4: Seed of Panic

Once sown, the seed of panic germinates and spreads through the capital markets faster than the speed of light.

The next morning, Wall Street opened.

Vance Capital's stock price showed no unusual activity at first. Preston Vance's PR team had worked overnight to release a strongly worded statement denouncing the "Alpha Wolf" post as "baseless and malicious slander," and claimed they reserved the right to pursue legal action.

However, beneath the surface, the undercurrent was already churning.

The top traders and institutions, while publicly claiming "not to believe or spread rumors," were acting differently with their hands. Tentative sell orders began to appear, and the stock price started a slight decline.

Jack paid it no mind. Through an untraceable offshore encrypted channel, he transferred the nearly two thousand dollars he had made from "NTRP" to a secret Swiss bank account provided by Ben Carter.

The amount was small, but it was a signal—a signal of absolute trust and authorization.

The moment Ben Carter received the funds, he trembled with excitement. He knew that "Alpha Wolf" had chosen him. He immediately leveraged all his remaining contacts and professional skills, using this insignificant amount of capital as leverage to fire the first shot in shorting Vance Capital through a complex combination of options.

...

Sterling Industries, top-floor boardroom.

The atmosphere was as heavy as the air before a storm.

Katherine sat at the head of the table, her face like ice. Before her sat the company's core directors and the "insurgent" faction led by her uncle, David Sterling.

"Katherine, I must point out that under your leadership, the company is facing its most severe crisis since its founding!" David Sterling launched the first attack, pounding the table as he spoke with feigned grief. "Our stock price is in continuous decline, our market share is being eroded. And now, Vance Capital's acquisition offer is our last chance!"

"I disagree," Katherine's voice was low but exceptionally firm. "This is not an acquisition; it's a hostile takeover. If we accept, the Sterling Industries brand will cease to exist."

"Can a brand put food on the table?" David sneered. "Katherine, you are too young, too idealistic! We must bring in a strong strategic investor like Vance Capital to lead the company out of this predicament! Mr. Preston Vance's strength is renowned throughout Wall Street. His company's fundamentals are sound, his capital is abundant—he is our most ideal partner!"

He was speaking with great passion, spittle flying.

Suddenly, on the large LCD screen on the wall, which was broadcasting live financial news, the feed switched to a breaking news alert.

The beautiful anchorwoman reported with a slightly surprised tone, "We have breaking news. Wall Street's star company, Vance Capital, is experiencing unusual volatility in its stock price today. Just one hour after opening, it has already fallen by more than 7%. Market analysts believe this may be related to a post published yesterday on the professional investment community TradeHub by an anonymous user, accusing the company of financial data fabrication. Vance Capital has not yet provided further comment..."

SWISH!

The entire boardroom fell into a dead silence.

Everyone's gaze shifted from the screen to David Sterling.

David's face, which had been red with excitement, was now turning the color of liver at a visible rate. He had just vouched for Vance Capital's "sound fundamentals," only to be publicly slapped in the face the very next second.

The slap was so loud it made the air in the room buzz.

Katherine looked at the news on the screen, a deep confusion in her beautiful eyes.

What was going on? Was it one of Vance's other competitors making a move in the shadows?

Just then, her phone vibrated. It was her mother, Susan. Katherine frowned and answered on speaker.

"Katherine! Oh my god, why is my investment fund down so much today!" Susan's signature anxious, complaining voice came through. "The fund manager said it was dragged down by something called Vance Capital! I told you, your luck has been bad lately, stay away from that Vance man. Now look, you've jinxed the entire Wall Street's fortune! Did you wear that black outfit out again? I've told you before, black is unlucky!"

In the boardroom, the expressions of several directors turned bizarre; they wanted to laugh but dared not.

David's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Katherine took a deep breath, ended the call, and her gaze became sharp once more. "Gentlemen, as you can see, the 'ideal partner' we were discussing is now struggling to save itself. This meeting is adjourned."

She stood up and, under the complex gazes of everyone present, walked out of the boardroom with her head held high.

And in the kitchen of the Sterling estate.

The mastermind behind it all, Jack, was quietly serving Susan a freshly brewed cup of calming chamomile tea.

On the television, Preston Vance was urgently giving a video interview to a financial media outlet, trying to stabilize market confidence.

"Regarding the rumors on the internet, I just want to say, they are complete nonsense!" Vance faced the camera, flashing his trademark confident smile, explaining his company's financial situation in highly professional terms. "Vance Capital's fundamentals are rock solid!"

Jack's gaze fell on Vance's face on the screen.

【PING! New skill unlocked: Predator's Gaze (Tier 1).】

【Skill Description: Your Alpha bloodline is beginning to awaken. You can now perceive strong emotional fluctuations in others and detect when they are lying.】

The moment the skill activated, the world in Jack's eyes changed wonderfully.

He saw that the smiling, confident Preston Vance on the TV screen was enveloped in a faint gray mist, invisible to the naked eye, representing "fear" and "guilt."

Moreover, Jack noticed a detail.

When Vance said the words "rock solid," the little finger of his left hand, hidden beneath the table, twitched involuntarily, very slightly.

It was a classic tell, a subconscious action caused by extreme internal anxiety.

He was lying.

Jack lifted his teacup, blew gently on the hot liquid, and smiled.

The prey had fallen into the trap, and its spirit was on the verge of collapse.

It was time for the final blow.