Chapter 920
You're just jealous of me
"Hello, hello, I'm from Zhijiang."
"I'm from Fujian Province. What's the average level in your community now?"
"The lowest is X3, and the average is already X4."
Upon entering the hall, Chen Xi heard several people chatting around him.
These terms might be unfamiliar to people who haven't been involved in this type of project, but Chen Xi was very familiar with them.
The community is just a team, which is basically the pyramid scheme of recruiting people.
X1, X3, and X4 refer to individual levels.
Because this exchange is called 3X Exchange, X is used as the level identifier.
Projects starting with A are A1, A2, A3, etc.
Most of the attendees were elderly, predominantly women, and generally had low levels of education.
Fortunately, most of the staff here are relatively young, so Chen Xi's appearance doesn't stand out too much.
He pulled his hat brim down a bit and wore a mask when he came, so he wasn't worried that anyone would recognize him.
"Hey bro. Which neighborhood are you from?" Suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Chen Xi turned around and saw an older man greeting him.
"Um... I'm with them." Chen Xi pointed to a few people in the distance.
"Oh, you just joined, right? What number are you now?"
"X3," Chen Xi casually made up.
The X3 falls into the lower-middle range, requiring an investment of around 100,000. This amount isn't large, but it's just enough to travel abroad to attend this conference.
"This is a good project, you can invest more. I've already made a lot of money, I'm at level X5 now!" the uncle said with a chuckle.
The X5 costs around ten million yuan. I didn't expect this guy who looks like a country bumpkin to be so rich.
"You're investing so much money, aren't you worried about the risks?" Chen Xi asked in a low voice.
"What are you afraid of? This is a legitimate exchange, licensed overseas." The man waved his hand.
The conference began soon.
The host started by cracking a few jokes to liven up the atmosphere, and then a young man wearing glasses took the microphone.
Chen Xi rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things.
The person on stage was actually Wang Xianqi.
"What's wrong?" The enthusiastic uncle who had pulled him over to sit down glanced at Chen Xi with surprise.
"nothing."
"First time seeing such a grand scene abroad, huh? Hehe, actually I'm quite excited too. Look, these are investors from all over the country. There's another conference in a few days, and people from all over the world will come to participate." The man covered his mouth and said softly.
"Other global investors? Why don't they invest on big platforms?" Chen Xi asked rhetorically.
"Because the benefits on big platforms aren't good. Of course, 3X platform is just starting out, so they'll offer some benefits. Once it grows bigger, the benefits will be the same as those well-known platforms. We call it 'buy first, enjoy benefits first'!"
“But I just checked on my phone, and my new mother-in-law doesn’t have a financial license for this platform.” Chen Xi took a sip of water, her expression calm.
"Because this platform was originally registered in Malaysia, and now it has also obtained licenses in places like Singapore and Hong Kong. You can't find it online, probably because the information hasn't been updated yet. As you know, things are slower overseas."
"..."
Listening to the uncle's self-brainwashing explanation, Chen Xi didn't want to say anything more.
He had seen two sentences online before.
One point raised by others was that many of those scammed by Ponzi schemes were wealthy business owners. They argued that if they could make so much money, they must be intelligent people; how could they possibly be deceived?
Another saying is that when a person's intelligence does not match their current wealth, the wealth will inevitably be redistributed in some form.
The people sitting here have been deeply brainwashed; even if you present the evidence to them, it won't work.
On stage, Wang Xianqi stood confidently speaking into the microphone, a stark contrast to his previous self, who spent his days at the company playing games on his phone.
Those in the audience looked on with excitement.
Chen Xi had seen this expression before.
That happened many years ago.
That is, the leader of the Goo Lu cult and that Qigong master I met in Australia.
"Everyone here, do you know what kind of trend you're riding right now? Some people tell you that blockchain is a scam, cryptocurrency is a bubble, and Web3.0 is a vague concept. Those people are either bankers' lackeys or penniless paupers who can't keep up with the times. They're afraid of you getting rich. They're afraid of you controlling the means of production."
"What is Web3.0? It's the return of sovereignty! Before, when you deposited money in a bank, you were handing over your lifeline to someone else. On the 3X exchange, every token is your own digital asset. It doesn't belong to any country, it doesn't belong to any institution, it belongs only to our great community!"
