Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 331

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

331. Are you ready to join in now that the game is about to begin?

April 3rd, 1997.
Dawn broke across the towering buildings of the city, the sky blushing crimson as the sun began its ascent.
A silver Sonata II descended the slope and came to a halt in the empty Underground Parking Lot, the early hour having left it deserted.
Manager Choi Ho-geun stepped out from the driver’s seat and rolled up his sleeves to check his wristwatch—it had just passed six in the morning.

“Perfect timing.”

It was dawn, barely when the first buses began their routes, but he had to leave now to catch the opening of the Sydney Foreign Exchange Market, which operated two hours ahead of Seoul.
Today was finally the first day that Seok-won had spoken of—the day Manager Choi Ho-geun would join the massive gamble that Eldorado Fund and the hedge funds were running across Southeast Asia, and his face was filled with both anxiety and anticipation.
In truth, it was more like tagging along as a minor player while the heavyweight Eldorado Fund conducted its trading, but regardless, it was the international debut of Daeheung Venture Capital’s Fund Management Department, so the tension was unavoidable.
Moreover, with betting stakes exceeding two hundred million dollars, his heart raced even faster.

‘Since he mentioned we’d be using leverage, the actual betting amount will be far greater than the principal.’

Of course, compared to Eldorado Fund, which moved hundreds of billions of dollars, it was a pittance, but it was the largest sum Manager Choi Ho-geun had ever traded with during his time on Yeouido.
Drawing a deep breath and exhaling slowly, Manager Choi Ho-geun clenched his fists tightly.

“I can do this.”

With that resolve, he picked up his briefcase and made his way toward the Elevator.
Passing through the quiet corridor and entering the brightly lit Office of the Fund Management Department, he found his team members already there ahead of him.
Jung Hwan-yeop, wearing a white dress shirt and blue silk necktie, sat at his desk holding documents and nodded as Manager Choi Ho-geun entered.

“Welcome, Manager.”

The other team members then bowed in greeting as well.

“Good morning.”
“You’re here.”

Manager Choi Ho-geun raised one hand lightly in acknowledgment.

“Good morning, everyone.”
“It’s not morning—it’s the middle of the night.”

At Ho-geun’s habitual nagging tone, Manager Choi Ho-geun set his briefcase on the desk with an amused smile.

“Jung Deputy Manager. Looks like you missed my lectures during those two days off. Should I feed you until your belly bursts?”
“Hehe. That can’t be right.”

Even after just two days, that sharp tongue of his remained unchanged.
Manager Choi Ho-geun shook his head and sighed, when a young female employee with a youthful face approached with evident nervousness, extending a neatly folded thin printout with both hands.

“It’s the materials regarding the Malaysian ringgit.”
“Ah. Thank you.”

Manager Choi Ho-geun, receiving the printout, asked the female employee.

“Your name is Noh Hee-won, right?”
“Yes.”

Noh Hee-won, with her short hair and modest makeup, was nineteen years old this year—a new employee who had graduated from a girls’ commercial high school and joined immediately after.
She had newly joined the team to handle back office duties, replacing Hong Jae-hee, who had taken on trader work according to her own wishes following her training in the United States.
Before the IMF crisis, it was not uncommon for companies to hire high school graduates as permanent employees.
This was especially true in the financial sector, where most female employees at bank and securities company counters were high school graduates from commercial schools.
As a result, one could frequently see branch managers at banks or securities companies who had started as high school graduates.
Of course, this situation would change completely after the IMF crisis, but until then, finding employment was not particularly difficult, and once you entered a company, it was considered natural to work there until retirement.
And there were no interns or irregular contract workers—even cleaners and security guards were all permanent company employees.

“Is the work manageable?”
“Yes. Everyone teaches me well, and I’m learning diligently.”

Manager Choi Ho-geun offered a benevolent smile to Noh Hee-won, whose newness was evident.

“If anything is difficult or you don’t understand, always ask your seniors.”

As Manager Choi Ho-geun was saying that everyone had good personalities and would treat her kindly, he caught sight of Jung Deputy Manager Hwan-yeop reclined in his chair and his expression hardened noticeably.

