Chapter 27

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Establishing a department takes more time than expected.

Who to pick as conductor of this department, and who to fill as subordinates who’ll follow that conductor’s commands.

Personnel moves must be made and space for the new department must be created.

Fortunately, the space problem was quickly resolved.

Then what remains is people.

“Jin-ho really picked like this?”

“Yes. This is the list the HR team directly received. Team Leader Jeong Jin-ho personally selected them.”

Picking people isn’t easy.

Because company performance changes depending on who you pick.

Not a joke, it’s real.

Ultimately, investment is work done by people.

Someone’s wrong judgment can collapse the company or grow it vigorously.

You can tell just by looking at Jeong Jin-ho now.

“Didn’t say what criteria?”

“No. Applicants swarmed tremendously, but he selected the list right that day.”

“Interviews?”

“Said he didn’t do them.”

This prime grade department is different dimension from existing departments.

All accounts being opened, and all investment decisions will be made by Jeong Jin-ho.

How powerfully this authority is set, even other executives except the president can’t infringe on Jeong Jin-ho’s decisions.

Truly groundbreaking personnel decision in Gwangwoon Securities history.

But to lead the department, good members are needed.

Meaning elites who can give good investment advice to Jeong Jin-ho should be by his side.

But looking at these members’ status makes you tilt your head.

“Is there even selection criteria?”

“I don’t know well either. Certain thing is, he didn’t pick by visible specs.”

By specs, they’re people who can’t even approach elite, let alone prime.

“Picking like this, how many total department members does Jin-ho have?”

“20 people. Team Leader Jeong Jin-ho. No. He’s department head now. Including Department Head Jeong, 21.”

Plus existing members, total 20 people.

Even picked numbers cleanly.

Is there some reason for this too?

“But President. How much are you thinking of entrusting to Department Head Jeong’s department.”

“500 billion.”

Seeing the answer come immediately, seems like an amount he’d thought of from the start.

“Hit the calculator, it’s the amount we can pull up recovering investments scattered here and there. Jin-ho currently holds about 300 billion. So exactly scraping 200 billion more to give.”

Prop trading is ultimately a place operating with company funds.

Meaning, not using customers’ money.

So there were no idle funds at the company.

All stuck somewhere or other teams were raising profits.

But since the market’s been fluctuating from nickel this time, company funds naturally had to shake too.

Yet President Hwang scraped together all funds he could and handed them to Jeong Jin-ho.

If Jeong Jin-ho loses that amount, it would be tremendous damage.

Nevertheless, President Hwang was showing trust toward Jeong Jin-ho by adding more funds.

“500 billion is. Almost half our company’s net assets?”

“Excluding AUM, yes. Because we’re calculating only net assets our company has. But Jin-ho made 50 billion into 300 billion, right? We’re just adding a bit more to that.”

KS Securities, currently Korea’s industry number 1, handles 10 trillion won in net assets.

But AUM.

So when customer money deposited in the securities firm is combined, asset scale inflates.

Looking at only corporate net assets seems like we could catch up quickly, but actually what makes most money wasn’t securities firms.

Exactly asset management companies tied within KS Financial Group together with securities firms.

So-called fund companies.

Current KS asset management scale exceeds a whopping 100 trillion.

They’re continuously expanding that scale through overseas and ETF business expansion.

“I always tell executives. Someday we’ll also develop into a group and operate tens of trillions won in funds.”

President Hwang Dae-woon also dreamed of Gwangwoon Securities developing into a group like those called top 3 financial groups, operating assets close to 100 trillion won.

However, funds ultimately need customers’ money to gather.

They couldn’t win the fight against the top 3 financial groups already firmly established.

Everyone wants only brand funds, couldn’t trust mid-sized company funds.

Blocked by that reality wall, President Hwang had no choice but to liquidate the asset management company and focus only on the securities firm.

Recalling that time still stings.

“Someday our Gwangwoon will develop into a group too. The day will definitely come when we operate tens of trillions won in funds.”

“Right. But lately I keep thinking. Wondering if our Jin-ho might be that beginning.”

“Wow. Then will Department Head Jeong become company president later?”

Of course, it’s still just a delusion-like dream.

“Oh right. That car I told you to get?”

