Whenever I read oil-related news in my past life, there was always one phrase that stood out:
"Oil prices surge to their highest levels since the Gulf War!"
For the next 30 years, there wouldn't be another oil price spike like the Gulf War.
Right now was the best ti to profit from oil. Just betting on crude oil and holding onto it would guarantee huge returns.
And the next day, my prediction beca reality.
After staying up all night studying, I ca downstairs to find my grandfather watching TV with a serious expression.
"So, war has broken out. Those crazy Iraqis have done it again."
"This must be a big hit to the company. Especially for the construction sector."
"I've already called for an ergency executive eting. The world never seems to have a peaceful day."
Right then, breaking news about oil prices ca on.
Oil, which had been around $14 per barrel, had doubled overnight.
The war between oil-rich Iraq and Kuwait ant supply shortages were inevitable, sending prices soaring.
"I'm heading to the office. Make sure you eat well, and don't overwork yourself studying."
"Yes, Grandpa. Safe travels."
As soon as he left, I sat down in his seat.
Next to was an elegant, vintage-style telephone.
I picked up the receiver and called Team Leader Han .
As soon as he answered, I could hear a chaotic roar in the background.
"Young master! Oil prices are going insane!"
"Didn't I tell you a war was coming?"
"I thought it was a possibility, but I never imagined it would actually happen! From now on, if you tell you can turn red beans into soy sauce, I'll believe you!"
Han Jung-hoon was now completely on my side.
A single lucky success could be dismissed as coincidence.
But consistent wins? That was enough to earn trust.
"Sell when it hits $30. It might go higher, but let's not get too greedy."
"$30? That's more than double our entry price. And with our leverage, that's at least a tenfold return!"
"So our $200 million becos $2 billion."
"$2 billion… That's over 1.4 trillion won!"
A single investnt. A tenfold return.
If I pulled this off just once more, I'd reach my target of 8 trillion won.
But opportunities like this don't co often.
The bigger the investnt, the harder it becos to make massive gains.
If I moved too much capital, my own trades could shake the market.
That ant I needed to seize every opportunity.
And I knew another one was coming next year.
"Once you've locked in profits, just make small, safe investnts until next year."
"If the war drags on, won't oil prices keep rising? Are you sure we should hold back?"
"Let's not be too greedy."
"Understood!"
"And once we cash out, co back to Korea for a bit."
"Is sothing happening?"
"You need to get your bonus."
"Ah! Thank you!"
If our profit was 1.4 trillion won, that ant a 14 billion won bonus?
That was hardly excessive.
Team Leader Han and the rest of the team would be working just as hard.
Until the day they begged to let them rest because they had more money than they knew what to do with.
* * *
Ever since I got my second chance at life, I made it a habit to visit my grandfather's study every day.
It was my way of making up for the filial duty I failed to fulfill in my past life.
The reason I worked so hard—making money, studying relentlessly—was to protect my family and our group.
But when I arrived at the study today, I found that my grandfather already had a guest.
"Min-jae, you're here! It's been a while. I almost wouldn't recognize you if I saw you on the street."
The man greeting warmly was Jang Soo-young, the president of Taewoo Construction.
(TL/n - Sotis, I might use 'CEO' and 'President' interchangeably.)
A founding mber of Taewoo Group, he was known as my grandfather's right-hand man.
Soone my grandfather valued imnsely—and soone fiercely loyal to him in return.
Or so it seed.
When the financial crisis hit, he was the first to push Taewoo Construction into bankruptcy proceedings.
He never acknowledged as the chairman, choosing instead to carve his own path and abandon the group.
Because he believed he was far more capable than .
As a result, Taewoo Construction split from the group.
Ten years later, the company rose to beco the 37th largest conglorate in Korea and even claid the top spot in the construction industry.
From a purely business standpoint, Jang Soo-young's decision was the right one.
He saved Taewoo Construction in the end.
But from my perspective?
He was a traitor who plucked the juiciest piece from Taewoo Group for himself.
Was Taewoo Construction's success really thanks to his ability?
Or was it because my grandfather had built such an incredible foundation to begin with?
After the financial crisis, half of Taewoo Construction's employees left for other companies.
And yet, all the top construction CEOs in the industry ended up being forr Taewoo Construction executives.
A construction academy—that's what people called Taewoo Construction.
Its employees were so exceptional that it earned that reputation.
With a workforce that strong, the company would have thrived no matter who was in charge.
I stared at Jang Soo-young, my eyes burning with intensity.
My grandfather misunderstood my gaze, thinking I didn't recognize him.
"Haha, Min-jae, do you rember? This is Jang Soo-young."
"You've grown into a fine young man. I even changed your diapers once, you know."
Well, to be fair, he hadn't betrayed us yet.
For now, I forced my facial muscles into a smile.
"Of course, I rember! It's good to see you."
"You've really matured. I heard you passed the high school equivalency exam."
"Yes, I'm currently studying for university entrance exams."
There was no way my grandfather invited Jang Soo-young over for nothing.
Passing the high school equivalency exam isn't a big deal.
But when I do it? It is.
Because I'm my grandfather's grandson.
I was certain he called Jang Soo-young here just to brag about his grandson, so I made sure to give him plenty to boast about.
"A prodigy has been born in Taewoo Group. Min-jae is just as brilliant as the chairman."
"It breaks my heart to see him do nothing but eat and study all day. He's always begging to start working as soon as possible, just like his grandfather."
