The spring of 2025 unfolded with quiet momentum, breathing new life into the cityscape of Shanghai. The Shanghai Tower—elegant, semi-transparent, and spiraling skyward—stood complete, a shimmering silhouette against the skyline. Its graceful twist captured global attention, instantly claiming its place as the city’s most iconic landmark. Meanwhile, Shanghai Disneyland welcomed its first visitors, reinforcing the city’s status as a world-class metropolis blending innovation, culture, and entertainment.
Amid this transformation, life at Fengyun Tech moved forward with steady growth. For Song Fang, success had become second nature. His decisions carried unquestioned authority within the boardroom—every proposal passed unanimously, every word accepted without challenge. He had become the face of the company’s rise.
Chen Dachuan, walking through blooming gardens on his commute, paused to reflect. It had been three years since he joined Fengyun. Time, like the rising value of KateCoin, slipped by unnoticed. As a programmer at heart, he lived in logic and code—yet even he couldn’t ignore how quickly fortune had changed.
One late evening, while wrapping up work, Chen glanced at the company’s financial report. Though not trained in finance, his instinct for numbers sparked alarm. The electricity cost? Over 100 million yuan in just six months.
“That can’t be right,” he muttered. “We’re not running high-speed trains—why so much power?”
On his way out, he ran into Liu Minghe, a security guard.
“My son starts elementary school in two years,” Liu said. “I’m not sure whether to send him to school here or back home. I worry about the quality of rural education… and my parents aren’t getting any younger.”
“Come to Shanghai,” Chen replied absently. “By then, your KateCoin shares will cover private school fees.”
Then he remembered the electricity bill. “Hey, Liu—did you know we spent over 100 million on power? Could someone be stealing electricity? Can we check the meters?”
Liu frowned. “That much? I’ll inspect for leaks. Actually…” He paused. “A cousin of mine works as a guard at an industrial park near Xi’an. He told me there are rows of computers running there—no people, just machines. They belong to our company. Ever heard of it?”
Chen shook his head and walked away. But the numbers haunted him.
By 10 p.m., the streets were quiet. As he paced toward home, a sudden realization struck. He stopped mid-step.
Two hundred fifty thousand kilowatt-hours per day… Industrial electricity rates… Mining rigs draw over 1,000 watts each…
He turned around and sprinted back to the office.
Back at his desk, Chen calculated furiously. At an average mining rig cost of 23 yuan per day in electricity, 25,000 machines running nonstop could burn through 100 million yuan in half a year. And Liu’s mention of an unmanned facility in Xi’an? That wasn’t a leak—it was a mine.
He rushed downstairs, asked Liu for the industrial park’s address, and said only: “It’s not theft. Don’t say anything. I’ll look into it.”
That night, Chen booked a high-speed rail ticket to Xi’an.
The Hidden Mining Farm
The next morning, Song Fang received a text: Going to Shaanxi. Back in two days.
His stomach dropped. Why now? Why there?
He rushed to Chairman Wang’s villa.
Using internal railway records, Wang confirmed: Chen had boarded the G-series train to Xi’an North Station.
“He suspects something,” Wang said calmly, exhaling a slow smoke ring. “Let him go. See what he finds. Tell the guards—don’t stop him.”
In Xi’an, Chen arrived at the industrial park—a vast concrete warehouse with few windows but dozens of industrial fans humming loudly. Thick power cables snaked into two large transformers. No employees came or went.
He flashed his ID. The guard opened up reluctantly.
Inside, darkness swallowed the space—only blinking LED lights flickered like distant stars.
Chen signaled for the lights to be turned on.
Row after row revealed thousands of mining rigs—no monitors, no keyboards—just machines stacked tightly on steel racks.
He walked slowly, counting: racks, layers, units per layer.
Twenty-four thousand machines.
Exactly what his math predicted.
Without a word, Chen turned and left.
As soon as he stepped outside, he called Song Fang.
The guard watched his furious expression and closed the gate quietly behind him.
“Those 24,000 machines in Xi’an—what’s going on?” Chen demanded. “Now that KateCoin’s rising, you want to keep all the profits?”
Song Fang chuckled nervously. “You went all the way there? Let’s talk when you’re back—this isn’t something to discuss over the phone.”
“So it is true,” Chen snapped. “If you’re going to cut me out, we’re done.”
He hung up.
Back in Shanghai, Song Fang felt the shift. Over two years, KateCoin had surged from $2 to nearly $10,000 per unit—outpacing real estate gains tenfold. Greed had taken root.
And there was another reason: a woman named Liang Mei. To maintain her in luxury without his wife finding out would require millions—money he planned to hide from official accounts. The mining operation wasn’t just profit—it was personal capital.
By midday, Song Fang had cooled down—and calculated.
He returned to Wang’s villa and reported Chen’s discovery and anger.
Wang paced slowly. “Keep him,” he said at last.
