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CH110 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-02-07 03:35:01 +0000 UTCOne New York Plaza, Manhattan,
New York, United States.
The bright sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the spacious office of Eldorado Fund. Beyond the glass, the deep blue East River flowed leisurely, reflecting the light.
Seok-won sat in the middle of a sleek leather sofa, with Landon and Andrew on either side.
Dressed in a navy-striped suit accented by a neatly folded pocket square, Seok-won placed his coffee cup down, the rich aroma of freshly brewed beans lingering in the air, and spoke.
“The Nikkei rebounded by about 500 points in yesterday’s session.”
Andrew, who was in charge of trading, responded immediately.
“Yes. A large number of Nikkei futures buy orders came in from Singapore, pushing the index up to 18,414.23. However, the buying momentum isn’t particularly strong, so it’s hard to say this is a confirmed bottom and a full rebound.”
At the mention of Singapore, Seok-won could easily guess who was behind the futures purchases.
“Looks like Brad Cooper, who bet on a long Nikkei position, is desperately trying to hold on.”
“Well, managing to push the Nikkei up by 500 points single-handedly does suggest he’s no ordinary trader.”
Landon’s comment made Andrew scoff.
“At the end of the day, he’s just a lying conman.”
Ever since discovering that Brad Cooper’s reputation was built on false pretenses, Andrew had remained cynical about him. Having once considered scouting him, Andrew now felt both disappointment and betrayal.
Seok-won, crossing one leg over the other, nodded slightly in agreement.
“Andrew is right. He’s desperately squeezing out every last resource, but no single trader can fight against the momentum of a massive market.”
His eyes gleamed coldly.
“If anything, the more he resists, the deeper he’ll sink into the quicksand—dragging not just himself but everyone around him down as well.”
Andrew leaned forward slightly and added,
“We can’t say for certain, but Brad Cooper’s position has likely expanded significantly over the past few days.”
Landon, sitting across from him, nodded.
“To keep the index from falling, he would have had to absorb every short sale that came in. That makes sense.”
“The real issue is that Nikkei isn’t some small emerging market—it’s the second-largest after the U.S. It’s not something a single trader can manipulate at will.”
At Andrew’s cool-headed analysis, Seok-won’s lips curled into a faint smile.
“Exactly. On top of the devastation from the earthquake, the strengthening yen is also hammering exports. The market is overflowing with bad news.”
Then, he stated firmly and decisively,
“Betting on a rise under these conditions is downright foolish.”
The strong yen made Japanese export goods more expensive, which was a devastating blow for export-driven companies.
If there were no alternative products, higher prices wouldn’t have been a big issue.
However, Japan faced fierce competition from South Korea in key export sectors like semiconductors, electronics, and shipbuilding. Korean companies were closing in fast, threatening Japan’s dominant position.
On the surface, Japanese firms acted as though they didn’t consider South Korea a serious competitor, but internally, they were deeply wary. With these mounting setbacks, their anxiety was reaching its peak.
Landon glanced between Seok-won and Andrew, his expression filled with genuine curiosity.
“Brad Cooper can’t be unaware of all this. So why does he keep pushing forward with such reckless moves instead of pulling back?”
Seok-won leaned back casually in his seat and replied,
“It’s not that he won’t give up—it’s that he can’t.”
“Hmm.”
Landon let out a low hum, his face hardening as he muttered,
“If he’s in so deep that he can’t back out… this could get really bad when it all blows up.”
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, Landon turned to Seok-won, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
“You don’t think this could lead to Barings Bank going bankrupt, do you?”
“That’s not out of the question.”
“…!”
Landon and Andrew’s eyes widened in shock as they stared at Seok-won, who wore an enigmatic smile.
“Even a bank with over 230 years of history will have to shut its doors if things spiral out of control.”
If that really happened, the bonds issued by Barings Bank would become worthless overnight.
