MM Racing Page 211
Page 211
Victor's acquisitions were like frequent, small-scale harassment on the flanks of the Imperial front, further dispersing and exhausting the already stretched defensive forces.
What truly chilled TLP and gave Viktor's attacks deadly precision was the information coming from inside the fortress.
Ivana, the woman who helped Donald build the early empire, has now become the informant who knows his weaknesses best.
Her betrayal was not simply a matter of impulse or emotional revenge.
The root cause lies in the shift in TLP Group's strategic focus and the resulting changes in the power structure.
As TLP focuses more on larger stages and seeks new opportunities in the Eastern European market, it gradually comes to believe that Ivana's "Eastern European celebrity" aura and early connections have limited value in the new, more "sophisticated" capital game.
He brought in a new team of managers more suited to Wall Street tastes, which inadvertently marginalized Ivana.
What she found even more unacceptable was that TLP even attempted to redefine the distribution of benefits in some areas involving Eastern European resources and projects she had introduced in her early years.
“He no longer needs me, and even sees me as a stumbling block.”
In a secret meeting with Victor, Ivana said in a chilling tone, "Then he will pay the price."
Victor stroked her smooth back: "I don't have so many thoughts, I just want my sister's body."
What she provided was no longer general doubts, but rather surgical intelligence precise as to document numbers, bank accounts, and loan contract details:
List of duplicate mortgages:
The document lists which core assets (such as land in a prime location in New York or the future revenue rights of a building) were mortgaged to two or more banks simultaneously or successively to obtain loans, and subsequent mortgages were often not fully disclosed to the previous creditors.
This poses significant legal and financial risks.
Evidence of financial fraud:
It pointed out which key entries in the group's financial statements had been manipulated.
For example, how to disguise delayed payments for construction projects as revenue, how to keep assets that have depreciated significantly valued at historical cost, and how to use related-party transactions to transfer losses.
These are the bombs that will detonate the audit crisis.
Loopholes in the debt maturity schedule and repayment sources:
The report details the most pressing large loans and bonds maturing in the coming months and explicitly states that, based on internal cash flow forecasts, there are virtually no sources of funds available for repayment, and the so-called "refinancing plan" remains entirely on paper.
This is the most direct death warrant.
This information flowed continuously to Viktor's tactical analysis team through encrypted channels.
Based on this, they adjusted the focus of their media attacks, targeting the most vulnerable bonds in the market for precise short selling and suppression, and prioritizing the acquisition of debts based on troubled assets that were about to mature.
Each intelligence report was like a precision-guided missile, piercing through TLP Group's chaotic defenses and striking directly at the most vulnerable and fatal point in its operations.
The foundations of the empire, under the combined effects of internal decay and external hammering, began to crack with a clear sound.
The TLP Group is in complete chaos.
The executive meeting was filled with mutual blame and pessimism.
The CFO (Chief Financial Officer) could not explain why the cash flow had deteriorated so rapidly, nor could he provide a reliable financing solution.
Lawyers are overwhelmed by a sudden surge in creditor inquiries and potential lawsuits.
The public relations department completely failed, and the previously invincible media relations proved powerless in the face of the negative news network woven by Victor.
TLP's usual public relations strategy of "exaggeration and misleading" failed completely for the first time in the face of solid financial data and panicked market sentiment.
Donald TLP himself became the firefighter, but the fire had already spread into a raging inferno, and the water glass in his hand was just a drop in the ocean.
He traveled around, meeting with representatives from one bank and fund after another.
But the atmosphere of the talks was no longer the same. The bankers who used to be so respectful now wore polite but distant smiles and offered extremely harsh conditions:
They either charge interest rates that are almost usurious and require him to provide unlimited personal guarantees, or they simply refuse outright.
"The market environment is bad," "The risks are too high," they said, but their eyes darted away as if they were avoiding a plague.
He even mobilized all his media connections in an attempt to fight back, claiming it was "political persecution" or a "malicious attack by competitors." But whenever a slightly positive report appeared, more detailed negative information would immediately be leaked by "insiders," instantly drowning out that faint voice.
The negative news orchestrated by Victor is like a persistent ailment, clinging tightly to the TLP Group and impossible to shake off.
The asset sell-off plan is not going very well.
Everyone in the market knows that TLP urgently needs cash, and buyers are pushing down prices.
Several promising asset sales deals have been delayed due to complex ownership issues (some involving investigations into double mortgaging) or because the asking prices were far below expectations. Even if the deals were completed, the proceeds would be insufficient to cover the massive debt hole.
The empire's valuation plummeted like a free fall.
Chapter 178: A Battle to Determine Superiority and Life or Death
Victor sat in his command center, in front of several blackboards displaying the progress of equity acquisitions, debt control ratios, media sentiment monitoring, and real-time valuation models of TLP Group's main assets.
The cold, objective data shows that the scales of victory are tipping.
The total amount of TLP Group bonds and loans he held through agents had reached a critical point.
In addition to the shares he secretly acquired, although he has not yet gained controlling interest, he is already capable of launching a fatal blow by joining forces with other stirred-up creditors at a critical moment.
