“You seem to have forgotten who you’re dealing with. He’s not a conman but a seasoned hunter.”
Raymond redefined the situation with a subtle smile.
“Judge him not by the standards of a swindler but as a hunter. The two things a hunter needs most are skill and bullets. This one has the skill but seems to lack the bullets. In a sense, you could say you’re hunting the hunter.”
Gerard nodded at his father’s metaphor.
“However, this hunter seems determ...
Silence flows over the receiver.
It’s a moment that shows how flustered Gerard is.
Ferguson continued in a deliberately brusque tone.
“Since I too have entrusted five million dollars, I thought it prudent as a fellow investor to share the situation. I apologize if this seems like an overstep. I assure you there will be no further improprieties over such trivial matters.”
Gerard seemed displeased by the arrogant attitude he had just displayed.
When he m...
“Insane!”
“Wow, damn!”
“Seriously, does this make any sense?”
Upon hearing the news of Ha Si-heon’s all-in investment, everyone cursed in unison.
It wasn’t that they intended to curse Ha Si-heon.
It was just that there were no other words to properly express the level of shock they felt.
“I knew something was going to explode…” Everyone had expected it. That Ha Si-heon would make a mistake. But not in this way.
<...
The enrollment for my unofficial fund is capped at five members.
Only one spot remains.
And there’s only one way to claim it.
“From now, kill each other.”
In other words, it’s a survival game where only the highest bidder prevails.
Participation wasn’t bad.
The mere fact that an MD from the Industrial Division had invested was enough to make people think, “There’s something going on here.”
Soon, they were all scram...
No matter how sensational a rumor is, every rumor has an expiration date.
This case was no exception.
The gossip that peaked on the first day fizzled out by the second and became nothing more than an old story by the third.
But things changed on the afternoon of the third day.
At the center of it all, once again, was Ha Si-heon.
He had made yet another unexpected move.
However, this time, it was the exact opposite of the boldness he had sh...
[The departure ban on Porter, the branch manager, and all other employees of the Japanese branch has been fully lifted as of today.]
Standing by the window in a crisp white shirt and a brand-new Gucci tie — a recent gift from the brand’s head designer, Tom Ford — Seok-won held his phone to his ear, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Looks like the medicine worked perfectly.”
[Secretary Vincent said he pressured Japan by mentioning the O...
Following the main branch of Ceylon Hotel, its first franchise location also opened.
The second store wasn’t in a bustling area like Gangnam or Hongdae, but rather in downtown Paju.
I visited the store with CEO Im Soo-mi. Even though it was past lunchtime, the line was long. If you joined the queue now, wouldn’t it take three or four hours?
Perhaps they were all out on deliveries; the oven bikes and oven trucks that should have been in front of the store were nowhere ...
Nissan Headquarters, Yokohama, Japan.
Ever since the dollar-yen exchange rate had surged past 100, every single day had been a nightmare for Moriyama, the head of finance.
To make matters worse, an option contract had been activated right before a deal cancellation, leading to the worst possible scenario.
Desperately, he prayed for the yen to recover—just once.
But fate was cruel.
Instead of rebounding, the yen continued its relentless dec...
Hannam-dong, Seoul.
A large Mercedes-Benz sedan glided smoothly to a stop in front of a grand estate, surrounded by tall walls.
The passenger door opened first, and Baucus—dressed in a sleek black suit and dark sunglasses—stepped out. After scanning the surroundings, he moved to the back and pulled open the door.
"Boss, we’ve arrived."
A moment later, Seok-won stepped out, stretching his long legs. Unlike his usual formal look, he wore a rela...
Gimpo Airport
Despite being a weekday afternoon, the spacious terminal buzzed with activity.
Every time a traveler emerged, waiting family members and friends rushed forward, embracing and greeting them with joyous laughter.
Among the crowd stood a man in a gray suit, repeatedly checking his watch—Oh Sang-hyun, a close aide to Woo Ho-geun.
Just then, Sang-hyun spotted Woo Ho-geun, a sharp-featured man with thick eyebrows, stepping out of the arri...
Just as the attacker’s knife was about to pierce my body, an unknown force flung me sideways.
