Chapter 113: I Didn’t Understand It, but I Was Deeply Shaken

Ma Dafu and his daughter, Ma Xiaoling, arrived in a state of deep anxiety.

Together, the father and daughter had entrusted a total of 80,000 points to Ren Zhong, the "Stock God." While losing this money wouldn't be financially ruinous, it was still a significant sum—especially for Ma Dafu, who required regular injections of anti-aging serum. Although their motivations for investing with Ren Zhong differed—one driven by noble ideals, the other by personal gain—their current trepidation was identical. They didn't even wait to be greeted; as soon as the door opened, they hurried inside.

Ren Zhong had just finished turning off a holographic projection and was rising from the sofa to greet them when Ma Dafu’s burly frame burst into the living room. "Mr. Ren, have you seen the latest financial news? A market crash! Oh, the crash is here! The money I gave you... what happened? Is there any hope left?"

Ma Xiaoling was just as frantic. She dashed forward and grabbed Ren Zhong by his clothes. "Ren Zhong, did you lose it all? How much did you lose? Liquidate! Hurry up and liquidate! You have to get me my principal back! My stronghold is about to be wiped out by someone; I’m waiting for that money to save my life! I need to recruit troops and buy horses to defend it! Quickly, return my money! Forget the 80,000—just give me back my 50,000!"

Despite her slender frame, she was, true to her reputation as the strongest Valkyrie of the Starfire faction, surprisingly strong. Before Ren Zhong could speak, he found his feet already dangling off the ground.

However, his attention was elsewhere. He had caught a crucial detail: *attacking and defending strongholds.* And that 50,000 was enough to recruit an army. More excited than Ma Xiaoling, he grabbed her shoulders with both hands. "Captain Ma, don't panic. What did you just say? Your stronghold is about to be destroyed? Where? How many troops can 50,000 recruit? What’s their combat strength?"

Ma Xiaoling’s face flushed, and she sheepishly let go. "Well... that is..."

Ren Zhong landed back on the floor and pressed on, "Tell me! How can I know the urgency of your funds if you don't tell me?"

Ma Dafu, unable to watch any longer, cleared his throat and said gloomily, "She’s talking about a simulation game in Virtual Life. She’s the leader of a small guild, and she’s trying to spend real money to fight a war."

Ren Zhong: "..."

*Damn it.*

Having spent so much time with the荒人 (Wilders), he had unconsciously forgotten that he was dealing with a Fourth-Class citizen and a Third-Class citizen. Even living under the same sky, and even though the Ma family were relatively decent people who held considerable sympathy for the Wilders, they still lived lives that were unimaginable to those in the wastes.

Furthermore, while Ma Xiaoling and Ma Dafu were father and daughter, they were fundamentally different. Ma Dafu was willing to give up 30,000 points to help save the lives of more Wilders, while his daughter was prepared to squander enough money to feed a Wilder for 500,000 days just to "pay-to-win" in a game. The absurdity of the situation was both laughable and strangely poignant.

Ren Zhong quickly composed himself, suppressing his frustration toward Ma Xiaoling. He knew he couldn't entirely blame her; this was simply the normal behavior of a standard citizen on Source Star.

He straightened his clothes, smiled, and gestured to the small sofas across from the tea table. "Mayor Ma, Captain Ma, please, have a seat. Have some tea. Let’s talk this through."

As Ma Dafu sat down and picked up a teacup, he paused. "Huh? It’s warm? Has this been poured for a few minutes already?" He looked at Ren Zhong with a questioning gaze.

Ren Zhong met his eyes and smiled knowingly. Communication between intelligent people was always this dull, dry, and simple. Ma Dafu’s heart, which had been pounding just moments ago, instantly settled. So, Mr. Ren was in control—fully in control. This was a sure win.

