Chapter 29
Chapter 29
“Deok-su, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Team Leader Kim asked with a worried tone.
“Suddenly Edison SB hit the limit down.”
“Isn’t that good? You shorted it.”
“That’s true, but this scenario wasn’t expected.”
“Really? If the chart moved like that, it means something bad happened. There’ll probably be news soon.”
As expected, an article about Edison SB appeared:
-Edison SB under investigation for stock manipulation. CEO Yoon Seok-jin arrested for embezzlement and breach of trust. Also suspected of participating in stock manipulation.
That explained it.
“Deok-su, did you see the article? Amazing. The stock will drop further. This investment will probably be a huge success.”
Team Leader Kim spoke as if she were celebrating her own achievement.
“Thank you.”
“When will you close the position?”
“I’ll wait a little longer.”
The scent hadn’t become clear yet.
‘Let’s wait a little longer.’
My words made Team Leader Kim flinch in surprise.
“Exactly! The heart of a beast!”
Until recently, I had a normal heart, and now it was the heart of a beast.
The compliment made me feel proud.
As I looked at the monitor with a pleased smile, the closing bell rang.
I expected it would hit the limit down again tomorrow.
I checked today’s transaction summary news. Nothing unusual.
Then an announcement came from the stock exchange:
[Edison SB, trading suspended]
“Huh? What’s this?”
An unexpected variable appeared.
Suddenly, trading was suspended?
I had shorted, so I needed to buy back the stock to realize the profit.
But if trading was suspended, I couldn’t buy. I would have to pay fees continuously during the suspension period.
Not a huge cost, but still a loss.
Then it hit me like lightning.
‘Wait… why am I so stupid?’
I scolded myself for my ignorance.
Trading suspension.
Given it was due to the major shareholder’s embezzlement, breach of trust, or capital erosion, it was likely the pre-step for delisting.
In other words, Edison SB was about to enter delisting review.
And in this case, it would almost certainly be delisted.
Delisted?
During the final few days of trading, the stock would be priced at one hundred won.
One hundred won.
I had sold shares borrowed from a broker at 58,000 won. Now I could buy back at 100 won.
No calculation needed.
I had shorted 50 billion won worth. Essentially, I’d earned 50 billion won.
The maximum profit achievable from short selling.
My heart raced, but I didn’t get excited. The profit wasn’t finalized yet.
“Deok-su!”
Team Leader Kim came over.
“Edison SB is likely going to be delisted…”
“I think so too.”
“A huge jackpot! Massive jackpot.”
Manager Choi, who had run to the restroom as soon as the market closed, returned.
He didn’t understand what was happening.
“What happened?”
Team Leader Kim gestured to me.
“Edison SB. Trading’s suspended, and it looks like delisting will happen.”
“Really? Wow… I checked after Deok-su mentioned it. On the Edison SB forum, user UCastle said it’s a failing company. And he was right. You know UCastle, right?”
“UCastle? Oh, that person? I’m not unfamiliar with him…”
“UCastle, who had disappeared for a while, suddenly appeared and targeted Edison SB. His skill hasn’t changed.”
“Indeed. Impressive ability. Since childhood, he’s been obsessively analyzing others’ weaknesses.”
“Since childhood? What do you mean?”
“Ah, nothing.”
“But Deok-su…”
Manager Choi hesitated, clearly curious but unable to ask.
Team Leader Kim could see my trades because of her authority, but Manager Choi couldn’t.
No need to hide it from him. The investment was already complete.
“Investment amount?”
Manager Choi’s eyes sparkled.
“I shorted about 50 billion won.”
“Whoa! Gasp!”
The surprised manager almost couldn’t breathe.
Likely because his incentive depends on performance. My bonus is calculated from 70 percent company share, excluded.
Thirty percent of the 50 billion, 15 billion, is the team’s incentive.
Manager Choi’s share, thirty percent of that, is 4.5 billion.
“Then my bonus is about 4.5 billion?”
“Yes.”
“Wait, I need to wash my face to sober up.”
He staggered from his seat, walking unsteadily.
Anyone seeing him would think he was drunk. He was intoxicated, but not with alcohol—with money.
I felt the same.
Team bonus: 15 billion.
I had experienced a huge bonus before and thought I could handle it—but money hits you differently every time.
I stayed seated, careful not to stagger.
I checked my account.
After minor expenses, there was over 50 billion won.
Adding 3 billion from my share of the team bonus, 53 billion.
Unbelievable.
FIU Financial Information Analysis Unit 1, Review Section. Head Kang Cheol-min waited for responses to his cooperation requests sent to the police and prosecutors.
“Why are these idiots dragging their feet?”
“They’ll respond soon. Just wait a little longer.”
“Yes, I can wait. I’ve waited five years, I can wait a day.”
But he was more anxious than ever. What if the criminal escaped abroad or hid somewhere?
This was a battle against time, but police and prosecutors followed procedures and delayed. He even suspected insiders among them.
Kang Cheol-min’s request aimed to arrest a stock manipulator.
He had been monitoring the target for a long time. He could’ve been caught, but the target’s secret accounts remained unchecked. They held all profits from prior stock manipulation and sham M&A. Returning this money to victims was meaningful.
Even if arrested, ten years wouldn’t pass in prison.
