"You mean that Barings Bank from the UK?"
Landon blinked in surprise as he asked, and Seok-won nodded.
"That’s right."
Founded in 1762, Barings Bank has a long and storied history, spanning over 230 years.
It was well known for brokering the Louisiana Purchase between the U.S. and Napoleon and had deep ties with the British royal family, earning it the nickname the Queen’s Bank.
Although it had faced financial troubles in...
A brand-new black BMW sedan, replacing the car involved in the accident, glided smoothly to a stop in front of the hotel’s main entrance.
As the neatly uniformed doorman quickly approached and opened the driver’s side door, Seok-won, dressed in a sophisticated suit, stepped out of the BMW, extending his long legs.
"Take good care of it."
Handing over the car key, Seok-won offered a banknote. The doorman, with a polite smile, bowed slightly as he accepted the tip befor...
Early dawn on the 22nd, just a few days before the Christmas holidays.
Seok-won lay alone in a large king-size bed at the centre of a dimly lit bedroom, deeply asleep.
At 5:30 AM, the bedside clock showed the time as the screen of his phone lit up, accompanied by the ringing of a call.
“Uhm…”
Seok-won, shifting slightly in his sleep, reached out, fumbling over the nightstand before grabbing his phone.
With his eyes still half-closed, he brought the phone to...
2025-02-03 03:30:00 +0000 UTC View PostThe biggest loser due to the surge in Eunsung Motors’ stock price was Albert Management.
Carl Singer was in shock.
“Why on earth would Kang Jin-hoo…?”
Kang Jin-hoo was the very person who started this whole mess in the first place.
On the contrary, he had only applied more pressure; no one had imagined he would offer help.
The short selling that had been pouring in had been absorbed by unidentified foreign capital, including Golden Gate. They would h...
Next Day,
Hannam-dong.
[As of today, the death toll from the Seongsu Bridge collapse has risen to 12, while 14 injured individuals are currently receiving treatment at three nearby hospitals.
The Blue House has instructed local governments to conduct an urgent safety inspection of ageing bridges and other hazardous structures, ensuring thorough maintenance and repairs.
In response, each city and province has b...
Honk! Honk! Beep!
Car horns blared from all directions, but rather than feeling anxious, Seok-won felt a sense of relief.
"Good. That should do it."
With traffic completely blocked, at least from this direction, no more cars would be able to get onto the bridge.
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?!"
A furious voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Turning his head, he saw the man he had crashed into standing there, still holding the b...
Friday, October 21, 1994.
Amid the thick darkness of dawn, an old taxi with its headlights shining brightly was passing over Seongsu Bridge.
"If they are someone you must forget anyway, don't turn back and cry. Hold back your tears. Tomorrow~~ tomorrow, a new wind will blow again."
A taxi driver, who appeared to be in his mid-40s, was humming along to the trot song on the radio as he drove from Gangnam to Seongdong-gu.
His face was filled ...
While Si-heon was stirring up trouble, the healthcare division was walking on thin ice.
This was all because one of the MDs was upset.
He was an MD with the nickname “Rhino.”
“What’s that bastard scheming?”
Rhino, along with Pierce, was one of the candidates for the next executive position.
In terms of performance rankings, Pierce was number one, and Rhino was number two, but the gap was s...
The company cafeteria.
Today’s dinner menu for me is a cheeseburger.
“This burger isn’t bad, huh?”
As I take a bite, the minced meat crumbles apart, and the texture is no joke.
The caramelization of the onions was done well, too.
It didn’t used to taste this good, so it seems like my taste buds have really reset.
While I am busily munching away, the two guys who called Rachel ...
2025-02-02 02:55:00 +0000 UTC View PostWhen it comes to rumors, the outcome isn’t the only thing that matters. Let’s assume I won this bet. I was sure the new hire would lose, but they ended up winning. Quite an impressive newbie. But isn’t that story a bit too bland? For a rumor to spread properly, you need to sprinkle some extra seasoning.
Let’s add a few lines, for example:
– The entire department placed their salaries on the line, betting that the new hire would lose.
– The pot grew to...
2025-02-02 02:50:00 +0000 UTC View PostLiliana smiled sweetly and handed me a Post-it note.
