Money Keeps Piling Up No Matter How Much I Spend

Chapter 137

Translator: Dreamscribe“Happy New Year, Chairman.”

“Wishing you lots of blessings and good health this year.”

“Alright. Thank you, everyone. I wish you all a happy New Year. Let’s make this year another successful one.”

The new year had dawned.

Last year had been a meaningful one for Kwangwoon.

Using the pandemic called COVID as an opportunity, the company expanded its influence globally, and with the development of K-culture and the continuous rise of the stock market, it was a year where everyone couldn’t help but smile.

“But on such a good day, why is the neighborhood up north so noisy?”

The “neighborhood up north” referred to Russia.

“I heard Russia deployed troops? Is it something serious?”

“It’s not something to worry too much about. It was the Kazakhstani government that requested help from Russia.”

“And Russia accepted that?”

“Yes. Due to a significant increase in LPG gas prices, large anti-government protests erupted in Kazakhstan. When the anti-government forces, which had grown substantially, tried to seize the opportunity to overthrow the government, Russia stepped in. It’s said things will likely be settled within a few days.”

Russia’s troop deployment to Kazakhstan was an event that once again demonstrated the influence of the former Soviet Union.

“I didn’t expect Patin to send troops so quickly.”

“Restoring the former glory of the Soviet Union is President Patin’s ambition, isn’t it? The deployment to Kazakhstan likely serves a purpose of showing off. Especially since tensions with Ukraine have been rising lately.”

Since last year, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine had been intensifying.

The reason was Ukraine’s bid to join NATO.

President Patin was deeply concerned that NATO was trying to use Ukraine to expand its influence into Eastern Europe.

That’s why he threatened that if Ukraine were to join NATO, he wouldn’t even rule out nuclear war. Thanks to that, Ukraine’s NATO membership was currently on hold.

“Surely… Russia won’t actually invade Ukraine, right?”

“Though there have been some threats, I doubt they’ll actually invade. If they did, the war could spread throughout Europe. And the United States won’t just sit back, either.”

“If they end it quickly and decisively, isn’t there nothing anyone can do?”

“That’s true. With Russia’s military power, Ukraine could be occupied in just a few days. But the possibility of Russia actually starting a war is very slim.”

There had been brief concerns about whether Russia might invade Ukraine.

However, the prevailing analysis was that President Patin wouldn’t go so far unless he’d gone mad.

That’s the nature of war.

If you start a war now without just cause, the whole world will turn its back on you.

And if a country like Russia, which is said to have the strongest military after the United States, starts a war?

“If they don’t want to start World War III, they would never start a war.”

That was the common belief.

“By the way, this deployment to Kazakhstan isn’t shaking the stock prices or anything, right?”

“No. The KOSPI, which exceeded 3,300, has momentarily hesitated, but we see it as a brief pause before a higher leap. Won’t it try to break 4,000 this year? There’s nothing particularly negative, and above all, people continue to flock to the stock market.”

The KOSPI index, which had been pumped up due to the COVID boom, was currently staying in the 3,000s.

Everyone saw it as just a brief correction.

In anticipation of another rocket-like surge afterward, people’s money kept flowing into the stock market.

“Right. It’s practically a feast. But... I received a strange report. While everyone is desperate to pour money in, our securities firm is apparently doing the exact opposite.”

At those words, the executives turned their eyes toward Vice President Kang Ji-hwan.

Their gazes seemed to be questioning whether what was just said was true.

“It’s not just Kwangwoon Securities. Kwangwoon Asset Management is also currently liquidating all positions.”

“Even the National Pension funds, too?”

“Yes. We’ve been liquidating positions since the end of last year to avoid causing a major shock to the market by unloading everything at once. The full liquidation should be completed within this month.”

“Despite the market enjoying such a massive boom, that kind of action must have been under Jin-ho’s orders, right?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Orders from none other than Jung Jin-ho.

The executives who were about to scold Vice President Kang, asking what on earth he was doing, all shut their mouths at the mention that it was Jung Jin-ho’s order.

“Did Jin-ho only tell you to liquidate the positions? Did he give any explanation or instruct anything else?”

“He didn’t explain the exact reason. However, he did give orders to purchase certain stocks in large quantities while liquidating positions.”

“What kind of stocks?”

“Defense industry, energy, grain, and raw materials.”

Hwang Dae-woon let out a chuckle.

“What’s with those sectors? Is a war breaking out or something?”

“.......”

It was meant as a joke, but Vice President Kang’s expression wasn’t laughing.

He was deadly serious.

“...No, right?”

