Chapter 475 The Richest Man in the World (Finale)
Chapter 475: The Richest Man in the World (Grand Finale)
Lin Feng never forgot his global strategy.
Over the years, he had already figured out the pattern of the intelligence system's triggers — wherever people connected to him went, intelligence related to that location was likely to be triggered.
The more he benefited from the intelligence, the higher the probability of receiving powerful intelligence.
And for a businessman, he naturally knew best how to monetize intelligence.
Chow Chiu-Sin was dispatched by him to South Korea to assist Fu Zhen.
He did quite well.
Chow Chiu-Sin replicated all his tactics from Taiwan, then, emulating Lin Feng, replicated them again.
This quickly made him stand out in South Korea.
Everyone knew that Okamoto was the only country that recognized the legalization of gangs, but during this period, South Korea also recognized the legality of gangs.
After all, South Korea's high-ranking officials were either Chinese who had moved east in their finery or Okamoto who had moved north.
It could be said that the natives basically had no say.
South Korea was also peculiar in that usury was legal in the country.
With Bu Tonglin's help, Chow Chiu-Sin quickly subdued several famous enforcers, such as Ma Dongxi.
His business in South Korea progressed smoothly.
Then he ran into trouble.
Okamoto's Toyo It dispatched considerable forces to hinder their expansion, and for a time, Chow Chiu-Sin faced extreme difficulties.
When Fu Zhen mentioned this, Lin Feng was immediately enraged.
At that time, the Red Bear had not yet disintegrated, and Lin Feng made his move!
Following Lin Feng's instructions, Chow Chiu-Sin found an engineer from Toyo It. He didn't spend any money; he merely explained the situation briefly, which led the engineer to report Toyo It to CoCom for selling two ultra-precision industrial mother machines to the Red Bear.
And then, Toyo It suffered a great misfortune!
It must be said that Toyo It's transaction with the Red Bear was actually tacitly approved by CoCom.
After all, at this time, the Red Bear and the Western world were in a honeymoon period. Without the US's permission, Toyo It would not have dared to sell.
It's just that some things can be said but not done, and some things can be done but not said.
This particular matter was something that could be done but not said.
If it were revealed, it would severely damage the morale of the Western world.
It just so happened that this engineer from Toyo It was extremely loyal to the US. He believed that since he was the US's dog, he should be one to the end.
Being half-hearted would incur punishment.
So, this guy wrote an open letter and made it public!
That's right, this guy made it public!
Toyo It suffered a great misfortune.
Not only was it severely punished by the US, but then its factory caught fire — everyone said that the fire was no accident.
Even though Toyo It was closely connected to other conglomerates, it couldn't stop its stock price from plummeting.
Baisheng Fund naturally wouldn't miss such a good opportunity and took a huge bite.
Toyo It was finished!
Its tentacles dispatched to South Korea were naturally shattered.
Not only that, the semiconductors that Toyo It excelled in were even taken by Chow Chiu-Sin, who specifically designated cooperation with Fu Zhen.
As a result, Fu Zhen's prestige within the Samsung Group rapidly increased.
Through the intelligence system, Lin Feng acquired a lot of shipbuilding technology in Okamoto and the US, so Chow Chiu-Sin then guided South Korea's industries towards semiconductors and shipbuilding.
South Korea is a small country; semiconductors are a high-precision technology, and shipbuilding is a labor-intensive industry.
These two industries alone could exhaust South Korea's talent pool.
As for things like automobiles... if they wanted to recruit more talent, South Korea simply couldn't provide it.
South Korea's industrial structure was deliberately guided by Lin Feng.
When the economic situation is good, everything is naturally fine.
But as soon as the economic situation declines, that's when trouble arises.
Lin Feng truly disliked South Korea, so Chow Chiu-Sin, following his instructions, found some experts to advocate a viewpoint — Shinto Funi (Body and Earth are One), meaning 'body and soil are not two'!
What does that mean?
Simply put, the soil of one region nurtures the people of that region.
Only crops produced on South Korean land are most suitable for South Koreans.
Given this, it is natural to protect the interests of South Korean farmers, herders, and fishermen, and prices should naturally be higher.
Shinto Funi also has another meaning: it can boost South Korea's self-confidence.
