Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 189

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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189. Good grief. That old fool. I won’t live a full life because of you.

Seoul Yeouido National Assembly Main Chamber.
Seok-won, dressed in a black suit, climbed to the second-floor gallery and stood with his back against the wall near the entrance, arms crossed.
Beneath the bright lights, I could see the parliamentary seats arranged in a semicircular formation that conveyed a sense of grandeur, with the elevated podium that I’d often seen on television looming before me.
The gallery, which was usually empty except for a few journalists, was unusually crowded today—the first day of the government questioning session had drawn quite a number of spectators.
As I watched the National Assembly members file in one by one after lunch, I rolled up my sleeve to check the Rolex on my wrist, and it had just passed 1:30 p.m.
The reason I was at the National Assembly building rather than at the office during prime trading hours was that a very significant incident was about to unfold today.
While Prime Minister Woo Tae-hyung and the other cabinet members took their seats first and waited, the ruling and opposition party members also filed in one after another to fill the chamber.
Watching this, I muttered softly to myself.

“Whether now or later, National Assembly members never earn their keep, but at least back then they did their jobs and fought with each other.”

How did politics become increasingly chaotic as time went on?
Just thinking about the future scene where the National Assembly speaker would call out members’ names for attendance checks because they couldn’t meet the quorum needed to open the session, and the ruling and opposition floor leaders would circulate emergency contact lists in a farcical display—it was enough to make me sigh deeply.
After about ten more minutes, once more than half the seats were filled, the National Assembly speaker rose and brought the microphone close to his mouth.

“The quorum has been satisfied. We will now resume the government questioning session.”

Bang, bang, bang!

The speaker rapped the gavel three times and resumed the session, whereupon a ruling party member stood and walked toward the podium.
Seeing this, my eyes gleamed.
Ju Gyu-hwang, a first-term Democratic Peace Party member in a gray suit, stood at the lectern and looked toward the government ministers’ seats on the left.

“Minister of Justice. Would you please come forward?”

The Minister of Justice then rose from his seat and approached the empty lectern across from him.
After clearing his throat softly and surveying the chamber, Representative Ju Gyu-hwang tensed his neck and began to speak.

“You’re aware that last August, the former Minister of General Affairs made a statement during a gathering with reporters that a former president was secretly hoarding a large sum of slush funds, correct?”
“Yes.”
“More than two months have passed since the incident occurred, so why hasn’t the Prosecution conducted a proper investigation?”

The Minister of Justice, who had anticipated such a question, answered calmly without any sign of confusion.

“He’s already explained that he merely mentioned rumors circulating in the market, and since this is an extremely politically sensitive matter, we’re proceeding with caution rather than rushing into it.”
“Then if solid evidence exists, we’ll launch an investigation immediately.”
“Of course we will.”

Before the Minister of Justice could even finish his response, Representative Ju Gyu-hwang pulled a folded sheet of paper from his breast pocket, unfolded it, and held it aloft in his hand.

“Do you know what this is?”
“…I’m not sure.”
“It’s a deposit inquiry statement for an account under a shell company name in which former President Noh Ki-hoon deposited approximately 1.282 billion won at the Woo Young Bank Seosomun Branch!”
“…!”

The bombshell revelation caught everyone off guard—the Minister of Justice’s eyes widened in shock as the entire chamber erupted in commotion.

“Is that real?”
“So there really were hidden slush funds.”

The parliamentary questioning session, which had begun in a rather languid atmosphere after lunch, suddenly ignited with intensity following Representative Ju Gyu-hwang’s bombshell disclosure.
The journalists in the press gallery immediately sprang into action, while startled opposition lawmakers jolted upright in their seats, their murmurs filling the chamber.
Representative Ju Gyu-hwang, secretly savoring the way all eyes were fixed upon him, raised his voice and pressed forward with his statement.

“This is merely a portion of the slush funds totaling 400 billion won that former President Noh Ki-hoon had his associates distribute across approximately forty accounts in various commercial banks before his retirement!”

Representative Ju Gyu-hwang stared directly at the visibly flustered Minister of Justice and spoke with pressing intensity.

“With evidence this clear, I urge the Prosecution to immediately implement an exit ban on former President Noh Ki-hoon and his associates and launch an investigation, just as the Minister stated moments ago.”

