Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Selig's Success Myth Continues!
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A rumor began to spread subtly through the stock gallery.
The source was the American Stock Exchange.
Selig had stirred up yet another commotion.
They'd successfully completed clinical trials for a new ALS drug—a treatment deemed impossible with current medical technology.
Following their vaccine and Deadly Mite treatments.
ALS, the disease that shattered human dignity twice over, forced those afflicted to endure unrelenting agony until death.
It preyed on the poor and rich alike, without mercy.
It started with weakening muscles in the arms, legs, and face, gradually spreading throughout the body. Over time, even walking or lifting a hand became impossible. And if it dragged on further, something as simple as swallowing saliva turned unattainable.
The few treatments available were hopelessly out of reach for ordinary folks, leaving patients to stare wide-eyed through sleepless nights.
Who could've imagined a miracle unfolding amid all this?
Selig delivered glad tidings not just to patients, but to investors as well.
📈 Stock Gallery Post Selig's success story isn't over yet! 📊 Post Stats Views: 1,130,209 Recommendations: 105,002 Comments: 29,994 This post, which had risen to the top of the popular threads, shattered records for views in the stock gallery. Small investors had their antennae up for every move Selig made.
— Original Post Hey there? I'm the guy who got absolutely wrecked investing in Ilseong Electronics stock not long ago. I lost an entire salaryman's annual pay, fought like hell with my wife, and ended up on the brink of divorce. If you read my post carefully, I said "ended up on the brink," not "got divorced." How do you think I pulled through that crisis? Some of you probably guessed it already, but in desperation, I dumped every last penny into Selig. People might call me insane for that choice. But life was that brutal. My eldest is starting high school next year, and the youngest is about to enter elementary. Everyone knows how insanely expensive it is to raise kids, right? If you're wondering how I even got into Selig, I have a childhood friend living in the States. And get this—he drops this wild story on me... Selig, now a major U.S. pharma giant, passed FDA trials for none other than ALS. Not some rare disease—ALS! Can you believe it? It's fundamentally different from leukemia. Leukemia already has tons of treatments, and cure rates are way higher than before. You could treat it just fine without Selig's drug. But ALS? We don't even know the cause, and once you get it, you're burning billions just to live like a vegetable. Want to hear something even more shocking? There was this one boy in Selig's trials. And apparently, he's a pretty famous kid. Everyone's heard of Jack Laden, right? The white-haired grandpa who's a U.S. Senator and Chairman of the Armed Services Committee. Was it a year ago? When he visited Korea, the President and Prime Minister came out to greet him personally. And that's not all. When those idiot rebels in the Middle East hijacked that ship and made total asses of themselves, Jack Laden sorted it out in one shot. They cured that guy's kid? Thanks to him, they fast-tracked through the notoriously strict FDA trials. I'm heading to the U.S. right now? Why's the divorce-dodging me going to America? To see that childhood friend who convinced me to buy Selig stock. (Photo) (Photo) (Photo) That's my wife and my ugly frog kids. Aren't they cute? Divorce? Hell no—things with the wife are better than ever now. The exact amount I made is a secret, but it'll comfortably support three generations. Don't ever sell your Selig shares. Just hold 'em. Trust me and hold! One day, they'll shine. A heartfelt wall of text.
Rather than bragging about the money to rub it in anyone's face, it offered genuine encouragement and advice.
And posts like that naturally drew a flood of comments.
💬 Comments — Anon1 Congrats! — Anon2 Whoa, how much did you make to support three generations? ⭐ Top Comment — Anon3 At least hundreds of billions, right? — Anon4 5 billion would last a lifetime, no? — Anon5 What bullshit? How's 5 billion enough for life? — Anon6 Nah, if you don't marry, it's doable. I survived 20 years on 100 million. — Anon7 ↳ Reply You guys are missing the point. Dude's got a wife and two kids. Raising one kid costs billions these days. — Anon8 Yeah, prices are insane now—way more than back in the day. — Anon9 So jealous. Raking in billions and flying business class to the States? Total baller move. Gazes filled with envy and jealousy.
Watching this rags-to-riches tale unfold in real time fueled the small investors' fantasies that they too could achieve such a legend.
And that resolve drove even more money into the stock market.
— Anon10 Time to buy! — Anon11 Fuck it, life's too short. Real men go all-in now. — Anon12 I just dumped my life savings like him. — Anon13 You're nuts? You'll end up in the Han River. Buy lotto instead! — Anon14 Screw it. Buying now, will post update later. The community boards erupted like a volcano. New posts flooded in so fast there was no room to breathe. Notifications piled up by the dozens in seconds, screens overflowing with comments and replies.
— Anon15 I'm gonna make bank tooooo!!! ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In Jangchung-dong, at the mansion where the president of Mirae Distribution resided.
Unlike the modern main building, this family home carried a touch of old-world romance.