“Actually, never mind. You might pick up some bad habits, so just learn the work from Miss Hong—she’s sharp and straightforward.”

At that, Jung Deputy Manager Hwan-yeop, who had been twirling a Monami ballpoint pen with one hand while reviewing the materials, suddenly lifted his head.

“Are you telling me to listen to that?”
“You don’t listen to a word, but your ears are sharp as a tack.”
“Wow. That’s really too much. And we’ve shared how many bowls of hangover soup together, you and I!”

Jung Hwan-yeop feigned hurt, making a show of feeling slighted.

“I only keep dragging you around because of that damned loyalty of yours. Otherwise, I’d have thrown you out long ago.”
“Manager!”
“Quiet! Get back to work!”

As the two bickered as they always did, Yu Seok-hyun and Hong Jae-hee chuckled with amusement, but Noh Hee-won, unfamiliar with such dynamics, couldn’t hide her bewildered expression.

“Should I… not try to stop them?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

Hong Jae-hee waved her hand dismissively.

“Those two are always like that, so don’t worry about it.”
“Right. Actually, when we don’t hear them bickering like that, it feels like something’s missing, you know?”

Yu Seok-hyun and Hong Jae-hee responded casually, reassuring the newcomer.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed across the floor as Seok-won entered the office accompanied by his attendant secretary, Han Ji-sung.

“You all came in early.”

The moment Seok-won appeared, Manager Choi and the team members stopped their conversation and rose in unison to greet him.

“Welcome, sir.”

After receiving the light greeting, Seok-won turned to Manager Choi, who had stepped closer, and asked.

“Is the trading setup complete?”
“Yes. We’ve installed direct lines with the Eldorado Fund New York Headquarters, Hong Kong, and Tokyo offices, and opened trading accounts.”

It would have been better to trade directly through Daeheung Venture Capital accounts, but due to various procedures and legal complications, we had no choice but to place the investment funds in the Eldorado Fund account and have them process our orders on our behalf this time.

“If the results are good this time, I’ll arrange for us to trade directly in the future. Give it your best effort.”

At the suggestion that this wouldn’t be the last opportunity and that such chances would come again, Manager Choi’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

“I’ll do my best.”
“I believe Manager Choi and the team will handle this well, just as you’ve always done.”

At Seok-won’s display of trust, Manager Choi Ho-geun and his team members’ faces filled with enthusiasm.
Pride in receiving such unwavering confidence, coupled with a determination to meet expectations through excellent execution, surged within their chests.

“How are the movements of the Malaysian ringgit, our target?”

At Seok-won’s question, Jung Hwan-yeop, who had been monitoring exchange rates moments before, answered promptly.

“It was trading at 2.5 ringgit per dollar through year-end, but after the Thai foreign exchange crisis, it dropped significantly and is currently trading at 2.8 ringgit.”

Manager Choi Ho-geun naturally interjected, adding his analysis.

“According to the data sent by Eldorado Fund, approximately 1.5 billion dollars in foreign investment capital has flowed out due to growing anxiety. Given that the decline isn’t severe, it’s clear that Negara Malaysia Bank has intervened to defend the exchange rate.”

Negara Malaysia Bank (BNM) was the official name of Malaysia’s central bank, commonly referred to simply as BNM.

“However, as anxiety intensifies, not only the exchange rate but also the stock index, which hit 1,200 points at the beginning of the year, has plummeted to 1,077.”

Seok-won, listening with arms crossed, nodded slightly and spoke.

“The fact that it’s shaking this much without any attack even occurring suggests it’s extremely vulnerable to external shocks.”
“That’s correct.”
“Then let’s proceed as planned. When the Sydney Foreign Exchange Market opens and Eldorado Fund begins selling ringgit, we’ll wait and then short the Malaysian Composite Index in Tokyo.”
“Understood.”

Through selective focus, instead of the ringgit where hedge fund attacks would concentrate, Daeheung Venture Capital decided to short the Malaysian Composite Index (KLCI), which would plummet if the exchange rate wavered.

