Chapter 18: So, This Is How It Ends Up Flowing
At my words, Cha Sang-woo showed a troubled expression.
“Your younger brother?”
“Yes. His health is still not good enough to travel long distances. But once he has recovered enough, I plan to send him to Arica.”
“……That won’t be an easy thing.”
In this period, leaving the country itself was absolutely not an easy matter.
No, Min-soo and I hadn’t even been issued resident IDs yet, aning we didn’t even exist on paper—so it was entirely impossible.
In other words, Cha Sang-woo’s suggestion ant that he would create an identity under his own authority and then take him abroad in the form of studying overseas.
“I am aware. I also know how good an opportunity the Chairman’s proposal is.”
“Well now, so you do.”
Cha Sang-woo could not hide the lingering regret in his tone.
“I have things to do in Korea. But for my younger brother, I want him to see a wider world. If by chance he does go to Arica, please offer him even the smallest help.”
“Very well. If your younger brother cos to Arica, I will help in whatever way I can.”
“Thank you.”
“And if by any chance…… you change your mind, do contact anyti.”
Still looking regretful, he pulled out a small slip of paper from his breast pocket and handed it to .
Written on it, in neat handwriting, were an Arican address and telephone number.
I carefully accepted it, placing it close to my chest, and smiled.
“Yes, I’ll keep it safe.”
“You won’t even ask what it is?”
“Isn’t it an address and telephone number? I can find out the details of the location later.”
“Haha, that’s true as well. If you call around 10 a.m. Korea ti, soone should be able to receive it. Of course, at present, making an international call is not so easy.”
Just as he said, international calls were still a distant matter for ordinary people.
Still, soday it might prove very useful.
The more cards one had to play, the better.
Cha Sang-woo rose from his seat and extended his hand.
“I’m leaving the country tomorrow. Please…… take care of your health.”
I also stood up and grasped his hand.
His grip was still straight and firm.
“Yes, I also wish the Chairman good health. I hope we can et again in better circumstances.”
What kind of butterfly effect today’s eting would bring in the future—only ti would tell.
I decided to focus solely on my plans.
The market moved as expected.
The sudden resignation of Chairman Cha Sang-woo delivered trendous shock and confusion to the securities world.
The remaining board mbers, as if they had been waiting, hastily rushed to explain that Cha Sang-woo’s remarks were nothing more than a personal outburst, not the official stance of the board.
They even went a step further, declaring that with the enforcent of the Securities Transaction Law in April, they would abolish all regulations, fueling the greed of the market.
The speculative frenzy that had been dying down was now ready to ignite again, becoming an uncontrollable inferno.
---
Outside the window, the Korea Securities Exchange was regaining its previous madness, as though nothing had happened.
But inside the office, the air was heavy, weighed down by the aftermath of the fierce buying battle over the past few days.
Kang Cheol-min, Yoon Ji-seong, Ma Dong-jin.
On their faces, there was an unmistakable exhaustion from executing the operation day and night without rest.
I stood before the table and looked around at them.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
It was short but heartfelt comfort.
“Now, it’s ti to confirm the results of your efforts.”
I imdiately returned to the cold voice of a commander.
Despite their fatigue, the three pairs of eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Report, begin.”
First, Kang Cheol-min, who had led the on-site operations, opened his mouth.
“As instructed, we focused all efforts on buying physical Daegung stock for three trading days right after forr Chairman Cha Sang-woo’s press conference. As expected, a flood of panic-selling ca pouring out, and……”
Even in his voice, there still lingered the tension of the suffocating war-like days over the past three days.
“Just from your explanation, I can imagine how intense it must have been. You truly did well.”
I praised his effort with a light smile.
A faint sense of relief flickered across his face.
Following him, Yoon Ji-seong, who had been in charge of data analysis, began his report.
“We carried out the purchases below the price point of 2 hwan 50 jeon that we had set. However, there was an unexpected variable. At least two other forces, besides us, entered the buying at the sa ti. They too aggressively absorbed shares above the 2 hwan level.”
At Yoon Ji-seong’s report, I slightly furrowed my brow.
