Chapter 47 Business War Is Like a Chess Game
Would Bao Yugang easily yield in the face of such a situation?
Of course not!
Now, as the largest shareholder of Wharf Holdings, he was firmly determined to maintain his momentum.
As long as he could solidify his position and continue increasing his holdings, Jardine Matheson and Hongkong Land's advantage would eventually erode,
and control would naturally transfer into Bao Yugang's hands.
"Friends from the media, thank you for taking the time to attend.
I believe you all know the reason for today's gathering.
Here, I formally respond to the public:
As the largest shareholder of Wharf Holdings, I candidly express my desire—
I indeed hope to successfully acquire Wharf Holdings.
Since Mr. David Newbigging from Jardine Matheson has publicly declared war,
I, Bao, am not one to shrink away.
I welcome the upcoming competition and am fully prepared!
Let us witness this battle together!"
Standing before dozens of journalists, Bao Yugang declared boldly.
Bao Yugang understood that at this point, there was no need to deny anything.
Thus, after publicly announcing his intentions, he immediately launched a series of careful arrangements within his company.
Soon after, he rushed to HSBC headquarters to meet personally with its chief, Shen Bi, to discuss their major plans.
Bao knew very well that relying solely on the Bao family's strength, it would be difficult to win this fierce battle.
But with HSBC's full support, his confidence soared.
With sufficient backing, conquering Wharf Holdings seemed within reach.
This meeting was a crucial chess move for him.
In another timeline, in the business world's storms, Bao Yugang, with his extraordinary courage and strategy,
had invested over three billion HKD in this battle,
ultimately succeeding in seizing control of Wharf Holdings.
Behind this legendary achievement, HSBC's strong financial backing had been an indispensable factor.
Without HSBC providing such powerful financial support,
even the "World Shipping King" himself would have struggled to mobilize such vast sums quickly to complete this historic victory.
That day, Lin Haoran, through widespread media coverage,
keenly picked up on the fierce clash over Wharf Holdings between Bao Yugang and David Newbigging.
Watching this commercial war shift from hidden currents to open confrontation,
Lin Haoran couldn't help but feel a surge of unspeakable excitement.
In his view, the more intense the fight between these giants,
the better for him—the hidden hand who had helped fan the flames.
As for whether he would eventually be discovered by either side, Lin Haoran wasn't overly worried for now.
He knew his carefully chosen traders each had loyalty levels above 70%—high enough to guarantee they would not easily betray him or leak his strategies.
And if one day everything came to light, Lin Haoran remained confident and calm.
He believed that given enough time, he would rise steadily in the business world.
By then, facing titans like Bao Yugang or old powers like Jardine Matheson,
he would have the strength and confidence to stand proudly without fear.
Moreover, in the business world, intense competition was normal.
The tug-of-war between Bao Yugang and David Newbigging had always been inevitable.
All Lin Haoran had done was accelerate the inevitable confrontation,
bringing the undercurrents to the surface.
In a sense, he had merely sped up a process that was bound to happen anyway.
Thus, for Lin Haoran, this was no big deal.
In this white-hot commercial battlefield, his main goal was simple—
to profit and earn his first real fortune.
Such an opportunity was once-in-a-lifetime.
Not only could it help him rapidly accumulate considerable wealth,
but it would also lay a solid foundation for his future ambitions.
That Tuesday morning, the media scene in Hong Kong seemed to explode with excitement.
The Wharf Holdings incident swept through the news world like a violent storm,
bringing unprecedented attention and heat.
All the major newspapers focused intensely on the drama,
rushing to publish in-depth analyses, insider revelations, and market predictions,
each trying to grab a share of the frenzied public interest.
Interestingly, media outlets soon discovered a pattern:
the deeper and more detailed the reporting on Wharf Holdings, the better the newspaper sales.
This discovery was like adrenaline for them, pushing the newspapers to go all-out in their coverage war.
To attract readers and boost sales,
some newspapers even exaggerated facts or fabricated rumors,
desperate to stand out amid the fierce competition.
This frenzy quickly spilled over into the stock market.
Wharf Holdings suddenly became the hottest stock in Hong Kong.
From street vendors to financial elites,
everyone eagerly discussed and speculated on the battle for Wharf Holdings,
dreaming of seizing a chance to strike it rich.
Meanwhile, Lin Haoran, always keeping a close watch on Wharf Holdings,
felt absolutely certain:
once the Tuesday bell rang, Wharf Holdings would undergo an unprecedented frenzy,
with its price skyrocketing.
Even without Bao Yugang's or Jardine Matheson's direct intervention,
the ordinary investors and market makers alone would be enough to drive the price higher.
Let alone the fact that the two giants would absolutely not sit idly by.
At present, their investments in Wharf Holdings were still in the early stages, and both sides had plenty of cash reserves.
Neither would allow the other to seize a major advantage.
Thus, the inevitable result would be:
further pushing up Wharf Holdings' price.
Reading the latest news reports, Lin Haoran fell into deep thought.
He carefully weighed when to sell his shares and when to secretly reach out to Bao Yugang.
He knew very well that the 1.478 million shares he held,
although representing only about 1.4% of Wharf Holdings' total issuance of 105 million shares,
could still become a crucial bargaining chip in the turbulent markets.
As Wharf Holdings' price continued to climb,
his holdings would become increasingly valuable.
His first priority was planning how to maximize profits from this commercial chess game.
At the same time, he was also plotting how to cleverly use his 1.4% stake—
perhaps striking a subtle deal or understanding with Bao Yugang when the time was right.
In business, as in chess, every move must be carefully calculated.
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