Chapter 17

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Team Leader?”

I snapped to my senses at Deputy Lee Hye-rin’s voice.

I learned something while working at this securities firm.

That my ability called ‘feeling’ is based on collected data.

In other words, it’s not like feelings get stuck in me crazily at random times, but rather when I acquire data on a specific field, it’s a system that organizes it and sends it as a feeling.

That’s what my intuition is saying.

That the Chinese bubble collapse is right around the corner.

Exactly as the scenario I’m holding here says.

“So you’re saying that everything we talked about going up will all go the opposite way if the Chinese stock market bubble bursts?”

“Ah. Yes. That would be right. But while it’s true there’s a bubble, it’s not bursting right now, is it?”

“I also think it could definitely go up to 300% as the research analyzed.”

Actually, rationally speaking, this is correct.

Everyone here graduated from good universities and has accumulated experience in the stock market.

Would such people not know that China has a huge bubble?

Yet the reason they’re saying we must throw ourselves into this game is because they judged it’s still too early for the bubble to burst.

And even from my perspective with lower financial knowledge and experience than them, China was a land flowing with milk and honey.

Meaning they know that just by boarding the upward trend, even pulling in all available money and unavailable money, it becomes money duplication.

“Team Leader. Are you saying you think the Chinese stock market bubble will burst?”

The team members all looked at me with disbelieving eyes.

“Yes.”

At my answer, short groans flowed out here and there.

“Well, everyone knows the bubble will burst eventually. But surely you’re not saying it’ll burst right now?”

“The Chinese government created a stock investment boom through interest rate cuts, real estate deregulation, and expanded stock market opening. As a result, all their citizens took out debt and jumped into the investment market. They even made a structure where the more stock prices rise, the more money you can borrow, so the number of new stock accounts alone broke through 90 million.”

The reason the Chinese stock market experienced rapid growth in one year was thanks to the government’s policy direction.

By putting forward the policy of activating the stock market to create wealth, they poured oil on economic growth.

As a result, everyone without exception stepped into the stock market, truly causing an investment frenzy.

Not stopping there, the Chinese government went one step further and even incited citizens saying stock investment is the only way to become rich.

In line with such government policy, state-run funds also actively intervened in the market, artificially raising state-owned company stock prices and reassuring investors.

That the Chinese government would never let the stock market collapse.

With exactly this snowball effect, the Chinese stock market completed a massive bubble of 150% explosion in one year.

“I fully understand what you’re saying, Team Leader. Anyone can see it’s definitely a bubble. It’s also true it’s a time bomb. But not now. Isn’t everyone saying so? That there’s still a long way to go before the bubble bursts. Just looking at indicators, China’s growth momentum isn’t ending here.”

“Yes. Above all, there’s no trigger to burst the Chinese bubble. If there’s just one variable, it would be if the Chinese government suddenly changes their stance, but just yesterday the Chinese government incited once again. Telling everyone to grab money and run to the stock market.”

“The Chinese government probably thinks they can’t stop now either. Having already pulled it up to 150%, I think they can get greedy for 300%.”

The research materials, my team members, and probably people out there too.

Everyone is saying the same thing.

That the Chinese stock market has no brakes right now.

No. That they’ve completely removed them.

‘Rationally speaking, what these people say is all correct though.’

I’ve never once made a rational investment until now.

I’ve only always followed this instinct exploding inside me.

And what always wins isn’t my reason but this sense.

“The recommended stocks are insufficient with just the research materials here, so let’s try making a portfolio under the assumption that the Chinese stock market will collapse.”

“T-Team Leader!”

“You’re really going to bet on a decline? Really?”

“Yes. The only way we can invest in China right now is through ETFs, right? We can’t handle overseas options. Let’s look more into that side first. And please inquire in more detail to research about what impact it will have on our country’s stock market if the Chinese stock market collapses.”

Then we can also take short positions on corresponding stocks, and buying derivatives like options currently on the market would also be one method.

“Shall we start trading today after the materials come out?”

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

Team 7’s first meeting.

After the meeting ended and they left the team leader’s office, most team members were shaking their heads.

“No. What on earth is he thinking? Am I the only one who thinks this is strange?”

When Section Chief Seo first complained, Deputy An next to him also nodded.

“It’s definitely strange. Team Leader is probably the only person expecting the Chinese bubble to burst right now.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Go grab any random person passing by in Yeouido and ask. See what reaction they show if you say the Chinese bubble will burst soon. You’d be lucky not to be called an idiot, right?”

Then a sharp voice came from the opposite side.

“Are you disparaging our team leader right now?”

“No. Deputy Lee Hye-rin. I’m not disparaging the team leader, but honestly you think it’s strange too. Can you say it’s not? Huh? Can you?”

The Chinese stock market is currently in full swing.

You can tell just by looking at what other teams are doing.

Aren’t they all taking long positions convinced the Chinese stock market will rise even more from here?

But that new team leader was trying to go against this flow.

You don’t need to say what becomes of those who go against the flow in the stock market.

“It is strange. But I’ll try believing what the team leader says.”

“What?”

“I haven’t watched the team leader long, but he’s never once failed at investing until now. He’s someone who got super-fast promoted to team leader shortly after joining. There must be reasons for that, right?”

