Approaching Disaster (1)
The world doesn't end easily. It’s a tragic thing, but that’s the truth. If a ship springs a leak, you don't just abandon it and jump overboard, do you? You patch the hole and keep sailing. That’s the norm. The world is the same. Even if a problem arises and a massive threat looms, the world doesn't just collapse with a thud like a falling streetlight. People will struggle to overcome it, no matter what. That’s how it works. Inertia. No matter how tattered the world becomes, it has the momentum of its own rotation, so it will keep spinning. Therefore, for such a world to come to a complete halt, something equally shocking must occur. Something powerful enough to overcome that inertia. Or, a series of equivalent catastrophes must erupt in succession.
I’ve made over three billion won. To some, this might be mere pocket change, but to me, it’s an astronomical sum. I’ve wondered if I would ever even touch this much money in my entire life. But this is just the beginning. The crash of the airlines will continue. However, I can't keep buying airline put options. The collapse is already underway, so the premiums are expensive. It won't be easy to turn a profit with those. So, I need to buy put options for stocks that haven't fallen much yet but are destined to plummet in the future. Fortunately, since I clearly know the cause, I’m hunting for the next targets. And I’m diversifying.
The logic for picking stocks is similar. I chose airline stocks first because the "plane crash" issue was a massive headline. It also helped that aircraft engines were particularly vulnerable to acidic spores. Now, I’m buying put options for what comes next: shipping, power, and automotive. The common denominator is that they all rely heavily on iron and steel. These are things that will be exposed to the threat of acidic spores in the long term, and there are so many of them. Therefore, they are bound to run into trouble. Shipping will suffer from vessel accidents, power from blackouts, and automotive from recalls. By the time the problems are discovered, it will already be too late. Once an accident happens, it won't be resolved in the short term; it will be the beginning of a long nightmare. So, I’m splitting my funds and buying put options for all of them.
A total of two billion won in one-year maturity options. I’m pouring a massive amount of capital into the bet that within a year, these sectors will fall into chaos and ruin. And so, I enter another period of waiting. Time will pass quickly enough anyway. There’s too much work to do.
I looked into other mountains near the one I bought. It couldn't be too far away. It had to be reasonably close and reasonably deserted. That way, I’d have fewer troublesome incidents. So, I bought another mountain. And I’m building another facility. A different contractor than last time. The risk is too high to use the same one. The fewer people who know I’m building these things, the better. It’s best if I don't even leave a memory behind. Since I’d done it once, the work wasn't that difficult. This is why experience is valuable. You can pretend to be an expert after just one try. So, this house will probably turn out even better than the one I’m living in. Of course, provided the construction workers aren't total crooks.
I’m building another one, similar to where I live. About two kilometers away from my house by road. If you cut across the mountain, it’s closer than that. Maybe... about 700 meters? This is the sweet spot. Too far is a problem, and too close is a problem. If my thinking is correct, this is the best setup. The problem is if I’m wrong.
Busy days pass by. I stockpile antihistamines and watch the house being built. On top of that, I bought an excavator. Not some small thing, but a massive one. When the time comes, I’ll need to cover my house and the new one with soil, so an excavator is an absolute must. So, whenever I have a spare moment, I practice operating the excavator to bury things in dirt. Three months pass like that.
Finally, another disaster strikes. This time, it’s a blackout. Power facilities are incredibly sensitive equipment. And when blackouts occur because of issues with such infrastructure, the damage is catastrophic. A world where you can't do anything without electricity. Even if the power is out for just ten minutes, the emptiness is no joke. To exaggerate slightly, you feel so adrift that you don't even know what you should be doing. And you’re left in a state of bewilderment when you realize there’s actually nothing you can do.
Since I have two desired results now, I decide to reach out to Baek Jin-ho. I don't need to make a grand gesture. Just a single text message will do. The password for the data on the USB. I send it and wait. Not long after I send the text, a call comes in immediately. What? There’s no way he’d call this quickly. There’s a time required to verify the data. A time to check its authenticity. Plus, when I answer the phone, his voice is strangely calm. Baek Jin-ho immediately asks me to meet him. It’s the reaction I expected, but... it feels strangely off. Is it because it’s not the reaction I wanted? Anyway, I’ll meet him. There’s no harm in it. Jin-ho said he’d come near where I am. So, I set the meeting near the studio apartment in Seoul that I haven't disposed of yet. A bit of a buffer. I head over there in time for the appointment and meet Baek Jin-ho.
"Oh. You're here."
He greets me with a smile. It’s funny, but I find myself checking to see if he brought anyone with him. Just in case he tries to kidnap me or something. Maybe I’m just being paranoid. But the information I hold is worth that much. Of course, what I gave Baek Jin-ho was only a tiny, summarized portion, but if he believes the data I gave him 120 percent, he certainly has enough motive to do something like that.
