Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 517

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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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517. This isn’t bad news—it’s good news.

“Hwang Mu-sung, did you finish the proposal we discussed yesterday?”

Shim Jong-su, a department head at Bluehole Venture Capital with a robust build, entered the office holding an approval stamp in one hand and asked the question.

“I just need to wrap up the final details.”

Hwang Mu-sung, seated at his desk, turned to look at him and replied.

“Since I need to report it to the executive director tomorrow morning, finish it quickly and bring it to me.”
“Understood.”

After hearing the acknowledgment, Shim Jong-su walked to a seat by the window, removed his shirt and hung it on a coat rack, then pulled out his chair and sat down.
Meanwhile, Hwang Mu-sung deftly continued typing on the keyboard, completing the report.
Just as he was deeply focused, a loud cheer suddenly erupted from the corridor.

“What’s going on?”

Hwang Mu-sung stopped typing and wore a curious expression.
Kwon Il-jun, sitting beside him, glanced outside and shrugged as he spoke.

“It sounds like it’s coming from the Fund Management Department Office. Looks like something good happened.”
“What good news?”

At my puzzled expression, Kwon Il-jun leaned back in his chair and explained.

“You know the company disposed of all its Goldbank shares, right?”
“Right after selling the shares, Goldbank’s stock price plummeted, and it became a major issue for a while.”

The stock price, which had been trading at 20,745 won per share, plunged below 8,000 won in an instant, leading to suspicions that Bluehole Venture Capital, as the major shareholder, had deliberately inflated the stock price before pulling out first.
However, they had begun selling shares well below the peak, and most importantly, Seok-won, the owner, had personally announced the sale through a media interview, so they quickly dispelled the stock manipulation allegations.

“The share sale generated enormous profits, so it looks like bonuses came through.”

Kwon Il-jun spoke with an envious expression.

“I heard the Fund Management Department received quite a hefty performance bonus last quarter. That must be nice.”

Within the company, the Fund Management Department was practically the object of envy.
With salaries that ordinary office workers could never dream of and generous performance bonuses distributed every quarter, it was inevitable.
Still, this time the company had made substantial profits through venture capital investments, and there was a slight twinge of disappointment that the Fund Management Department was receiving bonuses for it.

“I mean, it’s a bit envious, but… what can you do? Let’s just focus on our own work.”

However, Hwang Mu-sung soon recalled that the Fund Management Department’s earnings typically accounted for more than half of the company’s total revenue, and he swallowed hard, deliberately suppressing his envy.
Just as he was about to return to finishing his report, Choi Su-yeon from the Planning Department burst into the office with an excited expression on her face.

“Big news! Big news!”

Hwang Mu-sung, whose work rhythm had been interrupted again, turned around with a frown.

“What’s all the fuss about?”

Not only the other employees but also Shim Jong-su, who had been sitting at his desk, looked at her with displeasure.
However, Choi Su-yeon paid no attention and shouted excitedly.

“There’s a special bonus coming this week! And it’s 200% of our base salary!”

At the mention of a bonus, Hwang Mu-sung, who had been wearing a slightly irritated expression, brightened up and asked.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Shim Jong-su also stood up from his seat, now showing keen interest.

“It’s still a long way until year-end. Did you mishear something?”
“That’s what I thought too.”
“What bonus when we haven’t done anything special?”

The other department members also looked at her with confusion, as if questioning what she was saying.

“I’m serious! The company made huge profits from the Goldbank investment this time. So the Chairman ordered that a special bonus be distributed to all employees.”

At Choi Su-yeon’s words, as she bounced on her feet and squealed with delight, Kwon Il-jun, her cohort from when they joined the company, widened his eyes in surprise.

“Really? I thought it was only for the Fund Management Department?”

Hwang Mu-sung also regarded Choi Su-yeon with a suspicious gaze.
Shim Jong-su seemed equally doubtful, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses and remarking with an air of disappointed expectation, “Ah, well.”

“There’s been no announcement about bonuses, and this is the first I’m hearing of it. Are you sure about this?”
“Good grief! Why can’t you people believe what I’m saying!”

Choi Su-yeon struck her chest with a small fist, her expression one of exasperation and indignation.

