Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Salarion.
A bio-pharmaceutical company representing South Korea, it holds world-class technology in the field of biosimilars.
Biosimilars are, as the name suggests, generic drugs that contain the same ingredients and dosage as already approved biologics, producing identical therapeutic effects.
Unlike ordinary synthetic drug copies, biosimilars require sophisticated technology because they are based on complex biological formulations.
Park Jung-ju, CEO of Salarion, devoted his youth to securing biosimilar technology.
He poured over twenty years into it and achieved manufacturing capabilities at a global standard.
Then he launched the generic drug Remsima, generating higher sales than the original, elevating the company to the status of a global pharmaceutical powerhouse.
Yet, major foreign securities firms and investment banks took short positions.
The reason? Absurdly, they claimed the stock was overvalued.
The stock price moved sluggishly due to billions in short-selling volume.
For this reason, Park Jung-ju despised foreign investment banks and short-sellers with every fiber of his being.
His one wish was to hit them hard.
And that revenge came true yesterday.
The U.S. FDA approved Remsima, achieving a satisfying revenge.
Salarion Remsima receives U.S. FDA approval.
Entering the world's largest market, the United States, is expected to double sales.
In Salarion’s conference room, CEO Park Jung-ju and his executives gathered.
They were here to check the stock price today.
“Sir, the stock market is now open.”
“I wonder how much it will rise...”
Everyone’s eyes turned to the beam projector.
At nine o’clock, the stock market opened.
The upper limit.
“Wow!!!”
The employees in the conference room raised their hands in celebration.
CEO Park Jung-ju shouted with a triumphant expression.
“Good! Let all those short-selling bastards burn!!”
“Ha ha ha.”
Everyone laughed, enjoying the president’s curse.
“With FDA approval, it should rise over fifty percent, right?”
“Of course.”
“The damage to those who shorted won’t be ordinary.”
“Just suffering won’t be enough. We need to make them experience hell.”
“Hell?”
The employees looked at CEO Park with puzzled expressions.
“After the market closes today, announce a stock buyback. Amount: two hundred billion won. Oh, and say the shares will be canceled afterward.”
“Understood.”
Buying back and canceling treasury stock will drive the price up.
In this situation, it’s like pouring gasoline on a burning house.
Moreover, short-sellers will need to buy back the shares as quickly as possible.
Panic buying will push the price even higher.
The flames of hell were about to engulf the short-sellers.
“Then let’s wrap this up.”
Park Jung-ju’s face was full of victorious smiles as he left the meeting for his office.
“Upper limit! Deok-su, it hit the upper limit!!”
The team leader jumped from her seat.
Honestly, I didn’t expect it to hit the upper limit.
Salarion is such a large company that I assumed it would rise only ten to twenty percent.
The upper limit.
A thrilling sensation spread through my body.
“Should we sell?”
The team leader cautiously asked me.
Being a blue-chip stock, she thought it likely that the upper limit would release soon.
“Wait a moment.”
I moved the mouse and clicked on Salarion’s stock.
‘Should I sell now?’
Although I felt like selling, there was nothing at my nose.
It was a signal that it wasn’t the right time yet.
Then, it would rise again tomorrow.
How much would it rise tomorrow?
It’d be greedy to hope it hits the upper limit, but it was possible.
Anyway, it will rise further.
Better to wait.
“I don’t think it’s the right time yet. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
“...So, you think it will rise further, Deok-su?”
I slowly nodded.
“Hmm. It’s rare for a heavy blue-chip stock to rise two days in a row. On what basis?”
“Just a feeling.”
I couldn’t say it was because of the scent, so I lied.
The team leader gave a bewildered look.
“Ha, so you won’t reveal your strategy?”
“??”
Strategy?
What does she mean?
Ah! I remembered she told me not to reveal the reason last time.
The reason for buying held the trader’s know-how.
Revealing it carelessly wouldn’t help.
“You told me last time not to say, so I won’t.”
