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CH291 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-04-08 06:00:44 +0000 UTCEldorado Fund Headquarters, Manhattan, New York.
Landon, who was sitting at his desk, closed the documents he was reading as soon as he heard a knock and saw Andrew enter the room, wearing a purple tie and suspenders.
“Have a seat,” he said.
Andrew walked over to the sofa, where warm sunlight was streaming through the large glass windows, and took a seat.
Landon came around the desk and took the center seat, crossing one leg casually.
With a slight smile on his face, Landon spoke.
“Did you see that Sumimoto Corporation announced additional measures for the copper speculative scandal?”
“You mean they said they’d borrow 100 billion yen in emergency funds from their affiliated bank and sell off their held securities to cover the losses?”
“That’s right.”
Nodding slightly, Landon continued.
“The fact they announced additional measures just four days later shows how desperate Sumimoto must’ve been.”
“Well, their stock price dropped to 731 yen—just about halved—so it’s understandable.”
“True. As soon as the announcement came out, Sumimoto’s stock hit bottom in after-hours trading and began to rebound. I’d say the move had the intended effect.”
Andrew shrugged and added, “That’s part of it, but it also helped that Moody’s, the credit rating agency, maintained their A1 rating, saying that Sumimoto holds $7 billion in marketable securities—far more than the projected losses.”
“That must’ve played a big role. Because of that, U.S. Treasury prices fell sharply.”
“Well, most of the securities Sumimoto holds are U.S. Treasuries. If they dumped a large volume on the market all at once, it would inevitably impact the bond market.”
Landon nodded in agreement.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t know how the prices might swing either. I’d have sold off my holdings just to be safe.”
“I think I would’ve done the same.”
Having already liquidated his position on Seok-won’s instructions, Landon spoke with ease.
“There’s a sense that the panic in copper prices is starting to calm down, right?”
“People are starting to feel the drop was too steep compared to the actual impact, so the selling frenzy has stopped. It looks like the shock from the incident is settling down.”
Landon leaned back against the sofa and nodded.
“The price of copper plunged from $2,654 per ton down to the $1,900 range in one go, so yeah, it was a major drop.”
“A lot of market players probably went bankrupt because of it.”
At Andrew’s remark, Landon gave a bitter smile.
“When someone wins big, someone else has to lose. That’s just how it works.”
“Indeed.”
Andrew replied calmly.
Wall Street was a massive gambling table—where one lucky bet could make you filthy rich, but a single mistake could send you crashing down to the bottom.
And these two men knew that reality better than anyone.
“When you think about it… isn't it kind of amazing?”
Landon stroked his chin with one hand and said,
“What do you think?”
“About what, sir?”
“The boss. I thought he might have closed the position too quickly, but as soon as he got out, Sumimoto's stock rebounded like magic, and the crash in copper futures and spot prices stopped. And to top it off, he even predicted the drop in U.S. Treasuries. I feel this every time, but all I can do is be amazed.”
Andrew nodded and clicked his tongue in agreement, as if he shared the sentiment.
“Exactly. I’ve spent my entire career on Wall Street and consider myself a seasoned trader, but I’ve never seen anyone time their entries and exits as precisely as the boss does—without a single mistake.”
“I know it sounds ridiculous, but sometimes it feels like he’s betting with full knowledge of the future. Like as if he has tomorrow’s headlines today
“Haha. I sometimes think that too.”
Andrew laughed heartily.
They were speaking half-jokingly, but neither of them realized just how close they were to the truth.
“By the way, have you tallied up the profits yet??”
Landon asked, as if the thought had just occurred to him. Andrew straightened up and replied.
“After subtracting all expenses, we made 79.2 billion yen through short-selling and earned another 720 million dollars from copper futures and spot trading. The Treasury investment is still ongoing, but we expect to make at least another 100 million dollars there.”
Landon broke into a wide smile.
“That’s nearly 1.5 billion dollars.”
Andrew grinned and added playfully,
“At this rate, I think we can look forward to a summer bonus, right?”
“You know he always rewards results properly. You won’t be disappointed, so don’t worry.”
“I’m already looking forward to it.”
Andrew said, his face full of excitement.
Landon felt the same. Once he received his bonus, he was thinking of buying another vacation home in Nice, France, where he and his wife had vacationed last summer and fallen in love with the place.
