Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Lunch with the Prosecutor and Major Investments
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“Haha. Why do you think that is?”
Lee Dae-hyuk laughed as he brushed off Kim Il-chung’s words.
“…….”
Kim Il-chung stared blankly at his smiling face before focusing intently on his meal.
He had verbally dismantled countless lawyers in courtrooms, but strangely, he always held back in front of Lee Dae-hyuk.
Continuing the conversation would only annoy himself.
‘Just… eat.’
As Kim Il-chung tuned him out and concentrated on his food, Lee Dae-hyuk smiled faintly.
“Why are you smiling?”
Irritated by the smile, Kim Il-chung asked.
Lee Dae-hyuk replied with a pleased expression.
“You must be lonely eating alone all the time.”
“No? I’ve always liked eating by myself.”
Kim Il-chung answered nonchalantly.
Of course, given his personality, he wouldn’t feel down about eating alone.
But Lee Dae-hyuk thought differently.
It was a culture that had nearly vanished by the time he regressed.
‘The prosecutors had their own tradition called “meal duty.”’
Factions form wherever people gather.
And those factions bond most tightly over meals.
The task of reserving restaurants for those meals usually fell to the youngest in the group.
So, the fact that Kim Il-chung still ate alone meant he had no faction.
Lee Dae-hyuk casually brought it up, planning to mention Ryu O-chang’s son from yesterday.
“Do you happen to know a Prosecutor Kim Min-woo?”
The prosecutor world was small, but not everyone knew everyone.
He was just testing the waters.
“What? Kim Min-woo? You mean that hothead? Yeah, I know him. He’s even more of a hothead than me.”
“……?!!”
Lee Dae-hyuk’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected response.
From Kim Il-chung’s reaction, he already knew who Kim Min-woo was.
“Hothead? What kind of guy is he?”
“He’s a year behind me but full of youthful vigor. I’m the crazy guy after chaebols, and he’s the crazy guy after gangsters. We’ve only met once or twice. How do you know that punk?”
Suspicion filled Kim Il-chung’s eyes as he asked back.
Lee Dae-hyuk awkwardly deflected.
“Oh, just heard the name. I heard he’s a decent guy, so I was curious if I could meet him…”
“He’s still pure. Don’t corrupt him.”
Whether because he thought highly of Kim Min-woo or not, Kim Il-chung put up a wall.
Lee Dae-hyuk gave a wry smile at the wariness but didn’t press further.
If Kim Il-chung knew the prosecutor Kim Min-woo, they’d cross paths eventually.
‘He’ll stay safe for the time being anyway.’
If Ryu O-chang turned enemy, he could use Kim Min-woo somehow.
After running through various calculations, Lee Dae-hyuk stood up.
“I have an appointment, so I’ll head out first. Since I gave you a year-end gift, you cover the bill, hyung.”
“…You cheeky bastard.”
Ignoring Kim Il-chung’s grumbling, Lee Dae-hyuk left the kimchi stew restaurant.
A few minutes after the door closed.
Kim Il-chung pulled out his phone.
“Min-woo, yeah, it’s Senior Il-chung. Do you know a guy named Lee Dae-hyuk by any chance?”
***
“I’ve heard the name Ryu O-chang.”
In the underground parking lot of Yullim Capital.
After parting with Kim Il-chung, Lee Dae-hyuk was meeting Jeong Hee-joo inside her Benz sedan.
“I failed to handle it perfectly. I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t say it to get an apology. I’m warning you early so you can be careful.”
Jeong Hee-joo’s brow furrowed at Lee Dae-hyuk’s words.
“We haven’t crossed paths with the Heukam Society, have we?”
“You’re still so innocent.”
Jeong Hee-joo shot him a displeased glare at his words.
“Are you teasing me?”
“Enemies aren’t made because of reasons. They’re made out of necessity.”
“…….”
Jeong Hee-joo fell deep into thought at Lee Dae-hyuk’s advice.
Strangely, she always found herself mulling over his words carefully.
‘Not reasons, but necessity…’
It hit the nail on the head.
During her short time running Yullim Capital.
Though she hadn’t told Lee Dae-hyuk, there had been minor clashes with other organizations.
The smaller groups under them rebelled simply because the boss was now a woman.