“To be honest... the possibility is high. When you look at the stocks currently being bought by the securities firm, they’re all related to war.”

“W-What!?”

At that, even the executives who had been holding their tongues could no longer stay silent and raised their voices.

“W-War!?”

“What are you talking about!”

“Are you saying North Korea is going to invade!?”

Hwang Dae-woon calmed the agitated executives.

“Everyone, calm down. If a war between North and South Korea was really going to break out, do you think we’d be sitting around here so leisurely? We would’ve been looking into emigration first.”

Come to think of it, that was true.

If they were really anticipating a war between North and South Korea, now wouldn’t be the time to liquidate positions. They’d already have fled Korea.

“Yes. From what I see, I don’t think they’re buying those stocks to prepare for a North-South Korea war.”

“Then what is it? Where’s the war going to happen? The Middle East? Israel?”

“That’s unlikely too. Over there, they already launch missiles at each other whenever they get the chance.”

If it’s not the Korean Peninsula, and not the Middle East, then where?

“Taiwan and China? Or Russia and Ukraine?”

“It seems CEO Jung is keeping an eye on Russia.”

“But that’s what we talked about earlier. That the possibility of Russia attacking Ukraine is almost zero.”

That was the opinion of experts all over the world.

Even the White House had publicly stated that the possibility of Russia striking Ukraine was very low.

“But what you’re saying is... Jin-ho is convinced that Russia will attack Ukraine no matter what?”

Judging by the orders Jung Jin-ho gave to the securities and asset management firms, it’s certain.

Otherwise, how could it make any sense to pull money out during such a major boom?

“CEO Jung probably started predicting this from the time of the GameStop incident.”

“From the time of GameStop? What connection is there between that and this?”

“Yes. On the surface, GameStop seemed like it was used to destroy a rival, but the CEO-nim wasn’t focusing on the rival, Losthood. It was Canada. The GameStop incident gave him an opportunity to enter Canada, and as a result, he’s now concentrating all resources there.”

Currently, Kwangwoon’s companies were spread all across Canada.

From grain warehouses to nickel storage facilities.

The majority were under Kwangwoon’s control.

Fittingly, the trigger had been GameStop.

If the GameStop incident hadn’t happened, it would have been difficult for Kwangwoon to enter Canada.

“Then... Jin-ho has been preparing for the Russia-Ukraine war since the time of GameStop?”

“Based on the circumstances, that’s what it seems like. And the Russia-Ukraine war hasn’t broken out yet. The probability is still very low.”

That was true.

The likelihood of a Russia-Ukraine war breaking out was, for now, very low.

“But if the Russia-Ukraine war really does break out...”

That would mean Jung Jin-ho alone had been preparing for the harsh winter that was about to sweep across the world.

Just like Joseph, who predicted seven years of abundance and seven years of famine, all by himself.

***

“CEO-nim. The Russian troops withdrawn from Kazakhstan have been deployed directly to the front line. Also, an additional 100,000 soldiers have been conscripted. In particular, military tensions over the Donbas region are intensifying.”

In fact, Russia and Ukraine had, in a way, been fighting continuously since 2014.

In the region known as “Donbas”, pro-Russian rebels and the Ukrainian government had been constantly clashing. Over the years, the ongoing battles had resulted in 15,000 deaths.

Although the Russian government had not directly intervened, it had continuously supported the pro-Russian rebels and supplied them with weapons, effectively engaging in combat with Ukraine indirectly.

“But it has never escalated into a full-scale war.”

“That’s right. Because a full-scale war would cost Russia too much. If they were to launch a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States and Europe have warned that they would expel Russia from SWIFT, impose severe economic sanctions, and freeze its foreign reserves.”

President Patin of Russia had been emphasizing the idea of a unified Russia.

It was the same as how China constantly insisted on the “One China” policy towards Taiwan.

But the reason neither China nor Russia could initiate a full-scale war was simple.

It was because of economic sanctions from the United States and Europe.

If they were forcibly expelled from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, SWIFT, had all their foreign exchange accounts blocked, and suffocating economic sanctions imposed, there would be no way to endure it.

“Above all, if a full-scale war breaks out, Russia’s already poor economic situation would likely take an even bigger hit.”

In the past, wars were waged to seize resources, but now, wars only bring losses to the aggressor.

The consumption of resources is too high, and even if they were to occupy Ukraine, it would require astronomical amounts of money to maintain control.

“That’s why most analyses say Russia is using the threat of war as a diplomatic negotiation tactic. To block Ukraine’s entry into NATO and to increase its influence over the Donbas region.”

Russia would not start a war.

