Chapter 16

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

Since the weekend, team leaders were searching with burning eyes for one person.

Jeong Jin-ho.

Where is Jeong Jin-ho!

Not only receiving the president’s protection but also pumping up return rates, isn’t he the goose laying golden eggs at Gwangwoon Securities?

But Jeong Jin-ho didn’t come to work during the weekend.

“Well, with that kind of return rate, making him work weekends would make that team crazy.”

“We don’t make people who earned the most that week work weekends either.”

A kind of tradition.

In this field, seniority doesn’t matter.

Profit is most important.

Whether that person is an assistant manager, deputy, or team leader.

Everyone is equal before profits.

‘Just come to work on a weekday.’

‘Before someone else snatches him, I’ll be the first.’

The prop trader department team leaders all had the same thought.

They tried to entice that capable parachute with all kinds of sweet words to bring him to their team.

A monster who generated a 60% return rate in just 5 days.

If such a guy joined the team, there’d be no worry about performance for a while.

But on Monday that they’d been waiting for, news like a bolt from the blue came.

“Jeong Jin-ho is team leader?!”

They already knew from news after the nickel incident that a team collapsed and a new team would be established. But they never imagined Jeong Jin-ho would become that team’s leader.

“Wow. The president is really pushing hard.”

“A parachute who also proved his ability with profits, so of course he’s pushing through like a bulldozer.”

“Shame. I was waiting to snatch him up today. Team leader though.”

“As if he’d have gone with you.”

The team leaders clicked their tongues in regret.

But it was also an understandable personnel move.

Isn’t he a new hire with the president as backing who recorded the highest day trading return rate in securities firm history?

If it’s a company that values ability, they naturally have to pull that person up to a high position.

Because that way they’ll make more money!

“Team Leader.”

“Oh? Section Chief Seo. You’re here?”

“Yes. But today suddenly personnel moves came down. What is all this about?”

“Ah. What. Section Chief Seo, are you going to the new team this time?”

Section Chief Seo Jae-pil was flustered by the personnel move order that came down the moment he arrived at work.

New team.

Sure. That’s all fine.

But the new team’s team leader was a guy who’d only been with the company for 3 weeks.

“I also heard something vaguely. That new hire is a parachute. And inserted by the president.”

“Is that all you heard?”

“Yes?”

“No. Besides parachute, did you hear anything else?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Well, if you don’t know, never mind. Actually, I’m jealous of Section Chief Seo, you know? Ha. Going there, you won’t have to worry about performance for a while.”

“What?”

Did the team leader eat something wrong from morning?

He already knew that the team where that new hire was got selected as this month’s best team.

Not just that?

The new hire was chosen as this month’s best trader.

That’s why talk was circulating that they’re propping up the parachute, and Section Chief Seo was moved to the new team in the middle of that.

Could the team leader think the company will prop up the new team, so that’s why he’s acting like that?

Well, performance bonuses are good to receive a lot of.

But having to babysit a parachute who’s only been with the company a bit over 2 weeks.

How to endure that nagging.

“Does everyone still think that parachute is getting a free ride? Department Head was completely right. Should we really install an electronic board again like the old days for romance?”

“.?”

“Do you think our company is that trashy? He was really picked as the best because he made the most profit in the department.”

“What? Then that new hire was really the best trader?”

“Yeah. So go learn a lot. In this field, it’s not about seniority but ultimately this, you know?”

The team leader made a circle with his fingers and showed him.

Money over seniority.

That was the truth of this world.

Section Chief Seo tilted his head watching the back of the team leader who patted his back and left.

“.That new hire is that good at investing?”

That would be something to confirm by going directly now.

————————————————————————————————————————

Today I learned for the first time that there can be a day more nerve-wracking than the first day at work.

No longer an employee or assistant manager, but actually a team leader.

Me, who only dabbled at being raid leader in games, becoming a company team leader.

“There are several facilities only elite grade employees can use. You can enter with your newly issued employee ID.”

“Ah, yes.”

“And the equipment team staff would’ve newly set up equipment in your personal office. Equipment has been added, so you’ll probably need to hear explanations separately.”

