Nicely Put, it's Blackmail; Harshly Put, it's Death
The Rizeburn drug incident continued to cause significant repercussions in the political and business circles.
Moreover, with the involvent of children of high-ranking officials, the dia beca even busier.
In the anti, In-hyuk was sitting in the conference room with his team mbers.
"Have you made a decision?"
This was a question regarding the additional Q2 stock investnt plan from last ti.
Back then, they had discussed whether to take In-hyuk's proposal and accept the associated risks.
However, deputy Chief Jung Jong-hyun and the other team mbers had all hesitated, looking to each other for a response and ultimately postponing an answer.
"We'll go with what you said, Team Leader."
"You made a good choice."
In-hyuk continued, checking off the items of the existing additional proposal with his pen.
"From now on, we'll be managing information as swing trades. I'll let the person in charge know separately when it's ti to exit."
"What kind of profit cap are you anticipating?"
After a brief ntal calculation, In-hyuk spoke flatly.
"At the very least... excluding the principal, a minimum of 80%."
At that, slight disappointnt appeared on the faces of so team mbers.
"Ah..."
"What's wrong?"
"......"
No one rushed to answer.
Even at a glance, it was clear that the figure was far below the returns In-hyuk had achieved thus far.
Of course, In-hyuk knew well what their reaction ant.
"You all treated like a placeholder Team Leader until now, but did you really think just agreeing to my proposal ant I'd pick stocks that would deliver huge profits, right off the bat?"
Apparently, he had hit the mark, as several team mbers lowered their heads awkwardly and cleared their throats.
"If things go well, I'll try to improve the returns in the future. Also, make sure none of the information we shared leaks out. Unless you want to take the bla for sothing unnecessary."
In-hyuk's sharp gaze swept across the team.
A few who briefly made eye contact looked startled and quickly averted their gazes.
"Well, let's end the eting here."
After In-hyuk left first, the rest of the team mbers did not imdiately get up.
After a while, Ahn Woo-chan cautiously spoke to Deputy Chief Jung Jong-hyun.
"About the Team Leader... I've been feeling this since last ti, but don't you think his attitude has suddenly changed a lot?"
Everyone nodded, seemingly in agreent. Of course, Jung Jong-hyun thought the sa.
"Did he eat sothing bad, or is he just showing a side he's kept hidden until now... Either way, since we've decided to follow, let's just do our best."
Everyone stood up.
While the lower-ranking employees were leaving, Ahn Woo-chan pulled Jung Jong-hyun aside for a mont.
"Deputy Chief, are things okay up above?"
"Who? Team Leader Kim?"
In fact, before In-hyuk arrived at Taeshin Asset Managent, Jung Jong-hyun had worked under Team Leader Kim Seong-ho of Equity Investnt Team 1.
When In-hyuk was parachuted into the Team 3 Leader position, Jung Jong-hyun beca his direct subordinate, so he naturally had a lot of complaints.
To be honest, back when Kim Seong-ho passed on the difficult A2 client to Kang In-hyuk, Jung Jong-hyun had stood by, almost hoping to see In-hyuk get burned.
However, instead of suffering, In-hyuk had delivered an incredible 223% profit to that client.
"In this situation, what can we do?"
"I know, but... it's Team Leader Kim's personality I'm worried about."
Team 3, led by the parachuted Team Leader In-hyuk, was already out of favor.
Of course, recently, since Ahn Woo-chan's wife, Tae Ju-ha, who was also a mber of the Taeshin Group family, beca CEO and the team leader started to deliver high returns, the situation wasn't as obvious, but rumors still spread.
"For now, just..."
Bzzbzz— Bzzbzz—
Jung Jong-hyun's phone vibrated. Checking the screen, he let out a long sigh.
Ahn Woo-chan glanced at the caller ID and furrowed his brow as well.
【Team Leader Kim Seong-ho】
"... You're going through a lot."
"You too, hang in there."
With that, Ahn Woo-chan left, and Jung Jong-hyun pressed the call button, sitting alone in the conference room.
* * *
As night deepened, a middle-aged man with white hair, brown eyes, and light brown skin, dressed in a luxurious ash-gray suit, entered a narrow alley near Cheonggyecheon, Seoul.
The area was lined with shops selling lighting equipnt and machine parts.
"Hoo―!"
The man was Norman McGrath, who had worked at the Asia branch of the famous U. S. hedge fund FOURGMA.
And now, due to the ongoing issue with a Taiwanese company called SolarView, he had left Singapore, where his branch was located, and just arrived in Korea.
Passing flickering streetlights, he checked his phone. According to the map app, this was the spot.
"This should be the place..."
For a downtown alley, it was eerily deserted. Bzzbzz―
Just then, an email arrived in English, as if on cue.
【Gordon: It's a pleasure eting you.】
The content, as if soone was watching him, made Norman McGrath dart his eyes around in surprise.
But there were only cracked gray walls on either side, and only dim alleyways ahead and behind.
【Norman: I have arrived. Where are you?】
As soon as he replied, footsteps echoed from the alley behind him.
Tap, tap—
Turning around, Norman McGrath saw a shadowy figure standing on the dark road.
"Fortunately, you ca here without getting lost."
The figure was In-hyuk. Responding in English, Norman McGrath stiffened his expression and answered in English as well.
"Thanks to you, I found the place. More importantly, are you really with AMK Partners, the firm that acquired shares of SolarView?"
"That's right. I'm Gordon Gris."