“Since it’s your first day, I figured you might not know where your department is yet. I came to let you know.”
“Five tasks?”
“I need to talk with Mr. Ha Si-heon for a moment. Would you mind stepping out for a bit?”
“Oh, yes! Yes!”
Phuong, who had peeked at the Post-it note, scrunched up his face in displeasure, but with one smile from Liliana, his expression softened, and he turned into a bas...
2025-02-02 02:45:01 +0000 UTC View PostThe next day.
As predicted by the senior, Goldman was ablaze with rumors about Ha Si-heon.
The source of the rumors was the trading floor.
Traders arrive earlier than anyone.
Lately, due to the unfavorable atmosphere, it had become common to arrive by 4:30 AM, but even past 5 AM, one person hadn’t shown up.
“That guy’s been fired, I tell you. His P&L has been tanking for days.” 2025-02-02 02:40:01 +0000 UTC View Post
“My VP will contact you soon.”
Pierce stirred up a commotion and left. But the person trailing behind him looked familiar. It was the instructor from the training center. The same one who had been pleased with my Excel skills before.
‘Could he have sold me out?’
Considering the circumstances, that’s the only explanation. That instructor must have tipped Pierce off about the fast-handed Excel slave, and Pierce came here in person to claim the sl...
2025-02-02 02:35:00 +0000 UTC View PostMeanwhile, Pierce was eavesdropping on the entire conversation between Ha Si-heon and Brent.
The more he listened, the more intrigued he became.
“Interesting.”
Every newcomer who tried to get into Brent’s good graces chose the same method: groveling.
Because the easiest way to elevate someone is to lower yourself.
But Ha Si-heon was the exact opposite.
By elevating himself, he was...
2025-02-02 02:30:01 +0000 UTC View PostNext Day
For the first time in two weeks, Seok-won returned to the office and sat at his spacious desk, reviewing the backlog of documents that had piled up in his absence.
He read through the papers with deep concentration, occasionally pausing to jot down notes or lightly tap his fingertip against the page as he mulled over key points.
His lowered eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath his eyes, and his clean-shaven jawline was sharp and well-defined.
...
Hannam-dong, Seoul.
A black Mercedes sedan glided smoothly to a stop in front of a two-story mansion, enclosed by tall walls.
As the rear door opened, Seok-won stepped out, stretching his arms wide before gazing up at his family’s home with a smile.
"Home is always the best."
Hotel living wasn’t bad, but nothing gave him the same deep sense of stability as returning to his family’s mansion in Hannam-dong.
For a moment, Seok-won looked ...
Where is the first field where self-driving technology can be applied?
The answer is logistics.
Unlike taxis or private cars that navigate the intricate maze of alleyways, large trucks only travel along designated routes.
They simply load cargo at ports or warehouses and travel along predetermined routes to their destination. Unlike people, they don’t need to eat, sleep, or rest in between.
Because of this, the first job to disappear when self-driving cars become...
CH379
In some places, smugglers are backed by wizard organizations.
Watching Sam upstairs, Helag formed a plan.
***
After finalizing the deal, Sam placed the small wooden box in his spatial ring and, slightly tipsy, left the tavern for home.
Though only a first-level gaseous wizard, Sam thrived in Sord City, backed by a powerful Eye of the Storm figure.
Over the years, he became the underground leader, unchallenged.
Everyone kn...
I headed to Yongin with Taek-gyu and Ellie for the holiday.
Ellie was driving, I sat in the passenger seat, and Taek-gyu was in the back.
“Why are we going to Yongin?”
Unlike her usual black suit, Ellie wore a white sweater and a long bohemian skirt, paired with Boeing sunglasses. It looked like she was going on a outing.
“Chairman Im Jin-yong wanted to see us.”
“What for?”
“Although it’s a bit late, he said he has a Christmas gift for...
Knock, knock.
Kim Deok-han, the head of the social affairs department at Koryo Ilbo, straightened his posture at the sound of knocking while working at his desk.
"Come in."
At that, Yang Young-mo, dressed in a summer suit without a tie, opened the door and stepped inside.
"Boss, you called for me."