I received the new employee ID issued by the HR team staff.

It said Gwangwoon Securities Team Leader Jeong Jin-ho.

“Congratulations, Team Leader Jeong Jin-ho.”

My body trembled slightly at the title team leader heard for the first time today.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Just as I was about to leave the HR team wearing the newly issued employee ID around my neck.

“Team Leader Jeong Jin-ho!”

The HR team leader who’d been staring intently at me from behind while reading the room got up and approached me.

“We’re late with greetings, right? Haha. HR team leader, Kim Moon-sik.”

“Ah, yes. Hello.”

“You know it was me who first put Team Leader Jeong in the trading department?”

“No. I didn’t know.”

“I knew a day like this would come someday. Of course. It came much faster than expected. Anyway! Let’s exchange often and get along. Okay?”

“Yes.”

After parting with the HR team leader who came all the way to the elevator showing excessive kindness, I reached the trading department entrance.

“Phew.”

Prop trade department Team 7 leader, Jeong Jin-ho.

That was my title starting today.

“Oh.”

The first person I ran into upon entering the department was none other than Team Leader Park Hong-seo.

“..”

Team Leader Park also stopped like me, then soon smiled briefly and patted my shoulder before passing.

Something was subtle.

Like receiving a lot of recognition.

On the outside he seems extremely blunt with no affection, but thinking about it, Team Leader Park was the one who pushed me the most in the team.

That I could become team leader was also because Team Leader Park gave me the opportunity.

‘I should buy him a gift later.’

Should I buy him dumbbells or something for those rough muscles?

‘This is my office.’

An office only that team’s leader can use.

Opening the door and entering, the equipment team staff I’d seen before was standing there.

“Team Leader. I’ve been waiting.”

“Hello. We meet again.”

“Yes. Haha. I didn’t know we’d meet this quickly. And as team leader. This is my first time seeing such super-fast promotion. Congratulations.”

I slightly opened my mouth seeing the newly set up equipment.

No way. The monitors increased from 6 to 9!

“Now. It’s similar to what I explained before. But the monitors increased by 3. Team leaders can check team members’ investment trends and real-time return rates, and you can do that with these monitors.”

So that’s why Team Leader Park had 9 monitors too.

“Oh right. And the left mouse button was almost destroyed. So I changed the mouse to a new one. I know you’re in a hurry doing day trading, but you’ll hurt your hand like that. If the mouse seems like it’ll break again, contact me anytime. I’ll change it immediately. Time is precious to traders.”

Somehow it seemed like clicking wasn’t working well since before.

It seems it broke because I clicked like crazy whenever I got a feeling.

“Then good luck today too! Call me right away if there are problems!”

Only after the equipment team staff left did I finally have time alone in the team leader’s office. Rather than feeling excited about becoming team leader, I was nervous, and above all, I wasn’t sure what to do first.

“Before the market opens, I need to analyze materials from research, hold a team meeting to plan strategy, oh right. I haven’t even greeted my team members.”

The team members are probably all frantic too from today’s personnel orders.

I already received the list beforehand of who would become my team members.

Naturally they were all strangers, but there was exactly one person I knew among them.

Knock knock.

“Team Leader. May I come in?”

Just then a welcome voice was heard.

“Ah, yes. Come in.”

Soon Deputy Lee Hye-rin entered the team leader’s office with a welcoming smile.

“Team Leader Jeong Jin-ho. Good morning.”

“Ugh. Hearing that from Deputy feels somehow strange.”

“Hoho. It’s awkward for me too. But saying Team Leader Jeong Jin-ho, the sound sticks nicely. Wow. But team leader! Our Jin-ho. No wait. Sorry. It’s too much of a habit.”

Our. She said.

No. What am I thinking?

“Just call me Jin-ho like usual.”

“No way. Absolutely not. You’re the team leader who’ll lead our team now. Really congratulations. You’re fully qualified to be team leader!”

Deputy Lee Hye-rin saying our team.

I couldn’t feel more reassured.

Plus, when someone who was below you suddenly climbs above, jealousy and envy would naturally arise, but this angel-like person seems unable to be invaded by such emotions.