“Yes. I actually got one for corporate use. Picked a good model too.”

“Right. Fine even picking better than mine. Need to pick one that injuries are minimal even in accidents. Our Jin-ho is more important than you and me.”

Jeong Jin-ho who earns not hundreds but hundreds of billions.

Naturally he was a more important person than anyone at this company.

“Attach a personal driver. Support anything he needs. While I’m briefly out in the Middle East, you as vice president need to take good care.”

“Yes. I will.”

People describe Gwangwoon Securities like this.

A place with solid support but blocked ceiling.

However, President Hwang was instinctively feeling it.

That the ceiling blocked until now is trying to rise with momentum to pierce the sky.

Exactly centered on Jin-ho.

“Ah. But President. Thinking about it, payday’s soon, so huge performance bonus will go to Department Head Jeong, right? From existing amounts. Then to fill 500 billion, you need to pull more funds?”

“Oh no.”

President Hwang smacked his forehead.

Where should I pull hundreds more billions from?

The game I play can be called a raid-centered game.

And there are large raid parties rushing to first clear newly released raids.

The raid party maintaining world rank 1 rents entire buildings to broadcast raids, attempting clears for days.

And these raid parties and regular raid parties have a commonality.

It’s first picking people more than necessary.

The harder the raid, sometimes takes days or more, but even if not, because the raid leader must coordinate dozens and set appointment times to raid, there are occasionally people who miss.

Exactly to fill those empty spaces, they keep subs.

But what if even subs don’t work?

If they leave mid-raid due to real life issues?

For that, they even prepare subs of subs.

“Should we have picked more?”

Soon the new department will be complete.

I heard remodeling already finished and equipment setup is final stage.

A department that can enter from FX to various markets.

The only all-around department at this company was being born.

“But no feeling comes.”

Seems like more personnel might be needed, but this might be exactly balanced.

At least my intuition seemed to judge so.

So I was planning how to distribute and handle these personnel well.

“Team Leader~. You’re taking the vitamins I gave you well, right?”

“Oh right.”

“Hmm. Thought so, so I brought water.”

Somehow the deputy is taking care of my body health more than me.

“Everyone probably bored with nothing particular to do. How’s the atmosphere?”

“Originally not working and playing at work is so nice. Plus market volatility’s almost none, so you even let us rest for days?”

From investment sentiment contraction, the global market itself had no volatility now.

So our team just rested for days.

Resting whenever you want is prop traders’ advantage.

“And today’s a very very important day, right?”

“Department move?”

“No. More important than that!”

“Ah. Payday?”

“Yes! Payday, the life of office workers! So everyone’s excited and smiling.”

That’s also why they recovered our money from above.

Because they have to settle according to each return rate.

“Aren’t you happy, Team Leader?”

“I’m naturally happy too.”

Payday.

The reason office workers live.

But I was waiting for something else more than payday.

‘When will I invest?’

Am I really a guy pickled in dopamine?

I knew this month’s performance bonus would be tremendous.

Then I should eagerly wait only for payday when salary comes in, but the desire to move departments quickly and invest was even greater.

‘The president said he’ll strain to match even 500 billion.’

A whopping 500 billion I can roll.

Just thinking about it, adrenaline wells up and hands tremble, that amount.

An amount you can’t casually roll in the domestic market, but possible in other markets.

Not long-term investment looking at company value and buying, but short-term investment with dopamine popping, isn’t that our department’s core?

So I was waiting only for the day I can operate those funds.

“But Team Leader, what do you want to do when this performance bonus comes out? Team Leader, yours will be huge this time.”

“Well. I.”

Buy my sister and parents a car.

Get a new house too.

Pay off debts if any.

Listing like this, everything was for our family.

Ah. One thing comes to mind.

This is a dream I’ve harbored while fantasizing for long.

Buying a building, modeling it with my game’s theme, and making a PC cafe where dozens of raid members can game together.

Above and below that, from restaurants to billiards, karaoke, etc.

Making various play facilities together too.

A landmark only I and guild members can use.

After work, everyone gathers there.

A fantasy any game nerd would dream at least once.

“Looking at your expression, seems you’re planning something tremendous.”

“Mm. That’s right.”

Because hobbies are important.

