Chapter 135: A Gambler’s Instinct

Caught under an intense stare, I scrambled for an excuse.

Predicting the predetermined future seemed like the most plausible approach.

“Uncle, when you think about it, isn’t this inevitable?”

“Why is that?”

“Once those political sharks get involved, the price will skyrocket, at least a hundredfold, right?”

“A hundredfold? That’s too high.”

No, I deliberately lowballed it. Even so, he doesn’t believe it.

Honestly, who would logically believe a 500 won stock could jump to 300,000 won? Especially in just six months.

“There are many venture companies that have already risen tenfold or fiftyfold. This could be the last train, and we need to cash in. A hundredfold isn’t an unreasonable prediction.”

“Alright, let’s say that’s true. So?”

“Stock price increases don’t equate to making money. You only profit when you sell and the money hits your account. So, who’s going to buy it? A stock that’s risen a hundredfold?”

“You wouldn’t ask if you didn’t already know.”

“Exactly. It’ll be the ants who jump in without knowing what’s going on. And most of them will end up broke, not hitting the jackpot.”

“So many people lose their shirts in the stock market. Is that really a reason for Sang-soo to go to jail?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

It makes no sense that a CEO would go to prison because of individual investment failures. Anyone would think that.

“Isn’t it election season? They need to appease the angry masses. But there’s no target for their arrows. So, they create one. The current administration is pushing the revitalization of the IT industry to boost the economy.”

“Oh, I see….”

Oh Se-hyun also grasped the end of the scenario I was painting.

“Messing with the masterminds is risky, so they’ll blame the clueless followers… They’ll make an example of some nobody, turning him into the ultimate villain.”

“So, the fury of the stock-losing ants will be directed at Lee Sang-soo.”

“Isn’t it suspicious that they’ve already secured evidence of him embezzling company funds? They’ll make it look perfect. A corrupt CEO who squandered the hard-earned money of honest people. His arrest will be the end of the story.”

I finished explaining and watched Oh Se-hyun’s expression.

Not a hint of doubt. My assessment that this was the most likely scenario to unfold was correct.

Of course, unimaginable and unrealistic things also happen.

The only unrealistic thing here is the soaring stock price.

Ordinary people can’t even imagine how unrealistic those who scheme to make money are.

They are ruthless and shamelessly flaunt their endless greed.

It’s just an IT company with 45 employees.

Yet, they’ve inflated its value to 300 billion won more than the combined market capitalization of the eight listed companies of Hanjin Group, ranked 6th in business circles, and four times the combined market capitalization of the six listed companies of Dongbu Group, ranked 16th.

Beyond common sense.

This is what big-time crooks do. Ordinary people can’t even fathom it, so they can’t tell if it’s a scam or reality.

I casually asked the speechless Oh Se-hyun.

“What are you going to do? Will you help, or will you cut ties?”

“I don’t know. Damn it.”

Oh Se-hyun sank deeper into the sofa.

Silence hung in the air for a while.

I don’t know how close Oh Se-hyun and Lee Sang-soo are, but frankly, I don’t care. Whether he goes to jail or makes a fortune…

To me, they’re just guys playing with pocket change.

Wait, with trillions of won involved, it’s not exactly pocket change.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of interest.

Not because of the money… I’m just curious about the kind of people who could orchestrate a trillion-won scheme.

At that moment, the silent Oh Se-hyun slowly opened his mouth.

“Should we get in on this? Put in a big bet and shake things up?”

What’s on my uncle’s mind?

Oh Se-hyun, completely transformed, began to lay out his thoughts.

“What’s your predicted stock price?”

“The initial public offering price is 1,500 won per share. As you said, Uncle, a hundred times the face value of 500 won is 50,000 won.”

“If there’s market manipulation, it’ll be a short-term play. Let’s say six months. Buy at 1,500 and sell at 50,000. Making over thirty times the investment in half a year is worth it. The only downside is the relatively small scale. Still, it’s not easy to find a stock like this.”

He spoke so seriously that I started to hesitate.

“But Uncle, why the sudden change of heart? Are you trying to stir things up for your beloved junior?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“You said we should put in a big bet and shake things up?”

“Right. Go in big, make a big profit, and get out. Knowing about a manipulated stock beforehand in the stock market is like playing Go-Stop while seeing your opponent’s cards. We know Sang-soo’s company is a target for manipulation. It’s a piece of cake now.”

Something’s off.

“You’re saying you just want to get in because the investment return is high?”

“Yeah. Is there any other reason?”

His question left me speechless.

He can calmly think about investment profits even when his junior is desperately asking for help.

“It’s not that. President Lee asked you for help….”

“I already told you, it’s impossible for us to become the majority shareholder and postpone the listing. There’s no way to help.”

Oh Se-hyun scratched his head.

“But it’s a shame to just watch someone else’s feast, isn’t it? We know about the feast beforehand, and we even know how to get inside the high walls.”

“Since the table is set, let’s join in?”

“This is valuable information. If someone with this kind of information doesn’t jump into the speculation game, they should leave Yeouido.”

I was at a loss for words.

Whether it’s innate or a learned habit, he’s the perfect speculator.

I was surprised once again.

Professionals have no peak. No matter how high they climb, they always look towards something higher.

“Even if I try to stop you, you’ll still go in, Uncle.”

“Of course! I’m going in as an individual. You can sit this one out if you don’t want to.”