"Yes, take a seat, Reporter Yang."
Nodding slightly, Kim Deok-han gestured toward the sofa in front of him with his chin.
“Carl Albert Singer.”
Originally a lawyer, he left his law firm in his 40s to establish an activist hedge fund called Albert Management.
Retirement funds, sovereign wealth funds, and investment funds invested with him, and Carl Singer achieved significant profits in a short time with his aggressive style.
His conduct during this time was astonishing.
Like a bald eagle swooping down on decaying flesh left behind by other animals, Carl Singer was indiscriminate w...
Savannah, Georgia, USA.
Located about 15 kilometers away from the city center, several large, modern buildings stood near the international airport.
These buildings housed the headquarters and factory of Gulfstream, a renowned aircraft manufacturer famous for producing business jets.
Seok-won, who had come with Landon to order a private jet, was wearing a white safety helmet labeled "VIP." Following the guidance of the representative, he first toured the ...
CH377
Helag emerged from the ground in a safe, deserted spot—a small pit overgrown with weeds.
He glanced at the distant city silhouette and drank a Changer’s Potion.
His appearance shifted to that of an average-looking man, unremarkable in the Land of Dawn.
This look was common, easily lost in a crowd.
Helag donned a plain black robe, completing his basic disguise.
Now, he appeared as an ordinary wizard, with nothing distinguishi...
Hyun-joo adjusted her glasses and spoke.
“I know, but many companies have suffered because of Big One.”
I had been spreading the word about this fact months before the Big One incident. However, very few believed me.
Except for Golden Gate, all IBs incurred losses, and hedge funds also faced significant setbacks. Thanks to this, we made over $10 billion.
“They’re aggressively trying to recover their losses, no matter what.”
Short selling is a tradi...
New York, Manhattan.
Inside the CEO office of Eldorado Fund, with a panoramic view of the East River through the large glass windows.
Seated on either side of Seok-won, Landon and Andrew were having a serious conversation.
“It was a close race till the end, but the ruling party eventually won,” Landon said, adjusting his blue designer tie.
“Even though Zedillo won, the margin was razor-thin—just 2%,” Andrew added. “If it weren’t for t...
The Volkswagen (VW) short squeeze is a famous financial event that occurred in October 2008. A "short squeeze" happens when the price of a heavily shorted stock rises sharply, forcing short sellers to buy shares to cover their positions, which drives the price even higher.
What Happened in the Volkswagen Short Squeeze?
1. Background:
Many investors believed Volkswagen's stock price was overvalued and bet against it by short selling.
At the time, Po...
[Lunchtime.]
I ordered Jajangmyeon with Taekgyu and Senior Sangyeop in the CEO’s office.
News broke about a recall of Eunsung Motors.
Although Eunsung Motors voluntarily announced the recall, the U.S. Department of Justice continued investigating the defects and any cover-up.
The primary responsibility for the airbag defect lies with PAS, the manufacturer.
Although fines have not been finalized, they are expected to be at least hundreds of millions of doll...
"Yessss!"
We were lucky. Amidst the barrage of faxes we sent out, someone at Sasung Semiconductor read ours, and they contacted our company.
We erupted in cheers that shook the office, but Sasung had a condition.
They wanted to see our business registration, our company's capital amount, and documents verifying our purchase and sales figures.
"What junkyard has those things?!"
We had been gleefully evading taxes through undocumented transactions, and now, ju...
The next day, I headed to the new junkyard with 20 sturdy day laborers in tow.
At first, the laborers were scared when I told them they were just there to stand behind me as a "human shield" while I talked to three gangsters, preventing me from getting attacked. But they hesitantly agreed to come along when I promised to pay them 30,000 won each under the table, on top of their regular pay, and told them they could run away if a fight broke out.
I understood their hesitation. Th...
I bought a pair of matching watches for my parents and a watch for my sister at the department store. They were luxury brand watches, costing a whopping 3 million won each, but I splurged.
I also got caught up in the shopping spree and bought myself a high-end suit, shoes, and a watch, spending a total of 20 million won. I even bought a premium beef set from the department store.
"This is why I make money."
As I was driving home with the trunk full of gifts, I saw Hwa-you...