NBA: The Dynasty Crusher (Basketball)

At Storm's Hong Kong branch, Guo's mother and her eldest son arrived quietly, their expressions tense.

"Mrs. Lindsay, it's truly an honor to meet you," Guo's mother said respectfully, bowing slightly.

Though their family business had just been devoured by Storm, there wasn't a hint of defiance. Their posture was humble, as if greeting royalty.

In front of them stood a woman barely twenty, a mixed-race girl whose youth sharply contrasted the decades-old legacy she had dismantled in mere days.

A hero, Guo's mother thought grimly. That's what she is. Ruthless, but brilliant.

Lindsay offered a faint smile and gestured toward the conference room. "Please."

Guo's mother and her son sighed, then followed.

With lawyers and accountants present, both parties signed the final equity transaction.

This time, Lindsay didn't use Storm's corporate funds. Instead, she and Zhao Dong made the acquisition personally, transferring ownership of Xinhongji directly into their hands.

In time, even the 30% stake that Storm held in the company would be consolidated into their private portfolios.

Lindsay's offer wasn't unreasonable. She paid HK$40 billion for a controlling 51% share in New Xinhongji. The Guo family's financial loss was limited to around HK$10 billion, but they lost their most vital asset: their core real estate empire.

Still, they could repay their HK$40 billion debt to the bank and recover HK$120 billion worth of non-core assets. The Guo family wasn't bankrupt—but they were no longer elite. They would never again touch Hong Kong real estate.

In short, they still held more than HK$100 billion in wealth. The collapse had been softened. It was, as cruel as it sounded, a blessing in disguise.

Zhao Dong and Lindsay, meanwhile, had achieved exactly what they came for.

Their real target wasn't the Guo family—it was the land. Among Hong Kong's top four families, the Guos held the largest land bank, all of it under New Xinhongji.

Lindsay glanced at the two once the paperwork was done. "I have a suggestion for you. Leave Hong Kong. Go to the mainland. Focus on industrial development."

"Mainland China?" Guo's mother and her son echoed in confusion.

"Tianlong Investment Bank will be mobilizing massive funds to invest in mainland industry," Lindsay said.

Guo's mother blinked, her heart skipping a beat.

She turned to her son. Their eyes met, and in that silent look, they reached the same decision.

This was insider knowledge—a lifeline disguised as a casual suggestion.

"Mrs. Lindsay, may I ask... could we participate?" Guo's mother asked with uncharacteristic urgency. "Our Guo family is willing to contribute capital to Tianlong Investment Bank."

Lindsay studied her thoughtfully and nodded. "Tianlong is planning a long-term fund. Think carefully before deciding. The cap is set at $2 billion USD."

"No need to think," Guo's mother replied immediately. "We believe in you."

She was afraid hesitation would close the window of opportunity.

Later that day, Tianlong Investment Bank's Hong Kong branch held its grand opening.

It was a spectacle.

Lindsay had invited Mr. Dong, Mr. Huo, and the heads of Hong Kong's biggest banking institutions—Bank of China, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Hang Seng—and, naturally, the four major real estate families.

Even the Guo family, whose core industry had just been dismantled, were present.

When Brother Cheng and his allies saw Guo's mother and her son standing respectfully behind Lindsay, they exchanged confused glances.

Your empire just fell. And now you're playing opening ceremony cheerleader?

Lindsay greeted the guests one by one.

"Mr. Dong, welcome."

Mr. Dong, having received clear signals from Beijing, smiled kindly. "I hope Tianlong can contribute to Hong Kong's growth—and bridge Hong Kong with the mainland."

"Mr. Huo," Lindsay nodded, offering her hand.

The old tycoon chuckled. "Mrs. Lindsay, our Huo family may have some opportunities for collaboration."

Lindsay smiled. "Then here's to a successful partnership."

As they shook hands, Brother Cheng's face darkened.

The three allies glanced at each other, unsettled.

When their turn came, Lindsay addressed them politely. "Mr. Li, Mr. Zheng, Mr. Cheng, thank you for your support."