“There’s been no word about anything, and suddenly bonuses appear? Who would believe that?”
“Exactly. Even if we overlook the Fund Management Department being special, if it applies to all employees, the amount would be substantial. What company does that?”

Kwon Il-jun, seated beside Hwang Mu-sung, nodded in agreement with his words.

“It was decided suddenly on the Chairman’s orders, so the announcement hasn’t been posted yet.”

At Choi Su-yeon’s words, her eyes narrowed sharply, Shim Jong-su asked with a bewildered expression.

“How would you know that, Miss Choi?”
“Hehe. The female secretary network spreads news faster than light, didn’t you know?”

Choi Su-yeon placed both hands on her slender waist and replied proudly.

“Suddenly an order came down, and I heard from a secretary in the Finance Department that everyone in that department stopped all other work and is processing the bonus payments.”

If the news came from the Finance Department, the probability of it being true was extremely high.

“Wow. My credibility just skyrocketed, didn’t it?”

Kwon Il-jun, brightening visibly, turned his head to look at Hwang Mu-sung, his eyes gleaming.

“I never expected this—bonuses out of nowhere! What a windfall!”
“Tell me about it.”

Hwang Mu-sung nodded with a dazed expression.

“Woohoo!”
“Jackpot!”

The other employees who had stopped working to listen to the conversation finally realized they would truly receive bonuses and erupted in cheers of joy.

“Choi Su-yeon, didn’t you just say they’re giving us a 200% base salary bonus?”
“That’s right.”

The moment Choi Su-yeon confirmed it, Kwon Il-jun clapped his hands and broke into a beaming smile.

“Perfect timing! My credit cards were maxed out this month, but now I’m saved!”

Excitement and anticipation erupted from every corner of the office.
Everyone was already planning how to spend their bonuses, their faces alight with barely contained joy.
Even Hwang Mu-sung couldn’t help but grin at the unexpected windfall.

“Miss Choi.”
“Yes, sir.”

Shim Jong-su approached quietly and whispered in a low voice.

“About that bonus. Will it go straight into our salary accounts?”
“Since they withdrew the bonus money from the bank, it looks like they’ll be distributing it in cash right away.”
“Is that so?”

Shim Jong-su’s eyes gleamed as his lips curved upward.

“Why are you asking?”
“Ahem. It’s nothing.”

Shim Jong-su quickly composed himself and clapped his hands while glancing around at his subordinates.

“All right, enough chitchat. Everyone back to work.”

The employees responded with voices that sounded twice as bright as usual, brimming with energy.

“Yes, sir!”
“Understood.”

As everyone returned to their desks with smiling faces, Choi Su-yeon, who had delivered the good news, hurried back to her seat.
Everyone wore expressions of happiness, but two people in particular seemed especially delighted.

‘Could the manager be…?’
‘You too?’

Shim Jong-su, a married department head, and Hwang Mu-sung exchanged a meaningful glance, their eyes communicating something unspoken.
While they were delighted about receiving bonuses, what truly made them unable to suppress their barely concealed laughter was the prospect of receiving cash stuffed directly into envelopes on the spot.

* * *

Whoosh!

Warm water cascaded down from the showerhead, pouring over Seok-won’s head.
Once I finished my shower, I wrapped my wet body in a towel and stepped out of the glass shower enclosure.
I wiped away the white steam coating the bathroom mirror with my hand, revealing my toned naked form.
My broad shoulders, honed by exercise, and my firm musculature achieved perfect balance, as if meticulously sculpted by a master craftsman.
After drying myself completely and blow-drying my hair, I left the bathroom and made my way into the dressing room.
My clothes were organized immaculately in the U-shaped dressing room.
Arranged by type and color, every garment was either a luxury brand or custom-tailored from the finest fabrics, a perfect reflection of my wealth and refined taste.
I deliberated briefly over what to wear before selecting a white silk dress shirt and a navy striped suit.
After buttoning up the shirt completely, I retrieved a simple yet elegant leather-strapped watch from the glass display case and fastened it to my wrist.
The display case was filled with watches worth tens of millions of won, a hobby and collection of mine.
As I felt the cold metal against my skin and fastened the leather strap, my phone’s vibration alert sounded.
I picked up my phone from the table and checked the name on the screen.
My eyes brightened instantly, and I immediately pressed the answer button to take the call.

