Chapter 80

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Oil prices fell again.”

“Was it Trent?”

“Yes. President Trent’s side strongly criticized OPEC for intentionally manipulating oil prices this time. Thanks to that, prices went down short-term.”

Not just any country.

Since it came from the US President’s mouth, it naturally had to affect prices.

But there was a problem.

It was good that prices moved due to Trent.

But 30 minutes before price fluctuations occurred, certain forces started taking positions.

“Then without fail, these issues pop up.”

“So they’re shorting or going long to eat profits in advance?”

“Yes. Both our securities company’s overseas traders and other securities company employees seem suspicious. Whether President Trent directly intervened.”

You might think it’s a conspiracy theory.

But people who’ve rolled around the US market long would know.

That political figures are deeply involved in the stock market.

Of course, they don’t frequently burst issues as suspiciously as Trent, but this is just circumstantial evidence.

And it was highly likely to remain only circumstantial evidence going forward.

Because there’s no institution anywhere in this world that can investigate the US President.

Plus our country has many regulations on high-ranking public officials’ stock holdings.

But America was lighter than expected.

And Trent was revealed to hold stocks in various companies, using legal loopholes to avoid fully disclosing them, receiving much criticism.

That’s why there’s even more suspicion.

That the US President is manipulating stock prices up and down to line his own pockets.

“Well, not just America, this happens similarly in most countries. America just has more attention because it affects the whole world.”

“True. When the sovereign wants to fill his pockets, how can you stop it? Plus we’re having fun thanks to Trent too.”

It’s a kind of convention of rewarding people who helped his election while filling his own pockets too.

Kangsung and our Gwangwoon could be said to be companies that benefited from such favors.

“Oh right. What did G-Mart’s side say?”

“They’ll accept all our proposals?”

“No. Really? That’s surprising. I thought they’d absolutely refuse.”

Like hyung-nim said, I thought so too.

When I first sent the proposal, even our department employees thought Kangsung’s side would probably refuse.

“But it seems Lupang was threatening to them too. Lupang’s growth is no joke.”

Though they say Big 3, actually everyone knows.

That if it continues like this, it’ll be Lupang’s overwhelming victory.

“The business structure honestly isn’t bad. If we combine well with Yashik’s Nation system, we might be able to block Lupang from suddenly growing big early on.”

“Will there be a right person?”

I’m already handling securities and the exchange, two things.

Taking on a new business here seemed difficult.

“I’ll find an appropriate person and seat them. And if there are business obstacles, I’ll tell them to ask you. Give occasional advice.”

“Yes. And headquarters will handle costs?”

“Yeah. Our group has overflowing money now. Far from losing money here and there, everyone’s earning like crazy.”

Then the group itself can decide how to utilize that money.

But hyung-nim entrusted me with all decision rights over that money.

Moving money to the securities company requires paid-in capital increases and is bound by various complex laws.

But without such complex processes, I just need to directly decide how to move the group’s money.

“First allocate amounts to businesses you’re proceeding with. Even doing this, money remains. Over 1 trillion won at that. Executives say if there’s no place to use it immediately, why not bury the money elsewhere for now.”

“Where?”

“The US market. They say it’s stable at an unprecedented level. Almost no volatility.”

When I first entered the securities company, storms really hit every other day. But doesn’t calm peace always come after storms?

The US stock market was the same.

Though swept here and there by various upheavals, it’s currently showing very stable indicators.

“They say VIX is maintaining at historically lowest levels. Rather than buying safe assets and leaving them idle, returns are coming out nicely now, so let’s diversify money there.”

Executives also seemed to have prepared diligently.

Hyung-nim briefly showed me a stock list.

Starting with inverse VIX ETF, stocks expected to have stable long-term returns were listed.

Since it’s an amount reaching 1 trillion won, it’s difficult to concentrate in one place.

They were trying to diversify and put it here and there.

“Definitely the market is more stable than ever now.”

Despite the uncertainty called President Trent, the market was stable.

Actually the reason is simple.

Though President Trent holds the world’s greatest power, becoming US President doesn’t mean he can do everything as he pleases.

If he doesn’t control Senate and House members, all policies he wants to implement cannot proceed.

Though Republicans took positions to some degree, Democrats checking him also came out similarly, making policy operation difficult.

Paradoxically, thanks to this creating power to control President Trent, stock prices flowed stably without fluctuation.

“So now money is stable wherever you put it..”

Right then.

I was trying to pick stocks from the list to tell hyung-nim.

But the paper I was holding was burning up.

I startled and threw the list on the table.

“Wh-why?”

Throwing it on the table, the paper was fine.

But just now the paper was really burning.

“…”

Should I pick it up again? I thought.

But I just didn’t.

Because I felt like I’d see the illusion of paper catching fire again.

What’s important is the message that illusion gives, right?

“Hyung-nim. For now don’t put money anywhere and hold it. I’ll discuss with our employees and tell you again.”

The more I use intuition, and as time passes.

It’s conveying its will to me in various ways.

‘But this is too realistic.’

The problem is intuition upgraded to the point of dominating even my senses.

If I relied on really vague feelings before.

Now it’s visible so clearly anyone can feel it’s a warning or good news.

‘Then how much more will it upgrade from here later?’

***

VIX.

It means volatility index.

Also called the fear index.

The lower VIX is, the more it means the market is stable without big fluctuations and changes, and conversely when VIX is high, it meant the market is engulfed in fear.

40 when very high.

30 when somewhat high.