Of course, I had expected other operation forces to jump in, but……
“Two forces, you say?”
“Yes, at the very least two, from what I can confirm.”
“Have you identified them?”
“One side, certainly.”
Adjusting his glasses, Yoon Ji-seong continued.
“It was confird that securities firms directly connected to President Park Jeong-ho, along with Kim Jin-ho’s side, were the ones moving.”
As expected.
Just as I thought.
Park Jeong-ho and Kim Jin-ho would desperately buy in, preventing the market from collapsing so that the ga wouldn’t end before it even began.
But the other force? For a mont, one na flashed through my mind.
‘Jeong Tae-soo…….
Has he already begun moving?’
I tried to recall.
Jeong Tae-soo was the man who, after watching this securities storm from behind the scenes, intervened at the last mont and reaped the greatest benefit.
But the exact timing and thod—I did not know.
At that ti, I had been in the facility.
If he was already moving directly, this could beco a far greater variable than expected.
“Look into the other force a bit more. But don’t push yourselves.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Yoon Ji-seong replied carefully.
Even if Jeong Tae-soo had stepped in, he still couldn’t overturn the entire board just yet.
I brushed aside my unease and finally turned to Ma Dong-jin, who was in charge of funds.
He opened a thick ledger and pointed to a specific part so I could see.
“I’ll report the final results, including both previously secured shares and this round’s additional purchases.
Total capital invested: 43 million hwan.
Total number of physical Daegung stock shares secured: 16,565,217.”
At his words, the eyes of Kang Cheol-min and Yoon Ji-seong widened once more.
Nearly 17 million shares.
Roughly 1.3% of Daegung stock’s total issued 1.2 billion shares.
Securing such a massive amount, and that too in such a short ti and relatively quietly, was nothing short of a miracle.
I alternated between the ledger and him, before asking the question that concerned most.
“What’s the average purchase price?”
“We completed purchases at an average of around 2 hwan 60 jeon per share.”
2 hwan 60 jeon! Better than I expected.
It was the perfect result of turning the market’s fear to our advantage.
Unable to hide his excitent, Kang Cheol-min added,
“Because of the other buying forces, competition got intense—we nearly ended up with a higher unit price. But even so, at this level, it’s really……”
It was a good buy.
I could guess the rest of his words, left unsaid in his excitent.
“No. This is excellent. Far better than I expected.”
I turned again to Ma Dong-jin.
“How much operating capital remains?”
“After the additional buying, the exact remaining amount is 1,027,800 hwan.”
Minimum operating expense, about 1 million hwan.
Everything had fit together perfectly, just as planned.
I looked around at the three n with a satisfied smile.
“You’ve truly all worked hard. Thanks to you, we secured a sufficient amount of stock at a very good price.”
Now, all that was left was to wait in the calm before the storm struck.
I then made them an unexpected proposal.
“Out of the remaining operating funds, divide 100,000 hwan among the three of you as compensation, and give another 100,000 hwan as bonuses to the personnel mobilized in this buying operation.”
The three of them looked at with expressions full of surprise.
In this era, especially in such secret operations, distributing performance-based pay was almost unheard of.
“T-that’s far too much! We only……”
Kang Cheol-min tried to refuse in embarrassnt, but I raised my hand to stop him.
“It’s only natural to be rewarded according to the effort you put in. More importantly, since we have bigger tasks ahead, we need to boost morale.”
This was clearly a once-in-a-lifeti opportunity for , but it was never sothing I could have achieved alone.
It had only been possible thanks to the dedication of capable team mbers.
“Starting next month, things will get much busier than now. So rest well while you can.”
At my words, the three no longer refused and instead looked at with eyes full of gratitude.
In their gaze, there was now far more goodwill and trust than before.
Indeed, tangible rewards proved far more effective than re words of encouragent.
Receiving those looks, I reviewed my plans in my mind.
Their part of the work was done, but mine was not.
---
A few days later, I visited the Myeong-dong Korea Securities Exchange again.
The closer I got to the building, the louder grew the voices of people, filled with madness.