"A pleasure, Mrs. Lindsay," they said with strained smiles.

Once all the guests were seated, Lindsay took the stage.

"Today marks the official opening of Tianlong Investment Bank's Hong Kong branch. I'd like to share one more announcement…"

She paused.

"I, along with Mr. Zhao Dong, have acquired a controlling interest in New Xinhongji Real Estate—personally."

The room went still.

A beat passed. Then murmurs swelled across the room like a rising tide.

The jaws of Cheng, Li, and Zheng nearly dropped.

Behind the podium, Guo's mother and her son kept composed expressions—but internally, they could only sigh bitterly.

Their reign was over.

They still had wealth, yes. But without real estate, they had no industry, no power, no future in Hong Kong's top circles.

They were just rich—no longer elite.

Still, they had bet on a new rising star: Lindsay. And through her, Tianlong.

Whether it was a curse or blessing depended entirely on the success of the Tianlong ship.

They could only hope that Lindsay and Zhao Dong would ride the winds of change—and that they could ride along in their wake.

"Young people are formidable," Brother Cheng muttered under his breath, still in disbelief.

The Guo family was once our peer. In just three days, they crumbled. What if we're next?

His mind raced.

We need to form an alliance... It's the only way to survive.

He turned to look at Li Zhaoji and Zheng Yutong. Their expressions matched his own—shocked and grim.

That afternoon, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange officially approved the Guo-Lindsay transaction. When the announcement hit the media, it sent a shockwave across the city.

Lindsay stood tall at the podium, the spotlight illuminating her poised figure as she addressed the room.

"I now announce the final equity structure of New Red Base Real Estate."

A hush fell over the crowd.

"Storm Group retains 30%, I, Evelyn Lindsay, personally hold 30%, and Mr. Zhao Dong holds 21%."

With that, the truth dropped like thunder. Zhao Dong and Lindsay were now officially part of Hong Kong's elite. Overnight, the Zhao family had taken the Guo family's place among the Four Great Families of Hong Kong.

---

Beijing — Top Official Clubhouse

When President Zhu received the news, he was visibly shaken. "It was that easy?" he muttered, half in disbelief.

He leaned back in his chair, brows furrowed. The move by Wall Street-backed Storm, using Lindsay as a spearhead, had reshuffled the landscape too swiftly. The storm was real—silent but devastating.

"We absolutely can't open our financial markets so easily," he said. "These foreign capital predators are far too strong."

---

Beijing Social Club – Li Mansion

Word of the acquisition spread like wildfire, from Wall Street to the top power circles of Beijing. At an upscale lounge hosted by the Li family, several sons and daughters of high-ranking officials were already deep in discussion.

"Chengbing, Zhao Dong really struck gold this time," one man muttered, his voice sour with envy. "How the hell did he manage to marry someone like Lindsay?"

Another chuckled. "That woman's insane. One flick of her hand and she's creating storms—literally."

"And Zhao Dong holds 21% of Xinhongji... that's tens of billions in Hong Kong dollars!"

Liu Chengbing's face was grim. He stared into his glass, the ice clinking against crystal. He had once looked down on Zhao Dong, thought him a fool with only brawn and a jump shot. Now? That same "fool" had just elevated his family into Hong Kong's power circle.

"Brother Bing," a girl named Zhuzhu said, "didn't Zhao Dong treat us to dinner just a few nights ago? Shouldn't we return the gesture?"

Chengbing hesitated. "You're right. But..."

His voice trailed off. Could they even invite someone like Zhao Dong now? The man's wealth had left theirs in the dust. Even their fathers might struggle to get him on the phone.

"If only Mrs. Lindsay were stationed in Beijing," another girl sighed. "She's too valuable. In the States, even billionaires line up just to see her. If she ever gives us insider info…"

Everyone nodded, fantasizing. A guy smirked, "But don't you think Zhao Dong only owns 21% because he's just... a kept man?"

"Shut it," Zhuzhu snapped. "You really believe someone like Lindsay would fall for a freeloader? If Brother Dong's a gigolo, then you're a joke."