And thanks to Seok-won’s foresight, Eldorado Fund had already offloaded a large volume of Barings bonds. If the bank collapsed, they would rake in massive profits without lifting another finger.
“Did you… foresee all of this from the very start?”
Landon couldn’t hide his astonishment, his mouth falling open in disbelief.
Andrew, too, was staring at Seok-won with a curious glint in his eyes.
“Not exactly. But once I saw Brad Cooper crossing the line with his schemes, I figured Barings Bank would be in serious trouble if things went south.”
Seok-won shrugged, his voice steady and composed.
“But seeing Brad Cooper spiral out of control like this? Now I’m certain—Barings Bank is finished.”
If a single general manager could pull off something this catastrophic over several years without being caught in any internal audits, it meant the bank’s basic oversight functions were completely broken.
Or… did the executives really have no idea what Brad Cooper was up to in Singapore?
Maybe they knew all along but chose to turn a blind eye, blinded by the profits Cooper was bringing in.
And now, they’ve waited too long, letting the fire burn the whole house down.
While Seok-won drifted in brief contemplation, Landon and Andrew exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief. Even if they hadn’t expected a full-blown bankruptcy, they couldn’t deny Seok-won’s uncanny ability to foresee how the situation would unfold. His insight left them speechless.
“For now, I want you both to handle the Barings Bank bonds. Assume the worst—bankruptcy. Liquidate the positions when the timing feels right.”
It was a clear sign that Seok-won trusted their skills enough to give them full control over the trades.
Hearing this, Landon and Andrew instinctively turned to each other, eyes wide with surprise. After working under Seok-won for so long, they had developed a seamless understanding—one glance was often enough to communicate their thoughts.
“You mean… you want us to handle the trades on our own?” Landon asked, as if needing confirmation.
Seok-won nodded without hesitation.
“That’s right.”
Watching their still-stunned expressions, Seok-won added calmly, “What’s wrong? Not confident?”
“Of course not! Absolutely not.” Landon shook his head vigorously.
“We’ll make sure to maximize profits. Just leave it to us,” he added, his voice filled with determination.
Andrew echoed Landon’s enthusiasm, his tone equally resolute. “You can count on the results.”
On the surface, Seok-won’s face remained impassive, but deep down, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
As the fund continued to grow, it was becoming impossible for him to manage everything on his own. While he would still make the big decisions, he was building a system where Landon and Andrew would handle the finer details autonomously.
It’s great to chase my goals, but come on… I got this miraculous second chance at life. I’m not going to spend it just grinding away at making money. That’d be boring.
If he wanted to truly enjoy this new life, he needed close associates who weren’t just trustworthy, but also highly competent.
That’s why I’m going to keep giving them bigger responsibilities, testing their skills along the way.
After all, having smart people working for you is the easiest way to live comfortably.
Seok-won gazed at the two with a serene expression, already picturing how he’d put them through the wringer.
Suddenly, both Landon and Andrew shivered as an inexplicable chill ran down their spines.
“What’s the matter with you two?” Seok-won asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Sorry… I just felt this sudden chill,” Landon muttered, rubbing his arms.
“Yeah… same here. That’s odd,” Andrew added, frowning.
“You’re not coming down with something, are you?” Seok-won asked, feigning concern.
After all, he couldn’t have his right-hand men falling apart before they even started grinding away in earnest.
“No, nothing like that,” Landon quickly assured him.
“I guess it was just a fleeting thing—we’re fine now,” Landon said with a chuckle, echoed by Andrew, though both wore serious expressions.
Seok-won’s gaze remained steady as he responded, “Trading demands quick, precise decisions at every moment. That’s why taking care of your health is just as important.”
“Ah…”
“Understood. We’ll make sure of it,” they both replied, nodding.
“Since we’re on the topic,” Seok-won continued, “let’s upgrade the medical insurance we provide for our fund employees. I want to include comprehensive annual health checkups—not just for them but for their families as well.”
“Yes, we’ll take care of that,” Landon replied, nodding again.