"Did you actually look at it properly? Why are you contacting me so soon?"
I hate beating around the bush, so I ask directly about what’s bothering me. He just smirks and tells me we should order drinks first. Saying he’ll treat me. Seriously, he’s acting so generous over a 4,000-won Americano. A guy with that much money. But his reaction feels like he’s stalling. Like he’s trying to steer the conversation?
After receiving our drinks, Baek Jin-ho takes a sip of his iced Americano and lets out a deep sigh. Then, with a determined look on his face, he stares straight at me and says,
"Hey. I’ll be honest. The data you gave me six months ago. Actually, I cracked the password and saw the contents as soon as I got it."
I let out a dry laugh at that. Ah. I was the idiot. Why didn't I think he’d be able to crack that password?
"Is that so? Then this conversation will be easier."
"What? You’re not mad? I was secretly worried you’d be disappointed."
"Why would I be mad? It’s my fault for not even considering that possibility."
When I speak calmly, Baek Jin-ho seems even more embarrassed. He leans in slightly, lowers his voice, and asks seriously,
"Hey. That... what is it? Is it for real? Is the world really ending?"
There is no despair or lamentation on Baek Jin-ho’s face. Instead, it’s filled with a sense of anticipation, as if he’s hoping for something. Just like me. Seeing that, I feel a sense of relief. Ah. I chose the right person. This guy is just as insane as I am. Actually, I did this to him precisely because I suspected he might be.
The third son of one of the country’s top conglomerates. But the succession line is already set. There’s a huge age gap, too. So, Baek Jin-ho can never become the head of the corporation, no matter what. He’ll be the eternal third-in-command. And his ranking will only slip further back as time goes on.
"You can judge based on the data I gave you. The judgment and the decision are yours. I can't give you an answer that says it’s 100 percent certain."
"Ah, you bastard. Are you worried I’ll ask you to take responsibility? I won't, man. So give me an answer. Give me some certainty."
"You already know, don't you? If you opened it as soon as you got it, you’ve already looked into it as much as you needed to."
Jin-ho lifts his head, straightens his posture, and leans back against the chair. He looks a bit hollow. He didn't get a definitive answer, but the situation is as good as having heard one.
"Why did you send that kind of data to me? You must have wanted something if you shared that kind of information, right?"
"Want something? I do."
"What is it? Tell me."
"When the world ends, you need at least one place to hide, don't you?"
"For that reason?"
"Isn't that obvious? I don't think that’s so strange."
"Hmm..."
Baek Jin-ho falls into thought. He looks like he’s trying to find the meaning behind my words. But there’s no need to think so deeply about it. It’s exactly as I said.
"I’m going to secure my own way to survive. But I can't prepare for everything. Let me give you a simple example. For instance, what if I get sick? What if I come down with a major illness that requires surgery? Should I have to prepare all the doctors and medical equipment myself?"
"I see what you're getting at."
"There are areas I can prepare for, and areas that are impossible. And I don't want my preparations to fall apart because of those impossible things. So, I’m taking out an insurance policy. If someone like you, who can mobilize several times the capital I can, prepares for those things, I might be able to get some scraps from the table."
"If that was the case, why didn't you ask me to prepare together from the start?"
"That, I don't want. I don't want to live rubbing shoulders with people."
"Why? Ah. Never mind. I think I get it."
Baek Jin-ho nods in response. Thank goodness. I don't have to explain too much.
"You’ve always drawn a line with people. Honestly, that seemed wise. It looked like a decent way to handle yourself."
"Handle myself, my foot. I was just annoyed. I’m not diligent enough to react to everyone’s joys and sorrows one by one."
"That is wisdom. These days, it’s an era where people force that on you. And that’s so cumbersome."
He smirks and takes another sip of his iced Americano.
"So. What do you want me to do? Should I build an ark to prepare for the world ending? I don't think a flood is coming, though."
"It’s not an ark for a flood. Instead, when that situation comes, you should have a facility capable of saving as many people as an ark would."
"Hmm..."
"Food, medicine, minimal force. Those things are important. And a system that can manage them. But let me ask you one thing. If you saw the data six months ago, aren't you already preparing for something like that?"
"Would I? Who am I to prepare for something like that? I’m just looking into this and that."
True. He’s just a member of a conglomerate family; he doesn't have that much money of his own. So, he wouldn't be able to spend funds as he pleases. He’d need a legitimate reason for it, too.
"Do as you see fit. But I hope you prepare to some extent. That way, I can benefit from it, too."
"Ha. Is it that easy? Sigh."
He says that, but his expression isn't one of disappointment or discouragement. Besides, this guy isn't an idiot. I know that from watching him all through our college days, even if we weren't close. I talk to Baek Jin-ho about a few more things and then we part ways. One thing is certain: the expression on his face as he leaves is bright. That’s enough. Because that means he’ll do something.