Caught in an inescapable corner by the demanding stare, the Minister of Justice hesitated, unable to respond immediately.
Opposition lawmakers then swarmed to their feet like angry hornets, hurling accusations at the Minister of Justice, who stood trembling with cold sweat.

“You were just babbling away moments ago, and now you’ve suddenly become a mute!”
“Clarify whether you’ll launch an investigation!”
“Evidence the Prosecution couldn’t even uncover has surfaced right here. Are you going to cover it up again!”
“Why aren’t you answering!”
“I… that is…”

Cornered in an instant, the Minister of Justice’s face drained of color as he desperately looked toward the ruling party lawmakers for help.
The ruling party members should have stepped in to assist, but faced with this utterly unexpected bombshell revelation, they could only murmur among themselves in confusion, unsure how to respond.

“We can’t just sit back and do nothing about this, can we?”
“But what exactly are we supposed to do?”
“If we step forward carelessly and it turns out to be real, we could all get dragged into it and face criticism….”

As the ruling party members floundered without direction, Representative Ju Gyu-hwang cried out with a triumphant expression.

“If the Prosecution cannot conduct a proper investigation, then we must establish a special prosecutor and lay bare every single suspicion regarding the slush fund before the people with absolute clarity!”
“Hear, hear!”
“That’s right!”

The opposition members shouted and responded loudly as if they had rehearsed it.
Overwhelmed by the momentum, the Minister of Justice broke into a cold sweat before reluctantly bringing the microphone to his lips and spoke as if making excuses.

“Since financial crimes require careful deliberation, I will thoroughly examine the veracity of the evidence you have presented, Representative.”
“Boo!”
“What nonsense is that!”
“And you call yourself the Minister of Justice!”

Amid jeers and criticism, Representative Ju Gyu-hwang pressed the Minister of Justice even harder with growing momentum.

“By backtracking the account, we could determine whether it’s former President No’s slush fund in less than half a day. Yet you hide behind the excuse of careful deliberation to bury the case—don’t you realize your response is like covering the sky with your hand and mocking the people!”
“That is absolutely not the case.”
“How can any citizen trust a Prosecution that maintains such a complacent attitude even when faced with irrefutable evidence!”
“That’s not it—the evidence you presented is something we learned of only today, and since this is a politically and socially significant matter with no ulterior motives, we are simply being cautious in our handling of it.”

Though the Minister of Justice struggled to defend himself, all that came back was fierce criticism.

“What tricks are you trying to pull!”
“If you’re going to work like that, step down from your position!”
“You’re asking us to believe that over us!”
“Stop it right now!”

As the commotion became so severe that it was impossible to continue the questioning of the government, the Speaker of the National Assembly struck the gavel repeatedly.

“Everyone, please be quiet!”

Though he cried out several times trying to calm the chamber, it had little effect.
Eventually, the Speaker, as if left with no choice, struck the gavel forcefully and grasped the microphone.

“I hereby declare a one-hour recess!”

Despite the Speaker’s declaration, the heated atmosphere refused to settle and instead bubbled over with even greater intensity.

“Former President No’s slush funds? This is a complete scoop!”
“Get the desk on the phone right away!”
“Where did Representative Ju go?”

And the ones most thrilled by this situation were the reporters in the gallery.
Overwhelmed with excitement at the unexpected bombshell, the reporters hurried down to the first floor to extract any additional details from Representative Ju Gyu-hwang, who had just exposed Former President No’s slush funds.
Leaning against the wall, Seok-won observed the still-chaotic main chamber below and murmured softly to himself.

“A major bomb has detonated, so the stock market won’t escape the shrapnel—it’ll be shaken considerably.”

With nothing more to see, he pushed off from the wall, turned around, and walked out through the exit.

* * *

After a satisfying lunch, Jung Hwan-yeop returned to the office, settled into his seat with a toothpick between his teeth, and leisurely clicked his mouse.
As he was checking for stocks worth trading, a voice suddenly burst from behind him.

“What are you doing instead of working?”
“Ack!”

