Chapter 31
Chapter 31
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Wolf of Wall Street (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Why? You think I'm gonna work you fourteen hours a day and not give you any vacation time?"
"No... Well, I'm already getting paid more than enough, so I figured it was fine."
"Once you start handling real money, you'll probably see things differently."
It might look easy just barking orders from above, but those in charge have their own headaches. Especially when underlings don't voice complaints about their treatment in the short term—that's when things get dangerous.
If you don't manage their stress, they might betray you later. Even if they never once told you they were tired.
You'd think they'd just speak up, but that's how people are. They start off thinking they can tough it out, but resentment builds up eventually.
Remember this: People aren't dating sim characters whose affection maxes at 100 and never drops after that.
I wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin and smiled brightly.
"You won't even have time to spend money soon. You're already swamped juggling self-care, the tasks I've dumped on you, and waiting on me hand and foot. You barely see your siblings anymore."
And Lee Si-hyeon wouldn't be getting married anytime soon either... which meant no family of her own. Not if I had anything to say about it.
It was a scumbag thought, but I had no intention of letting her go.
"That's..."
"Si-hyeon, why are you working under me? If it's just a job, you'd be better off somewhere else. Maybe not back in the old days, but definitely now."
"...Everything I've achieved so far is thanks to you, Miss. I have to pay that back."
I'd showered a fresh grad with too much, too soon. But that wouldn't last. Time would change her mind.
"Even after you've paid back every bit of that favor, I'll keep using you. Then what? Once your siblings are independent, you'll start finding it a hassle to stick by my side, right?"
She was meant to be my secretary for life. My first real person, and I had zero plans to let Lee Si-hyeon slip away.
In this era, married women retiring was the most natural thing. If Si-hyeon tied the knot, she'd quit being my secretary and end up at home raising kids.
She wasn't from some powerhouse family that could thumb its nose at social norms, so yeah, that was probably set in stone.
Even I think I'm a piece of trash for this.
It was trashy enough to make what little conscience I had left scream in agony. Sure, she'd agreed to come under me, but I'd basically strong-armed her into it.
Luckily, she didn't seem to have complaints now...
Either way, to guard against any "what ifs," I'd shower her with material rewards beyond excess.
"Anyway, point is, I'm giving you some time off. Truth is, you don't have much left to do anyway. Take a breather and think it over."
"...Yes."
She still didn't get it, just nodding with a puzzled look.
The short lunch break ended like that.
"Yeah, got it for now... Let's get back to work."
A light appetizer for me, but for someone else, it might be a feast that fills them to bursting.
The Japanese securities exchange was that massive.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Japanese market closed at 3 p.m., leaving about two and a half hours after lunch ended at 12:30.
Korea Standard Time matched Japan's, so calculations were straightforward.
"Summer time lately was a pain for time math, but back to normal now—feels good. Imagine the side-eye when the sun's still high and you're clocking out..."
A staffer cracked that joke after lunch.
The '88 Olympics meant summer time this year and next. Made us drag ourselves up early all summer.
Last week was the end of it—back then, Japan was an hour ahead.
"They'll do it again next year... Annoying."
Tch. All for squeezing extra broadcasting fees.
I'd never cared much about the Olympics in my past or present life, so I let out a small sigh and focused on the charts.
The Nikkei hadn't budged much yet, but semiconductor stocks were mostly down 10%.
"Toshiba opened at 1,500 yen, right?"
"Yes, 1,521 yen. It's around 1,400 now."
Not bad, but...
Compared to mobilizing the entire Japanese financial district for short-selling, it wasn't stellar.
"...The ripple effect's smaller than expected. This okay as is?"
Someone muttered uneasily. The impact on the overall market was less than hoped.
"Next week is what matters. The real crash kicks off in New York... Hoo, still needs to drop more."
My eyes, slightly bloodshot now, bored into the screen. My small hand clenched tight.
The biggest variable in this plan? Time zones.
Japan and Korea were on October 16th, but the U.S. was still the 15th. In real history, the Nikkei's -15% hit wasn't on Black Monday the 19th, but the next day, the 20th.
Normally, it should've been U.S. crash → Japan crash.
But I was flipping it: Shake Japan to hit the U.S. Fail to overcome the time lag, and we couldn't deviate far from original history.
Adjusting those variables was my job.
"We'll see how it plays out, so everyone take Saturday off, but no leaving early Sunday through Tuesday, got it?"
The staff nodded gravely. I planned to skip school too and stay at the office.
Lucky the flu was going around at school. I'd cleared Monday through Tuesday already—no chance the star player would be MIA at crunch time.
"What’s Ha Joo-seong saying from Japan? We leaked to individuals and small firms, but now we can move the big shots."
Everyone was connected, so my intel would morph into premium tips climbing the chain.
"Boss is reaching out to Nomura and Daiwa. Says since the info checked out, he can drag negotiations longer... One sec."
One staffer checked the comms network, then turned to me beaming.
"They asked about it!"
"Who?"
"Nomura side. Looks like they predict this sparks a massive crash!"
Nomura Securities—Ha Joo-seong's old firm.
The undisputed king of Japanese brokerages, later swallowing Lehman after the subprime mess.
They've got the eye.
"Good. Stand by till close... And spread rumors to Hong Kong now. Tell Ha Young-il to get the ball rolling."
"Yes!"
The room filled with bustling movement and ringing phones.
And sometime later...
-Thud.
The screen flickered as new numbers popped up. Toshiba broke 1,400, dipping into 1,300s.
1,340 yen.
1,320 yen.
1,310 yen.
The price started plummeting wildly, thud thud. With Japan's top brokerage moving openly, the waves were huge. Sell orders piled up on the board.
Volume dried up, sellers outnumbering buyers.
Panic selling.
"Crazy... How hard did they hit the shorts?"
Even though it was great news for us, the staff stared pale-faced at the screen.
"Th-this going limit down?"
Japan sets daily limits by price bands, not percentages. Toshiba opened at 1,521 yen, so limit down was 300 yen lower.
1,221 yen.
"Could be. ...No, it has to."
Clock hit 2:30. Market closed at 3, reopening Monday. Weekend in between—who knew what could happen.
Normally, expectation of recovery might've held it, but shorts changed everything.
Not just Toshiba—NEC and Hitachi, other chip giants, were in freefall too.
"Thirty minutes to close! Toshiba broke 1,300!"
"...NEC broke 1,500."
-Ring! Riiiing!
Phones blared nonstop.
I could practically see the Tokyo Exchange in chaos, shouts flying. Spine-tingling thrill coursed through me as I glued to the screen.
Toshiba 1,290 yen, NEC 1,474 yen, Hitachi 1,430 yen.
Japan's big three semis teetering on limit down.
Then, 2:48 p.m.
1,221 yen, 1,420 yen, 1,360 yen.
Screen prices froze. Even before close.
In other words... limit down.
Three in a row.