She’d quelled them easily, but if a Heukam Society-level organization moved…?
‘We need to prepare too.’
Jeong Hee-joo coldly assessed Yullim Capital’s “strength.”
As an organization, they were strong.
Veterans like Kim Hak-soo were well-trained and positioned throughout.
Even the new hires had a baseline level of combat ability.
The problem was that was all they had.
‘We lack a game-changing powerhouse.’
Jeong Hee-joo hated fighting too.
She’d lost employees in the clash with Wolfgang.
She didn’t want to see blood.
But if blood had to be spilled…
‘We have to win no matter what.’
“Thanks for the advice. Starting the new year, we’ll need to recruit some solid people.”
Jeong Hee-joo now had a sense of who to hire.
Not quite Wolfgang-level, but strong enough to deter other organizations from attacking first.
“You said you’re going to the US?”
“Yes. I have a surefire investment deal.”
To be precise, it was more about saving a person than investing.
He was still worried.
Could some unknown guy who flew in from Korea one day convince Steven Gibson to get re-evaluated and surgery just like that?
‘I need to build some rapport first.’
He had a few ideas to win Steven Gibson’s favor.
Namely, solving Steven Gibson’s own problem.
‘He’s looking for his birth mother.’
As an adoptee, Steven Gibson always longed for his biological mother.
He eventually found her through a private detective he hired himself, but that was years from now.
‘She hid on purpose, not wanting to hinder her successful son’s path.’
Lee Dae-hyuk planned to use that birth mother to ask Steven Gibson for the re-surgery.
‘It might still take a while.’
But what could he do?
For Daehan Group to rise to Sejin Group’s level in one leap, he needed Steven Gibson and the iPhone from Apple.
“It might take quite a while.”
“Just bring back my money for sure. I’ll need cash soon.”
Jeong Hee-joo had invested 30 billion won in Lee Dae-hyuk’s company earlier.
It was a hefty sum she’d scraped together by selling the house and assets her father left her.
Lee Dae-hyuk nodded with a smile.
“If you need it, I’ll return the principal around June.”
“The whole principal?”
“Yes. It’s a guaranteed 100% return.”
By June, Apple’s stock would skyrocket.
It would dip a bit after, but once Steven Gibson’s presentation ended, Jeong Hee-joo might even regret getting just the principal back.
“…You know you sound a bit like a con artist, right?”
“You’ve seen my track record(?) and still say that. I’m a little hurt.”
“Not track record—incidents.”
She snapped back, but there wasn’t a trace of anxiety on Jeong Hee-joo’s face.
She teased him about incidents, but…
She’d witnessed firsthand his ability to generate massive sums.
If she waited quietly, Lee Dae-hyuk would deliver enormous wealth soon.
‘And some of it will go toward recruiting aces.’
Having decided on the money’s use, Jeong Hee-joo wrapped up.
“I need to head up for work too. Unlike some lucky chaebol heir, I have a lot to do to make a living.”
Lee Dae-hyuk scratched his chin at her counterattack.
“Then this lucky chaebol heir will take his leave. Happy New Year in advance.”
After the preemptive New Year’s greeting, Lee Dae-hyuk opened the car door.
“Happy New Year to you too, Mr. Lee.”
“Thank you.”
With a brief smile, Lee Dae-hyuk closed the back door.
Thud-!!!
As the door shut, Jeong Hee-joo let out a sigh.
Lee Dae-hyuk being away from Korea felt oddly empty.
She must have come to rely on him without realizing it.
He could be annoying at times, but he was an excellent business partner.
Always bringing her profits too.
But she knew.
Business partners parted cleanly when their mutual value diminished.
To keep Lee Dae-hyuk, she had to remind him she was valuable too.
‘I’ll work hard while you’re gone.’
In that moment, Jeong Hee-joo gained a new goal.
While Lee Dae-hyuk was away.
To turn Yullim Capital into an organization no one dared touch.
***
The next day.
Kim Mi-jin and Kim Jae-woon’s officetel was bustling with people for once.
“Did you enjoy your vacation?”
Lee Dae-hyuk asked Yoon Tae-ho and Kim Mi-jin.
Had spending Christmas with family been so joyful?
Both their faces glowed with vitality.