“But王董,” Song Fang argued, “KateCoin is worth billions now. The algorithm isn’t everything—we can just buy more miners. We gave him too much equity when coins were cheap. Let him leave. He doesn’t understand finance—he’ll never know if we underpay him.”
Wang shook his head. “He has proof now. We can’t deny it easily. And we still need his mind. What if he hacks us? What if he starts a rival project? Or partners with another firm? The loss would be far greater.”
Song Fang scoffed. “He’s no businessman—he’ll just code.”
“Short-sighted,” Wang replied. “Talk to him. Apologize if you must. Make him stay.”
The Truth Behind the Hype
Back in Fengyun’s meeting room, tension hung thick.
Chen sat stone-faced. “So now that KateCoin’s booming, you change your tune? Regret giving me a share? Greed changes people fast.”
Song Fang forced a smile. “Old friend—my fault! I forgot to update you… got busy…”
“Busy hiding 24,000 miners? Is my new algorithm running on those?”
“Yes,” Song Fang admitted quickly. “But only to stay competitive!”
Chen sneered. “Convenient timing.”
Song Fang pressed on: “I didn’t hide it on purpose! When you took that train—I knew where you were going! I told the guards to let you in!”
“How did you know?” Chen cut in.
Too late—Song Fang realized his slip. “Ah… where else would you go?” He laughed awkwardly. “I wanted you treated well!”
Chen stood up. “Fine. I’m out. Settle my account today.”
“No no no!” Song Fang pleaded. “It’s my fault! All my fault!”
After a pause, he added: “You know… your algorithm helped—but our marketing made KateCoin explode.”
Chen scoffed. “Marketing? You mean hype?”
“Call it what you want,” Song Fang said proudly. “But without hype, KateCoin wouldn’t have multiplied 5,000x.”
Chen blinked. “Wait—why did it go up so fast? Shouldn’t more coins mined mean lower value?”
Song Fang grinned like a magician revealing his trick.
“Here’s the secret: First, invent new terms—‘blockchain,’ ‘decentralized currency,’ ‘digital gold.’ Most people don’t understand regular money—how can they grasp crypto? Add English acronyms: AI, DeFi, NFTs. Confuse them first—then sell them dreams.”
He leaned in: “Then create fake momentum. We placed huge miner orders—not because we needed them, but to block competitors from buying. For months, we controlled supply—and used that window to pump prices 10x.”
He pulled up images on a projector: influencers praising KateCoin; men in suits beside luxury cars.
“All actors,” Song Fang admitted. “We lent them the cars for promotion.”
“And that ‘international crypto guru investing $4 billion’ story?”
“That,” Song Fang whispered, “was fake news I created.”
Chen stared in disbelief.
“We also sell KateCoin ourselves—then buy back high—to simulate demand,” Song Fang continued. “We pay bonuses in KateCoin so media reports it as ‘innovation.’ Free publicity!”
Chen fell silent. It was manipulation—but it worked.
A Fragile Truce
Eventually, Chen spoke: “Fine. Let’s hard fork now—split our holdings separately. I’ll keep improving the algorithm; you keep managing perception.”
Song Fang agreed—for now—and reported back to Wang.
“He wants his own account?” Wang asked.
“Yes.”
“Perfect,” Wang smiled. “Keep him close. His independent wallet will be useful later.”
Song Fang didn’t understand—but obeyed.
That night, Fengyun executed its first hard fork.
Chen Dachuan and Song Fang each claimed their share of KateCoin.
The rest remained with the company—and Chairman Wang.
The game had changed.
But the real moves were yet to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a hard fork in cryptocurrency?
A: A hard fork is a radical upgrade to a blockchain’s protocol that makes previously invalid blocks or transactions valid—or vice versa—creating a permanent split from the previous version of the blockchain.
Q: How can fake news affect cryptocurrency prices?
A: Misinformation or fabricated stories about major investments or celebrity endorsements can trigger FOMO (fear of missing out), leading to rapid price increases even without real market fundamentals.
Q: Why do crypto companies use influencers and fake promotions?
A: Because trust and perception drive adoption in early-stage digital assets. Influencers lend credibility—even if paid—and visual proof (like luxury cars) creates aspirational value.
Q: Can one person really control a crypto project’s price?
A: In early stages with low liquidity and centralized holdings, insiders can manipulate prices through coordinated buying/selling and strategic marketing campaigns.
Q: Is it legal to create fake hype for a cryptocurrency?
A: While aggressive marketing is common, creating false investment claims or spreading misinformation may violate securities laws in many jurisdictions and could lead to legal consequences.
Q: What role does electricity consumption play in crypto mining?
A: Mining requires powerful computers running 24/7, consuming vast amounts of electricity—often located in regions with cheap power to maximize profitability.
Core Keywords: cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, mining farm, market manipulation, hard fork, digital currency, crypto investment