Ma Xiaoling, meanwhile, gulped down the hot tea like a barbarian, then spat out a tea leaf. "Ren Zhong, stop keeping me in suspense. Just tell me how much I lost. I’m dying of anxiety. My dad and I saw the financial news this afternoon, and good heavens, the drop was terrifying. At least get me my principal back, or else my fists aren't just for..."

"Ma Xiaoling, don't be like that. Mr. Ren knows what he's doing," Ma Dafu said, leaning forward. "Mr. Ren, since you knew we were coming, you must have already made arrangements. Give us some definitive reassurance."

Ma Xiaoling looked at her father, confused. "Dad, what are you talking about? Didn't we only decide to come over tonight after seeing on the central monitor that Ren Zhong was here? How could he have known?"

Ma Dafu covered his face in despair. If not for the fact that his daughter’s talent as a mech pilot lived up to the family name, he would have suspected she wasn't his own.

Just then, Ju Qingmeng, now dressed in formal attire, walked down the stairs. She offered an apology for the delay and sat down naturally next to Ren Zhong.

Ren Zhong looked at them. "Perfect. Since you are all my investors, I will give you that reassurance together. Everyone, please look."

He wore an expression of absolute confidence and waved his hand, reactivating the holographic projection. The three investors stared at it in unison.

*Stock holdings: 0!*

"Three days ago, just before this minor market crash began, I had already liquidated all positions. As for Captain Ma’s money, I simply held onto it; I hadn't even entered the market yet."

Although none of them were experts in the stock market, they could all recognize the brilliance of such a maneuver. In the market, those who know how to buy are merely skilled, and even the skilled can capsize. But those who know how to sell are true kings.

Shock flashed across Ma Dafu’s face, and he silently gave Ren Zhong a thumbs-up. "Mr. Ren truly has mastery of this craft."

Ma Xiaoling’s praise was simpler and more direct: "Holy crap! Ren Zhong, you're awesome!"

Ju Qingmeng looked at Ren Zhong with admiration. When he had borrowed money from her, he hadn't mentioned stocks. If she were to dig into her memory now, she would surely find the inconsistencies and realize he had been diverting "public funds" and hiding his wealth to borrow more. But the thought didn't even cross her mind; seeing the reactions of the Ma family, she simply grasped one fact: Ren Zhong had a new skill—stock trading—and he was exceptionally good at it.

Ma Xiaoling finally felt at ease. She patted her chest repeatedly. "Forget it, forget it. Ren Zhong, just return my money. I’m not playing this game anymore. I’m exhausted; I’m mentally drained."

Ma Dafu raised a hand to signal his daughter to calm down and asked a question. "Wait, Mr. Ren, you said this was a 'minor' market crash? What do you mean? It doesn't look minor from here; it’s almost entirely green."

As expected of a mayor, he immediately spotted the flaw. Ren Zhong smiled, his gaze flicking briefly toward Ma Xiaoling. Now was the time for the real show.

"I have comprehensively analyzed all the hidden information in the market and reached a conclusion: this crash is merely a facade. It is, in essence, a massive reshuffling pushed by the top-tier capital forces! The reshuffling is about to end, and the market trend will shift immediately. A rebound..."

"Tomorrow?" Ma Xiaoling interrupted.

"No! Right now! Within three minutes!"

Ren Zhong waved his hand, and the projection changed to the 24/7 stock market interface. Four people, eight eyes, stared intensely at the projection.

Tick, tock.

Three minutes passed.

Suddenly, in a sea of green—save for a tiny red dot in the aerospace sector—a new red dot appeared, looking like a pimple on the face of a stressed youth. After the first dot appeared, others sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain. In just fifteen minutes, the lone red dot had turned into a wildfire spreading across the mountain.

While it wasn't the exaggerated red ocean of a bull market, it was proof enough that the rebound had begun and the market had stabilized.

The Ma family and Ju Qingmeng stared with wide eyes and slack jaws. They turned to look at Ren Zhong, who stood with his hands behind his back, exuding the aura of an invincible master. They were speechless. If Ren Zhong had been a top-tier trader in their eyes before, he had now ascended to the status of an invincible "Stock God" whose words were law.