That was the rational judgment.

Even if force were used, it would likely be limited to a light skirmish.

“Of course, Ukraine currently has significant political risk. When the current president, Zelenkis, was elected, his approval rating was nearly 80%, but now it has dropped to 20%.”

That’s why some were saying that if Russia truly intended to wage war, now might be the right time.

Zelenkis wasn’t a politician, but a former comedian.

In fact, he had once played the role of a president in a TV series and then actually became the real president.

So, he vowed to reform a corrupt nation and the people believed he would do the job well, but…

Even if someone was elected with overwhelming support, if they had almost no political foundation, being president inevitably came with many real-world limitations.

“That’s why he wasn’t able to carry out any of the anti-corruption or reform measures. And his approval rating fell because of that.”

“So since his political base is weak, there’s a possibility of invasion?”

“Yes. Among all past Ukrainian presidents, he’s considered to have the weakest political foundation and lowest leadership. If there were ever a best time to go to war, it would be now. But still, even so, because the losses outweigh the gains, Russia is likely to avoid full-scale war.”

Nevertheless, going to war was still not a good move for Russia.

“But if war really does break out, Ukraine would fall quickly, right?”

“There’s no comparison. Do you know how powerful Russia’s military is?”

“But, CEO-nim. The fact that you’re continuing to liquidate positions… means you really believe a war will break out, don’t you?”

The staff all looked at me at once.

I quietly placed my hand on the Russia-Ukraine report.

“!?”

Then, as if it had been waiting, the sounds of explosions erupted from all sides, and vivid scenes of tanks and infantry advancing unfolded before my eyes.

I quickly pulled my hand away to escape that horrifying scene.

“I hope my prediction is wrong too.”

“.......”

War is a terrible thing.

It is the ambition of the old that sacrifices the young, this is what war is.

That’s why I truly hope war won’t happen.

But hasn’t my instinct already shown me, multiple times?

That the day is drawing near.

***

“So in the end, we don’t need to worry, right?”

[Yes, Chairman. There’s no need to be concerned about Russia. I’ve checked several times, and even the Russian government has no real intention of going to war.]

Because the relationship between Russia and Ukraine had been turning ominous lately, Chairman Kang Sung-ho had been continuing to hold meetings with Kangseong Electronics employees stationed in Russia.

“But I heard those Russian bastards reinforced their troops again?”

[Ukraine keeps trying to join NATO, and they’re trying to expand their influence in Europe as well, so Russia is checking them. It’s always been like this. Just like how North Korea provokes us every single day. Russia also knows very well that the moment they wage a full-scale war, the country will be shaken severely.]

“Good. Then I’ll trust only you, Branch Manager. There can’t be any disruption at the factory. Our Kangseong has to firmly establish itself. Russia’s population isn’t just one or two people, is it?”

[Yes, Chairman. Please don’t worry.]

With that, Kang Sung-ho let out a sigh of relief and hung up the phone.

Russia was an important market for Kangseong Electronics.

Especially since it was a place where they were actively expanding the market to sell large quantities of electronic products like TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines.

"It is a bit unsettling though."

But seeing how confident the branch manager was, it seemed Russia intended to end it after issuing a few scares again this time.

Well, a full-scale war.

For Russia to wage a full-scale war while clearly knowing that, if things went wrong, it could even lead to World War III?

That was out of the question.

“Still, should I have asked CEO Jung once?”

Kangseong had its own information network too, and it would’ve been ridiculous to go around asking about this one by one.

Besides, didn’t even the White House confidently say there wouldn’t be a war?

It was already a matter that had been concluded there.

“Should I go get lunch?”

It had just turned exactly 12 p.m.

As he stood up from his seat to eat lunch, the Chief Secretary rushed inside.

“C-Chairman!”

“What is it?”

“A b-breaking news alert just came in.”

“What?”

Instead of explaining in words, the Chief Secretary turned on the TV in the president’s office.

And there, an anchor urgently delivering breaking news appeared on the screen.

[Breaking news. President Patin declares war on Ukraine.]

“!?”

President Patin’s speech was being broadcast live.

It was a speech declaring a full-scale war against Ukraine.

“Th-That’s just a threat, isn’t it?”

“No. He announced the start of a special military operation, and they say Russian forces have deployed in three directions. They’ve already taken control of the Black Sea and are in the process of connecting land routes, and troops are advancing to seize the capital as well.”

“T-Then, don’t tell me-.”

“Yes. This time, it isn’t a threat…”

The Chief Secretary, who was delivering the report, swallowed his dry saliva.

“It looks like a real war has broken out.”