The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 289

289. The End (7)

Nikkei 33,000 points.

This was the index Jeong Hyun-woo had promised John Pierre he would withdraw his short selling from.

“A promise is a promise, so I have no choice but to withdraw.”

All he knew was that Japan was entering a long-term recession. He had no idea what events would unfold in the process of entering that recession.

‘Even if I sell half, I won’t be at a loss.’

As John Pierre had said, Victoria Fund had already made a profit from the short selling.

Jeremy Spin slightly strained his neck.

“Charlie, I don’t think it’s time to withdraw now.”

“You don’t think it’s time to withdraw?”

“That’s right.”

Jeremy Spin had gathered and analyzed data with a cool head. As a result, he learned what circumstances had led to this rebound.

“What’s the reason?”

“Because this rebound is a fake rebound.”

Jeong Hyun-woo paused, raising his voice at the end.

“Um, if it’s a fake rebound, are you talking about a technical rebound, as they say?” [A temporary recovery in the market due to overselling.]

He was asking if a program had been activated to make up for the excessive drop.

“This rebound is not a technical rebound, but an artificial one.”

Program trading had appeared, but stocks were basically bought and sold by people, not machines. Therefore, an artificial rebound was a somewhat contradictory term.

“Jeremy, I think you need to explain a bit.”

Jeremy Spin said in a firm voice.

“Since the crash last spring, Japanese investment companies and life insurance companies have been gathering surplus funds from the market. And they’ve been pouring those funds into the stock market.”

He was saying that Japanese financial companies had joined forces to prevent the collapse of the bubble.

“Are you saying that the Japanese financial sector has been forcibly trying to rebound falling stocks?”

“To put it simply, yes. Charlie, the current rebound is like a castle built on sand. One event that can suppress the rebound and it will collapse.”

An event that could suppress the rebound.

Jeong Hyun-woo narrowed his brows.

“Are you saying that if an event like the bankruptcy of a top company occurs, the Nikkei will sink again?”

“Not only the bankruptcy of a top company, but also strong government policies could be the target.”

This was why Jeremy Spin thought it was built on sand.

‘There are so many events that could bring bad news to the stock market.’

The world had been in chaos since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Events could break out anywhere in Eastern Europe, South America, or the Middle East. He was judging that the possibility of an event that could be a trigger was higher than ever.

Jeong Hyun-woo slightly raised his voice.

“Jeremy, what happens if no special event occurs?”

He wanted to consider the worst-case scenario as well.

“In that case, the stock price will gradually fall.”

Jeremy Spin thought that either way, the Japanese stock market would have to fall.

‘A recession and depression cannot be prevented by the power of a few people alone.’

The Japanese cabinet was doing everything in its power to prevent a recession, but their power alone was not enough.

‘Unless the world economy shines with a great boom, Japan’s economic recession cannot be prevented.’

Jeong Hyun-woo understood his story and nodded.

“You’re saying that a recession will come either way.”

Jeremy Spin slightly raised his voice.

“Don’t you think so too, Charlie?”

Jeong Hyun-woo had argued more strongly than anyone else about the collapse and recession of the Japanese bubble.

“That’s right.”

Jeong Hyun-woo and Jeremy Spin.

The fact that the two people’s intentions coincided did not mean that everything was over. There was one more person they had to persuade.

“Jeremy, I also promised John 33,000 points.”

Jeremy Spin received Jeong Hyun-woo’s words in a dry voice.

“Charlie, I will persuade John.”

“Is it possible?”

“Because I have solid evidence.”

Jeong Hyun-woo’s persuasion and arguments were based on intuition, but Jeremy Spin’s persuasion and arguments were based on cold evidence. Jeong Hyun-woo also thought that he could change John Pierre’s mind enough.

“Okay. Then I’ll trust Jeremy with John.”

Jeremy Spin added a word before hanging up the phone.

“Charlie, please take care of the investors while I persuade John.”

Please persuade the investors.

He was asking him to come out to the media or economic forums and say a word for the investors who had invested in Victoria Fund.

“Jeremy, don’t worry. I’ll schedule it right away.”

He thought as he hung up the phone.

‘Sarah’s going to be mad.’

As it turned out, he had no choice but to end his summer vacation earlier than planned.

“Charlie, let’s go back.”

Jeong Hyun-woo raised his eyebrows at Sarah’s words that he heard at that time.

“Now?”

“Something happened.”

Sarah was next to him and had heard the two people’s conversation, so she knew what had happened.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Of course.”

Sarah reached out her hand to him with a smile.

“Sarah?”

“Charlie, let’s say goodbye to the paparazzi first.”