His expression returned to normal. Since there’s no room to intervene in his junior Lee Sang-soo’s problem, he completely forgot about it, only revealing the gleam of a seasoned player who had obtained valuable information.

I also returned to my usual self.

The difference between my uncle and me is that I can’t be satisfied with simply making money in a short amount of time.

* * *

“With 400 billion won, we can breathe a little, right?”

“It’s a close call. But as you said, it’ll be just enough to keep our heads above water.”

When we presented our calculations, the managing director in charge of funds at Soonyang Distribution feigned exaggeration, but his expression was radiant.

“Indeed… I’ve often heard in Myeong-dong that Miracle is the only source of money in our country right now. There’s a reason for that. You calculate things more meticulously than we do… It’s embarrassing.”

While meant as a compliment, it sounded like he was admitting incompetence, causing my aunt to frown.

“Can you mobilize it right away?”

Looking at my aunt’s parched lips, I could tell how anxious she was.

Only two months had passed, but they had already taken all the profits earned by the department store and hotel. They were even delaying payments to the businesses that had set up shop there.

“Of course. Once the corporate seals of Distribution, the hotel, and the department store, along with President Jin Seo-yoon’s seal, are on the contract, the 400 billion won will be immediately distributed to the subsidiaries.”

Oh Se-hyun’s smile made my aunt shake her head.

A month ago, she had been so furious that she trembled when she confirmed the shares they were demanding as collateral for the 400 billion won. But now, facing financial pressure, she was hastily seeking them out again.

She knew better than anyone that if word got to Chairman Jin that she couldn’t even pay the interest so soon after taking over the company, everything would fall apart.

“You really are highway robbers. How can you take 30% of Soonyang Distribution’s shares for just 400 billion won?”

She didn’t forget to add one last remark before signing the contract. It showed just how resentful she felt.

“These are shares that aren’t even in President Jin’s hands yet. Aren’t we the only ones who lend money using future assets as collateral? And 400 billion won isn’t the entire sum. It also includes the 130 billion won for the construction of the first large discount store. We’re taking a risk, and President Jin is providing slightly expensive collateral. It’s fair.”

He methodically addressed my aunt’s casual complaint, emphasizing the rationality of the deal. This was to prevent her from making unnecessary remarks again.

Unsurprisingly, many executives in the conference room kept their eyes down and remained silent. It was a tacit agreement.

My aunt bit her lip and nodded towards the executives.

As if they had been waiting, they began stamping their seals on the thick documents.

Seeing this with my own eyes, I unconsciously clenched my fist.

Yes!

Soonyang Distribution is mine now!

Including the connected department stores, hotels, condos, and golf courses.

Once these are completely in my grasp, I’ll have to give Miracle employees membership passes as a bonus.

Am I counting my chickens before they hatch?

No. It’s the predetermined course of action.

The plan to seize them when the credit card crisis hit in 2003 and consumption froze has been moved up significantly due to President Lee Sang-soo.

Before the start of the new millennium, everything will be mine.

What kind of expressions will the executives in this conference room wear when they realize the blocked cash flow has been resolved?

Many executives will probably be happy that they’ve escaped Jin Seo-yoon’s clutches.

* * *

“What? Pay back the money?”

“Yes. They’ve settled a significant portion of the bonds of the subsidiaries overseen by the two vice-chairmen, excluding Soonyang Life Insurance and Fire Insurance.”

“Where did that girl get the money? She should be struggling to run the company.”

“Miracle lent it to her. Seo-yoon asked Do-jun, and Representative Oh followed Do-jun’s instructions.”

Chairman Jin almost blurted out, ‘That money is Do-jun’s.’

Lee Hak-jae knows very well that Miracle is owned by Jin Do-jun, but Chairman Jin doesn’t yet realize that Lee Hak-jae has caught on.

Lee Hak-jae said what Chairman Jin would be most curious about.

“The collateral is stock. If Seo-yoon can’t repay the borrowed money, the subsidiaries, including Distribution, might fall into Miracle’s hands.”

“Are you serious? She put up everything as collateral?”

“No. Just 30% for now.”

“For now? What do you mean?”

“Once you start borrowing money, you keep coming back for more, don’t you? It’s the easiest way to run a company… Will she stop after just one time? Seo-yoon will keep giving up shares like pulling raisins out of a cake whenever she needs funds.”

“Will she continue to do that? The immediate crisis is over. And the Soonyang Economic Research Institute’s report wasn’t bad, was it?”

The top-secret report from the research institute, known for its accurate predictions, presented an extreme figure of +9.5% growth, as if mocking the worst economic growth rate of -6.9% in 1998.

Of course, the publicly released data still showed negative growth.

“Seo-yoon will borrow again. You wanted to see her overcome difficulties, Chairman, but Seo-yoon has chosen a very easy path.”

The nuance in Lee Hak-jae’s words was subtle.

He seemed to feel sorry for her, and yet also as if he had expected this all along.

“Who’s overcoming difficulties?”

“Pardon?”

Lee Hak-jae avoided meeting Chairman Jin’s mocking gaze.

“Does the word ‘overcome’ even fit with Seo-yoon? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then…?”

“I’ve pushed her into a situation where she can barely survive unless she completely changes her management style. If Seo-yoon had any business acumen, she would have sold the condos and golf courses first. Of course, delaying the sale of the hypermarkets.”

It’s a basic principle of management.

It makes me a little sad that my daughter can’t even manage this simple thing.