Money Keeps Piling Up No Matter How Much I Spend

Translator: Dreamscribe

It’s been a while since I’ve sweat like this.

It kind of felt like heading into a newly released raid with the hyungs.

“That was fun.......”

It was fun, but there was one problem.

“My head hurts too much.”

Think about it.

If the kind of shiver that makes your whole body tremble continues every few seconds, eventually you reach a point where even when you try to grab a cup to drink water, you can’t even feel that you’re holding it with your hand.

You can’t even feel the sensation of water going down your throat.

And that’s not all.

My temples felt like they were puffing out smoke like a burnt-out engine.

So I stopped.

There was still time left before the market closed, but I felt like something serious could happen if I kept going, so I stopped.

“Team Leader. You worked really hard today.”

“Oh. Deputy Manager Lee. You haven’t left work yet?”

The team members who had followed my lead and jumped into the market like a raid were all exhausted, so I told them they could leave and organize the materials later.

“I couldn’t just leave while you’re still here, Team Leader. The others couldn’t go either.”

“You really don’t have to do that.”

“Ah, and Team Leader. Here.”

Deputy Manager Lee Hye-rin handed me two pills along with a bottle of water.

“They’re headache pills. I keep them as a part of my emergency medicine kit at the office, but you kept pressing your temples today, so I thought you might need them.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

As expected, there’s no one like Deputy Manager Lee.

I’m not usually the type to take medicine regularly, but I should take it today.

“And Team Leader, do you take vitamins and stuff regularly?”

“......I don’t.”

“What! Seriously? Tsk. That won’t do. I’ll order and keep some at the office, so please take them daily.”

“You really don’t have to go that far.......”

“Headaches, lack of focus, and eye fatigue all come from nutritional deficiencies. Office workers don’t take supplements for no reason. I’ll choose something suitable for men, so please make sure to take it.”

I’ve often heard that the older you get, the more important it is to take supplements.

Especially for someone like me who spent a long time unemployed, it was said that we lack vitamins because we don’t get enough sunlight.

But when it comes down to actually taking them, it’s a hassle to think about, and it’s annoying to keep up with, so I just ignored it.

But if Deputy Manager prepares it for me directly.......

“I’ll take them gratefully.”

“Yup~. I’ll prepare them in a balanced way. I’m kind of a specialist in this area. Oh, by the way, Team Leader. Do you work out?”

“.......”

I slowly shook my head.

“Team Leader. For office workers, stamina is life. I know you’re tired after work, but you absolutely have to exercise.”

“Do you...... work out?”

“I do, almost every day.”

So beauty isn’t just born, it’s maintained through effort too.

“Our company gym is really well-equipped. So I work out here every day.”

No wonder she would dash off somewhere right after work.

It was the gym.

“Perfect timing. Team Leader. Want to go to the gym with me today?”

“Huh?”

With Deputy Manager? To the gym?

Of course I’d love that, but

“I don’t have a change of clothes right now.”

“That’s okay. If you go to the gym counter, the staff will rent you workout clothes in your size. Indoor shoes too! I guess our company values exercise a lot, because they’ve got those systems in place.”

Truly, the ultimate form of a company is its welfare system.

The Guild Master seems to have paid a lot of attention.

‘But...... it really has been a long time since I exercised.’

The most I did was walk up the stairs in the subway.

These days, I often took taxis, so I wasn’t even doing that.

“Then let’s go together after work, Team Leader.”

“Ah...... okay. I’ll do that.”

I feel a bit excited for some reason.

But I wonder how much she works out.

I have no idea how to lift weights or anything like that.

Honestly, working out is such a hassle.

Exercising after work?

Isn’t that crazy!?

If it weren’t for going with Deputy Manager, I wouldn’t have even considered coming.

But today’s raid… no, jumping into the market and going wild with short-term trading made me realize something.

If I want to keep trading for a long time, stamina is absolutely essential.

Even this overloaded and burning feeling in my temples is probably also a stamina issue too.

“Health is the most important thing.”

Even if it’s annoying and tiring, I need to exercise.

That’s the only way I can keep playing in the market for a long time!

“Whoa. There are more people than I expected?”

“So many people are working out these days. If you work in an office, you start to feel it. That you’ll die if you don’t exercise…”

Is that so?

Don’t people die from exercising instead?

I didn’t even know gyms were this big.

It was also my first time knowing office workers were this diligent.

What caught my eye the most was that place over there.

Thud-! Thud-!

The place where monster-like breathing and the sound of iron clanking echoed.

One person doing weights with muscles that seemed about to burst, showing that he was the king of this area.

“Hm?”

“Oh, hello. Team Leader.”

It was Team Leader Park Hong-seo, a man born for the gym.

"What. Team Leader Jung? I think this is the first time I've seen you here?"