“Ugh!”
I rolled on the ground, clutching my head. As I looked up, trying to make sense of what had just happened, I saw an astonishing sight.
The attacker was stumbling backward, his face pale, and Li Yang was clutching his stomach, his face contorted in pain.
“Catch that bastard!”
At my shout, a few of CEO Wu’s men, who had been subduing the other attac...
Why would Chae Myeong-ho come all the way here?
I had a rough idea of why he came.
I was about to tell them to just send him back, but then I looked at Kim Jae-hak next to me and changed my mind.
“Tell him I’m in a meeting and he’ll have to wait.”
“Understood.”
After Team Leader Jung Gi-hong left, I continued to listen to the franchisees.
Franchises definitely have their advantages.
From the perspective of the founder, they can rece...
“Have a seat over here.”
Li Yang, who had been working the day shift, entered my office after his shift ended.
The table was set with a bottle of Maotai, one of China’s four most famous liquors, and some snacks.
“Do you like alcohol?”
Li Yang replied nervously,
“He says he loves it.”
“That’s good. Here, have a drink. It’s expensive, so don’t spill it.”
Li Yang accepted the glass with a serious expression, and I poured dr...
November 17, 1:00 PM.
A new two-letter ticker symbol had just been created on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
The ticker was EL—marking the stock market debut of Estée Lauder, the luxury cosmetics brand born in New York.
“The trading is about to begin,” Landon said.
Seok-won leaned back comfortably on the sofa in his penthouse living room, his gaze fixed on the large television screen across from him, where CNBC was broadcasting real-time market updates....
New York, Manhattan
– One New York Plaza Building
Seok-won, who had visited the Eldorado Fund office for the first time in a while, was sitting on a sofa in front of a large floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the vast East River. He was engaged in conversation with Landon and Andrew.
"On my way here, I noticed that the yen exchange rate closed 0.27 yen lower than the previous day. Are Japanese companies still delaying their option set...
The next morning
As Seok-won descended the stairs, the delicious aroma of food filled his senses.
Heading toward the kitchen, he spotted his parents already seated at the dining table and gave a polite bow.
"Good morning."
"Yes, good morning," Madam Jo Deok-rae responded warmly with a bright smile.
Chairman Park Tae-hong, seated at the head of the table, spoke in his usual gruff manner.
"You’re here. Sit down and eat."
"Yes, ...
After the banquet, I returned home.
I pulled the bankbook from my pocket and tucked it away in the safe hidden behind my desk.
Inside, ten other bankbooks from various banks were already neatly stacked.
One from my first birthday celebration.
One for starting elementary school, and another for graduating from it.
This one? A reward for ranking first in my entire grade.
Adding them all up, my total balance came to roughly 7 billion won.
In ...
Hannam-dong, Seoul
Madam Jo Deok-rye sat gracefully on the living room sofa, basking in the warm afternoon sunlight as she sipped her tea.
In her other hand was a novel by a Japanese author who had won the Nobel Prize in Literature the previous year.
"Madam,"
At that moment, Gusan-daek emerged from the kitchen, wiping her damp hands on her apron as she approached.
"What should I prepare for dinner tonight?"
"Let’s see… Oh, didn’...
As the rain, which had been falling since dawn, grew heavier, Seok-won drove his cherished BMW 540i toward his company in Yeouido.
With the usual heavy morning traffic compounded by the rain, cars crawled along the congested road like turtles.
Seated in the driver’s seat, listening to a soft ballad, Seok-won lightly tapped the steering wheel and muttered as he observed the near standstill of traffic.
"It feels even more jammed because of the rain."
Glancing at th...
Despite it being a particularly busy time of day, most of the people had paused their work and gathered in front of their televisions.
Today was the scheduled press conference of former President Noh Gi-hoon, who had recently shaken the country with a 400 billion won slush fund scandal.
In his office at the headquarters in Mapo, Chairman Park Tae-hong was also waiting for the press conference to begin, seated on the sofa with his close aide, Chief Secretary Gil Sung-ho.
A...
A tiny gosiwon, with nothing but a desk and a bed.
A trash can overflowing with instant noodle wrappers.