‘She’ll love it.’
She enjoyed decorating homes, so she’d probably get excited shopping for interior items.
Meanwhile, he could spend his days relaxing on the sunny beach with a cold beer in hand.
Imagining the scenario brought a satisfied smile to Landon’s face, and then he looked at Andrew and said,
“Take 300 million dollars from the profit and move it into the boss’s account. Then, start buying up about 100 million dollars worth of Apple stock.”
Andrew tilted his head, puzzled.
“But the boss already owns 10% of Apple. He wants to buy another 100 million dollars’ worth?”
At the time, Apple wasn’t the trillion-dollar giant it would later become. In fact, on Wall Street, most investors viewed Apple as a shaky company that might go under at any moment.
So, naturally, Andrew found it odd that the boss would invest another 100 million dollars—especially when he already held a 10% stake.
“If he wants to increase his exposure to IT, wouldn’t it make more sense to invest in Cisco or Microsoft instead of Apple?”
“I told him the same thing,” Landan said, gently stroking his chin with one hand. “But he insisted that Apple has greater long-term growth potential.”
Andrew frowned, clear skepticism in his eyes.
“If it’s just a bargain purchase because the stock has dropped so low, I might understand. But to claim Apple has massive growth potential… Honestly, I find that hard to believe.”
“Frankly, I’m skeptical too,” Landan admitted, his face a mixture of doubt and amusement.
“But think about it—has the boss ever been wrong about a prediction?”
“…That’s true.”
“I know the odds aren’t great, but I don’t know… I’ve got this feeling that his bet is going to hit the mark again.”
Andrew didn’t respond immediately. He was still unsure, but recalling Seok-won’s flawless record, he couldn’t bring himself to argue. Instead, he began to seriously wonder if there was something about Apple he had overlooked.
“So, when I get my bonus this time,” Landan added with a grin, “I’m planning to set aside a portion to buy some Apple stock too.”
“Are you serious?” Andrew asked, eyes widening.
“Who knows? Maybe the boss is right again. Maybe Apple’s hidden potential really does take off and turns into a solid nest egg for retirement.”
Landan chuckled, half-jokingly. Andrew paused for a moment, then lifted his head with a slight nod.
“Then I guess I’ll pick up some Apple shares too.”
“You too?”
“Well,” Andrew said with a shrug, “if it really hits the jackpot like you said, it’ll be like buying a winning lottery ticket.”
“Do whatever you like,” Landan said with a smirk. “Just don’t come blaming me if it tanks.”
“Of course not.”
* * *
At the Ojinam villa, Seok-won sat alone on the floor-heated ondol in the annex room. The soft warmth beneath him was comforting, but his expression remained composed, almost unreadable.
As the subtle rustle of hanbok fabric signaled someone's approach, the sliding door opened quietly. Rising from his cushion, Seok-won greeted the guests.
Led in by a hostess dressed in a neatly arranged hanbok, Woo Chun-il, Secretary-General of the New Era National Council, stepped into the room. Beside him was a man in a tailored gray suit, whose sharp eyes surveyed the space with practiced caution.
“President Park, you’re already here.”
Secretary-General Woo Chun-il greeted him warmly, then stepped aside to introduce the man who had accompanied him.
“Allow me to introduce you. This is our party leader, Chairman Kim Jae-chun.”
Seok-won stepped forward and gave a polite bow before straightening.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Park Seok-won.”
Chairman Kim, a man of modest height with a stern, no-nonsense expression, stared at Seok-won for a moment before extending his hand. His voice carried a heavy regional accent.
“I’ve heard about all the help you’ve given us. I’ve been meaning to meet and thank you properly, but various things kept getting in the way.”
“Not at all. I imagine politics keeps you incredibly busy. I’m just grateful you’ve made time for this meeting.”
Seok-won shook his hand with respect, his demeanor humble yet confident—never obsequious.
Chairman Kim gave a small approving nod, clearly pleased, and Secretary-General Woo chimed in with a smile.
“Well then, let’s continue the rest of this conversation seated.”
“Let’s do that.”
With help from the hostess, Chairman Kim removed his jacket and sat down on a thick silk cushion. Secretary-General Woo took the seat beside him, and Seok-won naturally settled in across from them.
