Plunder (1)
"It's plummeting straight down!"
Under the influence of Luna's massive crash, Bitcoin and Ethereum were plunging in earnest—no, they were in freefall. Ethereum alone had dropped a full million won from my short position in Korean currency terms. My profits were surging. The compounding power of thirty-times futures. With each passing day, the returns soared into the sky.
"Haha."
Joy welled up from deep in my chest and burst out as uncontrollable laughter. I couldn't catch every short-lived spike and dip. But the big picture and the cycle were etched clearly in my mind. This was a short-term bear market!
"I'll ride Bitcoin until the middle of next month."
Once that time passed, Bitcoin would enter a tedious sideways market for a while. No reason to leave my funds buried until year-end.
"There's prey everywhere."
Strength flooded into my eyes. Swoosh—the next target rose in my mind. 2022 was a correction year for the US stock market. A crash that followed a long, long bull run. A threshing period that shook out the ants with weak nerves. Those who couldn't hold on and pulled out then never got to sit at the lavish table that followed. And the US market bubble that rebounded sharply around year-end. I remembered every pattern I'd seen back then. For someone like me, who had dabbled in all sorts of investments to make money in my past life, this was a golden age that would never come again.
"What should I feast on to make a real name for myself?"
As US stocks corrected, bonds gyrated and every commodity price went wild. Among them, the commodity that swung the hardest was none other than...
"Oil and gas!"
Crude oil and natural gas that had soared on the Russia-Ukraine war. They were currently catching their breath for a moment.
"A double top is coming soon."
Especially the oil chart that had stood out so clearly, and the timing of its crash. I recalled the macro and microeconomic flow report I'd submitted as a paper while majoring in business administration. One of the few veins of knowledge I'd properly absorbed by graduation.
Tip-tap. I searched the oil futures market.
"Futures are tasty, but the best is still... options."
Options were true speculation, rivaling—no, surpassing—crypto futures.
"Sell oil futures and buy put options at the same time..."
Maximizing returns required extreme investment. In the futures and options markets, most people hedged to avoid a one-shot liquidation, but not me. For someone who knew the results, crashes and spikes were shortcuts to El Dorado!
"I need an overseas account."
Investing in overseas futures and options was possible domestically too. Adults could qualify with simple education and an investment grade setting. The capital gains tax for individuals was about eleven percent. Unlike other income, no need to pay comprehensive income tax. They were generous on taxes proportional to the risk. It was more than the zero-tax crypto market, but for the future, I needed legal routes.
"If it's Jo An-jang, she should be able to punch through tax havens at least. Then if I create corporations elsewhere and mix them up..."
The opponents I had to fight were conglomerates with capital in the tens of trillions. At the same time, they were tangled up with the mainstream upper class that included Korea's political and business circles. To bring Ha Ryun to its knees, I would need regular troops as well as mercenaries, assassins, supply units, and more in large numbers. Schedules for what came next stacked up neatly in my head. I also began designing routes to convert my crypto profits from the shadows into the light.
"Overseas corporations and private equity funds..."
The social experience I'd had before regression was a huge help.
Pop! Paaat. Meanwhile, darkness fell outside the window, and dazzling lights sparkled like stars. The Gangnam side caught my eye. In the distance, the towering headquarters of the Ha Ryun Group stood out. One of the decisive reasons I'd specifically chosen Signiel for my move.
"Grandpa, wait for me. This grandson... is coming soon."
"Maybe I shouldn't have... asked him."