“And here’s today’s research materials. I separately checked the important parts. Just looking at this, you’ll have read all of today’s meeting materials!”

As expected of the deputy.

You must’ve been frantic from morning because of personnel moves.

“Then take your time looking, and I’ll see you at the meeting, Team. Lead. Er!”

The deputy went out cutely emphasizing ‘Team Leader.’

Right. I thought something was missing this morning.

This vitamin was what was lacking.

“Ah. This isn’t the time.”

There was no time to be lost in sentimentality.

“Meeting prep. Meeting prep first!”

It’s not like before where I just plop down materials and that’s it.

Now I’m the team leader who has to lead meetings.

————————————————————————————————————————

“Right now, money is all gathering to China.”

The meeting began with Section Chief Seo Jae-pil opening.

Our new team’s first meeting.

1 section chief. 2 deputies. 1 assistant manager. 1 employee.

A team of six people total including me.

“Team Leader knows well, but China’s stock market started at 2,000 points last year and currently rose to 5,178. Amazing numbers. It’s risen 150% in one year.”

Even just looking at the chart was tremendous.

With a large population, the firepower is no joke either.

“So currently other teams are also judging that since the domestic market is frozen, it’s better to bet on the Chinese market side, so they’re buying only ETFs endlessly.”

We’re a team that doesn’t do overseas stocks, only domestic stocks.

But that doesn’t mean there was a law against doing overseas stocks at all.

Profiting through derivatives spread by asset management companies.

“Let’s also enter here and have some fun. I heard it’s rising several percent every day. ETFs are good, and if China’s economy booms, the steel sector also profits, so that sector looks good for hit and run too.”

Following Section Chief Seo, this time Deputy Kim Chung-hyeon gave advice.

According to materials sent by the research department, the Chinese market was currently the hottest place in the world.

Because of this, raw materials and steel are showing strength, and Chinese tourists are increasing so cosmetics and hotel sales are skyrocketing.

“If the yuan strengthens, the won also strengthens together, and the dollar conversely falls, so taking a short position here doesn’t look bad either, Team Leader.”

“Representative Hong Kong H-share stocks include Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Ping An Insurance, China Petroleum & Chemical, and with the Chinese government supporting state-owned enterprises, expected returns are considerable.”

Right now, the meta was the Chinese market.

Before getting any later, entering even a day faster was the place to suck honey.

‘Good thing I studied in advance.’

Research materials from before also had a lot of data saying the Chinese market is the place to pay most attention to.

Some say it’s a bubble or whatever, but so far experts judged there’s still quite some time before the bubble bursts.

“Research and investment experts are all saying the same thing now. That it’s not 150% but even 300% is possible.”

Predictions were flowing everywhere that what will move the world is no longer the US market but the Chinese market.

‘Even I think this side has the highest win rate right now.’

The domestic market was maintaining only averages without hitting highs or lows, fitting the term boxpi perfectly.

That couldn’t be helped since foreigners and even domestic retail investors all left long ago with money to the Chinese market, so volatility was almost nonexistent.

At times like this, the best thing is doing exactly what others do.

That’s exactly why the research department exists.

To tell you to ride the same upward current as others.

‘I don’t particularly feel anything though.’

Maybe because it’s too obvious.

Meta awareness.

Trend.

Isn’t following that our job?

“Then we too.”

Just as I was about to give my first strategic instruction to team members as team leader.

‘Hm?’

Among the messily scattered materials on the table, my gaze stopped on one document I roughly looked past.

[China Stock Market Bubble Collapse Scenario]

It seemed like material put in just for reference, not saying the bubble bursts right now so invest here.

That’s why I also glanced past it at first.

“..”

I picked up that document as if possessed.

Several products were listed there.

[KOLEX China H Futures Inverse ETF]

[LION China H Leverage ETF]

All derivatives betting on the Chinese market’s decline.

Products nobody is entering now, products guaranteed to lose if entered.

Normally I would’ve just passed it as reference material.

“.!”

But why?

“Team Leader?”

A powerful thrill was occurring enough to make the fingertips holding the paper tingle.