The Blackout Trade

Zhi Fang had spent his life playing the financial game, outmaneuvering governments, corporations, and criminal rivals alike. But now, even he was running out of options.

The Nine Dragons were bleeding capital, their assets frozen, their accounts drying up. To survive, they needed a bold move—one that could either restore their dominance or doom them entirely.

His solution: a high-risk, high-reward investment, an aggressive financial maneuver designed to flood their accounts with fresh liquidity. It was dangerous, reckless even, but if it worked, the Nine Dragons could regain their footing.

But before the plan could take effect, it was leaked.

Within hours, investors panicked. Markets tumbled. Anyone still doing business with the Nine Dragons scrambled to distance themselves before the fallout could reach them.

Across the city, Thalia watched with quiet satisfaction.

"The right information," she said, "in the right hands… and the whole structure collapses."