The acquisition of the two Atlantic City hotels is nearing completion, and he is now one of the largest minority shareholders outside of TLP Group, giving him the right to join the board of directors, propose motions, and even launch a takeover bid.
The information provided by Ivana is still being updated, helping him to constantly fine-tune the rhythm and direction of his attacks.
everything's ready.
He knew that TLP was now like a wild beast trapped in a snare, still roaring and struggling, but its strength and blood were rapidly draining away.
The final opportunity is about to arrive.
Viktor picked up an encrypted phone and dialed a number.
On the other end of the phone was a lawyer representing a group of creditors secretly brought together by Victor.
"We can move on to the next step after the New Year."
Victor's voice was devoid of any emotional fluctuation. "At the current pace, we can send a formal letter to the TLP Group after the New Year, demanding that they immediately pay $120 million. We can also send the Chicago tax office to them."
They also demanded additional collateral for the loan secured by the Plaza Hotel, or early redemption of the bonds we hold. Their reasoning was, "Based on publicly available information and market volatility, we have serious concerns about the value of the collateral and the Group's repayment ability."
This is just the beginning.
This formal letter will be like the first domino to fall, triggering a chain reaction.
Other creditors who receive similar demands will panic even more, either pressing for repayment or frantically selling off their claims—most of which will eventually fall into Victor's hands at an even lower price.
The empire's city gates have been breached, and the foundations of the city walls are being hollowed out.
The final assault is about to begin.
A cold, hunter-like glint finally flashed in Viktor's eyes.
He knew that the harvest season was fast approaching.
Meanwhile, inside the TLP Building, Donald TLP might be yelling at a banker's rejection call, unaware that a meticulously woven net is quietly closing in, and the financial apocalypse he fears most is approaching with unstoppable force.
Meanwhile, preparations for Victor's world championship challenge are also in full swing.
Every powerful strike and every drop of sweat during training was interpreted by the media as a manifestation of his desire for victory.
This sporting event cleverly diverted some public attention and provided perfect cover for his frequent visits to Atlantic City.
The battles on the ring and the competition in the business world form a wonderful intertextuality at this moment.
Viktor plays the role of a challenger both in and out of the boxing ring, where strength, strategy, and timing are all indispensable.
He knew that whether facing José Libarta's powerful punches or Donald TLP's counterattack, he had to be precise, ruthless, and leave no room for error.
Ivana plays a dual role.
Within the TLP Group, she remained the strong woman who worked hard to maintain operations and try to stabilize morale, occasionally complaining about her husband's decision-making mistakes, skillfully guiding the internal emotions.
Meanwhile, she was constantly passing intelligence to Victor and subtly influencing the views of some executives and directors through her own channels, laying the groundwork for the upcoming "regime change".
The day drew closer to December 8th.
The air in Atlantic City was thick with the fervor of boxing match promotions and the chill of the financial markets.
Victor and Ivana met secretly several more times, refining each step of the "robbery" plan:
How to choose the right time to launch an attack, how to contact key creditors privately, how to deal with potential legal repercussions from the TLP, and even how to use the media to guide public opinion at the last minute.
Their relationship was pure and simple:
Mutual benefit and mutual gain.
The separation of Qing and Yu was merely a lubricant for this shady deal; its essence lay in cold-blooded capitalist calculations and a power struggle.
The TLP Group, a castle built on debt and vanity, is riddled with cracks, and the most fatal blow is about to come from the most unexpected interior.
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The December winds swept across Atlantic City’s coastline like knives, but they couldn’t dispel the sweltering heat outside the Trump Plaza Casino Hotel.
Neon lights flashed, crowds thronged, and media cameras were pointed at the entrance to the hotel's banquet hall.
Tomorrow night, a highly anticipated boxing weigh-in ceremony will be held here – Victor Lee vs. José Libarta.
This was not only a WBA heavyweight championship fight, but it was also portrayed as an ultimate showdown of personal grudges.
The banquet hall was brightly lit, and the temporary stage was covered with a carpet bearing a huge "Trump Plaza" logo.
The air was filled with a unique aroma of cigars, perfume, and adrenaline.
The press area was noisy, while boxing fans crowded behind the barriers, craning their necks to wait for the main character to appear.
First up is the challenger, "Raging Bull" José Libarta.
Draped in the Cuban flag, surrounded by a group of burly team members, he strode onto the stage with an aggressive gait.
His muscles were bulging, and his eyes were fierce, like a wild beast ready to break free of its cage at any moment.
He roared at the audience, waving his fists, instantly igniting the atmosphere. He stepped onto the scale, which showed 245 pounds, perfectly meeting the target weight.
He roared at the camera, displaying the domineering presence befitting a boxing champion challenger.
Immediately afterwards, the spotlight shone on the other entrance.
Boxing champion Victor Lee has appeared.
In stark contrast to Libarta's mania, he was alone, wearing only a simple red battle robe, his expression as cold and stern as the Atlantic Ocean.