The reason is also very simple.
South Korea is hardly a country; it can be said to be a colony of the US.
Even army stew could become their culinary label, which speaks to an extreme scarcity.
Boosting South Korean morale was naturally the most urgent task.
South Korea is now an "island nation."
The cramped environment and barren land mean that while South Koreans won't have the self-destructive tendencies of Okamoto, self-abasement is definitely unavoidable.
An insecure inner self manifests externally as either extreme timidity or extreme arrogance.
This is a common ailment of all island nations.
For example, a place that is clearly palm-sized insists on being crowned with a "Great"!
Anglo-Saxon, South Korea, and Okamoto are all like this.
This approach indeed earned Chow Chiu-Sin immense prestige.
That's right, "Shinto Funi" is great!
Our great South Korea also has things that the world can admire.
Thus, even if South Korea's economic situation is very good and income levels are high, the actual things consumed — well, let's not talk about that.
Chow Chiu-Sin proposed the idea of "Shinto Funi" to the common people to fool them.
For the chaebols and the bureaucratic elite, he introduced another concept — establishing the nation through culture!
Simply put, it was about creating an "idol" culture.
The upper-class elites applauded enthusiastically upon hearing this.
Businessmen understand other businessmen's thinking best; "establishing the nation through culture" is just packaging and promotion, isn't it?
A pancake face becomes delicate through plastic surgery, elephant legs become slender through liposuction, a pair of A-cups become C-cups through implants... it's all just deception anyway.
The benefit of doing this is to give the ignorant common people a goal to latch onto. If the upper-class elites encounter some trouble and need to divert the public's attention, what then?
Just throw out an idol scandal, and it's done!
This is simply perfect!
The President of South Korea highly praised the two concepts proposed by Chow Chiu-Sin, considering him a rare talent, and solemnly expressed welcome for him to invest and take root in South Korea.
It was truly a mutual pursuit!
Chow Chiu-Sin readily agreed.
Thus, he smoothly became South Korea's fifth chaebol.
The President of South Korea played a considerable role in this; at the time, he was contending with the automobile chaebols, and Chow Chiu-Sin provided timely support.
So the President very quickly handed over a considerable portion of the automobile industry to Chow Chiu-Sin.
And then, the embryonic form of the Chow Chiu-Sin chaebol emerged.
Electronic games, shipbuilding, and the automotive industry.
Fu Zhen actively took over semiconductors from Okamoto.
The two successfully cooperated.
This cooperation was so close and seamless that it completely surpassed the general meaning of a partnership.
Fu Zhen's position within the Samsung Group became increasingly prominent, as semiconductors were a major trend after all.
Chow Chiu-Sin greatly respected Fu Zhen, showing great deference to her in public settings.
One must know that he was a prominent businessman praised by the President of South Korea as a "wise man of the nation." With his humble flattery, Fu Zhen's prestige almost rivaled that of her father!
The subordinates of the Samsung Group were instantly stunned; good heavens, was the eldest princess really that formidable?
Unbeknownst to them, talented individuals within the Samsung Group basically gathered around Fu Zhen.
The head of Samsung Group was anxious.
His original intention was to pass the Samsung Group to his son; at this time, the Greater Chinese cultural sphere was all the same, with family fortunes traditionally passed down to sons, not daughters.
But his eldest daughter's talent was too great, simply incomparable to his eldest son's.
The head of Samsung also sounded out Chow Chiu-Sin, asking about his son.
Chow Chiu-Sin smiled and said:
"A son should be like your son."
The head of Samsung was initially pleased, but after reflecting on it, he was stunned — "A son should be like your son" — didn't that mean his son was just "a son" in other people's eyes?
What kind of thing was this?
Regardless of whether the head of Samsung Group wanted it or not, Fu Zhen's prestige within the Samsung Group grew day by day, even surpassing his own.
Especially three years later, after Fu Zhen visited Hong Kong, she suddenly became pregnant and gave birth to a boy ten months later.
When the head of Samsung asked who the child's father was, Fu Zhen proudly pointed to her son:
"He is the fourth in line, named Lin Si!"
The head of Samsung was startled, already vaguely knowing who his son-in-law was.
Lin Feng's rise was simply too rapid.