The na he had just uttered was the representative identity registered under Go Mi-ah's direction when she ford AMK Partners at In-hyuk's instruction.
Naturally, Norman McGrath had done his research before coming to South Korea, so he recognized the na.
However, other than the na and age, there was no information about Gordon Gris' photo or personal life.
"If you wanted to et for business, shouldn't you at least show your face?"
At the probing question, In-hyuk didn't budge an inch from his spot.
"You're trying to pitch SolarView not to FOURGMA but to a competitor. Why should I show you my face?"
At that mont, Norman McGrath's brow crumpled. In-hyuk had stated the facts as they were.
"I'm not sure what you an..."
"The fact that you're here in the first place pretty much proves it, doesn't it?"
The ssage In-hyuk had sent from Go Mi-ah's studio was clear: if he did not arrange a eting soon, the relevant facts and evidence would be sent to FOURGMA HQ.
"AMK Partners is a new company. Why all this effort? What exactly do you do?"
In-hyuk couldn't help but let out a short laugh.
"I called because I need you. How about working with from now on?"
Norman McGrath cocked his head at the proposition.
"Are you... recruiting ?"
"Yes. I'll pay you twice your current salary, plus a 3% incentive based on profits."
The offer was significant, and Norman's eyes flickered beneath the street lamp.
"I suppose my life depends on those conditions as well?"
"That depends on your decision. Ah, and I'll also keep secret the fact that you worked as a lobbyist under the nickna Gold Eye in the Middle East."
Norman McGrath was even more shocked.
There was no official record of his lobbying activities, and yet Gordon Gris had just ntioned it.
"You know even that... Who are you really?"
"Just soone at AMK Partners with very powerful intelligence sources."
Plop—
With that, In-hyuk tossed a leather pouch about 5cm thick at his feet.
Picking it up, Norman glanced through its contents under the streetlight—then could not hide his shock.
Inside was docuntation of every lobbying activity he'd been involved in, the rebate projects at FOURGMA, and detailed records on negotiations with competitors over SolarView.
Norman's hands trembled holding the docunts.
"Refusing your offer would an you're threatening to destroy my life."
"Think of it as blackmail, at best; at worst, death."
Norman's lips twitched.
"It's hard to find much solace in either, honestly."
"In exchange, I'll let you experience accomplishnts and money you've never known before."
"Is AMK Partners really that exceptional?"
"Well, you saw for yourself how we gathered so much information and stock in SolarView that even you didn't know. Isn't that proof enough?"
No one who wasn't an insider should have been able to discover or gather that information—yet AMK Partners had it all.
"Do I have to decide now? I suppose so—there's only one option anyway."
After a brief sigh, Norman McGrath pressed on.
"So, what exactly do you want to do?"
Plop—
Again, a leather pouch was tossed to him. Checking the contents, his expression subtly soured.
"AMK Partners branch establishnt in Korea, and securing 30% of initial investnt funds from FOURGMA as a loan for less than 3% equity... Do you think that's possible?"
Corporate loans through investnt firms usually require shares as collateral.
"Well, that depends on your abilities."
"Unless AMK Partners' unlisted stock market cap and current profits are enormous, and unless the initial investnt is sizable, if the equity condition is under 3%, even KRW 10 billion would be tough. If it's lower than that, 1 billion might be the limit."
He was right. In-hyuk stared at him in the darkness for a mont, then replied.
"If you check the middle section of the docunts, you'll see the current profit ratio and available operating funds."
Norman quickly leafed through the docunts.
"... Profit rate of 328% excluding the principal? Do you expect to believe that?"
"You can check after the branch is established and account access is granted. From now on, use the phone inside the pouch for communication. Looking forward to working with you."
With that, In-hyuk finished and receded into the shadows.
"What, you're just ending the conversation like this? W-wait!"
For a mont, Norman stood dumbfounded. He quickly ran to where the figure had stood, then checked further down the alley.
But just as if the person had vanished into thin air, there was no trace of Gordon Gris to be found.
"What the...?"
He had been blackmailed for his misdeeds and then received a sky-high scout offer.
No matter how simply he tried to understand it, it made no sense.
But the hefty docunts in his hands left no doubt that what he'd heard was true.
.
.
.
anwhile, In-hyuk was standing on the rooftop of a nearby building, not far from where he'd just been.
He could see Norman McGrath scouring the alleyways below. Taking out his phone, he called Go Mi-ah.
"If you find anything on nearby CCTV footage, edit all of it out."
[Okay. But did you make sure to avoid any store CCTV or black boxes? I can't do anything about those.]
"I made sure to avoid them on my way to the eting spot."
He himself would not have been caught, but the issue was Norman McGrath.
If anyone later investigated whom Norman t in Korea, there could be a trail.
[Judging from his resu, he's a big shot... Why are you roping him into our work? What if he stabs us in the back?]
Currently, Go Mi-ah continued to grow AMK Partners' assets using information provided by In-hyuk.
Thanks to that, just the accrued funds so far amounted to nearly KRW 20 billion.
She was naturally concerned Norman might try sothing with it.
"I'll restrict his authority. And we're holding the leash, so there's no need to worry."
[And why exactly?]
"We need soone to act as the public face. You can't do sales, and I can't handle AMK business with my current identity."
[Tch―!]
Finishing the call, In-hyuk quickly made his way through the rooftop, ensuring he avoided building CCTV or black boxes as he moved to the safe zone.
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