The sky burned red.
Beneath it, a serene hanok compound divided into main hall and annex—and true to chaebol form, east and west wings besides.
Majestic enough to evoke a palace.
Yoo Kyung-su sat on the porch, savoring his tea set.
He lightly swept back his hair, then gripped the teapot with hands etched by time.
"Hm..."
Seeking peace of mind, perhaps?
The stream of tea poured flawlessly into the cup, without a single ripple.
Eyes gently closed, he brought the cup to his lips.
The warmth enveloped his mouth softly, spreading from the tip of his tongue. He savored it slowly, deeply.
Each sip felt like reliving life's moments—calm, unhurried. Handling the tea set wasn't mere hobby; it was profound meditation woven into his existence.
Knock knock!
At that moment, a man visited the Jangchung-dong residence.
"Sir, it's Jo Ji-hoon."
"It's been ages. Come, join me for a cup."
The two sat facing each other.
In this private space, away from official duties, they conversed freely.
Yoo Kyung-su glanced around slowly, then smiled once more at the sky. In that quiet instant, his life flowed as naturally as leaves rustling in the breeze.
"Busy with company matters these days?"
"Not at all. I've got to earn my keep, haven't I?"
"Back in my day, I lived at the office too. Anyway, did you bring it?"
Secretary General Jo Ji-hoon handed over a thick envelope of documents. Yoo Kyung-su took it. Inside was a complete dossier on one individual.
"Kim Do-jun, eh?"
Jo Ji-hoon then shared his findings.
"He was an ordinary salaryman at first. Then suddenly money appeared, which he used for investments. Now he's CEO of Starlight."
"Self-made man, then?"
"Sort of, but there are more than a few suspicious points."
Yoo Kyung-su, flipping through the pages, seemed to share the sentiment.
How had an average citizen amassed such vast funds? Unclear.
"Won the lottery or something?"
"That's verified."
"Then couldn't he start a business with those winnings?"
"No. Reports show that on the day he received the lottery payout, a massive sum flowed out to somewhere."
"!"
Mirae Distribution.
An independent affiliate of the Mirae Group, ranked 25th in the business world.
Still, undeniable as a behemoth sustaining a nation.
Yoo Kyung-su had mobilized his vast network to track one man—all to grant his sole granddaughter's petty revenge.
But the deeper the probe, the murkier it got.
"Sir."
Jo Ji-hoon suddenly spoke gravely.
Though now they exchanged mere pleasantries, they were once comrades-in-arms for 20 years.
For such a man to wear that grim expression...
"We should stop here. It'd be for the best."
"Stop here? For our Mirae?"
"My instincts are screaming not to dig further."
From lowly employee to secretary general of the group—Jo Ji-hoon had weathered every storm.
His words couldn't be dismissed lightly.
"......"
Yoo So-geum, his granddaughter, barely placated with promises to trust Grandpa alone.
After losing family more precious than life, Yoo Kyung-su vowed one thing deep in his heart.
To defend the chaebol pride, no matter the external pressure.
There had to be good reason for Jo Ji-hoon's warning. Even if it cost him Mirae Distribution, his bloodline as a direct descendant of the Mirae clan remained unchanged.
He couldn't back down.
"It's fine."
"Sir!"
"Do you know what I value most?"
"......"
"Back in the '80s, Mirae was just a rice merchant. We started with rice and now span every industry."
"Sir..."
"That's what a chaebol is. Even with risks—even assuming failure—we push forward. That's how you survive cutthroat competition."
With words like that, Jo Ji-hoon could find no further grounds to refuse and bowed his head. He didn't know who backed this 'Kim Do-jun,' but it felt ominous.
Perhaps even the entire Mirae Group couldn't touch him.
"Sir. I meant to keep this to myself."
"Speak. Even the smallest detail."
"Starlight's original CEO was Ma Chun-dong."
"Ma Chun-dong?"
"Yes. Chinese national, came here for business, it seems. But the issue isn't his profile—it's that he's vanished from the world."
"!"
"We lost track of him starting from Beijing Airport."
"Strange. China's big, but don't we have a branch there?"
"We do. Mobilized every staffer, but still failed to pinpoint Ma Chun-dong."
Yoo Kyung-su grasped the situation instantly.
Kim Do-jun clearly had ties to China.
And stronger ones than imagined.
'Public Security...'
Who'd have thought he'd leverage that damn guanxi so adeptly.
Guanxi was essential for expanding business in China. One side helps, the other repays in kind—that's the culture.
Of course, not just anyone could wield it freely.
If guanxi were easy, every company worldwide would've conquered the China market.
This only piqued his curiosity about Kim Do-jun more.
"Thank you. I'll handle it from here alone."
"Sir..."
"Haha, no harm will come to you. Rest easy."
Yoo Kyung-su hardened his resolve.
He had to meet this Kim Do-jun man at least once.