After the disintegration of the Red Bear, Lin Feng's global strategy entered the fast lane.
In the mainland, he invested in a considerable number of projects.
Chips, computers, mobile phones, automobiles, drones, mobile phones, materials, batteries... all over the world, he frantically built various ports.
The next twenty years would be a period when the US transitioned from strength to extreme prosperity and then from prosperity to decline. At this time, it was also the era when free trade reached its peak.
Ports are extremely valuable resources; if we don't seize them now, it will be too late later.
The Cunningham Family fulfilled their promise and helped the Hung Hing Group secure a considerable number of ports in the "Common Prosperity Alliance."
Unbeknownst to him, Lin Feng had quietly become the world's largest port owner.
Lin Feng reciprocated by helping the Cunningham Family rapidly expand their business.
For instance, Europe felt its wings had grown strong, and Dumb Wood (Saddam Hussein) uttered his famous quote:
"The U.S. is no longer capable; Europe can replace it."
Then, Lin Feng informed the Cunningham Family through George that the U.S. was preparing to make an example, and a new Middle East war was about to erupt.
The Cunningham Family understood implicitly, heavily went long on oil, and then, based on Lin Feng's intelligence, immediately shorted it, making a substantial profit.
Because of Lin Feng's massive investments in his Mainland, the London government inexplicably wanted to issue a warning to Lin Feng.
The Cunningham Family was shocked upon hearing the news, and the Duke warned London not to provoke Lin Feng, or they would face his retaliation.
The London government dismissed it, ordering the Governors Office to issue a warning to Lin Feng.
What they received in return were two merciless slaps.
First, the Governors Office suddenly experienced a week-long shutdown of water, electricity, phone lines, gas, and communications.
Lin Feng didn't even bother to act against the Governors Office; with his current status, acting against the Governors Office would truly be beneath him.
It was Liang Kun who dealt with the Governors Office!
Liang Kun was no longer the Liang Kun of three years ago; he had fought his way up, and his killer instinct had never waned.
Not to mention, his aura was even more formidable from years of commanding the Hung Hing Consortium.
He was no longer the lowlifes he once was; he was a world-renowned big businessman!
If the Governors Office had targeted him, Liang Kun, he might have tolerated it.
However, they were targeting Lin Feng; how could he tolerate that?
Absolutely not!
Lin Feng wouldn't care about a small fry like the Governor; he focused his attention on London.
Let me say it again, Lin Feng was never a saint, nor was he a bleeding heart; if someone came knocking on his door and he didn't teach them a lesson, would that be acceptable?
So, Lin Feng made his move!
And then the pound fell by one unit!
The London government nearly went bankrupt!
This was outright robbery!
They literally snatched a pound from every Anglo-Saxon's pocket!
It was simply outrageous.
It's worth mentioning that this was not only done by Lin Feng but also by the Cunningham Family.
Lin Feng also reported the intelligence to his Mainland, but his Mainland refused.
He didn't care.
Lin Feng knew his Mainland would refuse; he used his actions to show his loyalty to the country.
In his previous life, when Lin Feng read web novels, he always found it strange that some protagonists, after gaining a system, would go to great lengths to hide from the country, fearing they would be sliced up for research.
How important did they think they were?
Honestly, if the country knew you had superpowers, wouldn't they want you to contribute?
A living superpowered individual is a hundred times better than a dead one, right?
How big of a platform is a country?
If you had superpowers and could flourish on such a large platform, how much benefit would you gain?
When Lin Feng had important intelligence, he contacted his Mainland immediately.
The feedback from his Mainland was quite positive.
He was able to invest smoothly in the mainland and even secretly participated in some high-precision scientific research programs... all thanks to his forthrightness.
Begonia Courtyard evaluated him as — a truly patriotic capitalist.
Lin Feng was a businessman who loved money, but through his forthright actions, he not only gained wealth but also spiritual satisfaction.
The Cunningham Family received news — Europe was too ambitious and wanted to form a federal state to counter the U.S.
The most prominent plan was to create a European currency to replace the U.S. dollar!
The U.S. dollar was the foundation of U.S. global dominance, a materialized weapon, and Europe had touched a raw nerve.
The U.S. was already brewing a counterattack.