“Hmm, fair enough. Well, if you won’t say, I’ll guess. Deok-su, you think sales will double with FDA approval, and the short-sellers will trigger a short squeeze. So you expect it to rise tomorrow, right?”
Her logic made sense.
I nodded.
“As I thought.”
The team leader smiled proudly.
It was cute how she felt like she was patting herself on the back.
“You’ll hold, but I won’t. There will be sell-offs from profit-taking after the spike. So I’ll sell.”
“Hold it, please.”
The team leader shook her head.
“Trust me and hold once.”
She ignored my offer.
I felt bad for her, missing the opportunity.
“No. According to my analysis, the trend will turn downward soon, and tomorrow it will dip a bit. I’ll buy again if it drops.”
“Understood.”
I stopped offering.
“Shall we see who wins?”
The team leader challenged me.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Chicken?”
Not exactly.
I didn’t know how much it would rise, but I was sure it would rise tomorrow.
Knowing the future so clearly felt unfair.
“...”
“How about this?”
The team leader handed me an envelope.
Inside were two meal invitation tickets.
Korean restaurant Mosa.
The only Michelin three-star restaurant in South Korea.
I wanted them.
“This Saturday evening, two people.”
“You won’t regret it?”
“Of course. But what if I win?”
“Then I won’t make you run errands anymore.”
“Take that and add a sushi omakase.”
“Okay. You mustn’t regret it.”
“Who’s the one to say.”
The team leader’s confident voice.
I wanted to change the bet.
I already knew it would rise tomorrow.
Betting on up or down felt a little like cheating.
I wanted to be fair.
So.
“Let’s bet not on rise or fall, but whether it will hit the upper limit again.”
“What? Upper limit?”
The team leader covered her mouth, smiling.
“Are you mocking me?”
“No, no. Not mocking. It’s just that your dream is so big and ambitious, Deok-su.”
I had to admit that.
Honestly, it might not even hit the upper limit.
I just wanted to let her win.
She had been bringing coffee constantly because of the bet, which was a burden.
Other teams had interns doing it, but I got special treatment, and I felt eyes on me.
Maybe I was enjoying a little honey here.
After the bet, we returned to our work.
Time passed quickly.
A drowsy afternoon.
“Kim Deok-su, would you like a coffee?”
The team leader asked playfully.
“Now? The market isn’t over yet.”
“It’s fine. I just sold Salarion. Thirty percent profit. I’ve already hit my monthly performance target.”
Eight hundred million won invested and hit the upper limit.
Over two hundred million won in profit.
She manages one billion won and must earn two percent per month.
Today, hitting Salarion’s upper limit earned over two hundred million, so her monthly goal was complete.
She could relax.
“Ice Americano, right? I’ll be back.”
With a grin, she went to buy coffee.
Alone, I scanned the mock stock trading program.
I wanted to check other investable options.
I couldn’t use the scent ability only on stocks.
I looked for more areas to maximize profits.
Futures, options, bonds, U.S. stocks—many possibilities.
I decided to explore each.
I’d study futures and options later; for now, I wanted to invest in U.S. stocks.
In Korea, daily fluctuation is capped at thirty percent. In the U.S., no such limit.
Stocks can rise tens of percent in a single day.
Of course, they can also crash.
‘Which U.S. stock should I try?’
I opened my account.
I applied for foreign trading and was approved in five minutes.
I searched for familiar U.S. companies.
I selected a few to buy, but nothing triggered the scent.
The team leader returned and handed me my coffee.
“Here, ice Americano with extra shot.”
“Thanks.”
I sipped the bitter, refreshing coffee.
“Trying U.S. stocks too?”
“Just looking around.”
“It’s dangerous in the U.S. Be careful.”
“True, but high risk equals high return.”
I said it, but it didn’t apply to me.
Low risk, high return.
Thanks to the scent, I could minimize risk and maximize profit.
“Still, always be careful. Stay humble in this field. Got it?”
“Yes.”
The market closed with the alarm.
“Good work today.”
“You too.”