As if on cue, two waiters in bow ties entered the room carrying a large, traditional low table (gyoja-sang), covered with an array of elaborate dishes. They gently set it down in the center and exited the room.
“Let me pour you a drink,” said the hostess, whose beauty rivaled that of a movie star. Smiling sweetly, she held a pristine white porcelain bottle and gracefully filled each of their cups with clear Andong soju.
“Shall I call in the entertainers?”
Before she could leave, Secretary-General Woo addressed her.
“Let’s talk for a bit first. Call them in later.”
“Of course. I’ll step out for now. Just ring when you’re ready.”
Understanding the mood, the hostess quietly slid the door closed behind her. As soon as she was gone, Chairman Kim was the first to speak.
“Well, it’s fate that brought us together. Let’s start with a drink.”
He raised his cup, and Seok-won followed suit, clinking glasses lightly with both Chairman Kim and Secretary-General Woo.
When Chairman Kim downed his drink in one go, Seok-won, without hesitation, turned slightly and did the same, emptying his cup in a single smooth motion.
“Drinks like a man. Ha-ha!”
Chairman Kim laughed heartily and reached for the bottle.
“Here, have another.”
When Seok-won respectfully held out his cup with both hands, Chairman Kim Jae-chun filled it to the brim.
In turn, Seok-won quickly took the porcelain bottle and refilled the empty glasses of Chairman Kim and Secretary-General Woo Chun-il.
“I've heard so much about you from Secretary-General Woo that even though this is our first meeting, it feels like we’ve known each other for a long time,” Chairman Kim said warmly, his gaze soft.
“It’s truly an honor to meet someone of your stature—a pillar of Korean politics.”
“No need to be so formal. Let’s keep things relaxed.”
“Yes, sir.”
Seok-won replied politely, though inwardly he stayed on guard.
He knew better than to drop his vigilance—politicians were sly foxes with decades of cunning under their belts. Take their words at face value, and you’d be the one left licking your wounds.
“As I said earlier, I really appreciate the help you gave us during a tough time.”
“No, I should be the one thanking you. I’m grateful for the support during my own difficulties.”
At that, Chairman Kim seemed to remember something.
“Come to think of it, how did things go with that dispute involving Donghae Group?”
“Thanks to your support, it was resolved smoothly.”
Of course, from Donghae Group’s point of view, it had been a one-sided disaster—they’d suffered heavy losses without gaining a thing. But there was no need to bring that up here.
“That’s good to hear. It's a shame, though. You’d think domestic companies would help one another, not resort to such underhanded tactics to snatch someone else’s business. Chairman Woo’s greed really got the better of him.”
Chairman Kim took a sip of soju and then turned to Secretary-General Woo sitting beside him.
“And what’s the status of that case involving Chairman Woo’s son? The one where he took out illegal loans from their affiliate credit union to acquire Mido Department Store?”
“The prosecution has completed its investigation and indicted him while keeping him in custody,” Woo Chun-il replied.
Chairman Kim Jae-chun spoke with a deliberately stern expression.
“Considering it’s a vicious crime that involved exploiting his family’s position to steal from ordinary people, we can’t let him get off lightly by hiring some high-profile former judge as his lawyer.”
“I’ll make sure to keep a close eye on the case,” Secretary-General Woo said, glancing briefly at Seok-won, as if to make sure he heard.
After making a show of concern, Chairman Kim turned his attention back to Seok-won.
“I’m not the kind of man who forgets those who help me when I’m in need. If you ever run into trouble again, talk to Secretary-General Woo here about it—whatever it is.”
“Your words mean a great deal. Thank you.”
Despite Seok-won’s young age, Chairman Kim found his demeanor to be humble and thoughtful—just as he had heard. He gave an approving nod to himself, feeling increasingly favorable toward the man.
As they continued chatting casually to lighten the atmosphere, Chairman Kim eventually brought up a current hot-button issue.
“By the way, I’m sure you’ve heard the government’s trying to join the OECD.”
“Of course.”
“There’s been a lot of chatter about it—inside and outside the party. What’s your take?”
Chairman Kim asked casually, but Seok-won weighed the question with visible seriousness, thinking carefully about how best to respond.
After a brief pause, he answered in a firm, sincere tone.
“I believe it’s something we absolutely must not do.”
