Chapter 8 - How to Catch This Guy (5)

Current Securities Chairman's Office.

The frown on Manager Jeong's forehead deepened with disgust as he answered the sudden call from Jaejun.

Chairman Lim Byungdal, sensing something was wrong, asked, "What is it?"

"It's the young master."

"Why is Jaejun calling?"

"He says he's going on a business trip to Ulsan and has asked for a ride."

"Ulsan?"

"He says he's going to Jae Kyung Machinery."

Chairman Lim Byungdal's eyes changed instantly.

"Why suddenly?"

"It seems that Manager Kang Byunggu is sending him on a business trip…."

"A new employee going on a business trip? What does he know?"

"..."

Chairman Lim's eyebrows trembled and rose in anger at the absurd situation.

"Shouldn't a fund manager or analyst be the one to go on a business trip? Assigning a site visit to a new employee who hasn't even grasped the market trends is like Manager Kang Byunggu being negligent. Jaejun is still a new employee. He can't even read financial statements. What does he know to be sent?"

"It seems like a way to break in new employees."

"What? How dare they try to break in my grandson? These guys... I'll deal with them right away!"

"Chairman, you shouldn't get involved. It's better to observe how the young master handles it."

Chairman Lim Byungdal's anger made the atmosphere in the office as calm as the calm before a storm.

Although his grandson was immature and had only caused harm to others, he was still the only grandson whom Chairman Lim loved dearly.

The thought of his grandson being "broken in" made his blood boil.

But what could he do? He couldn't get involved here.

Since his grandson said he would prove his abilities starting from being a new employee, he had to believe in him.

If he protected his grandson from the first day, neither the grandson nor himself would look good to the employees.

It was almost lunchtime, so by the time he returned from Ulsan, it would be evening.

'He'll spend all his time on the road.'

Chairman Lim immediately ordered, "Manager Jeong, send a helicopter."

"..."

"When will he return by car? Send it off right away."

"Understood."

***

Helicopter landing pad.

A helicopter...

Jaejun, who had thought that being a chaebol (conglomerate) heir wouldn't change much, was now seeing a helicopter with his own eyes.

'Grandfather... Is this how chaebol express affection?'

He had only seen helicopters in dramas and news, never expecting to ride one for a business trip.

"Does Manager Jeong report everything I do to my grandfather?"

"Of course. It's more about protecting the young master than reporting."

"Protecting?"

"Chairman sees the young master as a child left on the street."

"I guess I'm still a child, no matter how old I get."

Not a child, but a grandson.

They must be watching from above.

"Let's go."

"Yes."

As the helicopter took off, Jaejun looked down.

He saw familiar figures smoking and smiling on the rooftop of Current Securities.

Manager No Gyeongbeom and Manager Kang Byunggu.

Enjoy it while you can.

I'm curious to see how your faces will change.

The stock.

Knowing and being caught is part of the plan.

People who see the graph rising sharply don't just stand there.

They start looking for the stock with the highest increase so far.

And they console themselves that there's still room for growth.

It can go higher.

It's only up 10 times.

I need to get in quickly.

Desire burns.

10,000 won becomes 100,000 won, 100,000 won becomes 10 million won, 10 million won becomes hundreds of millions of won. It's not a dream.

It's possible.

There are so many stocks that have risen 100 times, and this one has only risen 10 times.

People can't read the true intentions behind the graph.

The graph seems to say, "Come quickly! There's money here."

Honestly, there's still a lot of time to make money.

People check their balances, tempted by the graph's sweet whispers.

This much should be fine to invest.

Now people throw their money into the rising graph.

But from an objective distance, it looks like these crazy people are throwing their lives into the rising graph.

Not just money, but their lives.

Why!

An elevator stopped in the middle, and no one knows if it will go up or down, but they believe it will go up and rush in.

They don't get on the elevator stopped at the first floor but try to get on in the middle.

The plan even gestures to people, leaving the elevator one floor from the top.

False information pours in.

At this point, they should realize the end is near.

But there's one more to catch.

The guy with the megaphone.

The guy who provided the money,

The guy who spread the word.

I need to find them one by one and make sure they never show their faces again.

Honestly, I don't care if they plan or not.

There are so many plans happening in this period that even if I tried, I couldn't catch them all.

But for my grandfather, who will be forced out in two years,

For me, who has become a chaebol and must live well,

For Current Securities, which must become a clean and clear zone without any plans.

People who make a show with others' money must be eliminated.

Especially for Current Securities, a clean and clear zone.

This is something that must be achieved.

A securities company basically survives on investors' fees.

If rumors spread about corrupt people, the company will go bankrupt.

Even if my grandfather doesn't have to step down due to financial improvement in two years, the company's stock price will plummet, and he will be forced out by the board.

In reality, the solid Current Securities collapsed when investors, fearing the financial crisis caused by the IMF, made redemption requests that the company couldn't handle.

While Jaejun was burning with determination,

"We will arrive in Ulsan soon."

Jaejun looked down to cool his burning passion.

The view of Ulsan from the sky looked like a toy city with miniature cars neatly lined up by a child.

'Ulsan.'

After passing the Ulsan car terminal created by the HD group, the sign "Jae Kyung Machinery" was visible on a five-story factory with over 2,000 square meters of floor space.

The helicopter pilot landed on the rooftop of Jae Kyung Machinery after communicating via radio.

Someone was already on the rooftop of Jae Kyung Machinery, watching.