The guy turned red, regretting his comment instantly. Liu Chengbing laughed awkwardly and turned to Zhuzhu, teasing, "You're so familiar calling him Brother Dong. You barely know him."

Zhuzhu rolled her eyes. "He's seven or eight years older than me. Calling him Brother Dong is respect. You expect me to just call him Zhao?"

"She's right," someone chimed in, laughing.

"All right," Chengbing said, standing. "Let's return the favor. I'll reach out to him and set something up."

Everyone agreed.

"But listen," he warned, "when we see him, show some humility. Call him by age and drop the arrogance. His worth leaves us all in the dust."

"Facts," another muttered, raising a glass.

---

Zhao Dong's House, Beijing

Inside the warm, elegantly decorated living room, the sound of the television echoed in the background.

"Dongdong, when's Weiwei coming back?" Li Meizhu asked, flopping onto the couch. "Haven't seen her for days. I miss her."

Zhao Dong smiled. "Still a while. Mrs. Dolores hasn't arrived in Hong Kong yet."

"Wait—Mrs. Dolores is coming?" she perked up.

"Yeah. Tianlong Investment Bank is raising hundreds of billions in funding again. She's handling the European investors. Almost done, I heard."

"You—" Meizhu frowned, "why are you still out here practicing boxing and playing basketball while Weiwei's over there in Hong Kong, doing all the heavy lifting?"

The old man and old lady nearby chimed in, nodding in agreement.

Zhao Dong scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, it's sensitive. The country needs foreign investment, and we're pushing for development. If I'm the face of the operation—as a Chinese guy—it gets complicated."

"But Lindsay's different. With her taking the lead, there's less pushback from the West."

He sighed. "I intentionally kept my stake smaller in Xinhongji so it wouldn't look like I'm the main player. In the world of finance, I try to stay in the background and focus more on sports."

He paused and looked at his family. "We're still poor in many ways. No tech, no equipment, no leverage. To get access to high-end Western technology, equipment, and talent, Tianlong needs to establish powerful networks. That's what Lindsay's doing—building a web of influence in the West to break their embargoes."

The elders nodded in understanding.

"You're right," said the old lady. "Who told us to be poor?"

Suddenly, Li Meizhu snapped her fingers. "Oh! The charity fund for Hope Primary School—the money's almost gone. Shouldn't we top it up?"

Zhao Dong raised a brow. "We already donated $300 million USD."

She rolled her eyes. "This is China, Dongdong. There are so many kids in the mountains who need help. The government spends hundreds of billions, sure—but your money still matters. It's not about the amount—it's about showing you care."

"Then donate another ten billion US dollars. Lindsay and I are so poor that all we have is USD," Zhao Dong said dramatically, flopping onto the couch. "We don't really have any RMB on hand. Might as well boost the foreign exchange reserves for the country."

"Go to bed already!" the old man barked, unable to stand his grandson's theatrics anymore. He nearly kicked him in the rear out of frustration.

"Pfft!"

Li Meizhu and the old lady burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained.

Once Zhao Dong was driven off, the old man turned serious. He looked at Li Meizhu and said, "That's a lot of money donated. You're in charge of the foundation now, daughter-in-law. Keep your eyes wide open—don't let a single cent fall into the wrong hands. That money needs to go where it truly helps."

"Don't worry, Father," Li Meizhu nodded. "I've already established a supervision department. We'll be monitoring everything closely."

---

As Zhao Dong entered his room, his phone buzzed. It was a call from Lindsay.

"Hey, hubby. The Fed just cut interest rates. The U.S. stock market might stabilize for now, but I don't think the bearish trend will reverse that easily. Wall Street's playing the long game—they need time and capital to absorb the fallout."

Zhao Dong grinned. "We'll keep shorting as planned. No changes to our other strategies."

"Oh—and one more thing," Lindsay added. "I want to take down another one."

Zhao Dong raised an eyebrow. "Another company?"

"Mm-hmm," she said casually.