After saying that, she kissed him on Miami Beach.

* * *

New York 11th Street.

Splendid chandeliers and a wide table.

A stage that is wider and more splendid than that.

However, the stage was actually empty.

People were sitting in chairs made by Italian artisans, looking at the stage.

“Is Miss Hilton coming out?”

The people gathered at the Plaza Hotel Convention Hall, which had gained worldwide fame with the Plaza Accord [A 1985 agreement between major economic powers to depreciate the U.S. dollar], were executives of companies that had invested in Victoria Fund.

However, since Victoria Corporation, not Victoria Fund, had gathered them today, people were waiting for Sarah Hilton, not Jeremy Spin or John Pierre.

“Isn’t there a high possibility?”

“It would be a shame if Charlie Jeong came out.”

“You’ll have to go to CES [Consumer Electronics Show] to meet Charlie Jeong.”

The people gathered here were highly evaluating Jeong Hyun-woo, but they said that he would not appear.

“Miss Hilton. I’m looking forward to her dress today.”

A clear sound.

However, this sound effect was unnecessary.

People’s eyes were already fixed on the stage.

“It seems like she’s appearing.”

“What kind of dress code will it be?”

“Will it be a lily? Or a rose?”

A brief silence.

And the person who appeared was not a blonde beauty, but a young man with a neat appearance.

“Ah! It’s Charlie Jeong.”

“Hmm, if Charlie Jeong appeared in person instead of Miss Hilton….”

“There’s something in today’s announcement.”

It was rare for Jeong Hyun-woo, the CEO of Victoria Corporation and the world’s richest man, to stand on stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, how do you do?”

Jeong Hyun-woo’s greeting was ordinary. However, the content that followed was not ordinary.

He explained the direction of Victoria Fund to investors and said that Victoria Fund would complete its IPO [Initial Public Offering] within the year.

The IPO of Victoria Fund was sure to cause a stir on Wall Street.

Investors raised their voices at his IPO declaration.

“An IPO at this point?”

“It seems like they thought it was time.”

“Was it a Victoria Corporation investment last year?”

“It seems like Charlie Jeong is trying to end Victoria Fund’s success with an IPO this year, based on the success of Victoria Corporation’s investment and short selling of the Japanese stock market.”

Investors analyzed that Jeong Hyun-woo had launched an IPO based on the success of Victoria Corporation’s investment and short selling of the Japanese stock market.

“I’ll take questions now.”

It had been a long time since Jeong Hyun-woo had received questions directly from people.

“Hmm, are you saying that you’re taking questions from investors, not reporters?”

“Was Charlie Jeong this kind of person?”

“Isn’t that because he’s confident?”

“Still.”

Investors tilted their heads because unexpected questions could come out.

As expected, a difficult question came out before a few questions and answers were exchanged.

“The Nikkei stock market succeeded in rebounding this summer. If this continues, Victoria Fund will lose its short selling profits again. I would like to hear Charlie Jeong’s opinion.”

The Nikkei index had succeeded in rebounding to 33,000 points.

Jeong Hyun-woo bowed and answered the question.

“It is true that the Nikkei index has rebounded. However, Victoria Fund will maintain its position. The reason is that Japan’s economic situation is not good.”

The investor who had asked the question earlier raised his hand again.

“It seems like you still have questions. Ask away.”

The investor who had obtained the right to speak from Jeong Hyun-woo asked him.

“If you go to a shopping mall in the United States, Japanese products are displayed in the best places. Not only that, but if you look at the monthly car sales figures, Japanese car companies always sweep the top spots. In this situation, I don’t think it’s right to say that Japan’s economic situation is not good.”

Some investors nodded at his remarks.

“There may be adjustments, but it’s hard to say that Japan is entering a recession.”

“The withdrawal from Japan is because they made a lot of profit, not because Japan is in trouble.”

People still did not expect Japan’s recession.

Some investors even said that it would be good to invest in Japan again after the bubble burst.

Jeong Hyun-woo strained his neck again.

“Japan’s current situation can be said to be very good. Nevertheless, I don’t think their companies are overvalued. For example, Japanese car companies are achieving great success worldwide. But for their sales or net profit to match their current stock price, they would have to sell more than three times as many cars as they do now. Is that possible? I don’t think it’s possible. Even if you think as favorably as possible for Japan, 150% is the limit.”

He was talking about Japan’s future value.

Clap!

When Jeong Hyun-woo snapped his fingers, a clear graph appeared on the white background that had been his backdrop.

He turned his gaze to the graph and raised his voice.