*What does it mean to devise strategies in a tent and decide the outcome thousands of miles away? What does it mean to be peerless and determine the fate of the world with a single word? This is it!*

Ren Zhong smiled enigmatically. "Based on my judgment, we will see a slow bull market. It’s hard to say how many days it will last, but in this trend, stocks will rise more than they fall. The overall index will rise steadily. The 'demon stocks' I could exploit before will become rarer. The difficulty will increase, but as long as I select the right sectors and play it steady, while the gains won't be as high as before, it will be a guaranteed profit. Captain Ma, do you still want to withdraw your money?"

Ma Xiaoling shook her head like a rattle. "No, no, I... actually, I have another 200,000 here."

"You said you only had 30,000!" Ma Dafu exclaimed.

Ma Xiaoling rolled her eyes. "Since when is a borrower so self-righteous? I’m just covering your medicine money, aren't I?"

"Uh..."

"Here, Ren Zhong, take it. I just transferred another 200,000 after taxes. You’ll have to pay me back later..."

Ren Zhong: "According to our previous agreement, I should pay you back 320,000 after taxes."

Ma Xiaoling was delighted again. "It’s a deal, then! Sigh, it’s a pity you aren't a citizen and don't have credit points, and our total capital isn't enough to reach 500,000. Otherwise, it would be great if you could short the market."

Ren Zhong smiled. "Oh? You understand shorting, too?"

Ma Xiaoling chuckled. "I know a little, but I wouldn't dare compare myself to you. Alright, I’m going home to sleep."

"Wait, Captain Ma," Ren Zhong signaled. "I’m not finished yet."

Ma Xiaoling: "What?"

Ren Zhong: "I see you understand the stock market quite well. I feel you have a great eye for investment. It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Would you be interested in learning how to trade stocks from me?"

This was Ren Zhong’s true goal for the night. Ma Xiaoling’s additional 200,000 investment was just a pleasant surprise.

Ma Dafu’s lips trembled; he instinctively wanted to stop his daughter, but a thought struck him, and he kept his mouth shut.

Ma Xiaoling was overjoyed. "Really? Mr. Stock God, do you really think I have the talent?"

Ren Zhong nodded. "Of course!"

"Then hurry up and teach me!" she urged.

She had taken the bait—completely and without a struggle. Ma Dafu covered his face. *So foolish. She’s definitely mine. I’ll endure it.*

Ren Zhong smiled. "Learning this skill isn't a matter of a few days. Moreover, teaching you will require a great deal of energy and time, so I hope you can offer something in exchange."

"What kind of conditions?"

"I heard you are the strongest mech pilot in town..."

"No need to hear it—I am."

"I hope you can teach me combat techniques, and in return, I will teach you stock trading."

"Deal! It's a deal!"

Old Man Ma said nothing and did nothing, watching as his daughter effectively sold herself. He might even end up counting the money for Ren Zhong later.

After seeing them off, Ju Qingmeng said, her face slightly flushed, "Actually... I want to learn, too."

Ren Zhong, sipping his tea, shook his head. "I was lying to her. This isn't something that can be taught."

Ju Qingmeng: "Ah? Wait, then why didn't Mayor Ma stop her? Aren't you just wasting Ma Xiaoling's time?"

"Because Old Man Ma is... well, he’s a good person."

Ju Qingmeng: "I understand. Mayor Ma knows Ma Xiaoling’s temperament. He can't control her, but she is indeed very strong. If you want to learn combat from her, this might be the only way."

Ren Zhong nodded. "Yes. This will significantly improve my chances of winning against Lin Wang."

Ju Qingmeng sighed. "You are truly clever."

"Alright, go get some sleep. I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. By the way, could you help me arrange a VIP-level intermediate training ground tomorrow? I will have the opportunity to face the strongest Fourth-Class mech pilot at their peak. I want to know exactly how strong these people are."