Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 97

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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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97. That should be more than sufficient.

A gleaming black BMW, freshly procured to replace the damaged vehicle, glided smoothly to a halt before the Hotel’s main entrance.
A doorman in crisp uniform promptly approached and opened the driver’s side door, allowing Seok-won—impeccably dressed in a refined suit—to step out, extending his long legs gracefully from the vehicle.

“Thank you for your service.”

Seok-won pressed banknotes into the doorman’s hand before handing over the keys, and the doorman accepted the generous tip with a beaming smile, bowing respectfully before taking his place behind the wheel.
With the valet now handling the parking, Seok-won glanced at the Rolex adorning his wrist to check the time, then proceeded toward the luxury Hotel’s lobby.
The lobby was appointed with elegant marble tiles and resplendent chandeliers, and every guest who passed through exuded an air of refined sophistication—foreign visitors were scattered throughout the space as well.
As Seok-won traversed the lobby toward the Elevator, a subtle vibration emanated from his inner jacket pocket.
He retrieved his mobile phone and answered the call, recognizing the familiar voice immediately.

“Yes, hello.”
[It’s Manager Choi, sir.]

Following Choi Jin-woo’s scheduled resignation last month, a minor personnel restructuring had taken place, and Seok-won had been promoted to the position of division director, exactly as he’d been forewarned.
His trusted associate, Choi Ho-geun, had likewise been promoted to team leader, assuming control of Investment Team 4 in Seok-won’s stead.

[The article you instructed us to arrange will be published tomorrow, sir.]

At Manager Choi’s words, Seok-won’s eyes gleamed with interest, and he halted his stride.
Still holding the phone to his ear, he altered his course and continued the conversation while standing before a sunlit glass wall.

[Moreover, it’s scheduled to run as the front-page headline, sir.]

Seok-won’s expression betrayed a hint of pleasant surprise at this unexpected development.

“Given the Seongsu Bridge collapse, I anticipated the article wouldn’t be suppressed like last time, but front-page headline status—that’s rather beyond what I’d expected.”

A front-page placement meant the most significant and newsworthy story of the day would be featured, which was entirely justified.

[In the aftermath of the disaster, public awareness regarding shoddy construction and negligent management has intensified considerably. Moreover, the fact that the problematic department store is a facility frequented by vast numbers of people appears to be a decisive factor.]
“That’s certainly understandable.”

A fortnight had elapsed since the Seongsu Bridge collapse, yet the Republic of Korea remained enveloped in shock and profound sorrow.
Though Seok-won’s intervention had reduced the casualty count below what it might have been, dozens had still perished or been injured in this catastrophic disaster unfolding in the heart of Seoul—a tragedy that demanded such a response.

[Moreover, if we report that the top-ranked luxury department store by sales has a risk of collapse, it will create a major issue. They probably intend to deliberately place the article on the front page to emphasize it.]
“So it’s just a trick to sell more newspapers.”
[Exactly.]

Seok-won swallowed a bitter sigh, his expression turning sour.
I had never expected the media to fulfill its mission of pursuing truth and facts for the sake of social justice and public interest, thereby satisfying citizens’ right to know.
Yet after experiencing the catastrophe of the Seongsu Bridge collapse, seeing them act with calculation rather than a sense of duty left a bitter taste in my mouth.

‘Even if their intentions are impure, the greater the issue becomes, the higher the probability that the Sampoong Department Store collapse won’t occur. That’s what matters.’

Seok-won deliberately shifted his thoughts to the brighter side and ended the call.

“Thank you for your effort. We’ll discuss the details at the office tomorrow.”

After slipping the mobile phone back into my inner pocket, I boarded the elevator that had just arrived and rode up to the Restaurant on the third floor.

As I entered the Restaurant entrance where soft classical music drifted through the air, the tall Female Server at the reception desk greeted me with a smile.

“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”
“It should be under Park Seok-won.”

The Female Server confirmed my name on the reservation list and responded immediately.

“You’ve reserved the Crystal Room. Your party has already arrived. Shall I show you the way?”

The Female Server spoke with courtesy and guided Seok-won to the private room inside.
Since it was still early for dinner, most tables were empty, with only a few scattered guests seated.
On the stage in the center, a female pianist in a backless dress sat before a grand piano, playing a sweet melody.
The reserved room was a private space prepared separately inside, allowing for quiet dining without disturbance from other guests.
As I passed through the door the Female Server opened and stepped inside, Landon Shore and Andrew, who had arrived earlier, stood up from the table and greeted me warmly.

“Welcome, boss.”
“Thank you for making the effort to come all the way to Seoul.”
“When the boss calls, I have to rush over.”

I smiled faintly at Landon Shore’s characteristically bright expression, then shifted my gaze to Andrew standing beside him and spoke.

“How have you been?”
“I’m always the same as ever.”

Andrew smiled as well and clasped the hand Seok-won extended.
After exchanging light greetings with the two men, Seok-won gestured toward the table.

“Please, have a seat.”

Once Seok-won took his seat first, the two men settled into the chairs across from him.

“Would you like to order?”

The Female Server, who had deftly arranged the forks and knives, unfolded the menu and inquired.

“The signature course here is quite good.”
“Then let’s go with that.”
“That sounds excellent.”

Since both men were visiting for the first time, they readily followed Seok-won’s recommendation without hesitation.

“Three signature courses, please.”
“Understood. Shall I bring the wine you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes, please.”

Once the Female Server took the order and left the private room, Seok-won glanced at the two men seated at the table and spoke.

“I hear you took the newly purchased private jet for the first time on this trip.”
“Yes.”

