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CH197 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-03-08 04:01:04 +0000 UTCGimpo 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 arrivals gate. Quickly, he maneuvered around a waist-high metal fence and approached.
“Welcome back, Executive Woo.”
Woo Ho-geun had been exiled to Hong Kong following a stock manipulation scandal. After a period of forced reflection, he had finally been summoned back to Korea by Chairman Woo Yong-gap.
Removing his sunglasses and holding them in one hand, Ho-geun immediately remarked,
“Executive?”
“Yes.”
Sang-hyun wasted no time in responding.
“As of yesterday, you've been promoted to Executive Director at the headquarters.”
“Executive Director, huh…”
For most corporate employees, such a promotion—often referred to as “earning a star”—was a coveted milestone.
But Ho-geun showed little reaction, his expression remaining indifferent.
“I expected at least a Vice President title. That old man is as stingy as ever.”
His habit of never being satisfied was still very much intact.
Sang-hyun, noticing his mood, swiftly changed the subject while reaching for Ho-geun’s luggage handle.
“The car is waiting outside. Shall we go?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
With a nod, Ho-geun followed Sang-hyun out of the terminal, his demeanor exuding arrogance.
The autumn air outside was crisp, deepened by the changing leaves. Having spent the past months in Hong Kong’s heat, he felt the chill even more acutely.
He approached a luxury sedan waiting at the curb and slid into the back seat. Without delay, the car pulled away, heading toward downtown Seoul.
Seated with one leg crossed, Ho-geun glanced at Sang-hyun in the front passenger seat and asked,
“I heard my father was summoned by the prosecution.”
At this, Sang-hyun stole a quick glance at the driver, then turned slightly in his seat to respond.
“Yes. Last week, Chairman Woo and ST Group’s Chairman Moon were both questioned by prosecutors.”
Leaning back against the seat, Ho-geun clicked his tongue in disdain.
“Two former presidents’ in-laws standing side by side at the prosecution’s photo line… What a disgrace.”
“……”
Sang-hyun hesitated, unsure how to respond to such blunt words.
But Ho-geun, unconcerned with his discomfort, scoffed and added sarcastically,
“Then again, they’re technically not even in-laws anymore.”
Unlike ST Group, Woo Yong-gap had cut ties with the former president as soon as the civilian government took power and began purging military-era connections. To sever ties completely, he even forced his daughter to divorce her husband, cutting off all association.
Still, the fact remained that Woo had used his political connections to expand his business empire—and now, he was paying the price under prosecution scrutiny.
Switching gears, Ho-geun asked,
“Anyway, what about the matter I asked you to look into?”
At this, Sang-hyun opened the glove compartment and retrieved a thick envelope.
Handing it to Ho-geun, he reported,
“He’s been in the Financial Supervisory Service for a long time—prime real estate for corruption—but oddly enough, he’s one of the rare, genuinely clean bureaucrats.”
Taking the envelope, Ho-geun let out a cynical chuckle.
“There’s no such thing as a man without skeletons in his closet.”
“As you suspected, we did find one issue.”
“Is that what’s in here?”
Oh Sang-hyun turned slightly, nodding.
“Yes. About four years ago, he asked a senior from his university—who’s now a department head at Saebit Bank—to help his cousin get a job there.”
At this, Woo Ho-geun's eyes gleamed with interest, and a smirk crept onto his lips.
“So, he used his influence to get a relative hired at a bank?”
“It was just a small favor—he only arranged for his cousin to apply through a special recruitment process. It’s hard to say it was outright pressure.”
But Ho-geun’s expression turned cold.
“That all depends on how you frame the narrative. It can be a problem—or not—depending on how you spin it.”
And he had more than enough power and resources to spin it however he wanted.
Opening the envelope, he pulled out the contents. Inside were a copy of the cousin’s resume and background reports on the bank executives who facilitated the hiring.
“He dared to come after me. Now he’ll have to pay for it.”
Ho-geun murmured in a chilling tone as he scanned the documents.
Then, looking up at Sang-hyun in the front seat, he ordered,
“Move forward with this.”
“Understood.”
Returning the papers to the envelope, Ho-geun leaned back against the plush seat and gazed leisurely out the window, watching the Han River drift by.
***
New York, Plaza Hotel.
Seated in the penthouse living room, Seok-won was reading that day’s edition of The Wall Street Journal. The massive floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping view of Central Park.
[U.S. Federal Government Shutdown Ends]
The week-long federal shutdown, which began on the 13th due to a standoff over raising the debt ceiling and fulfilling balanced budget promises, has officially ended today.
With Congress under Republican control and a tense standoff with the White House, over 800,000 federal employees were placed on unpaid leave, bringing the country to a standstill…
“Is everything ready?”
Turning his head, Seok-won smiled as he saw Landon approaching.
“I told you there was no need to come.”
“Still, since you’re heading back to Korea today, it’s only right that I see you off.”