“Let’s take a short break.”
“Yes.”
As I turned off the trading system, a popup appeared.
Breaking news.
[Salarion announces 200 billion won stock buyback to enhance shareholder value.]
“Team leader.”
I turned, surprised.
Her hand holding the coffee trembled.
Crazy!
Kim Yuri’s thoughts.
How is that possible?
How does Deok-su know this?
Does he have connections at Salarion?
FDA approval and stock buyback.
Could he be Park Jung-ju’s hidden son or something?
‘No, that’s too far-fetched.’
What is this?
Could he see the future?
In fantasy novels, there are such people...
‘Also too far-fetched.’
A genius?
Some geniuses predict the future with extraordinary logic.
With excellent analysis, insight, and keen intuition, they forecast events.
This seemed the most plausible.
‘Tomorrow’s rise is certain.’
With this announcement, tomorrow’s rise is guaranteed.
But hitting the upper limit is not easy.
For a large blue-chip like Salarion, two consecutive upper limits... impossible.
Kim Yuri tried to believe that.
‘It’s not over yet.’
As the saying goes, it’s not over until it’s over—the bet isn’t over yet either.
And it didn’t matter who won.
They’d have dinner together anyway.
Kim Yuri was more interested in Deok-su’s uncanny predictive ability than the bet’s outcome.
I handled morning tasks and waited for the stock market to open.
Outwardly, I calmly browsed financial news, but my mind was fully on Salarion.
Could it hit the upper limit again?
Not easy.
Salarion is heavy and slow-moving.
But it wasn’t impossible.
Stock buyback, short-sellers’ squeeze, and individual buying pressure could push it to the upper limit again.
9 o’clock approached.
I watched the monitor with a pounding heart.
With the 9 a.m. alarm, the stock market opened.
Hitting the upper limit!
My heart pounded with exhilaration.
I maintained a poker face.
I didn’t want to show excitement or disappointment.
Stocks are all psychology. To profit or avoid loss, a trader must remain like a stone Buddha.
I said calmly,
“It’s the upper limit.”
“Ha...”
The team leader’s sigh filled the ninth team’s room.
“Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah. I made a profit yesterday. And to survive long as a trader, you can’t be too greedy.”
She said it, but her face showed she was seething inside.
If she held today, the profit would’ve been 570 million won...
Seeing her force a smile made me feel sorry for her.
‘You should’ve trusted me.’
I checked my account.
Profit: 34 million won.
Return rate: 69 percent.
The account had 85 million won.
Mock investment account: I invested 140 million won and earned 98 million won.
The mock account now had over 230 million won.
Starting from 100 million won, total return exceeded 130 percent.
An astonishing performance.
Would it hit the upper limit tomorrow too?
I felt greedy.
But first, I needed to check.
I clicked on Salarion and considered selling.
Then a pleasant scent reached me.
It signaled to sell.
I sold all immediately.
[Sell order executed.]
I got up and approached the team leader.
“Team leader.”
“Why?”
“Sorry to say this now, but the Mosa tickets...”
“Oh, yes.”
She took an envelope from her drawer and handed it to me.
Then she said,
“Then, shall we meet at Mosa this Saturday?”
“Excuse me?”
“You don’t have anyone to go with anyway. I’ll come with you.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m giving these to my parents.”
Her expression faltered.
Why is she like that?
She seemed still shocked by the loss.
“Oh, uh, right. Good son, huh?”
“No, not really. Time to repay my parents now.”
I took the tickets and returned to my seat.
Calmed, I focused on the monitor again.
I checked the U.S. stock market.
I filtered stocks by volume, rise, and fall rates, checking each, but none had the scent.
I searched for stocks with high short-selling ratios.
The autonomous electric vehicle company Tetra was first.
I clicked, but no scent.
Other highly shorted stocks—none emitted the scent.
But near the last stock, the scent was much stronger than any I’d smelled before.
‘The scent is stronger.’
I checked the name.
A video game distribution company: GameHub.