A burst of applause erupted from the audience, enthusiastic and chaotic.
The middle-aged man next to Chen Xi clapped his hands until they were red, and kept muttering, "Sovereignty, yes, sovereignty."
Wang Xianqi gestured for silence. “I know many newcomers are still struggling with how to achieve financial freedom. Is it through a fixed salary? Or through a few percent return on investments? Wrong! On the 3X platform, we implement a node-based growth plan. We don’t call it pyramid selling; we call it evangelism. When you share the seeds of wealth with your relatives, friends, and neighbors, you are saving them! Saving them from the misery of devaluation, saving them from that ultimately collapsing island of credit.”
"X3 level family members, you have already gained the authority to build small communities. As long as you have three X3 members, you will automatically be promoted to X4. What does X4 mean? It means that you can not only receive a share of transaction fees, but also enjoy the weighted profit sharing of the entire platform. This is called passive income. While you sleep, your team is trading. While you eat, your subordinates are preaching. Money flows into your e-wallet like tap water through the blockchain pipes."
Wang Xianqi spoke faster and faster, his face slightly flushed with excitement.
"Someone asked me, 'Mr. Wang, how long can this business last?' Let me tell you, 3X Exchange's goal isn't just to create a simple platform. We're already preparing for the listing process. See those financial statements over there? They have licenses in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. When the company is officially listed, what you hold won't just be simple tokens, but original shares! A tenfold increase? That's an insult to our technical team. A hundredfold increase is just the starting price!"
An older woman wearing a gold necklace stood up and shouted, "Mr. Wang, I want to upgrade to X5 right now. How much more do I need to add to my position?"
Wang Xianqi pointed at the older woman, his tone as gentle as a saint's. "That's a good question, ma'am. Ambition is the only ticket to freedom. Upgrading to X5 doesn't require adding more shares; you just need to spread this brilliant consensus to fifty families. As long as you illuminate others, the platform will reward your compassion."
Chen Xi looked down at the water in the glass.
This is hardly an exchange conference.
This is a scene from a huge, high-tech meat grinder.
On stage, Wang Xianqi continued to describe his grand vision. "In the future, we will build the 3X Eco-City. We will use our tokens to buy houses, cars, and insurance. We will completely break free from the shackles of fiat currency and build our own financial empire. In this empire, there will be no poverty, only consensus!" Wang Xianqi then walked to the edge of the stage: "However, success belongs only to the decisive. Those who hesitate, doubt, and are still checking license information are destined to be abandoned by the times. Information gap is wealth gap, cognitive gap is class gap! Do you want to be the harvesters, or the harvested leeks?"
The entire crowd chanted in unison: "The Reaper! The Reaper!"
The uncle next to Chen Xi roared along, his voice becoming sharp and shrill from the excessive force.
The middle-aged man turned around, grabbed Chen Xi's sleeve, and said, his face flushed, "Did you hear that? Young man! Perception! Perception determines destiny!"
Chen Xi silently withdrew her hand.
Looking at Wang Xianqi on stage, who used to only know how to play video games.
He knew he had to win this friend back.
Wang Xianqi waved his arms on the stage: "Now, please invite all outstanding leaders at X5 level and above to come up to the stage! We are about to launch the global community ignition ceremony! After this, we will officially secure our listing quota!"
The crowd pushed and shoved, cursing, yet excitedly squeezed onto the stage.
Two hours later.
"Oh dear, my voice is about to go hoarse from talking."
Wang Xianqi went to the building's smoking room, rubbed his sore throat, and took out a cigarette from his pocket.
Before he could even light his cigarette, he felt his arm being grabbed and then he was forcibly dragged to the emergency exit.
"What are you doing here, and what kind of Ponzi scheme are you running?" Chen Xi immediately launched into a barrage of questions.
"What do you mean 'how did I get here'? I used to study at Xinjiapo. Besides, this isn't a Ponzi scheme. This is a technology project, okay? Don't label everything as a Ponzi scheme or a scam. You need to broaden your horizons," Wang Xianqi retorted confidently.
"Are you kidding me? You went to college, can't you tell if this is a Ponzi scheme? Where in the world can you find an investment project with such high returns and low risk?"