“I really don’t mind.”
Ignoring his words, Landon casually sat down on the empty sofa beside him, briefly glancing at the newspaper Seok-won had set down on the table.
“You were reading about the shutdown. I was worried the deadlock might drag on, but at least it’s finally resolved.”
At this, Seok-won gave him an amused look and asked,
“Is that really what you think?”
“……?”
Crossing one leg over the other, Seok-won leaned back and continued speaking.
“They managed to pass a temporary spending bill to keep the government running for another 30 days, but that’s just a patch-up job. The issue isn’t really resolved.”
Landon, ever the optimist, countered,
“The shutdown caused a great deal of chaos, and public opinion isn’t favorable. Surely, they wouldn’t let the government shut down again.”
But Seok-won saw things differently.
“Under normal circumstances, maybe not. But we’re heading into a presidential election. Neither side will back down easily.”
Landon furrowed his brow slightly at that.
“Are you saying this budget battle is the first round of the election?”
Seok-won gave a small nod.
“Exactly. The Republicans will want to weaken President Clinton’s position while touting their success in curbing government debt as a major achievement for the election.”
“……”
“Meanwhile, President Clinton can’t afford to look indecisive or weak. He’ll fight to project strong leadership rather than compromise too quickly.”
Landon mulled it over, his expression growing more serious.
“Now that you put it that way… I see your point.”
Seok-won exhaled, folding his hands.
“If I’m wrong and they reach a deal before the 30-day deadline, then good. But if they don’t, and another shutdown happens, it’s going to be far worse this time.”
Landon’s lips pressed into a thin line.
“You’re saying it could last even longer?”
It was a grim prediction, especially considering the shutdown had just ended. Yet Seok-won remained unwavering.
“Like I said, with control of the next election at stake, both sides will hold their ground until the bitter end.”
Landon frowned, concern etching into his features.
“A week-long shutdown has already caused so much disruption. If it drags on any further, it’ll be catastrophic.”
Seeing his reaction, Seok-won’s tone grew even more serious.
“This time, the stock market will take a real hit.”
Landon’s eyes widened.
“What?”
It was a surprising statement.
Despite concerns from many analysts, the stock market had remained relatively stable during the shutdown. In fact, after an initial dip, the market rebounded—even gaining value during the federal closure.
Even gold, a traditional safe-haven asset, had unexpectedly dropped in value.
‘That’s why so many traders and brokers who bet on shorting stocks and going long on gold ended up packing their desks in tears.’
And yet, Seok-won was predicting the next shutdown would be different.
Landon narrowed his eyes.
“But investors assumed—correctly—that neither side was reckless enough to let things spiral out of control. That’s why markets barely reacted.”
“Exactly.” Seok-won nodded.
“But what if a week passes, then ten days, and there’s still no resolution?”
Landon hesitated before answering.
“…Then uncertainty will start creeping in.”
Seok-won leaned forward slightly.
“What’s the longest shutdown in history?”
“Seventeen days, right?”
"That sounds about right."
Seok-won gazed at Landon with calm, steady eyes before asking,
"But what if the shutdown drags on past 17 days, breaking the record, with no sign of a deal in sight?"
"…!"
At the dreadful thought, Landon instinctively swallowed dryly.
Seok-won continued, his voice measured.
"As the Treasury’s cash reserves dwindle, investors will start to wonder—what if, in the worst case, the U.S. actually defaults?"
"Default?! That’s insane! There’s no way they'd let it get that far!"
Landon was so shocked he raised his voice without meaning to.
Seok-won simply shrugged.
"Of course, I don’t think it’ll really come to that. But the moment investors even entertain the possibility, the market will react violently."
Landon, quick on the uptake, gave a solemn nod.
"Fear is the worst poison for the market. The moment one person pulls out their money, panic spreads like an epidemic, and before you know it, things spiral out of control."
Seeing that, Seok-won smirked slightly.
"But for us, that’s an opportunity."
Landon immediately caught on.
"You're thinking about short-selling?"
Seok-won responded with a subtle nod.
"If there’s no agreement on the budget and debt ceiling by November, tell Andrew to start shorting the top ten S&P 500 stocks."
"How much leverage are we talking?"
At that, Seok-won grinned.
"Let’s go big—$20 billion."
When it came to betting, Seok-won was always bold.
Landon let out a deep breath.
"Shorting the S&P 500 is basically betting against the entire U.S. economy. My heart’s already racing."
Feigning a nervous wipe of sweat from his forehead, Landon shook his head with an exaggerated sigh.
Seok-won only shrugged.
"Come on, we’ve made bigger bets than this."
"Sure, but this time, we’re going up against an entire country."
Landon still couldn’t quite believe it.
Just then, a quiet yet firm voice interrupted them.
"Boss. The helicopter is ready."
It was Baucus, his security chief.
"Ah, already?"