“He decided to start working out with me starting today.”

“Really? Have you worked out before?”

“No. I’m a total newbie.”

“Reeally?”

For some reason.

Team Leader Park Hong-seo, who was always quiet, suddenly started grinning.

“Then, by chance, are you thinking about learning how to exercise?”

“If I’m going to do it, I’d rather learn properly while I’m at it.”

“Reeally now?”

This time, the corners of his mouth almost reached his ears.

I had a feeling something was going wrong, but it was already too late.

***

After the China Shock came the Greek default crisis.

There wasn’t a single peaceful day in the market.

“People who really do stocks must feel like the world is just screwing them over.”

That’s why the Financial Supervisory Service must keep a close eye on the market at times like this.

Everyone’s having a hard time.

It’s only natural for people to have bad thoughts.

The era of mindless stock manipulation like in the early 2000s is gone thanks to tight financial monitoring systems, but honestly, it’s not like it’s impossible.

It’s just a matter of guts.

The problem is that kind of guts is just recklessness.

In the early 2000s, there were an average of 500 stock manipulation cases annually.

But as regulations expanded, the number gradually dropped to around 100.

Even among those 100, the amounts involved weren’t that big.

So many just ended as suspicious cases.

“But this… how am I supposed to interpret it?”

Team Leader Yoo Sang-gu was reviewing a few hours’ worth of trading data.

250 billion won moved by a team at Kwangwoon Securities.

At first, he thought they were just parking the money somewhere, but then they started doing short-term trades with that amount.

At this level, it was market disruption.

But was it really market disruption?

Based solely on the amount, it looked like market disruption, but when you looked at their trading activity, it was ambiguous.

In the end, Team Leader Yoo Sang-gu decided it was beyond his judgment and headed to the Director’s Office.

“Oh. Team Leader Yoo. What’s going on?”

“I came to report something.”

Team Leader Yoo Sang-gu explained what happened in the domestic stock market during the Greek default crisis.

“What? 9… 90 billion!?”

“Yes.”

“Wait a minute. Isn’t there a mistake in the data? I mean, even if they did short-term trades with 250 billion, how does that turn into 90 billion? Huh? Did they ramp up the order volume just before the market closed to manipulate it?”

“I’ve checked it several times. And if you look at the trade records, 90 billion is correct. They made about a 35% profit. They didn’t trade at all near the market close, maybe to avoid influencing the stock price.”

Director of the Financial Supervisory Service, Lee Heung-won, checked the transaction data handed over by Team Leader Yoo several times.

“You know about the old DH Securities manipulation case, right?”

“Yes.”

“There are still some guys from that case we haven’t caught. Those bastards planned that thing for two whole years before pulling the trigger. They dumped 2 trillion won right at market close. Do you know how much money those bastards made?”

“Wasn’t it around 50 billion?”

“Yeah. 50 billion. But those guys busted their asses for two years to barely make 50 billion, and now they’re either wanted or locked up. Meanwhile, this team made 90 billion in just a few hours. Does that sound even remotely normal to you?”

“That’s exactly why I came to you, Director. I honestly don’t think this is within my judgment range.”

The director checked the transaction data once more.

“You’re saying these guys were already in position before the Greek crisis hit?”

“Yes. Then, as soon as the incident broke, they pulled money in and out repeatedly to chase short-term profits.”

“Ha. This is seriously ambiguous. And you’re saying these are the same guys from the China Shock? The ones we were chasing all over Yeouido?”

“Yes. It’s the same team.”

There was a reason why the team leader had come to the director, unsure of what to do.

Normally, the so-called manipulation groups start in what’s called "reading rooms", gathering money like a pyramid scheme, trading through borrowed-name accounts and repeatedly manipulating stock prices.

A step up from that is overseas funds, those guys operate blatantly, even with official titles.

But this was Kwangwoon Securities.

And it was a team belonging to a brokerage firm.

There have been cases where internal employees participated in manipulations, but never before had a team, with billions in hand, manipulated as a unit.

“But isn’t it hard to call this manipulation? It looks like a legitimate trade no matter how you look at it.”

“Yes. It’s legitimate, but the problem is the scale. Everyone else is in the lightweight class, and they’re in super heavyweight alone.”

“Then let me ask you: could you make this kind of return with this scale, purely from short-term trades?”

“......No.”

“Exactly. That’s the problem. I mean, who the hell designed this? Do you honestly think this kind of return rate makes any sense?”

They both knew.

Kwangwoon Securities hadn’t technically done anything wrong.

They just rode the same wave as everyone else and came out with the money.

The problem was the return.

That they raked in 90 billion alone in a short time was the issue.

It was what you’d call a 'crime of audacity'.

Of course, not that the Financial Supervisory Service officially thought so, but public opinion might.