Among the three business jets purchased from Gulfstream, the aircraft designated for operational use had been delivered first, and the two men had flown to Korea on it for this visit.

“How was it?”
“Knowing it’s our company’s exclusive aircraft rather than a chartered one definitely made the experience more comfortable.”

Landon Shore answered with a satisfied expression, and Andrew followed with his own remarks.

“The original owner had ordered it with top-tier specifications, so the interior fittings are excellent. Honestly, it felt more luxurious than most hotel rooms.”

Since the aircraft came equipped with premium options as Andrew described, it could be delivered quickly after replacing only a few minor details, including the exterior paint, without major interior renovations.
As the two men were sharing their impressions of the private jet they’d used for the first time, the Female Server returned, carrying the wine that had been ordered in advance.

“Isn’t this Romanée-Conti?”

Upon seeing the wine bottle, Landon Shore’s eyes sparkled as he turned to look at Seok-won.

“It’s from 1990, a Great Vintage year when the entire Burgundy region experienced an exceptional harvest.”
“A 1990 vintage is renowned for being among the finest quality years for Romanée-Conti.”

Landon Shore, who had always enjoyed wine and had even constructed a dedicated wine room in his newly purchased Park Family Residence, wore an expression of eager anticipation as he took a sip of the Romanée-Conti poured by the Female Server and savored it.

“Mmm.”

Landon Shore held the wine glass in his hand, nodded slightly, and expressed his admiration.

“It truly deserves to be called a magical wine—elegant yet powerful, with that deep, firm balance of fresh fruit flavors that’s simply remarkable.”

Finding one sip insufficient, he brought the glass to his lips once more.

“I don’t claim to know wine as well as you do, Landon, but I can certainly understand why it’s so renowned. The aroma alone possesses a distinctly captivating allure.”

Andrew too sipped the wine with evident satisfaction.

“I’ve set aside a bottle for each of you as a gift, so take them with you when you leave.”
“Truly? Thank you so much, boss.”

Landon Shore responded with a bright, delighted expression.
Having received bonuses in the millions of dollars last year alone, Landon Shore could easily purchase and enjoy wine of this caliber whenever he wished.
Yet receiving a gift from another person carried a different significance, and he felt genuinely grateful.
All the more so since this gift had been carefully selected by Seok-won with his preferences in mind, making it truly special.

“I’ll enjoy it as well.”

Andrew also expressed his gratitude from beside him.
Meanwhile, the course dishes they had ordered were placed on the table.
The butter-rich bread and soup, canapés made with fava beans and caviar dishes properly stimulated the palate, while the main course featured a succulent roasted duck breast steak.
The three men engaged in light conversation as they slowly savored the course meal, and by the time dessert and espresso arrived, they had eaten only modest portions yet felt quite satisfied.
After finishing his espresso and setting down his cup, Seok-won, looking across the table at Landon Shore and Andrew, naturally broached the business for which he had summoned them to Korea.

“How are the peso movements looking?”

Andrew then wiped his mouth with his napkin and replied.

“It showed a brief recovery after the presidential election, but as the boss predicted, it’s been slowly declining again.”

Landon Shore took the words while sipping wine instead of tea, his expression turning serious.

“We’ve already crossed 3.5 pesos per dollar again, and if this continues, breaking through 4 pesos is only a matter of time.”

Andrew nodded in agreement.
Leaning back in his chair, I spoke calmly.

“As I mentioned last time, the real collapse of the peso will begin after the new president’s inauguration in December.”

Everything was unfolding exactly as predicted, without a single deviation, so Landon Shore and Andrew listened intently with unwavering faith.

“So let’s maintain our current positions as they are.”
“Understood.”

At Andrew’s response, Landon Shore beside him looked at him with newfound admiration.

“I never expected President Salinas to act so desperately to evade responsibility without considering the consequences.”
“That’s human nature. If he truly had foresight and cared for his people, he wouldn’t have let the situation deteriorate to this point.”

Landon Shore and Andrew nodded in agreement.

“Setting that aside, how much liquid capital do we have remaining, excluding the positions we’ve placed in Mexico?”
“We have approximately 900 million dollars in immediately available liquid assets.”

At Landon Shore’s response, I folded my arms and stroked my chin with one hand as I spoke.

“With leverage included, that should be more than sufficient.”

The two men’s eyes flickered with recognition that I was plotting something new.
Landon Shore leaned forward eagerly and asked.

“Is there a new investment opportunity?”

I nodded slightly with a faint smile playing at the corners of my mouth.

“I’m planning to short bet on the Japanese stock market and the yen.”
“Japan?”
“Yes.”

At my sudden mention of shorting Japan, Landon Shore and Andrew exchanged puzzled glances.

“While the United States avoided the worst-case scenario of invoking Super 301, embers of trade disputes still smolder between America and Japan. Both of you are well aware that problems could flare up again at any moment.”

I continued speaking in a notably serious tone as I observed the two men listening quietly.

“My assessment is that under such pressure and constraints from the United States, it won’t be easy for the Japanese economy to recapture its former prosperity anytime soon.”

Of course, my true reason for shorting the Japanese stock market and yen was entirely different.
But I couldn’t reveal that to them, so I offered a plausible excuse instead.
The two men deliberated seriously on my words for a moment, then Andrew was the first to respond positively.

“Unlike Mexico, it won’t produce dramatic returns, but it’s true the Japanese economy has lost momentum. We should be able to generate decent profits.”
“I think that works too.”

When Landon Shore also agreed, I nodded lightly.

“Then let’s proceed with that. And there’s one more place to place a bet.”
“Where would that be?”

At Landon Shore’s question, I smiled with meaningful intent.

“Barings Bank.”

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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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