Saturday, five in the morning. An Hyeonju stood waiting for Ha Taewoong in front of her place with her golf bag set upright. Now that the hour had actually arrived, she felt uneasy. For a golf pro, practice on a real course was essential—field experience that a driving range or screen could never match. But the other players refused to partner with An Hyeonju after she had been blacklisted by the Shinyang Financial Group. Even before the scandal broke, plenty of players had already been jealous of her. With her striking looks and skill both, it was only natural that the other women on tour would try to keep her in check. Then the Shinyang Financial Group incident exploded. To avoid drawing the attention of such a major sponsor, her fellow players had kept their distance of their own accord. Even those who had once flaunted their friendship turned their backs. She couldn't play a round alone. She didn't have the means for it either. She had only just turned pro, and her finances were barely tipping from zero into the black. Every time she stepped onto a course, green fees, caddie fees, and cart costs alone ate at least five hundred thousand won. That was no small sum for her. She couldn't afford to hit the field every time. Even on the rare occasions she did, she couldn't escape the whispers from galleries and caddies. After the scandal broke, An Hyeonju had barely set foot on a course at all. So when she finally received an invitation to a round from a fellow woman pro after so long, the condition had been simple: a couples' round with a male partner. An Hyeonju, who had been desperate to get out on the course, chose Ha Taewoong as her partner. He had claimed to be a complete beginner, yet he had shown remarkable skill. Fortunately, Ha Taewoong had agreed to come along. The date was tight and she had felt shameless asking, but he had accepted cheerfully. The truth was, she didn't know any other men.
"Can he really drive on his own?"
An Hyeonju had gone to a driving school intending to take lessons and drive herself. Contrary to her original plan, she had run into an awkward situation and given up on the lessons after a sexual harassment incident. Instead, Ha Taewoong had offered to pick her up and take her to the meeting place. And so she waited for him. Vroooom. Right on cue, a large SUV rolled up in front of the one-room apartment where she lived. An Hyeonju knew the model well—the BNW X7. Nearly every golf pro coveted vehicles from that brand. The spacious trunk capacity, solid body, powerful engine, and smooth ride were why it was so popular. It was An Hyeonju's dream car as well. He threaded past the cars parked along the alley as skillfully as a veteran driver. Squeak. The vehicle stopped right in front of her.
"...??"
An Hyeonju stared at the heavily tinted car with a puzzled look. Whirrr. The trunk lid rose. Then—click. She heard the locks disengage, and the driver's door opened. The person who stepped out was...
"...!!"
An Hyeonju jumped in shock. Ha Taewoong climbed out of her dream car.
"Noona, have you been waiting long?"
"Huh? Ah, no."
An Hyeonju stammered in fluster. Ha Taewoong had clearly only gotten his license a few days ago—an accelerated three-day acquisition. Yet here he was, pulling up with driving skills that defied belief even when she saw them with her own eyes.
"Here."
He took her golf bag at once and set it carefully inside the open trunk.
"..."
An Hyeonju stood speechless at the reality unfolding before her eyes.
"Whose... car is this? Your dad's?"
"No. It's mine."
"Your car, Taewoong?"
"Yes."
"But you... you said you were a sabaeja..."
In her shock she blurted out something she shouldn't have.
"Why? Are sabaeja not allowed to drive imported cars?"
Ha Taewoong asked back with a soft smile that almost made her feel embarrassed.
"That's not what I meant..."
"Get in."
He closed the trunk and immediately opened the passenger door for her, gesturing with a hand. Manners were second nature to Ha Taewoong. As if under a spell, An Hyeonju followed his gesture and settled into the passenger seat.
It's spacious.
It was An Hyeonju's first time riding in a BNW X7. The wide cabin and the soft, comfortable seats put even her mind at ease.
"Buckle up."
"Huh? Oh."
Ha Taewoong slid into the driver's seat and prepared to go, every inch the man.
"Have some coffee."
Two cups of hot coffee were already waiting in the cup holders. Midday temperatures would climb, but it was still early May, so the morning air was chilly. An Hyeonju felt oddly reassured by Ha Taewoong's unexpectedly impeccable manners. Affection she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Noona, the people we're playing with today... are you close?"
Vroooom. He asked the moment they pulled away. For a second An Hyeonju bit her lip lightly.
"Well, it's just... that is..."