Around the building, shady-eyed loan sharks and illegal dollar traders loitered.
Looks like they had all sniffed out the sll of money and crawled out.
The mont I stepped across the exchange’s threshold, a scorching wave of heat and noise, unlike anything before, engulfed .
“Daegung stock! 5 hwan! I’ll take it even at 5 hwan!”
“I should’ve bought yesterday! It’s 6 hwan now! Nobody’s selling!”
“KEPCO stock is twitching again. We should get in now!”
The resignation of Cha Sang-woo and the announcent of regulation abolition seed to have burned away the people’s very last shred of reason.
Sellers had completely vanished from the market, and only those desperate to climb aboard this runaway train of frenzy were left screaming.
The trading hall was packed shoulder to shoulder, with no room to step.
Shouts exploding everywhere, faces flushed with excitent, bundles of docunts flying back and forth without rest……
If the previous chaos had stemd from fear, the present turmoil was nothing short of a mad festival boiling over with greed.
‘So, in the end, it flows this way.’
In people’s eyes, only blind desire burned.
The yearning for instant wealth had dragged everyone into this irrational gambling den—from old n who had scraped together their entire fortunes to students in school uniforms, regardless of age or gender.
‘Is this frenzy a natural phenonon, or rely an illusion born of human greed……. Either way, the end is already determined.’
As Daegung stock supply disappeared, people’s money began to pour into Korea United Securities Finance, so-called Yeonjeung stock.
“Yeonjeung stock! 3 hwan! I’ll buy it at 3 hwan!”
“ too, Yeonjeung stock! Put in an order at 3 hwan 10 jeon!”
Daegung stock, Yeonjeung stock, and occasionally KEPCO stock.
The entire market’s money was concentrated unnaturally into just these three.
Most other listed stocks were tightly held by institutions and the governnt, so the speculative funds of private investors had only a limited number of places to flow.
I deliberately held in my hand so Daegung stock certificates I had bought earlier in front of Park Jeong-ho, while putting on a clueless expression and looking around.
Then, I slowly made my way toward the stairs leading to the second floor.
But unlike before, two burly n stood firmly blocking the entrance to the stairs.
Their sharp eyes scanned up and down.
The slightly older-looking one snarled.
Perhaps because of my young-looking appearance, his voice carried an openly overbearing tone from the start.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“I have business on the second floor. Is it off limits now?”
I asked innocently, and the man dismissively shoved with his hand.
“Get lost. This isn’t a place for a brat like you to wander in. The second floor isn’t for just anyone.”
I stepped back a few paces, pretending to shrink back, and glanced up at the second-floor balcony.
As expected.
Just as I thought, there sat Park Jeong-ho, watching the madness below with a relaxed expression, and beside him stood Manager Choi Min-jun.
A satisfied smile played at the corners of Park Jeong-ho’s lips.
It was the look of confidence, certain that everything was going exactly according to his plan.
Just then, his eyes t mine.
His brows lifted slightly in surprise, then quickly shifted into an intrigued expression as he recognized .
“Hey! Young man over there! You’re Baek Min-woo, right? Co on up here.”
Even amidst the noisy clamor of the trading floor, Park Jeong-ho’s voice rang out particularly loudly.
I widened my eyes in feigned surprise at the unexpected call, staring back at him.
‘As expected, he would call for .’
I fixed my gaze firmly on the n blocking the stairs.
Hearing Park Jeong-ho’s summons, the two exchanged glances, then reluctantly stepped aside after clearing their throats.
“Well, well, turns out you were President Park’s guest. You should’ve said so earlier. Almost made us look bad.”
Not a single apology, just holding onto their pride until the end—I let out a silent laugh inside.
I passed by them lightly and headed toward the table where Park Jeong-ho and Choi Min-jun waited.
Still wearing that composed smile, Park Jeong-ho greeted .
“So, I hear you enjoyed your trip to Namsan?”
His first question was no surprise.
In his gaze was an intention that was far more than casual—he was clearly testing .
He must have already heard about Yang Sobo summoning Kim Jin-ho and reprimanding him.
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