And yet, I didn’t even have a single pack of ramen left—I was starving.
“Cough!”
Blood stained my hand as I covered my mouth.
Was it malnutrition? Or was it because I hadn’t left this cramped space in days?
Looking at me now, no one would believe it, but I was once the third-generation heir of a chaebol family.
An only son...
[Former President Noh Ki-hoon's Slush Fund Scandal Paralyzes Parliament]
During today’s parliamentary questioning session, opposition lawmaker Joo kyu-hwang of the Minpyeong Party presented concrete evidence regarding former President Noh Ki-hoon's alleged 400 billion won slush fund. He strongly demanded a thorough investigation and the invocation of the National Assembly’s investigative authority, causing a major stir.
Representative Joo claime...
National Assembly Main Chamber, Yeouido, Seoul
Dressed in a black suit, Seok-won climbed up to the second-floor gallery. He leaned against a wall near the entrance, arms crossed.
Under the bright lights, he overlooked the semi-circular arrangement of parliamentary seats—an imposing sight centered around the high podium often seen on television.
The gallery, usually empty except for a few journalists, was noticeably crowded today, as it was the first day...
Nissan Headquarters, Yokohama, Japan
Yamamoto Daito, Executive Director of Finance, rushed down to the finance department after receiving an urgent call.
As soon as he laid eyes on the electronic display mounted on the wall, his entire body stiffened.
[USD/JPY: 100.17 +1.06]
The dreaded 100-yen threshold had crumbled far too easily.
His vision blurred for a moment as the full weight of the situation hit him....
Ceylon Hotel immediately began construction on the M Pizza flagship store.
I toured the interior with CEO Im Soo-mi.
Engineers from M Pizza in the US installed conveyor belts, robotic arms, and monitors. It looked less like a kitchen and more like a manufacturing plant.
When an order comes in, it’s automatically sent to the screens in the kitchen, and the robots recognize which pizza needs to be made.
When a person stretches the dough and puts it on the conveyor ...
Nihonbashi Kabutocho, Tokyo, Japan.
Home to the Tokyo Stock Exchange and numerous financial institutions, this district was often referred to as Japan’s Wall Street. It was also where the Japanese branch of Eldorado Fund was located.
In a sleek conference room with a large glass window overlooking a dense cluster of high-rise buildings, Nissan’s Head of Finance, Moriyama, sat anxiously with one of his subordinates.
They had arranged this meeting in To...
Since it was the day his father was returning home, Seok-won left work a little earlier than usual and headed back home.
As he stepped through the front door, he saw Madam Jo elegantly sipping tea while reading a fashion magazine on the sofa, dressed in a comfortable home dress.
"You're home?" she asked, lifting her head.
"Yes. Where's Father?"
Setting down her teacup, she replied, "He's in the study. Go greet him first."
"Alright."
Nodding, Seok-won ...
Shenyang, China.
After completing the full schedule of his four-day, three-night trip, Chairman Park sat in the VIP lounge of Taoxian International Airport on the outskirts of the city, accompanied by his eldest son, Park Jin-hyung.
Sinking into the plush sofa, Chairman Park habitually pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips.
Seeing this, Secretary Gil Sung-ho, who was seated to his left, quickly flicked on a lighter and lit the cigarette for him.
Tak...
[Work together, you say?]
“Yes. I don’t know why you’re protecting Chunha Trading, but they generated 100 million yuan in sales in just one week. That’s over 5 billion yuan a year.”
Chen Fei desperately tried to convince Chairman Zhao Yang, thinking he was unaware of the situation.
“That’s just what he admitted to, it could be much higher. Are you going to let those arrogant Koreans make a fortune in China?"
But Chairman Zhao Yang just said indifferen...
Na Seong-mi placed a cup of coffee in front of each person, bowed slightly to Seok-won, who was seated at the head of the table, and quietly exited the room.
With one leg crossed over the other, Seok-won slowly scanned the PI department team leaders seated on either side of the table before speaking.
"I'm sure you've all seen that the composite stock index has surpassed 1,000 points today."
Kim Jeong-sik, the leader of Team 1, immediately responded with a smile.
"O...