Chapter 204

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Aigoo. You brat. Didn’t I tell you not to push yourself?”

“No. It’s really nothing, everyone’s just making a fuss.”

“Making a fuss? The employees all saw you stagger while looking at documents!”

That was my mistake.

Because I hadn’t expected my intuition to give such a powerful shock.

“Anyway, the doctors say there’s nothing wrong.”

“Then that’s good.”

“Oh right. But hyung-nim, aren’t you heading to America soon? I heard you’re going to check out our Trinity guild there.”

“Yeah. I went briefly last time, but everyone was busy with work so I couldn’t meet them properly. But this time everyone’s gathering.”

He said he was disappointed last time since there were few people.

But this time even President Aiden would personally come out, so hyung-nim was very excited.

“Want to come together?”

“The guild master going is enough. I have things to do here.”

“Things to do?”

“Everyone just arrived.”

As employees entered the VIP hospital room, hyung-nim clicked his tongue.

“Hey. The guy who should be resting is…”

“There’s something I must do today.”

“Ah, hello, Chairman.”

Since the Chairman was there, the employees were visibly quite nervous.

“Tsk. You guys, if Jin-ho ever seems to be overworking again, stop him immediately, got it?”

“Yes. We’ll finish the meeting within 1 hour.”

“Cut it to 30 minutes.”

“…Yes sir!”

I urged hyung-nim like that.

“Sheesh. Please go already. The employees are really nervous.”

“I’m going to get a report on whether you really stop in 30 minutes.”

“Just go prepare for America, will you?”

“Ugh.”

Only after barely sending hyung-nim away could I proceed with the meeting.

“Did you bring what I asked for?”

“Ah. Yes. Here it is.”

The documents about Trent themed stocks that had given me a big shock earlier.

“…”

Indeed.

It didn’t give as big a shock as before, but current was still flowing from my fingertips.

This was a signal to sell.

‘But why?’

Trent themed stocks kept breaking through the ceiling almost every day.

Thanks to that, we had reaped enormous profits.

Plus, at this point when Trent’s election was almost certain, why was it suddenly telling me to dump themed stocks?

“What about other documents?”

“Yes. These are themed stocks related to Hillis as you requested.”

Being told to dump Trent themed stocks out of nowhere meant either Trent had no interest in those businesses, or he might withdraw his pledges.

But wasn’t it signaling to sell all themed stocks?

This meant only one thing.

The winner of this election actually isn’t Trent but someone else.

That person is Hillis.

“…”

But themed stocks related to Hillis weren’t giving any signal at all.

Feeling something was off, I flipped through the documents.

Occasionally a few gave weak signals, but that was it.

80% were giving me no signal, while only 20% gave weak ones.

“If Hillis’s election were likely, all the themed stocks here would have risen, right?”

“Yes. When she was actually ahead in polls, every single stock here hit the ceiling. But now that Trent has reversed it, they’re hitting rock bottom.”

“Then what if Hillis regains momentum?”

“Like before, all stocks would skyrocket.”

But my intuition sent a signal that only some of these would rise.

Did that mean something else?

“But if most stocks don’t rise and only some do, what would that mean?”

“That probably… means a new candidate from the Democrats?”

“A new candidate?”

“Yes. Themed stocks are usually connected to Hillis personally. But some of these are connected to the Democratic Party. But for only some to rise as you say, a new candidate would need to emerge from the Democrats. Someone who can overwhelm Trent’s surging approval.”

A strong stimulus shot through me there.

“If it’s a candidate who could overwhelm Trent’s approval…”

“There’s only one. Current President Aiden.”

“!?”

This time, the shock I experienced earlier struck me.

I barely caught my body from staggering again.

“P-President?”

“Bring me all themed stocks related to Aiden.”

“President, f-first, you should rest today…”

“I’m fine. And sell all the Trent themed stocks we’re holding.”

The employees were flustered by the sudden order and dithered, but,

“Quickly. Time is money in investing.”

“Ah, yes sir!”

They quickly came to their senses and hurried.

But is Aiden really returning?

***

“What? Is that real?”

“Yes. President Jeong Jin-ho clearly gave such orders.”

Hwang Dae-woon had rushed over yesterday when he heard Jin-ho was suddenly taken to the hospital.

But the workaholic Jin-ho was working even in the hospital.

It seemed he was about to start something big again.

“Wait, wasn’t it almost certain Trent would be elected?”

“That’s right.”

“But he sold all Trent themed stocks? They’ve been hitting record highs consecutively?”

Vice President Kang Ji-hwan also had a somewhat troubled expression.

“That’s… he sold all Trent themed stocks and told us to buy something else.”

“Something else? What? Is there something performing better than Trent themed stocks now?”

“Aiden themed stocks.”

“…!?”

Hwang Dae-woon doubted his ears for a moment.

“Aiden? Wait, did Aiden say he’s returning?”

“No. There’s been no talk of candidate replacement. The deadline for candidate replacement is really almost up. If they really wanted to, they would have said something already.”

“But you’re buying Aiden themed stocks? That guy who’s playing around like a retiring soldier about to retire?”

“Aiden has already refused reelection several times, and his position is the same now. Even locally, they see the possibility of Aiden returning as 0%.”

But Jeong Jin-ho sold all Trent themed stocks at their peak and switched to Aiden.

What did this mean?

Trent was merely a means to make money, and the real next President is Aiden.