With an extravagant private lawyer, the target could even get acquitted.
Once out, he’d spend billions with money earned from others’ sweat and blood.
So they watched.
Suddenly, fifty billion won arrived in the target’s dummy account from a Swiss account.
Miraculous luck.
Tracing the reason, a righteous person had shorted to block stock manipulation.
The target transferred money hastily to counter the falling stock but made a mistake. Normally, the money would be laundered multiple times through a broker.
The thrill of checking the account number was unforgettable.
Five years of persistence finally bore fruit.
Kang Cheol-min thanked the unknown righteous person sincerely.
Then the phone rang.
“The police special forces are ready.”
A message arrived from the prosecutors.
[Search and arrest warrants issued]
It was time.
“Let’s go~~~.”
Kang Cheol-min grabbed his jacket and headed out.
Na Eui-ri, stock manipulator and sham M&A corporate raider’s safehouse.
Originally a luxury villa in Hannam-dong, now a run-down house next to an old apartment to avoid police and prosecutors.
In the small living room, his brother Na Jeong-eui lowered his head.
“How much was lost?”
“F-Five hundred billion.”
“Get down, you bastard!!”
-Whack, whack, whack.
Na Eui-ri beat his brother with a golf club.
He could never forgive his sibling for losing money more important than family.
“S-Save me.”
-Whack, whack, whack.
No mercy.
He saw Na Jeong-eui lying on the floor like a bug. He wanted to crush him completely.
His subordinates dragged the unconscious brother away.
Frustration surged.
The operation suggested by Edison SB’s side, with the major shareholder involved, was supposed to be easy money.
He expected to pocket about 50 billion but it vanished.
Normally, he would have led the operation, but ongoing trials forced him to delegate to his brother. That was the mistake.
The operation failed due to hundreds of billions in short selling from Mirae Securities.
Large short selling made investors think the company was in trouble. Seeing the shorted shares, small investors sold without question.
He wanted to tear apart whoever shorted.
“Still haven’t found the short seller? Must be someone holding a grudge. Find them, bring them to me.”
“Yes. But, Chairman, I have news.”
“What?”
“It seems Deok-su pulled money from another account during the operation. He moved funds to place a final 5 billion order.”
“Another account?”
Na Eui-ri’s eyes flashed with killing intent.
“It wasn’t transferred immediately, right?”
“No laundering… went directly.”
“From a Swiss account?”
The subordinate nodded.
“….”
“Damn it, damn it, damn it.”
Curses spilled.
“Why are you only telling me now? Launder the funds quickly. Withdraw everything from the Korean account. And…”
Then—
-Crash.
Glass shattered. Black-clad police special forces stormed in through the window.
He tried to escape, but police pointed guns at him.
“Damn…”
“Na Eui-ri, you are under arrest for stock manipulation, illegal money laundering, and foreign currency smuggling. You are entitled to a lawyer…”
The man with a silver bracelet was taken to the police car.
Kang Cheol-min, observing, felt a thrill.
“Finally, Na Eui-ri is caught, Director.”
The director shook his head.
“Finally, we found the money. Actually, catching Na Eui-ri was easy. We left him because we couldn’t trace the money.”
“True. But who’s the short seller? Shall we investigate?”
“No. Better not to know. Revealing their identity could be dangerous.”
“But isn’t it amazing? How did they short a manipulated stock? They could’ve suffered huge losses.”
“Don’t say ‘person.’ Say ‘that person.’”
“Ah, yes. Sorry. If they hadn’t shorted, we wouldn’t have traced Na Eui-ri’s account.”
“Exactly. Na Jeong-eui moved 5 billion directly from Switzerland in a hurry, got caught. Without that person, tracing Na Eui-ri would have been extremely hard.”
The two watched with admiration. They would remember that person’s sacrifice and dedication in saving small investors through short selling.
“But who could they be? Super investor? Securities executive? Hedge fund CEO?”
“Probably one of them. Not ordinary. That’s the hope of our country.”
“Right. Hope!! Let’s move on.”
“They stopped by the convenience store.”
They walked, noticing a man leaving the store in slippers, disheveled, just waking up.
Kang Cheol-min said,
“That guy is the despair of this country.”
“Indeed, he’s nothing like that person.”
“Right, no comparison.”
“Sorry.”
They glanced a few times and entered the store.
Buying a lunch box at the convenience store, they whispered while noticing me.
‘Do they know me?’
I didn’t know them, so I ran home.
Yesterday, I left work early after trading U.S. stocks.
Now I had to go back.
Team Leader Kim said I didn’t need to, but I wanted to prepare documents for tomorrow.
In the taxi, a news report came: Na Eui-ri had been arrested again.
“That’s right!”
I clenched my fist without realizing.
“Good day?”
“No. Just thanking that unknown person who played a decisive role in catching Na Eui-ri.”
The taxi arrived at the company. I paid with a card and stepped out.
Waiting at the office was Yang Jin-su, CEO of Jalnolja.
“CEO, what brings you here?”
“I have something to discuss with Asset Management Team 9.”
“About what?”
“Not here. Let’s go to a café.”
“Sure. Nothing bad, right?”
“Hahaha, nothing bad at all. Great news. A few complications, though.”
Great news? A few complications?
I entered the café full of curiosity.