He paused, then nodded. "Fine. Take down all four if you want, but don't overextend yourself. Don't let it affect Tianlong Investment Bank's core operations. That's still our top priority."

Lindsay's voice carried a smile. "Storm Fund's about to dissolve anyway. Better to spend the money wisely than let it sit idle. And Hong Kong's been too quiet lately—I'm getting bored."

"Alright then."

They had already set the date: Storm Fund would dissolve on August 30th. It wasn't just a random date—it was tied to the redemption cycle of their closed-end funds. That's when some investors could request redemptions, though hardly anyone had applied. In fact, Storm had become one of the safest havens globally.

---

In Hong Kong, Lindsay sat alone in her office at Storm's branch. Still in her silk nightgown, she stared at a paper with three names scrawled across it:

Brother Cheng

Brother Ji

Brother Tong

Just beyond the office, in a private lounge, was her temporary bedroom. Her personal assistant, Meilin, stepped out and whispered, "Madam, it's time to rest."

Lindsay didn't respond directly. Instead, she mused aloud, "Meilin, which one would you choose?"

Meilin blinked. "All three companies are about the same in terms of scale. With our resources, we can take down any of them."

Lindsay smiled. "Exactly."

She picked up a pencil and tossed it in the air. It clattered down onto the paper, the tip landing squarely over Brother Ji's name.

"Him," she said, pointing delicately. "Notify everyone. Start contacting all minority shareholders of Henderson Land. Buy their shares—one time the price, two times, three times. I don't care how much. I want those shares. And tell our traders to start scooping up stock in the open market first thing tomorrow. Push it to the tender offer threshold. Raise the flag immediately."

Then she turned and walked into the bedroom.

"Yes, ma'am." Meilin bowed her head.

She couldn't help but think: Madam's methods this time… even rougher than when we dismantled the Guo family.

---

August 21, Noon – Beijing

Zhao Dong had just wrapped up his daily boxing training. Now freshly changed, he headed to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse with his older brother, Zhao Dacheng. They were invited by Liu Chengbing for lunch.

Honestly, Zhao Dong wasn't excited. The crowd they were about to meet? Mostly bureaucrats. Worse, they were overseas bureaucrats—people who'd spent years abroad, now claiming they were "studying the Western system."

From Zhao Dong's perspective—after living through the next 20 years in his past life—most of these people would end up as shameless bootlickers of the West. He couldn't stand them.

Still, his brother was enthusiastic. So here he was, just to keep him company.

Predictably, during the lunch, the conversation was painful. Every topic from the girl named Zhuzhu to the senior officials present revolved around one thing:

"The West is so developed…"

"Westerners are so well-educated…"

"The Western system is so efficient…"

"Our domestic system is lagging behind…"

Zhao Dong quietly ate, resisting the urge to scoff. He had seen the West's true face—its corruption, racism, and hypocrisy. The idolization made him sick.

Still, he noticed one thing: Liu Chengbing was different. Sure, he admired Western development, but he wasn't obsequious about it.

---

After the meal, Zhuzhu flashed a smile and said, "It's only 7 PM. Brother Dacheng, Brother Dong—shall we go for tea at Brother Cheng's private club?"

"Huh? That legendary spot in Hong Kong?" Zhao Dacheng perked up. "I heard you need serious status to get in."

He looked at Zhao Dong. "Brother, let's go?"

Zhao Dong raised an eyebrow and said with feigned humility, "Such a high-end place… I don't qualify. I'm not a member."

The sarcasm was sharp. Everyone caught it.

Awkward silence followed—except for Liu Chengbing, who smiled faintly.

"Let's find a different place," Liu offered diplomatically.

"What's the big deal?" Zhao Dacheng waved him off. "Let's go there! My brother's rubbing shoulders with families like the Lis. Hey, Brother, why don't you have Sister-in-law just take over the Li family next?"

Zhao Dong laughed. "You're not going for tea—you're looking to start a war."

Liu Chengbing and the others looked at each other in stunned silence. Whatever they thought Zhao Dong was, they were now realizing—he was something much bigger.

(End of Chapter)

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