"That's because you don't know it. I've personally seen the AI trading algorithm in this project, and its win rate is over 90%."
"Then let me ask you, if the success rate is so high, why don't the project founders talk to those big institutions instead of dragging in this bunch of clueless noobs?"
"What do you mean by 'rotten fish and shrimp'? They're all investors. Big institutions have big appetites, but these people know how to be content. Don't you understand?"
"Damn, you're just like those people, you've already brainwashed yourself. I originally thought you knew it was a Ponzi scheme and were just cooperating with them to scam people." Chen Xi stared at his friend for a long time as if he were an idiot.
After the conversation, he overturned his initial assumptions.
Wang Xianqi, like those investors, now completely believes in AI trading.
"This is just quantification, something that came out years ago. It's just that with the rise of AI in recent years, they've given it a new look and used it as a money-making scheme. Can't you use your brain for once!" Chen Xi grabbed the other person's shoulder and shook him.
"But the data I saw before was real."
"That's fake."
"I'm not stupid. That data is factual. I even verified it with Coin A. There's absolutely no problem; it's completely synchronized. Stop treating others like they're unintelligent."
"I'm asking you, how long did you see the transaction timeframe?"
"Not long, less than half an hour."
"That makes sense. Let me explain something simple: you flip a coin ten times, and you only guess heads. Nine times out of ten it lands heads. Is that what you call a 90% win rate? What if you flip it a few more times? What will the result be?"
Chen Xi asked again.
"I don't want to talk to you about this. You're just jealous of how successful I am now. Back in Huajing, when I asked you for a loan, you wouldn't lend it to me. After all these years of friendship, you wouldn't even lend me a little money. I've already made money on this project, and the lecture fees have paid off my loan, with more than enough left over. President Zhu has already said that 3X can't do without me, and he's going to give me shares soon..."
"Forget it, hurry up and go back to China." Chen Xi was a little angry at being turned around and accused.
"I'm not leaving. Just you wait and see, my earning power is definitely no less than yours!" While he was thinking, Wang Xianqi threw down these words and ran away.
By the time Chen Xi realized what was happening and chased after them, the other person had already entered the elevator.
"Damn it!" Chen Xi cursed as he watched the elevator descend, then pressed the up button.
Twenty-eighth floor of guest rooms.
I pressed the doorbell, and the door opened quickly.
Saori rubbed her sleepy eyes, stood there yawned, and then rolled her eyes at him.
Jin Nana was lying on the bed with her head tilted to the side. When she saw him come in, she said irritably, "What time is it? You said you would take us out to eat. Where have you been gallivanting off to?"
"I'm already furious!" Chen Xi sat down on the sofa and sighed.
Women are gossipy creatures, and upon seeing the other person like this, their initial dissatisfaction vanished instantly.
The two walked over with playful smiles, grabbing his arms and shaking them: "Come on, tell me, what funny thing could make you so angry?"
Soon, Chen Xi recounted what had just happened.
“Ha, we have a lot of this too…” Jin Nana and Saori said after hearing this.
After returning to their home countries, the two encountered the same thing. In South Korea, Ponzi schemes are not called "communities" but "leading houses".
The brainwashing tactics are similar; South Koreans are extremely anxious about upward mobility. They exploit South Korea's strict seniority system, having younger generations pay tribute to their elders, or having older generations bring their entire families into the scheme. They don't call it recruiting; they call it a tiered redemption.
In island nations, the modus operandi is like boiling a frog slowly; Ponzi schemes are often called MLM, and they mostly lurk in LINE groups. The islanders refer to recruiting others as "Kizuna Fission," which means first befriending you, then gradually opening your wallet.
"Stop thinking about it, let's go eat. I'm starving." Saori patted her flat stomach.
"Okay, let's go out for dinner!" Chen Xi rubbed his temples.
The two women cheered and immediately started packing their things.
The three of them got off the elevator and arrived at the hotel lobby. Jin Nana looked at Chen Xi, who was looking around, and grabbed his ear in annoyance.
"Ever since we left the room, you've been looking us over and over. Are we not pretty enough?"
"No... I always feel like someone is watching me."
Even with his ear being pulled, Chen Xi paid no heed to the pain, because he had a vague feeling that he was being watched. (End of Chapter)