20 is normal.

But currently the US VIX index is 11.

This was historically the lowest VIX index.

“These days traders must all be just yawning.”

“Right? Can VIX really be this low? I’m really seeing this number for the first time.”

“Of course. They say it’s the first time in US history. It means the market is too stable.”

Like it became a giant tree that weathered numerous storms.

Everyone views the market optimistically.

“That’s why products like XIV are really hot.”

XIV was an inverse VIX product.

As America currently shows historically the safest index, everyone started putting money in inverse ETF.

A product betting the market will be as stable as now going forward.

In the past people would have mocked who’d put money in such places, but now it was America’s most popular product.

“By the way, our president must be very bored too. Since market volatility is so low he can’t put money anywhere.”

“That’s why recently he barely looks at the stock market and focuses only on company acquisitions and collaborations.”

“I think now is rather better. When he was heavily investing in the stock market, he really pulled all-nighters. Those of us under him also got ground down.”

“Ah. But sometimes I miss it. The days when the president seated us all and commanded operations while stripping the market.”

Though physically tiring, there wasn’t another time when dopamine filled to the top of my head like then.

So honestly I missed it lately.

The days when we did second-by-second short-term trading while following President Jeong Jin-ho’s orders, greatly shaking the market.

But lately there wasn’t gathering all department people to hold strategy meetings like then.

If there’s no particular issue, President Jeong Jin-ho doesn’t come to work.

Last time he didn’t come to work for a whole week.

“Probably today too? Looking at yesterday’s US market and today’s domestic market, there’s absolutely no change.”

“Bitcoin is the same. Back then so many things kept happening worldwide, I thought I wanted it to be quiet. Now I want something to happen.”

Rumors are circulating that even Yeouido traders barely come to work now. When I was thinking should we rather all go on vacation together..

“Manager!”

One employee urgently entered the office.

“What’s wrong?”

“The president called!”

“What? The president came to work?”

“Yes. Even the order is for every single person in Prime grade departments to come up without exception.”

“..!”

Employees exchanged glances.

They felt it too.

That after a really long time, President Jeong Jin-ho is gathering all personnel.

What would that mean?

It meant something serious would soon happen.

“Everyone quickly prepare and go up.”

“Yes!”

The quiet office suddenly regained vitality.

***

“Currently both US securities companies and domestic and foreign investors are putting the most money right here. XIV. Everyone is continuously investing in inverse so tremendous money is gathered.”

I carefully examined materials employees hastily prepared.

That all markets currently entered stability means there are no greatly falling stocks and no greatly rising stocks either.

Market stabilization is good, but putting money here now might not yield more returns than deposits.

So what they thought of is exactly inverse VIX.

A volatility inverse product.

Predicting the market will continue like now, or become even more stable, and putting money in.

“So I think our group also probably tried to diversify money here. Because putting money in places called safe assets now, there’s also no volatility there so it’s just rotting level.”

I skimmed through currently trendy inverse VIX ETF products.

Since everyone makes and sells similar ETF products, there were really many products.

“…”

Same as yesterday.

Like the list hyung-nim showed, those products all started burning vigorously.

I placed them on the table before the fire transferred to me.

What’s interesting is, the flames disappear like a lie as soon as I let go.

“How does it look to you all? Does this product seem good?”

“For now it seems the best investment method. VIX has never been this stable. So you can’t make money shorting or going long, so everyone’s driving money only to this product. Because prospects are high VIX will fall further going forward.”

Actually all those inverse products should be seen as shorts.

They’re betting VIX will fall further than now.

“But what if it rises?”

“Probably even if it rises a bit, it won’t be big losses. Because it can fall again anytime.”

But I clearly saw.

That all these products burn in fire.

If it’s not red but burning in fire, doesn’t that mean it’s currently very dangerous?

“What about products if VIX rises?”

“If it rises slightly, probably..”

“Not slightly but if it rises very much.”

“You mean long-term rise?”

“…”

No particular feeling came at Manager Seo’s words.

“Possibly.. Are you talking about short-term VIX surge?”

Then an intense feeling came like cold water poured on my head.

“Yes.”

“B-but short-term VIX surge is impossible now. If that really happens, a tremendous bomb would explode now..”

Exactly that.

Isn’t all money concentrated in inverse VIX?

Everyone believed the US stock market would be safe going forward.

So money flocked there.

“But you just said. All money flocked there. Interpreting that differently, couldn’t too much have flocked? How much money can we operate at the securities company now?”

“About 1 trillion won. Money is all invested here and there. That’s the amount we can move immediately.”

But the feeling was too weak at 1 trillion won.

Though naturally it’s a lot of money, it wasn’t satisfying my intuition.

“What if we increase funds from here?”

“We can bring headquarters funds, but open an account as our securities company customers and put money in. Transfer it so we can invest money on behalf.”

“Then open accounts first. So that side’s money can come to us.”

“W-wait. President. Then the money we handle exceeds 2 trillion won. If you’re predicting short-term VIX rise, putting all 2 trillion won in opposite products is difficult.”

It’s a volume issue.

But we don’t have to put it in products.

“If VIX rises short-term, wouldn’t other stock prices be affected by that shock?”

“Probably short-term.”

“Then that’s fine. Let’s not put money in one place but put it in and pull it out from various places. There are many stocks in the US market? Enough to fully digest about 2 trillion won.”

“President. Those words..”

Manager Seo and employees’ faces turned pale.

“You’re going to do short-term trading with 2 trillion won?”