Impossible

On Monday, Edward sat in his office on the fifth floor, awaiting the arrival of the decisive moment.

You should never compete with Edward to see who has more paper contracts, because Edward can print paper artillery—unlimited amounts of it.

To be blunt, finance can either contribute to societal development or become a pure scam. It all depends on whether those who set the rules are willing to honor them. The Jews have said that, in the end, credit can be disregarded. Even the famous physicist Isaac Newton lost his fortune in the infamous South Sea Bubble.

As Newton famously said, "I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people." It could be argued that physicists' intelligence falls short compared to that of financial experts. In The Three-Body Problem, the physicists, when they couldn't precisely measure the laws of physics, thought their worldview was collapsing. But in the financial markets, all rules are uncertain. Every major player can draw their own lines using their wealth, so the rules are always shifting.

The market is alive; it's a bloodthirsty beast. One trader might rely on moving averages for predictions, while another may prefer to flush out support levels before launching a price surge. Some have access to insider information and can trade based on it. Others may disguise their holdings to make it seem like they're just retail investors.

A businessman like Wood, once in control, might manipulate the market to call bad news good, distorting public perception. And Edward, with his ability to print paper artillery, can create as much as he likes.

It's like a battle between gods. Ordinary people trying to play the financial game face a grueling struggle, far harder than the Three-Body Civilization ever experienced.

Edward had once analyzed why a particular country's financial system was so strong: their stock market had entered a "tribal" stage, where the major players protect the retail investors, making it hard to lose. In other countries, however, the market was still in its "primitive" phase—big money devours the small.

If you accidentally wandered into a primitive jungle where the laws of physics and finance were constantly shifting, wouldn't you be worse off than a Three-Body inhabitant, constantly in danger of being eaten by the big players? Always facing a doomsday scenario where every day is a struggle for survival?

Everyone hates the Three-Body people because we see them as a threat to humanity. But if we were born as Three-Body citizens, we might realize how tragic their existence is—living under three suns and still fighting for survival, deserving our respect.

If Edward were a Three-Body person, he would simply lie down and give up. "Let whatever happens, happen."

On Monday morning, Wood was ready in the first-floor trading room, preparing for battle. More than thirty Hansa merchants had gathered, causing the room to feel crowded, with many standing. This was the day of the final confrontation. Everyone was to place their orders, focused on buying in unison.

This strategy was not unlike a game between men and women. Once a new high was reached, no one would resist anymore. Wood's plan was to use his considerable power to push prices to new heights, creating an irreversible momentum that would lead the retail investors to follow along. Once the trend was established, the short-seller Soros would be doomed to a margin call.

As Edward reflected on the Three-Body dilemma, and Wood moved forward with his plan, the opening bell approached.

With the opening bell, Edward began unloading 1,000 contracts. But Wood's team swiftly absorbed them, relentlessly buying at any price. In the first 15 minutes, the price ticked upward slightly, indicating that retail investors were also selling their positions.

Wood's goal was clear: to distort the truth, to mislead, and to manipulate perceptions, painting a false picture of reality. In the second 15-minute interval, Edward again sold 1,000 contracts, but Wood's team bought aggressively, sending prices to new highs.

This marked a decisive victory for the bulls. Many retail investors, following the momentum, joined in, contributing to the rise. The first-floor room was filled with excitement as the merchants celebrated.

"Wood is unstoppable. Soros is finished!"

But for Edward, none of this mattered. To him, the market was simply a game of longer-term positioning. While Wood's forces were riding high, Edward remained patient, waiting for the right moment to strike.

By 1 PM, when most people were tired, Edward decided to make his move. Wood, momentarily losing his focus, yawned as he observed the market. The price had been rising steadily, fed by retail investors following the trend.

As Wood sat back, Edward dumped 4,000 contracts, causing the price to plummet and shaking up all the optimistic traders.

On Tuesday, the Lübeck Times reported the terms of Denmark's surrender. The agreement included several key points, notably that the Hansa merchants' privileges would be respected, and Denmark would serve as a subordinate nation to the Hansa alliance. While Lübeck's military forces hadn't conquered any Danish territory, the financial defeat was already sealed.

The decisive battle, however, was taking place on the Lübeck stock exchange.

By Wednesday, Edward made his final moves, draining Wood's resources as prices continued to plummet. When Wood's team finally realized they were outmatched, it was too late. The margin calls came in.

Wood, utterly defeated, walked out of the exchange, his mind reeling from the loss. His family's fortunes, years of effort, had all been wiped out.

"Impossible," he muttered. "This can't be real! There's no way someone like Soros—or Edward—could have manipulated the market so thoroughly!"

But it was too late. The market had spoken.