“Then if there’s market volatility or other issues, I’ll report immediately.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

After the deputy left, I also checked the screen.

Still no particular issues.

Even FX to enter first when moving departments was serious with average daily volatility of only 0.5%.

Ding!

Then my phone notification rang.

“Wowww!”

Then as if waiting, huge cheers burst out from outside.

Team members’ voices.

Hearing that, I knew right away.

“Payday came.”

I also went into the bank app notification.

Actually I had roughly calculated how much would come in.

But thinking I’ll actually see the amount, sweat suddenly started coming from my hands.

Soon, the deposited amount revealed in numbers.

[75,571,157,314 won.]

Over 75 billion.

“Crazy.”

“Hello everyone! Please take care of me!”

People picked for prime grade department gathered one by one in the office.

“Ah. I really didn’t know I’d be picked here. Everyone was applying, so I just applied too.”

“Me too. I don’t know what aspect the department head saw to pick me, but I’ll really devote loyalty.”

Everyone was full of fighting spirit.

Especially since most didn’t expect to be picked for this department, they showed unlimited loyalty toward the department head while being dazed.

“Everyone gathered? Please sit in your set seats. Probably just a few things added to equipment you originally used, so no inconvenience using it.”

“Oh. Team. No. Department Head. About 10 people still haven’t come?”

“Ah. They’ll come tonight.”

“What?”

Coming at night?

What does that mean?

“First since there’s no time, just greet lightly. Everyone gather materials first and prepare for meeting. Today we plan to roll funds centered on FX, so gather related things. Ah. And from today, total funds we’ll operate are 500 billion.”

“!?”

500 billion.

Gwangwoon Securities’ largest scale fund operation.

Department people swallowed dry saliva.

“Meeting starts in 30 minutes.”

“Yes!”

Meeting content wasn’t special.

The market froze, volatility’s almost none, no one knows how long it’ll continue.

At least people who first came today somehow gave opinions, but ordinary level. A feeling they prepared diligently to somehow help.

“Then everyone, let’s start.”

After the meeting ended, full-scale investment started.

But very different from usual screens.

Being FX exchange, appearing screens were also different.

FX exchange.

The world’s largest foreign exchange market running 24 hours.

A place sufficient to contain the huge sum of 500 billion, but the problem is foreign exchange volatility is low usually and even more now.

Of course, putting in 500 billion and earning even 1% daily is 5 billion, so earning amount differs, but conversely losing even 1% means 5 billion flies away.

First entering such hand-trembling gambling table.

“Deputy, please first load dollars. Volume. About 120 billion.”

“Ah, yes!”

With no time to adapt, instructions immediately came down.

Starting with Lee Hye-rin, he made each person put certain money into their assigned foreign exchange.

“Like this. Are you planning to hold?”

No. Can’t be.

The person called Jeong Jin-ho that Lee Hye-rin experienced until now isn’t someone who holds long once starting trading, unless special cases.

Sure enough.

“Deputy. Sell.”

“Yes!”

The department situation was unique.

Only Department Head Jeong Jin-ho’s instruction-giving voice and employees’ answering “Yes!” could be heard.

“..”

How much time passed like that?

Even with AC on in the office, hand sweat wouldn’t cool.

Because all nerves were focused on Department Head Jeong Jin-ho’s voice.

Is trading going well now?

How much profit?

Can’t know details, but one thing was knowable.

Right now Department Head Jeong Jin-ho is wringing a dry rag to squeeze even one water drop.

In this market with almost no volatility!

“Ah, hello.”

Then the 10 new members the department head said would come tonight entered the department bewildered.

Department Head Jeong Jin-ho welcomed them with bright smile.

“Everyone welcome. Please sit in your seats and prepare to trade. And the rest can prepare to leave now. Really worked hard today.”

“Ah, yes.”

They glanced at the haggard members and tilted heads.

But soon they’ll realize too.

‘This is why the remaining members come at night.’

To rotate this crazy rag-wringing in 2 shifts!

‘Then when does the department head rest?’

Lee Hye-rin glanced at Department Head Jeong’s face.

Other members seemed half out of their minds.

“..”

Department Head Jeong Jin-ho’s face was overflowing with vitality more than ever.