more problems.

But once an accident happens, their actions will become major work errors, even occupational crimes!

During this process, Gold Certificates and money also played a significant role.

No answer. After waiting a minute without a reply, the Emperor sighed impatiently, knowing why.

It’s nothing more than someone taking money, someone trading favors, someone reaching political consensus, these people!

He sighed, "I told you Lynch, that scoundrel, is staying here with an agenda. You told me this morning everything is under control."

The tone wasn’t stern, but instead made the Minister of Finance’s face turn ugly.

If the Emperor gets angry, it would mean he believes the matter hasn’t reached a certain level.

But now he’s not angry, instead using this tone, meaning he is disappointed, or the ongoing situation has touched the Emperor’s limits.

"Deal with it quickly; I do not want to hear any major accidents happen!"

The Minister of Finance gritted his teeth and bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty..."

The Minister of Finance, with a group of lackeys, had just left the Imperial Palace when he saw the Prime Minister coming in from outside. The two exchanged a glance.

The Prime Minister wore an expression of genuine delight, even taking the initiative to greet the Minister of Finance, but the Minister only scoffed coldly and walked away quickly.

The Prime Minister stood at the palace entrance, watching the Minister’s back with an amused smile on his face.

Meanwhile, the fermentation in newspapers and television content has shown its power; several shows temporarily changed content, targeting Yuanrong Capital, pouring dirt on them as if it were planned.

Yuanrong Capital’s stock was halted at one dollar, citing huge abnormal fluctuations; financial supervision requires review before possibly relisting.

Upon hearing the news, Richard immediately left the stock exchange, realizing that if he didn’t leave, it would be too late.

He didn’t go straight to the well-known villa but to an apartment, where he bought a unit under a local’s name, storing some important items as a kind of insurance.

After entering the room, he opened the safe, packed the contents into a briefcase, including his ID, passport, some bundles of cash, and several anonymous bank accounts.

There are three million Fla here, enough for him to hide his identity and lay low for a while.

Once everything calms down, he plans to try and do something new.

In the room, he hurriedly changed into somewhat shabby clothes, and his briefcase, picked up from a garbage pile, matched the outfit.

No one would think someone in scruffy clothes and carrying a worn-out briefcase could be behind a massive financial Black Hole.

As he checked all his belongings, confirming no omissions, preparing to leave, suddenly, he heard a "click" sound.

It was the sound of the door lock being opened, his pupils suddenly shrank to pinpoints, a sign of extreme fear.

He tossed the briefcase under the sofa and hid himself in the wardrobe, quickly but gently shutting the door.

He hid behind the clothes, slowed his breathing, every breath in the cramped space sounding like a storm happening and vanishing instantly.

Huff...

Huff...

A shadow appeared in front of the wardrobe door. Richard couldn’t see the other person, but their body blocked the gap in the doors, dimming the light.

He held his breath, trying not to breathe, terrified the other person might hear him.

The dimmed light brightened again; outside, there was no sound, not even footsteps, making him wonder if he heard wrong or hallucinated.

But in the next second, suddenly the wardrobe door opened, a cold voice with a tease sounded, "I found you!"

...

Later, Gafura Ministry of Internal Affairs people appeared in the apartment; many reporters came too. There were more reporters than at the film festival.

Clearly, the police arrived first, but soon the Ministry of Internal Affairs took over, making them maintain order at the door; the case transferred directly to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

A group of internal investigators entered the room with cold faces; in the center of the apartment living room, Richard was hanging from the lamp, gently swaying in the breeze from the balcony, looking much better had he not stuck out his tongue.

In the pocket at his chest was a piece of letter paper, vaguely covered in writing...