Nothing stings like seeing someone else make money.

“It’s not a problem for now, but what if next time they pull this crap with not 250 billion, but 2.5 trillion?”

“Just thinking about it is horrifying.”

Today, they ran short-term trades with 250 billion and shook not only the KRX but the FSS too. Now imagine them walking in with money in the trillion range?

That would be a disaster.

“Keep them under surveillance for now. These guys don’t look like they’re planning to stop here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Someone once said this.

That the Financial Supervisory Service is a place where they sharpen blade.

So that when it swings, it can cut the target cleanly in a single stroke.

Cleanly, with no aftermath.

That's why justification is needed, and evidence is needed.

Whoever the leader of this team is, he’s clearly done something.

Whether it’s manipulation or insider trading.

Otherwise, this kind of return is impossible.

“But what if this is really just skill?”

“Then the world’s richest person rankings are going to change in a few years.”

The two men fell into a heavy silence.

"What are we talking about?"

“Right? Haha. It’s definitely manipulation. Skill? Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll keep watching them until we get evidence.”

“Good. Report to me as soon as anything comes up.”

“Yes, sir.”

World’s richest, huh.

The director shook his head.

No way something like that would come out of our country.

***

“Hey. How the hell do you keep pulling off those insane profit rates? Are you seriously possessed or something?”

“I just got lucky, that’s all.”

“Lucky? Haha. Our Jin-ho can lie now too. How is that luck? If you had that much luck, you’d have won first place in the lottery ten times over.”

The Guild Master and I were at our usual BBQ spot, filling our hungry stomachs with pork belly.

It was the weekend tomorrow, so we were enjoying a drink as well.

“This is really frustrating.”

“What is?”

“I brought you into the company purely to help you out, you know. But somehow, I’m the one getting all the help.”

"Oh come on. Just dragging a jobless bum out of his cave is already more than enough for me to be thankful.”

“No, really. Thank you, Jin-ho. Times like this, I realize I’m really lucky when it comes to people.”

“Ugh, you’re saying cringey stuff again. Here, have a drink.”

“Haha. Who am I to refuse when you’re pouring? I’ll drink gratefully. Ah, by the way, what’s up with the patch this time? I heard my class got nerfed.” For origınal chapters go to NoveI★Fire.net

"Ah. That. It's an indirect nerf, but you did get hit pretty hard."

“Those damn developers are always hacking away at my class.”

“Well, your class was kind of broken.”

“What!?”

CEO and I set work talk aside for a moment and, true to our gamer roots, launched into game talk.

After chatting for almost two hours, CEO was the first to snap back to focus.

"Oh no. We only talked about games again."

“Well, to be honest, it’s the most fun.”

“Hehe. That’s true, but I did actually call you today because I had something to talk about.”

The Guild Master showed me a document on a tablet.

[New Prime Grade Department Development]

“I’m planning to create a new department.”

“A department?”

“Yeah. Once that department opens, you’ll be entering as the Department Head.”

“What?!”

Wait, I’ve barely even been a Team Leader for that long.

“Are you sure that’s okay?”

“It’s fine. None of the executives are against it. Like I said last time, your profit rate is your business card. Besides, this new department is going to be different in nature. You applied before, right? To open up access to the FX market?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Usually each department handles different things. FX, market, bonds, stocks, derivatives, etc. The types they deal with vary. But for this department, I’m planning to open all the accounts so you can do any kind of trading.”

In other words, the new department would be unrestricted and capable of handling all types of trades.

“You’re the only one who can control all that. Of course, it won’t have a big headcount like other departments. Since you’ll be acting as the control tower, too many staff could just cause chaos. But if you ever need someone, just say the word. I’ll fill the team for you.”

I swallowed hard.

Even during the last market session, it had only been a few people handling the trades.

But now the scale would be much, much bigger?

It’d really become like a raid with dozens of members, just like in the games.

“Oh, and it’d be better if you picked the key members yourself. But I figured you might not know people well or find it a hassle, so I’ve already selected some recommended candidates and put them in a list. Just take a quick look.”

“Ah, okay.......”

From regular staff to team leader, and now from team leader to department head in one leap.

All in an incredibly short time.

And now I even had the authority to personally select my core members.

He was really planning to back me all the way.

“.......”

I scrolled through the list of recommended candidates.

But could I even tell anything just by looking at this?

They all probably had better academic backgrounds than me and way more experience......

“!?”

I nearly dropped the tablet.

“What? You drunk already? We’ve only had three bottles.”

“Haha. No way.”

I straightened the tablet again.

‘I definitely felt it.’

That sharp sensation like a spark shooting through my hand.

‘If that’s the case, then could it be.......’

Is this instinct telling me which members would be good for me?

*****

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