“I need to start trading soon, but I’ve thoughtlessly taken up your time.”

Seok-won lifted one arm to check the watch on his wrist, then spoke apologetically.

“I’ll be heading out now, so make sure the trading goes well.”
“Yes!”
“Please go ahead.”

Manager Choi Ho-geun and his team members stood and bowed respectfully as Seok-won left the office with Han Ji-sung.
Manager Choi Ho-geun took a deep breath and clapped his hands loudly.

“Alright, everyone listen carefully to what the president said. This is an important transaction, so keep your heads on straight and make sure we don’t make any mistakes. Let’s show our friends in New York exactly what we’re capable of. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”

The moment Seok-won left, Jung Hwan-yeop, who had immediately draped himself lazily across his chair, cracked his knuckles and answered.

“Let’s see what we can really do.”

Yu Seok-hyun pulled his chair closer and spoke with unmistakable enthusiasm.

“Let’s give Mason a real surprise.”

And Hong Jae-hee, who had just transitioned from support work to trading, gazed at her newly outfitted desk with multiple monitors and clenched her fists with determination.

“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
“Wow, our Miss Hong is absolutely fired up!”
“I learned a lot during my training in America.”
“I’m sure everyone did.”

Jung Hwan-yeop chuckled as he replied.
Meanwhile, Manager Choi Ho-geun, his shirt sleeves rolled up, picked up the phone and dialed New York.
The line connected, and after a moment, Mason answered with a cheerful hello, prompting Manager Choi to speak in English.

“Mason. It’s me.”
[Ah, Mr. Choi! Did you arrive safely in Korea?]
“Thanks to you.”

Mason laughed pleasantly in response.

[The game’s about to start. Are you ready to play?]

Beneath the subtle provocation in Mason’s tone, Manager Choi Ho-geun’s lips curved into a confident smile as he answered without hesitation.

“Of course.”

* * *

Seok-won, who had come up to the President’s Office, sat before a desk equipped with computer monitors and a Bloomberg terminal, waiting for the Sydney Foreign Exchange Market—the earliest-opening market in Asia—to commence trading.
Knock, knock.
Na Seong-mi, who had arrived early as expected, opened the door and set a mug on the desk.
Ordinarily she brought tea in an elegant cup, but today promised to be a long one, so Seok-won had deliberately ordered her to brew his coffee strong in a mug.

“Thank you.”
“Is there anything else you need?”
“No, I’m fine.”

Seok-won lifted the mug to his lips and gestured with his eyes for her to leave.
As Na Seong-mi bowed her head and departed, he took a sip of coffee, set the cup down, and fixed his gaze on the Malaysian ringgit chart displayed on the monitor.

[MYR : 2.86]

At the sound of a ringing bell, he picked up the mobile phone resting on one corner of the desk.
Upon pressing the call button, Landon Shore’s voice came through from New York.

[Boss. We’ll begin selling in ten minutes.]
“Go ahead.”

Seok-won leaned back in his chair and answered briefly.

[Then I’ll contact you again if there are any changes.]

With the Sydney Foreign Exchange Market opening shortly and the betting strategy already fully planned, there was no need for a lengthy conversation.
Setting down his phone, Seok-won gazed at the monitor and waited leisurely for the market to open.
Time passed in this manner.
At exactly seven o’clock, the frozen exchange rate chart finally began to move.
Perhaps influenced by the previous day’s press conference where the Negara Malaysia Bank governor and Malaysia’s Finance Minister declared they would fight back with all their might against any currency speculation attacks, the ringgit exchange rate halted its decline and moved sideways.
But it was only temporary.
Suddenly, massive sell orders flooded in, and the exchange rate began plummeting downward.

[MYR : 3.00 (▲ 0.14)]

Seok-won, who had been waiting patiently, saw this and broke into a smile, baring his teeth as he muttered to himself.

“Now it begins.”

The exchange rate, which had broken through three ringgit per dollar in an instant, plummeted ever more steeply downward, its decline accelerating with terrifying momentum.

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