As Jaejun got off the helicopter, Manager Jeong followed.

A man from Jae Kyung Machinery approached, breaking through the helicopter's wind, and politely asked, "Where are you from?"

"Yes, from Current Securities."

"You came by helicopter?"

"Yes. I came in my own helicopter. Is there a problem?"

"No, no. Please come in."

***

A meeting room of about 6 pyeong (20 square meters).

While Manager Jeong was briefing Jaejun about Jae Kyung Machinery, a man in his early 50s wearing work clothes entered.

The man paused briefly when he first saw Jaejun and then slowly approached.

Current Securities... Who is this?

"Hello."

He wiped his hands on his pants and extended both hands.

He shook Jaejun's hand with both hands and then offered his business card.

"Here."

Jaejun took the card.

Team Leader of Management Support, Kim Jaesu.

Kim Jaesu looked at Manager Jeong standing behind Jaejun and swallowed hard.

'Who is that guy? He doesn't look like an ordinary person. Is this young man the successor of Current Securities?'

Jaejun placed the card on the right side of the desk.

"I've only been at Current Securities for a short time, so I don't have a business card yet."

"Oh, that's fine. Are you here for a site visit?"

Site visit.

It's not unusual for a securities company employee to visit a company without prior notice. Analysts visit companies to write reports, and fund managers visit to find undervalued stocks and verify their value.

Usually, a quick-witted manager-level employee would put a money envelope in their pocket and treat them, and the analyst would release a report highlighting the company's strengths to the market.

"I represent Current Securities. Let's just call it a site visit."

Now, let's see what I can shake out of you.

"Oh, representing. Representing Current Securities. Please sit down."

Team Leader Kim Jaesu offered a seat with both hands and sat opposite.

As Jaejun sat down, Manager Jeong stood behind and glared at Kim Jaesu.

Kim Jaesu, feeling the pressure from Manager Jeong, wiped the sweat that kept flowing down his face.

'Representing Current Securities? By helicopter? Only the chairman rides a helicopter, right? So, the chairman lent him a helicopter. Wait, what's his position? He looks in his 20s, so... a director? Executive? Surely not a vice president? Why did he suddenly show up?'

Kim Jaesu swallowed hard and bowed again.

"Thank you for visiting Jae Kyung Machinery, the top securities company in Korea."

"Top? I'm sorry for the sudden visit."

"No, it's fine."

Now, let's do some negotiating.

There's a negotiation style called the Russian negotiation.

First, sit down, take off your mud-covered boots, and start shaking them on the floor.

Mutter incomprehensible curses to create a hostile atmosphere.

Why do this?

Of course, to take control of the atmosphere so I can get more.

But the other party must recognize that you're dealing with a country like Russia for it to be effective.

These days, the country that does this negotiation best is North Korea.

Jaejun plans to use the Russian negotiation style today.

Not completely, but to some extent.

"By the way, I heard that a manager and one of our employees were supposed to meet today..."

"Oh, yes. I just received a call from Manager Kang Byunggu. He said an employee would visit in the afternoon. Are you here to meet the manager?"

"Not exactly. I just stopped by on my way. Our analyst is very interested in Jae Kyung Machinery."

"I was about to contact you with some good news."

"Good news?"

"Please look at this document first."

The document cover, in bold Gothic font, read "Successful Development of Car Engine Parts," along with a newspaper article and a thick binder of related materials.

As Jaejun's eyes lingered on the article, the team leader began to explain excitedly, like a child receiving a prize.

"We have successfully developed engine parts, a long-standing goal. We are currently testing and plan to supply them to HD Motors by the end of the year."

"Great job."

The team leader smiled and continued.

"Hehe, we've been working hard, supplying small car parts."

'I thought he came for the wastewater treatment equipment, but he's talking about something else.'

Thud!

While Team Leader Kim Jaesu was talking, Jaejun threw the document on the table.

"Team Leader, how's the wastewater treatment equipment? Is it completed?"

"Excuse me?"

Jaejun's question made the team leader look uncomfortable.

"Is the development of the wastewater treatment equipment going well?"

"Um..."

"Have you started?"

"The project was doomed to fail from the planning stage..."

What's this about?

"Why?"

"That's..."

"Team Leader, I know our analyst is writing a report on the wastewater treatment equipment. What's going on? Surely you're not unaware?"

"I know, but..."

"You know? So, our analyst at Current Securities has to release a report on a device that can't even be made. Is that right?"

The team leader, taken aback by Jaejun's question, started to explain again.

"There's a reason. Developing wastewater treatment equipment requires a lot of time and money. We proceeded based on the government's promised subsidies, but we haven't received any so far. It's been a year already..."

The team leader sighed and continued.

"How can we make progress without funds? The government tells us to start with trust, but we can't fully trust a situation that could change at any time. So, we decided to pause the project."

"So, it's on hold, and we don't know when it will start again. Right?"

"Yes... that's correct."

"And the stock price has already risen. Right?"

"Yes."

"If I tell the truth about the wastewater treatment equipment now, the stock price will plummet. So, you want to sweep it under the rug?"

As Jaejun pressed, Team Leader Kim Jaesu sighed and avoided his gaze.

It's true that Jae Kyung Machinery was developing wastewater treatment equipment, but the project was on hold.

The stock price had already risen, and a plan was in place, so it was bound to rise further.

"Team Leader, no one knows that the wastewater treatment equipment project is on hold, right?"

"Yes... since it hasn't been disclosed, no one knows."