But.
“Sorry, Young Master. I wasn’t planning to take even one more day off, but this wife of mine kept…”
Yoon Tae-ho immediately bowed in apology.
“It wasn’t me—it was for our daughter. Sorry, Young Master. The kindergarten had some father-party thing yesterday, so I held him back one more day. Deduct it from my pay if you want. Oh, mine too.”
Lee Dae-hyuk waved off Kim Mi-jin’s playful tone.
“You two work so hard for me already—I can’t give bonuses and then dock pay.”
At his words, Kim Mi-jin patted her chest and sighed in deep relief.
“As expected of our Young Master. I was really worried you might actually deduct it.”
“You’re such a granny. Sorry, Young Master. Can’t do anything with grannies.”
“…Honey. We’ll talk at home.”
As Kim Mi-jin glared, Yoon Tae-ho pleaded in a mock-sobbing voice.
“Young Master, when are we going to the US? Can’t we go now?”
“Sadly, I can’t grant that wish yet. Dad’s money is still coming, and the investment deal.”
At Lee Dae-hyuk’s words, Kim Mi-jin, Yoon Tae-ho, and Kim Jae-woon at the computer all grew serious.
Yoon Tae-ho was just support, but Kim Mi-jin and Kim Jae-woon were generals heading into full-scale war.
It was now 12:58 p.m.
Two minutes from now.
1,000 billion won would deposit from Daehan Group.
Gulp-!!
Kim Jae-woon swallowed dryly without realizing.
His right hand trembled too.
‘Argh, why are you doing this? Pull it together, damn it.’
He felt like slapping his own right hand.
His left was shaking too, of course.
‘…Damn petty bourgeois mindset…’
Cursing himself.
Lee Dae-hyuk’s gentle voice pierced his ear.
“You can be as nervous as you want. But no mistakes.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. You have to know the fear of money to make money.”
“…….”
Kim Jae-woon felt something pierce his mind at Lee Dae-hyuk’s maxim.
Investing isn’t gambling.
But like gambling, you can lose it all in an instant, so every decision must be deliberate.
Experience shortens that deliberation time.
Still, you must always harbor the fear of loss in one corner of your heart.
“Tense up that much—and protect my money.”
“Yes.”
As he answered Lee Dae-hyuk’s encouragement.
It was finally 1 p.m.
Lee Dae-hyuk checked the clock and gave Kim Jae-woon orders.
“Check the account.”
Kim Jae-woon typed as instructed.
Soon.
Confirming 1,000 billion won in the corporate account, Kim Jae-woon said.
“It’s deposited.”
“What’s the company’s total assets now?”
“Excluding prior expenses and taxes, about 1,600 billion won.”
They’d already invested 100 billion in Apple and 100 billion in Credit Default Swaps.
After taxes and minor costs, 1,600 billion remained.
“…Taxes are scarier than I thought.”
Startled by taxes’ power, Lee Dae-hyuk steadied his chest.
Calming his shocked heart(?), he said.
“Set aside 300 billion for expenses, and invest the rest.”
Lee Dae-hyuk went all-in(?).
But deep down, he felt thick regret.
Funds were short.
‘Still, this is the way for now.’
300 billion seemed huge, but considering Marvel films and Iron Steel investments later, it was tight.
He couldn’t buy more Apple stock yet.
‘If I need cash later, sell some after it rises.’
Apple stock could be sold gradually for funds.
But Credit Default Swaps were insurance—couldn’t sell until the subprime crisis.
‘Then… focus and select.’
Never sell Credit Default Swaps until 2008.
First, 400 billion more into Credit Default Swaps.
“Buy another 400 billion in Credit Default Swaps. Spread purchases sequentially until October 2007.”
Kim Jae-woon nodded and opened his planning file on the computer.
“Got it.”
Tap tap-!!!
Watching him note it in the plan, Lee Dae-hyuk pondered the next order.
900 billion left now.
Facebook, Amazon, Tesla stocks tempted him…
‘Buying them all now would be stupid.’
The rest could wait for the subprime sale period.
Selection and focus were key now.
Especially to influence Apple and gain say with Steven Gibson…
“Alright. Go with 900 billion. Tonight, when the US market opens, buy Apple stock with all 900 billion.”