“It’s me.”

Landon Shore, calling from New York, spoke with an excited tone.

[Bank One’s earnings report just came out, boss.]
“From the sound of your voice, it looks like the results came in worse than expected.”
[Haha! That’s right. Overall, the results came in below market expectations, and FirstUSA in particular suffered an earnings shock with a decline of 500 million dollars compared to the previous quarter.]

FirstUSA was Bank One’s credit card subsidiary and the second-largest card issuer in the United States after Citigroup.

[There had been various murmurs even before the announcement, so everyone expected the results wouldn’t be great, but no one anticipated they’d be this bad, which makes the shock even greater.]

FirstUSA, with over 64 million cardholders, was Bank One’s flagship business and a crucial revenue generator, so the disappointment was understandable.

[Ah, well, with you around, boss, it seems no one was truly caught off guard.]

I adjusted my grip on the phone as I listened to Landon Shore’s jest.

“How is the market reacting?”
[It’s shock, pure and simple. The earnings report itself was devastating, but after releasing negative guidance for next quarter, the stock is plummeting 23% in after-hours trading.]
“What did they say to cause this?”
[They stated that consumer finance and card divisions are struggling with intensifying competition and customer attrition, making it unlikely profitability will recover anytime soon. Investors have no choice but to be deeply disappointed.]
“That makes sense. The merger between Bank One and FirstUSA was supposed to generate the most synergy in those exact divisions, and now they’re facing difficulties there.”
[Precisely. Securities firms will soon issue negative outlooks on Bank One’s stock based on these earnings. We can expect sustained weakness in the share price for some time.]

Seok-won held the phone to his ear, nodding slightly as he spoke.

“If earnings don’t recover next quarter as their negative guidance suggests and losses actually expand, the stock will crash even harder.”
[You’re saying you expect results worse than their already-lowered guidance?]

Without hesitation, he answered Landon Shore’s question.

“Yes. Given the intensifying competition in the credit card market, I believe losses won’t shrink—they’ll likely grow even larger than this quarter.”

Since he’d already called the earnings shock precisely once before, Landon Shore didn’t doubt his judgment.

[Then we should maintain our short position until next quarter’s earnings announcement.]
“Do that. Actually, let’s increase the position.”
[From what I can see, the probability of further decline far outweighs any bounce-back here. I’ll proceed accordingly.]

If his memory served him correctly, the stock would eventually fall to half its peak, meaning there was still plenty of profit to be made.

[There’s one more thing I should report.]
“Go ahead.”
[Something unusual appears to be happening in Moscow.]
“What do you mean?”
[There are rumors that President Ivanov secretly brought in a renowned Dutch neurosurgeon and underwent surgery at the Kremlin.]
“Are you certain?”
[Pavlovich obtained information through multiple channels and confirmed it’s highly likely to be true.]
“I see.”

He realized the moment was approaching when President Ivanov would step down due to health issues and Yuri Mikhailov would soon emerge as the supreme power.

[Rumors about President Ivanov’s health problems are circulating on Wall Street, causing Russian bonds and stocks to decline again. Don’t you think we should liquidate at least some of our position as a risk management measure?]

Seok-won pondered briefly, then shook his head.

“No. Leave it as is, and if the price drops, have us acquire additional Russian assets.”
[Sir, with risks surfacing again, you’re saying we should increase our position?]

Landon Shore was startled by the unexpected instruction and asked for clarification.

“That’s right. If President Ivanov steps down, the instability in Russian politics will likely stabilize instead. This isn’t bad news—it’s good news.”

Seok-won spoke with unwavering conviction.

[Considering there’s no clear second-in-command, couldn’t the power struggle among President Ivanov’s inner circle worsen the situation?]
“My assessment differs. So when panic selling emerges, don’t miss the opportunity—sweep up everything.”

Speaking with such force, Landon Shore set aside his concerns and followed the directive.

[… Understood.]

After ending the call, Seok-won set down his phone and murmured softly to himself.

“President Ivanov’s inner circle will be so preoccupied with jockeying over the succession that they’ll place Yuri Mikhailov in the prime minister’s seat as the most expendable option—but they’ll soon realize they’ve made a grave mistake.”

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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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