My grandfather's lips kept curling upward.
He might have been complaining, but the laughter in his voice gave him away.
"I want to start working for Taewoo Group as soon as possible."
"Haha, that's admirable."
"And I don't want to go to just any university—I want to attend the best in the world."
"You an a university in Arica?"
"Yes. I want to go to Harvard or Stanford. To do that, I think I need to study in the U.S."
"Haha, you're only seventeen. Isn't it a bit too early to live alone in Arica?"
Did I sound too much like a child?
Well, even when I beca an adult, my grandfather would still probably see as a kid.
"You always talk about globalization, Grandfather. I believe living in the U.S. is necessary for that. Besides, many of my peers have been attending school in Arica since elentary."
"So, you're that eager to leave your grandfather behind?"
My grandfather had already lost his only son.
Now, he was worried about losing his only grandson too.
To ease his concerns, I offered a compromise.
"That's why I'll go with so employees from Taewoo Securities."
"Ah! You an your special task force? I heard they haven't officially returned to Taewoo Securities yet. But what would they do in Arica with you?"
"I'll take responsibility for them. If you can manage tens of thousands of employees, why wouldn't your grandson be able to handle just three?"
"Haha, you truly are my grandson. Well, transferring them to our U.S. branch wouldn't be difficult, but it could affect their career paths. Are you ready to take responsibility for their futures?"
I had already secured their futures—and then so.
And I planned to give them even more.
"I'll say it again, Grandfather. I am your grandson. Just as you care for your employees, I will care for mine."
"Stubborn boy. Well, you're not leaving for sothing bad—you're going to study. How can I stop you?"
"Thank you, Grandfather!"
Before he could change his mind, I threw myself into his arms.
Of course, I knew my grandfather wouldn't send off alone.
He would definitely assign a few people from his secretarial office to watch over .
But that was a small price to pay.
* * *
Chairman Kim Tae-jung's Office
The chief secretary placed a list of twenty nas on the chairman's desk.
"They are all fluent in English and have backgrounds in special forces or national-level sports teams."
"Twenty is excessive. Five should be enough."
"I'll make the necessary arrangents."
"And tell them not to be too obvious about it. If my grandson notices, he might resent being watched."
"I'll instruct them to observe from a distance unless there's an ergency."
Chairman Kim Tae-jung's affection for his grandson was well known.
Especially after Min-jae passed the equivalency exam, his protectiveness had only grown stronger.
"What about the Taewoo Securities employees? Any complaints from them?"
"Young Master Min-jae is taking good care of them. When asked about going to Arica, they agreed without hesitation."
"They must have kind hearts. They used to handle multi-million-dollar investnts at Taewoo Securities, and now they're investing pocket change for my grandson."
Chairman Kim did not micromanage his grandson.
Because of that, he was completely unaware that Min-jae had made billions in just a few months.
With the connection to the U.S. shell company severed, uncovering the truth would have required significant manpower and ti, so the chairman hadn't bothered.
Now, it had beco even harder to trace.
Since Team Leader Han had personally established the new corporate entity, its ties to Taewoo Securities were completely erased.
"We've also secured private tutors. The most renowned college admissions consultant in the U.S. has agreed, and three additional tutors have been hired."
"Tell them they'll receive one 'sheet' as a bonus if Min-jae gets accepted within three years. For every year sooner, add another 'sheet.'"
Chairman Kim was prepared to wait three years.
His grandson might have been determined to apply next year, but even a genius couldn't finish a three-year curriculum in just one.
"Understood. Also, the house has been arranged in one of the safest areas in New York."
"At this rate, educating my grandson is going to bankrupt . Hahaha!"
"Young Master Min-jae is truly exceptional. I've never seen anyone more talented."
The chief secretary was not one to exaggerate.
If anything, his bluntness often got him into trouble—but he never flattered.
Knowing this, Chairman Kim laughed even louder.
* * *
Arriving in Arica
"Thanks to you, Young Master, we get to experience life in the U.S. We appreciate it."
"You'll be going through a lot because of ."
We had arrived.
I settled into the mansion with four Taewoo Securities employees.
Team Leader Han, who had been staying at a hotel, had moved in ahead of us.
Once we had all unpacked, he began a briefing in the living room.
"As you instructed, we sold everything the mont oil hit $30 per barrel. Just as expected, we secured a profit of $2 billion."
"T-Team Leader, what did you just say? Did you an 20 million won?"
Kim Deok-hwan, one of the employees, raised his voice.
The employees who had assisted Team Leader Han back in Korea had no idea he had been handling such massive bets.
"No, you heard correctly. $2 billion. That's around 1.4 trillion won."
"W-Wait… You actually made 1.4 trillion won?! Even Taewoo Securities has never pulled off a single profit that big!"
"Then, do you think I'm lying? I was planning on giving out bonuses, but if you don't believe , I suppose I don't have to."
"N-No! I believe you!"
Money never lies.
The mont Kim Deok-hwan heard the word 'bonus', all his doubts vanished.
"Then let's accept our bonuses with confidence. From now on, you'll all officially transfer to Team Leader Han's investnt firm."
"All necessary paperwork has already been processed. By the end of the week, everyone here will be employed by SAVE Investnts."
The investnt firm I established in Arica was called SAVE.
It didn't match the image of a company known for its aggressive, high-risk investnts.
But I chose the na to remind myself why I was doing all this.
To protect Taewoo Group.
And to protect Grandfather.
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