He wasn’t sure why Seok-won was suddenly so focused on health, but it was a good thing regardless. As the one managing the fund’s operations, Landon made a mental note to implement the change.
Unlike Korea, the U.S. didn’t have a national health insurance system, so company-provided medical benefits were one of the most valuable perks an employee could have. Adding expensive annual checkups, especially for family members, was a substantial benefit.
It’s definitely a great perk…
But why does something feel a little off about this?
Despite their smiles, both Landon and Andrew felt an odd sense of unease. They exchanged quick, puzzled glances, but before they could dwell on it, Seok-won’s next question snapped them back to the conversation.
“How’s the dollar-yen exchange rate today?”
Andrew, catching his gaze, answered immediately.
“It’s holding steady around 95.20 yen, showing little movement for now.”
“After fluctuating wildly between 100 and 90 yen over the past few days, it makes sense the market needs to catch its breath,” Landon added.
Seok-won nodded slightly in agreement. “True, the volatility has been intense.”
“Intense is an understatement,” Landon exclaimed, shaking his head. “It felt like riding a rollercoaster. I bet more than a few traders on Wall Street got wiped out after misreading those waves.”
Landon shot Seok-won a quick glance before flashing a grin.
“Of course, we made a killing riding that wave.”
Andrew chuckled, then glanced at Seok-won before offering his own assessment.
“With the export pressures you mentioned earlier, I doubt the Japanese government will want to see the yen strengthen much further. There’s a good chance the exchange rate will hover in this range without major fluctuations.”
“So, you’re saying we should start closing out our positions now that it’s peaked?” Seok-won asked bluntly, resting his chin on one hand.
Andrew nodded confidently. “Exactly.”
Seok-won turned his head, shifting his gaze to Landon, who was seated on the sofa to his left.
“What do you think, Landon?”
Landon, carefully observing Seok-won’s expression, responded cautiously.
“We’ve already made substantial profits, and even if the yen strengthens further, the margin won’t be significant. Considering the risk of a sudden reversal causing the exchange rate to plummet, I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to cash out now for risk management purposes.”
It was a reasonable perspective—trying to squeeze out every last bit of profit could backfire if the exchange rate suddenly dropped, wiping out their gains in an instant.
But Seok-won saw things differently.
“I don’t see it that way.”
“...?”
“We’re not at the peak yet. We’re barely halfway up the mountain.”
“You’re saying the yen will strengthen even more?” Landon asked, furrowing his brows.
“That’s right. If my prediction is correct, we could see it climb to around 80 yen.”
The unwavering confidence in Seok-won’s voice left both Landon and Andrew visibly stunned.
The current exchange rate was already alarmingly high. But to suggest it could push past 90 yen and even reach 80 yen? It was hard to fathom.
Unsurprisingly, Andrew immediately voiced his skepticism.
“80 yen? That’s beyond a strong yen—that’s a level where the foreign exchange market could spiral out of control. Do you really think it’ll get that far?”
“I have to agree with Andrew,” Landon chimed in. “No matter how I look at it, that seems unlikely.”
Seok-won straightened his posture, his tone turning even more serious.
“It would be, under normal circumstances.”
“…”
Seok-won let the silence linger for a moment before speaking again, his voice low and deliberate.
“But what if an unseen hand was at work, deliberately driving the exchange rate higher?”
Andrew shot him a skeptical look, disbelief written across his face.
“The yen, along with the pound and the mark, is one of the most traded currencies after the dollar. Who could possibly manipulate its exchange rate like that?”
“The yen might be treated like a quasi-reserve currency,” Seok-won replied calmly, “but it’s not the same as the dollar, which has the full backing of the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve. And don’t forget, there’s already a precedent—remember what happened to the pound?”
“!”
“You’re talking about when George Soros attacked the Bank of England?”
Watching their startled reactions, Seok-won’s lips curled into a knowing smile.
“That’s right. If the pound could be brought down, why not the yen?”
