Chapter 29: The Wolf of Wall Street (3)

“The US market is overvalued.”

I said this to Ha Youngil the next day, when he asked for an explanation.

Ha Youngil was silent for a moment.

-Why?

“It’s not just me. Everyone thinks so, right?”

That’s right.

The Plaza Accord significantly devalued the dollar. The US trade deficit increased, and interest rates rose.

Logically, the stock market should fall. With such headwinds, continued growth is illogical.

Yet the US market is experiencing a bull run. Prices have risen so much…

People are starting to think.

‘Is this… too high…?’

Then, bang—Black Monday.

The perfect time for short selling.

***

Ha Youngil doesn’t fully grasp this.

Of course, the US market should rise further.

It’s early August… Black Monday is October 19th. That’s sixty days; even conservatively, it takes fifty days for fear to spread.

“Normally… we’d just profit, but the plan’s changed. I need to be more aggressive.”

Hot breath escapes my small mouth. A surge of excitement fills me; my hands tremble.

My eyes shine with excessive exhilaration; I surrender to the gold’s allure.

“We’ll start short selling on October 19th, Monday. Load up the bombs over the weekend.”

The stock market is closed on weekends; Monday sees the accumulated news.

October 19th was the peak of this phenomenon—Black Monday.

I intend to amplify it.

-Understood. But… why October 19th?

“My calculations. I’ll adjust based on unfolding events, but it’ll be within a week.”

My statement is a declaration of prescience.

But I’m confident.

I’m confident in creating a larger bull market using the butterfly effect and predicting the bear market’s start.

It’s not because of future knowledge, but because I trust myself—once Wall Street’s greatest madman. I could read market trends with my eyes closed.

If I’m still that person, if I claim that my past self and present self, Yu Hayeon, are one and the same…

I can, and must, do this. It’s who I am.

“Contact Jusung. Use your connections. Everyone, prepare.”

I look at my secretaries with somber eyes.

Their skeptical gazes are a challenge. So many can’t see the flow of money.

I’m different. I always see the future.

“Expand investment banking operations. Call clients to raise more funds, call newspapers and highlight any positive news. The key is increasing trading volume. Understood?”

A single girl smiles faintly as everyone scatters.

I will prove myself.

Atop my mountain of gold…

I will declare that the Ship of Theseus remains the same.

That’s how I’ll prove continuity.

***

Generally, Wall Street in New York is considered the heart of global finance.

Issues originating here ripple through global markets.

But the opposite is also true. Global market fluctuations impact Wall Street.

“When I give the signal, target Tokyo and Hong Kong. Their instability will impact Wall Street.”

Unlike Korea’s closed market, Tokyo and Hong Kong are closely linked to the US.

And they are the only markets I can easily influence.

-What exactly do you mean?

“Before the signal… before October, maintain long positions. Losses are acceptable. More importantly, amplify the long signals.”

-To further inflate the bull market.

“That’s right. We only have $1 million, so use leverage, make contact, delay contracts until the last moment, pretending to finalize them.”

Even investing all my assets now won’t be noticeable. High leverage won’t change that.

But it’s still a phone-trading era. I can send a ‘signal.’

“Invest heavily in cheap junk bonds. It’s okay to look amateurish; appear naive.”

A novice investing in high-risk speculative assets is a classic peak signal.

-Is that okay? We might run out of money for short selling.

I laugh heartily.

“Don’t worry, I’ve identified some funds. Investing according to that plan, even with leverage, shouldn’t cause losses.”

That’s even better.

You have to make big money during a bull market.

After instructing Ha Youngil, I gesture to Lee Sihyeon.

“I’ll inspect the semiconductor research lab. Prepare a car; I’ll spend the weekend there. Send a few secretaries.”

I need to consider family opinions, but my frequent visits to the lab are common knowledge.

“…Yes, understood.”

Two months until D-day, but preparations are urgent. In the original timeline, Korea catching up to Japan in semiconductors wasn’t significant.

At least, not yet.

“Haha. You’ve arrived at the right time, Miss. Almost finished. Just one more hurdle…”

The director, brimming with excitement, clenches his fists. His lack of muscle makes it somewhat comical, but his passion is genuine.

“Hmm, around 100 days?”

“Oh, no. Fifty days is enough, haha.”

My prediction was right.

Fifty days from now…

“Then the technology gap is three months… three months left.”

Seeing the director’s smile, I smile back.

“That’s right. Daeha Electronics will soon be among the semiconductor leaders.”

Korean issues wouldn’t normally reach Wall Street, but that’s changing.

The 4M memory chip, originally scheduled for early next year, is being brought forward due to my intervention.

The previous two-year gap is now down to three months. This will be a major setback for the Japanese and American markets.

“Can you do me a favor?”

The director blinks, nodding.

“…Yes, what is it?”

“Set the announcement date for October 16th.”

He nods, understanding.

“Ah, I understand. You’re inheriting Daeha Securities.”

“Not yet.”

I smile, gently correcting him. The intelligent director will understand my reason.

He probably thinks I’ll buy Daeha Electronics stock after the announcement.

It’s already illegal… but everyone does it.

But my real plan is different.

I contact Ha Jusung, having confirmed the schedule at the semiconductor lab.

“The main attack will be led by your son, but we need to inform you. Prepare for short selling against Japanese semiconductor companies. Use separate funds.”

-Difficult… but I’ll try.

“Good, thank you.”

My plan is a tightrope walk.

Removing one more block from a toppling Jenga tower; inflating a beer foam to the point of bursting.

One mistake, and everything is gone.

‘Haa, this is life.’

The market needs to be more active before Black Monday, while simultaneously increasing anxiety…

And the bubble mustn’t burst before D-day.

With only around 1 billion won!

I enjoy the thrill, making the most of the remaining days. Ha Youngil, using leverage on Wall Street, quickly makes a fortune; our hedge fund, ignoring long-short strategies, focuses solely on long positions.

The fund gains recognition through the high-efficiency program trading I taught them.

Seed money increases, but it’s still small. That money flows to Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and then back to the US. Small news outlets, using the information we fed them, gradually offer pessimistic predictions, but without much impact.

That’s right.

It’s typical. It would happen even without us.

My role is adding a small grain of sand to the typical.

Making news articles more pessimistic, increasing market volatility, introducing more efficient program trading to Wall Street…

It’s a small influence on the stock market.

But these small pieces, when combined, will create a significant impact.

October 16th, Friday morning.

-Rustle.

I smile at the front-page news.

[Daeha Electronics successfully develops 4M DRAM memory chips… technology gap with leaders: three months.]

The final piece of the puzzle is in place.

Time to trigger the panic sell-off.