“No. That’s because the team leader is a parachute.!”

Section Chief Seo raised his voice then quickly lowered it.

“Phew. We have to follow the team leader’s instructions anyway, so everyone gather materials first. I’ll go have a smoke and come back.”

Section Chief Seo, who left the department heading to the smoking area, put a cigarette in his mouth.

Right. Bubble. It could burst.

No. It’s bound to burst eventually.

But betting on it already just because it’ll burst someday is problematic.

Isn’t this the prop trade department that lives by day trading?

A place that doesn’t hold stocks for more than a week.

But the moment you bet that the bubble will burst, you can’t predict how long you’ll have to wait for that timing.

Maybe several months, no. It could be a year.

For prop trading teams that settle monthly based on return rates, long-term investment was fatal.

And even if the bubble really bursts a year later, by then you’ve already lost all the money so it’ll be difficult to ride the trend then too.

“Puff.”

Section Chief Seo was alone in the smoking area.

It seems like it’s been a while since he smoked at this hour.

Naturally so.

The market just opened so everyone must be running like crazy.

While everyone was easily making money sucking honey, Section Chief Seo had to pathetically just suck on a cigarette here.

“Should I just transfer teams?”

But that’s not easy.

Think about it.

A person who came in as a parachute and got super-fast promoted to team leader.

Meaning the backing is tremendous.

There’s a high possibility he’s royal family, and if you get on the wrong side of such a person, you have to quit company life.

“I don’t know what to do.”

If we lose all the money like this, won’t the team just explode?

Isn’t that even more screwed?

All kinds of thoughts really passed through.

After I worked so hard to reach section chief.

Why such a trial.!

“I don’t know. If they say do it, I’ll do it.”

What choice is there?

The opponent is from heaven beyond heaven, and he’s just an ordinary person at section chief level.

“Section Chief. Research sent materials.”

After quickly finishing the cigarette and coming back, Deputy An Young-sang handed over materials.

“Really? That came out fast.”

“Yes. They seemed to have prepared scenarios in advance expecting the bubble could burst someday.”

Section Chief Seo glanced through the document the team leader was holding.

To see which analyst was already writing nonsense about bubble collapse.

But when he actually looked, the materials were more inadequate than expected.

That person from this department really put it in just for reference only.

But surely he didn’t make such a judgment seeing only this.

“Phew. No way. Give me those materials. I’ll deliver them directly to the team leader.”

“Ah, yes.”

Section Chief Seo entered the team leader’s office holding the materials.

With the market open, this place is probably the only one so peaceful.

“Team Leader. The materials came out.”

“Ah. That came out quickly.”

“Yes. Time is life at securities firms, isn’t it?”

Team Leader Jeong stared at the materials for a while, then was checking stocks one by one from what research sent.

Does he have his own criteria for selecting stocks?

Section Chief Seo’s uneasy feeling didn’t disappear.

So he opened his mouth one last time.

“Team Leader. Are you really going to go with this?”

Jeong Jin-ho, who was checking products one by one, put down his pen.

“Section Chief. While there’s team strategy, prop traders are ultimately individuals. That’s why personal choices are important, and the company evaluates accordingly. So if you judge that your choice is really correct, Section Chief, you can do as you think. I’ll respect that.”

If you really can’t believe it, do as you want?

“Please deliver these materials to the team members. Tell them it’s fine to invest by selecting stocks from here, or if there’s something better, it’s okay to invest in that side.”

“Yes.”

Section Chief Seo received the materials and was about to leave the team leader’s office.

Jeong Jin-ho stopped him.

“Ah. And. Since it’s an investment strategy I made, I’ll take responsibility too.”

“.Yes.”

Section Chief Seo, who left the team leader’s office, gave instructions to team members and sat down.

‘Do as I think if I think my judgment is correct?’

Section Chief Seo stared blankly at the screen.

A window with Chinese stock market-related ETFs currently on the market was open.

Following the team leader’s instructions would mean buying the right-side ETF that nobody’s buying now.

However, if he buys the ETF on the left side, this month’s performance would be smoothly resolved.

‘But if I really do as I want. I’ll have to handle the aftermath alone, right?’

In teams, there are often times when the team leader and team members’ thoughts don’t match and they clash.

I don’t know about other companies, but at least at securities firms, team leaders can’t force team members to invest.

They’re just one team to that extent.

Because these people are prop traders who signed individual contracts with the company.

So when they think differently, even if the relationship gets a bit bad, they each invest as they want.

But that team leader is different.

Getting on the wrong side of that team leader is no different from getting on the wrong side of those above.

You can tell just by looking at how no one above is protesting even though a new hire who joined recently became team leader.

“Right. He said he’ll take responsibility himself.”

He felt confidence there.

Meaning even if we lose all the money here, the team won’t explode.

How solid must the backing be to say such things?

Click. Click.

Section Chief Seo started buying in earnest.

Buying ETFs, taking short positions on steel side, putting a certain amount in other derivatives too.

He followed exactly as Jeong Jin-ho checked, without a single deviation.

[Your investment ratio exceeds risk management limits.]

Then like a ghost, a warning message flew from the risk management team.

Since he was going against market flow and pouring money into strange places, that side was also quickly warning.

He wavered slightly there but.

“Risk management?”

Whatever. Not doing it.