Lin Feng used the system to find out the flaws of the European currency; in a large federation, there would always be discrepancies in the value calculation of various national currencies.
This discrepancy meant that for coastal countries, due to the calculation model, their local currency would be artificially inflated.
In other words, the current Anglo-Saxon currency exchange rate was not its true rate; it was artificially high.
What Lin Feng needed to do was simple: short it!
After receiving the news, the Cunningham Family explicitly wanted to get involved.
And then, the London Cabinet was almost disbanded by Lin Feng's slap!
It was completely bullying!
But Lin Feng felt relieved.
If he hadn't delivered that slap, his mind wouldn't have been at peace!
So, after this battle, London became docile, and the Governors Office didn't dare to utter a peep, as if the seven days of water, electricity, and gas cuts had never happened.
Westerners are like this; they fear power but do not appreciate kindness. If you have the strength but don't beat them, they'll think you're easy to bully.
His Mainland had its long-term considerations and would not be so crude.
But Lin Feng could!
He wanted to do business with the world, so he naturally had to adapt to the world's prevailing rules.
The law of the jungle, winner takes all!
Just giving that one slap wasn't enough; Lin Feng contacted the Cunningham Family again, and they cooperated once more.
What did they cooperate on?
Mortgages!
That's right, the trick the U.S. played so wildly.
Lin Feng's efforts were even more aggressive.
Anyway, he just needed a trigger, make a profit, and then leave.
It was a game of musical chairs, and he would run away early.
Then, during the Asian financial crisis, Lin Feng made his move, advocating for market rescue while directly detonating this bomb.
He completely stunned the invading U.S.
They had clearly intended to rob Hong Kong and his Mainland, but not only did they fail to steal the chicken and lose the rice, their own house caught fire.
Who could they complain to?
Lin Feng and his Mainland both gained valuable development time.
Time flew by.
Another fifteen years had passed.
By this time, Lin Feng had retired, following in Liang Kun's footsteps.
He was only forty-three years old at this point.
Lin Feng was not only the world's richest man but also the father of nine children.
His eight wives had each given him a child.
Perhaps due to the system, his body was exceptionally strong, and his life force was immense, making it quite difficult to conceive children.
His eight wives each had one child, and after that, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't have another.
Lin Feng didn't force it; he treated all eight children equally.
He also wouldn't interfere with his children's choices. He was the world's richest man, and even though he had retired, his wealth was expanding every hour, every minute, every second.
Even if none of his children were interested in the family business, he wouldn't find it a burden to support them.
Lin Feng didn't care about his children's academic performance; demanding good grades was for ordinary families. For his children, they could do whatever they wanted.
There was only one thing he was very strict about: personal character.
Born into the Lin family, they could be lazy, idle, or gluttonous, but they could not be morally corrupt.
They were the family of the richest man; if they were morally corrupt, they wouldn't be far from death.
By the way, the current helmsman of the Hung Hing Group was none other than Tin Yeng-San.
Ho Man had taught him exceptionally well, and after Lin Feng and Liang Kun discussed it, they let this child take the helm of Hung Hing.
This truly surprised everyone.
No one would have thought that Liang Kun and Lin Feng, who together had eleven children, would let Tin Yeng-San take the helm.
Oh, and Liang Kun and Shui Ling had two more children after their first.
Even so, Lin Feng was quite satisfied. He said to Liang Kun:
"Brother, do you remember Tingting's words back then?"
Liang Kun was sixty by now, but he was well-preserved, with few wrinkles on his face. He was stunned when he heard this:
"Tingting said many things; which one are you referring to?"
Lin Feng chuckled:
"Tingting said when she first met Ah Sang, 'I've called you 'Big Brother' for so many years; from today onwards, your children will call my children 'Big Brother.'"
Liang Kun smiled:
"You're already the world's richest man; are you still bothered by that?"
He pulled out a cigar, and the next moment, his hand was empty; the cigar had already appeared in Lin Feng's hand.
Liang Kun felt a moment of trance, as if he saw Lin Feng from his younger days. Back then, the thing this guy loved to do most was snatch his cigars.
In a blink of an eye, so many years had passed.
He was clearly just a fierce little squirt back then.
[The End]