Seok-won sighed, looking almost disappointed.
"Guess it's time to head out."
Rising from his seat, he left the penthouse with his team and made his way to the hotel’s rooftop helipad.
Waiting for him was a Bell 412 twin-engine helicopter.
Slipping on a pair of dark Ray-Ban sunglasses, Seok-won extended a hand toward Landon.
"Take care of the New York office while I’m gone."
Landon grasped his hand with a confident smile.
"Don’t worry about a thing."
After a firm handshake, Seok-won turned and boarded the helicopter with Baucus.
Moments later, the aircraft’s rotor blades whirred to life, slicing through the air as it slowly lifted off the helipad.
Rapidly gaining altitude, the helicopter soared above Manhattan’s towering skyscrapers, disappearing into the clouds.
Left standing alone on the helipad, Landon watched the direction the helicopter had vanished into and muttered under his breath,
"Shorting America, huh?"
Only someone like his boss could even think of such a thing.
A grin slowly crept onto Landon’s face.
"If this works… Wall Street is about to be turned upside down—again."
TL/n -
A U.S. government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass appropriation bills or a continuing resolution (CR) to temporarily extend funding before a deadline. This forces federal agencies to stop or limit their operations due to a lack of authorized spending.
1. Why Do Government Shutdowns Happen?
Shutdowns are primarily caused by budgetary and political conflicts between Congress and the President. The main reasons include:
Failure to Pass a Budget – The federal government operates on an annual budget cycle (Fiscal Year: Oct. 1 – Sept. 30). If Congress and the President cannot agree on spending levels, a shutdown occurs.
Policy Disagreements – Lawmakers may use budget negotiations to push for specific policies (e.g., border wall funding, healthcare changes).
Partisan Deadlock – When different political parties control Congress and the White House, funding disputes become more common.
Missed Deadlines – Even if negotiations are ongoing, failing to approve funding in time can trigger a shutdown.
2. What Happens During a Government Shutdown?
When a shutdown occurs, government operations are divided into "essential" and "non-essential" categories.
🟢 Essential Services (Continue Operating)
Military & National Security – Active-duty military, border security, and intelligence agencies continue working, though pay may be delayed.
Law Enforcement – FBI, TSA, federal prisons, and air traffic controllers continue working.
Medical & Emergency Services – Hospitals funded by federal programs remain operational, and emergency medical services continue.
🔴 Non-Essential Services (Halted or Limited)
National Parks & Museums – Many are closed, and visitor services are suspended.
Passport & Visa Processing – May experience delays due to staff reductions.
IRS & Tax Processing – Refunds and audits may be delayed.
Federal Research & Grants – NASA, NIH, and scientific research projects may be suspended.
Government Contractors – Private companies working with the government may face delays or layoffs.
🧑💼 Federal Employees
Furloughed Employees – Sent home without pay until the shutdown ends.
Essential Employees – Must work without immediate pay but receive back pay once the shutdown is resolved.
💰 Social Services (Mixed Impact)
Social Security, Medicare, & Medicaid – Payments continue, but administrative delays may occur.
Food Assistance (SNAP, WIC) – Short-term funding may allow them to continue, but prolonged shutdowns can disrupt benefits.
3. How Does a Government Shutdown End?
A shutdown ends when Congress passes a spending bill that the President signs into law. This can happen in several ways:
Full Budget Agreement – Congress agrees on a full-year budget.
Continuing Resolution (CR) – A temporary funding extension is passed while negotiations continue.
Political Compromise – One side concedes or finds an alternative solution to avoid further economic and political consequences.
If no agreement is reached, the shutdown continues indefinitely, increasing political pressure to resolve the issue.
4. History of U.S. Government Shutdowns
Since the current budget process began in 1976, there have been 21 shutdowns of varying lengths. Some of the most significant include:
1995-1996 (21 days)
Dispute over federal spending cuts between President Clinton and GOP-led Congress.
2013 (16 days)
Conflict over funding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
2018-2019 (35 days)
The longest shutdown in history, caused by a dispute over border wall funding under President Trump.
5. Consequences of a Shutdown
Economic Damage – Lost wages for government workers, slower economic growth, and reduced consumer spending.
Disruptions to Public Services – Delays in government programs, national park closures, and disruptions in immigration processing.
Political Fallout – Public frustration, declining approval ratings for politicians, and pressure for compromise.
6. Can Shutdowns Be Prevented?
Yes, shutdowns can be avoided through:
Passing a Full-Year Budget on Time – This requires bipartisan cooperation.
Using Continuing Resolutions (CRs) – These short-term funding bills keep the government running while negotiations continue.
Reforming Budget Rules – Some lawmakers propose automatic funding extensions to prevent shutdowns.
Comments
Rch_ii
Hopefully that antagonist won't be undying like some third rate villain that keeps coming back from that depths
Jarod lane
Hopefully the MC knows to protect his neck