“If Aiden returns, he’ll catch up to Trent’s current leading approval. The China and North Korea situations are seriously deteriorating now, aren’t they? China is engulfed in civil war, and signs of a coup are appearing here and there in North Korea.”

Furthermore, US military had entered North Korea with the UN and was controlling the area.

That’s why Democratic and Aiden’s approval had risen even higher.

“Perhaps President Jeong Jin-ho chose Aiden from the start. Everything external is working in Aiden’s favor, isn’t it?”

“So Trent was really just for making money?”

“Yes. The profits we made this time are enormous. We earned hundreds of trillions of won at once. A lot of money will be needed to achieve what the President is planning. Wasn’t he strategizing for exactly that?”

Jeong Jin-ho was currently planning something terrifying.

That was developing and distributing bio AI chips.

The starting point would be Africa, then China and North Korea.

After that, the entire world.

“But astronomical funds are needed to achieve that.”

“And Trent earned that money?”

“Yes. The problem is that even after earning that much, more is still needed.”

“So next Aiden needs to earn it?”

“Exactly.”

It was funny.

That someone who was once President, and now the current President, had to take turns filling Gwangwoon’s pockets.

“Above all, Aiden is very cooperative with our Gwangwoon. Trent is unpredictable. We can’t predict what he might do to us. In contrast, Aiden is stable.”

“But you said Aiden absolutely won’t return.”

That was the problem.

Aiden seemed fed up with politics and firmly declared he wouldn’t return.

“…Chairman. You’re going to America today, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. I’m going later.”

“Then you’ll meet President Aiden there.”

“Right, all the guild members are gathering today… Ah!”

Hwang Dae-woon clapped his hands, realizing something.

“Are you telling me to persuade Aiden?”

“What did President Jeong Jin-ho say at the hospital yesterday?”

“Well, Jin-ho just told me to hurry and prepare to go to America…”

Vice President Kang Ji-hwan didn’t add anything further.

“So that’s what he meant?”

***

Today was a meaningful day.

In any group or company, the person who first established it is special.

The Trinity guild is the same.

The power and meaning this guild has, and what its nature is, can be thought about later.

Today is the day the person who first established this guild visits this American branch.

“Is Hwang Dae-woon coming well?”

“Yes. We’re treating him as a VIP and doing our best with security. However…”

“However?”

“Hwang Dae-woon apparently met with the Democratic Floor Leader as soon as he arrived.”

“Steve?”

He wasn’t a guest invited by the White House, and since he was visiting the guild branch rather than the White House directly, there was no need to come meet Aiden first.

But his route was peculiar.

Making his first meeting with the Floor Leader.

Moreover, Floor Leader Steve wasn’t even a member of the Trinity guild.

Then why…

“Several congressmen are also joining the meeting.”

“Why?”

“We don’t have that information yet.”

It was strange.

But Aiden decided not to think deeply about it.

He would soon be leaving politics.

Whatever Hwang Dae-woon discussed with the Floor Leader had nothing to do with Aiden.

“Then let’s move too.”

Today, rather than as President Aiden, he was just thinking of going to the building where guild members gathered as gamer Aiden, meeting Hwang Dae-woon together, and enjoying himself freely.

“President, the Floor Leader and congressmen urgently wish to see you.”

“Tell them I have a schedule today. If it’s not urgent, let’s do it another time.”

“They say it’s a very urgent matter. And Chairman Hwang Dae-woon will also be present.”

“Chairman Hwang too?”

He was confused by the sudden meeting between Chairman Hwang and the Floor Leader.

But he thought there was no need to concern himself.

Yet those two brought along a bunch of congressmen and came to find him.

Something felt off.

“President. It’s an honor to meet you like this.”

Soon, Hwang Dae-woon with a magnate’s bearing entered with the congressmen.

He hadn’t expected to meet like this at the White House, but Aiden shook hands warmly.

“But what is all this? Why are the Floor Leader and congressmen all together…”

Aiden glanced around at the Floor Leader and congressmen.

An unknown resolve could be felt in their eyes.

“President.”

The first to speak was Floor Leader Steve.

“Today I had a conversation with Chairman Hwang Dae-woon here. And I realized what we must do for America’s future, what decision we must make for our citizens.”

“Wh-Why so suddenly scary?”

“President, there are only 3 days left until the candidate replacement deadline. So please return.”

“Wh-What?”

Aiden looked back and forth between Steve and Hwang Dae-woon with a dumbfounded face.

“As a mere businessman, if I may humbly add, the only person who can handle the chaotic China and North Korea situations, and America too, is you, President. If you run for reelection, our Gwangwoon will do our best to help.”

“Wait, Gwangwoon was clearly supporting Trent…”

“We have never officially supported any specific candidate. However, this time we promise to actively support you, President.”

Should he believe that?

The ones who schemed the sniper incident together with Trent!?

“President, it’s said that God chooses a nation’s leader. And now God has chosen you, President. Everything is helping you, isn’t it? Please come out as the candidate.”

“Y-You people…! I told you all so clearly I was retiring!”

“You cannot abandon America like this!”

From the Floor Leader to the congressmen, they were absolutely relentless.

“I won’t do it!”

“You must!”

“We will absolutely not leave here until you approve!”

How did I escape from here?

How did I find a new life?

And now you want me to do that again?

“I refuse! Absolutely not!”

End