Team Leader Choi Ho-geun, dressed in a white dress shirt and tie, sipped the coffee he’d pulled from the vending machine and clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“Damn. You startled easily.”
“Team Leader! I’ve told you not to pop out suddenly from behind like that!”
“That’s your fault for losing focus, not mine.”
“What, do you think you’re an assassin? Why do you appear without a sound?”
“Stop spouting nonsense. So what were you doing?”

Jung Hwan-yeop clutched his startled chest and turned around in his chair.

“As you can see, I’m monitoring the market.”
“You’ve already met today’s quota and now you’re slacking off, aren’t you?”
“Come on. I’m not playing around—I’m keeping an eye on the market.”

Team Leader Choi Ho-geun casually ignored the grumbling and gestured toward the monitor with his chin.

“Well, did you at least make some money?”
“Who do you think I am? I’ve already covered my lunch expenses from this morning’s trades.”

Jung Hwan-yeop proudly displayed the trading records from the morning session.
Choi Ho-geun, leaning forward slightly to examine the transaction history displayed on the computer monitor, finally broke into a satisfied smile.

“You’ve been quite busy with all those small trades.”
“But I did make a profit, didn’t I?”

Choi Ho-geun let out a quiet chuckle.

“Good work. Still, with other employees around, try to be discreet about slacking off. And make sure you don’t give anyone reason to complain about you.”
“Hehe. So I can go up to the rooftop and take a smoke break?”
“Ha ha ha.”

Choi Ho-geun laughed broadly while glaring at him.

“Not a chance.”
“My apologies.”

Jung Hwan-yeop quickly bowed his head and, licking his lips slightly, changed the subject.

“By the way, the market seems unusually calm today—no major swings either way.”
“Every now and then you need a day like this.”

Choi Ho-geun took a sip of his lukewarm coffee.

“If the market bounced around like an arrhythmia patient every single day, nobody would live to a ripe old age.”
“True enough, but… even the stocks that were on fire until yesterday have gone quiet all at once, like they made some kind of pact. It feels like the calm before a storm, and that’s what bothers me.”

Jung Hwan-yeop muttered while leaning back in his chair, both arms raised above his head.
Choi Ho-geun frowned and gave the back of Jung Hwan-yeop’s head a light tap with his palm.

“Haven’t you heard that words can jinx things? Stop spouting bad luck and get back to work.”
“Come on, you could’ve just said it instead of hitting me. There are other people here.”
“What’s this? Getting cocky in your final year as a deputy?”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.”

Jung Hwan-yeop quickly backed down, and Choi Ho-geun glanced at him sideways before speaking.

“If you don’t see any stocks worth trading, don’t push yourself unnecessarily. Let’s wrap things up for today.”
“Yes, sir.”

The moment Choi Ho-geun turned to head back to his desk.
Suddenly, as if an ill omen had descended, all the phones at the Trading Center erupted into a cacophony of ringing.
Sensing something amiss, Choi Ho-geun furrowed his brow, and Yu Seok-hyun, who had been sitting to one side, sprang to his feet.

“Team Lead! The index is dropping more than 10 points all at once!”
“What!”

Choi Ho-geun reflexively turned his head to check the large market board installed on the opposite wall.
The composite stock price index, which had indeed been holding steady just moments ago, was now plummeting with its display glowing blue.

“Wh-what?”
“Why is this happening all of a sudden?”

The other teams also stirred in confusion at the sudden market shift.
As the commotion spread rapidly, Yu Seok-hyun urgently relayed the information that had just come in.

“Apparently, during the parliamentary interpellation session, a revelation about former President No’s slush funds has surfaced.”
“Damn it! This is like being hit by a club out of nowhere. What kind of disaster is this?”

Choi Ho-geun’s face contorted in frustration.

“Find out exactly what happened right now, from any source you can! Get me the details!”
“Yes, sir!”

Yu Seok-hyun nodded and immediately picked up the receiver.
Choi Ho-geun also hurried to make a call to a journalist he knew personally, but suddenly the earlier conversation came to mind, and he turned to glare at Jung Hwan-yeop.
Noticing he had something to feel guilty about, Jung Hwan-yeop flinched and averted his gaze, prompting Choi Ho-geun to shake his head in disapproval.

“Good grief. That bastard. I won’t live out my natural lifespan because of you.”

Choi Ho-geun hurried toward his desk, muttering sighs of exasperation.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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