“Another reason I bet on Japan’s decline is because Japan is aging. Looking at Japan’s population structure, the average age is increasing every year. There are enough workers to work in factories now, but in 10 years, we will not be able to secure enough manpower.”

Analysis based on population statistics was something that even Wall Street investors were hearing for the first time.

“Hmm, definitely Charlie Jeong. Interesting opinion.”

“I didn’t know that Japan’s aging population was this serious.”

“Does the Japanese government know this fact?”

“Some people know, but it seems like the current cabinet is not paying attention to it right now.”

“Japan doesn’t have a suitable country to import workers from nearby, so it will just grow old.”

Jeong Hyun-woo continued to show other graphs and explained the reasons for Japan’s decline.

“Japan’s high interest rates are also a big burden for Japanese companies. In the last three years, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea have been filling the parts that Japan is missing. If their growth continues, Japan will lose more pie to them.”

The rise of newly industrialized Asian countries that can replace Japan.

He processed the content with computer graphics to help investors understand.

This was the part that made people exclaim, ‘As expected, Victoria Corporation.’

“Charlie Jeong is Charlie Jeong.”

“That’s why I can’t abandon Victoria Fund.”

Executives who had invested in Victoria Fund, including Bank of America and JP Morgan, were satisfied with Jeong Hyun-woo’s presentation today. When his presentation was over, people stood up and applauded.

“Excellent.”

“Bravo, it was a great presentation.”

“Our Bank of America will be with Victoria Fund forever.”

“Victoria Fund’s IPO. I’m looking forward to it.”

Jeong Hyun-woo wiped the sweat flowing from his forehead and bowed his head.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

The fact that sweat was flowing from his forehead meant that he was somewhat nervous when giving this presentation.

As he retreated behind the stage, a blonde beauty in a white mini dress approached and handed him a handkerchief.

She was, of course, Sarah, who originally wanted to be the main character of today’s stage.

“Charlie, you worked hard.”

Jeong Hyun-woo let out a long sigh.

“Hoo…. It’s not easy.”

“You were doing well?”

“I was a little nervous when the short selling question came out.”

“Because of the 33,000 points?”

Jeong Hyun-woo nodded and answered.

“That’s right.”

He thought that the Japanese stock market could rebound to 35,000 points in the short term.

‘I know what will happen in 10 years, but I can’t guarantee what will happen in the next year.’

It was when the two were talking.

Clack. Clack.

Another beauty appeared with the sound of sharp shoes. She was Jeong Hyun-woo’s secretary, Luna.

“CEO, it’s an emergency.”

Jeong Hyun-woo tilted his head and asked.

“Luna, what’s going on?”

Luna answered his question.

“It’s war.”

War.

Was it World War III?

It was when Jeong Hyun-woo narrowed his brows.

Luna added flesh to her first answer.

“Iraq has invaded Kuwait.”

Jeong Hyun-woo’s eyes widened.

“If Iraq has invaded Kuwait, then a war has broken out in the Middle East.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes and said.

“There will be an oil shock.”

An oil shock was sure to have a negative impact on stock prices.

“Victoria Corporation’s stock price will fall.”

“It’s bad news.”

Jeong Hyun-woo shook his head with a smile of satisfaction.

“No. It’s good news.”

Sarah didn’t understand his words and widened her eyes.

“Good news?”

“Because the Nikkei won’t be able to withstand this situation.”

Japan was a country that relied 100% on oil imports. In the case of oil importing countries such as Japan, an oil shock was bound to have the biggest impact.

‘The shock that Jeremy was talking about broke out in the Middle East.’

He thought that everything had been decided by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

‘We finally won.’

Japanese financial companies that had tried to forcibly raise the Nikkei index were bound to suffer fatal damage.

“Charlie won again.”

Jeong Hyun-woo shrugged his shoulders at her words.

“It’s not a good thing to predict a recession. Many people will have economic difficulties.”

Sarah, who heard his words, raised her heels and kissed him.

“Sarah?”

“I’m kissing you because you’re not just a money-grubber who only knows money.”

Sarah smiled brightly after finishing her words.

Jeong Hyun-woo thought that her smile was enough.

‘Money is just a bonus after all.’

As he hugged and kissed Sarah, Luna quietly left the seat.

* * *

October 2nd.

The Nikkei index fell below 20,000 points.

The plunge of nearly 50% stunned Japanese and American investors who had expected a drop of about 20% immediately after the war.

“Something unbelievable has happened!”

“How can this be?”

“They say that falling things have no wings, and that’s what the Nikkei is like.”

“I think it’s better to give up at this point.”

“Tsk, tsk, is Japan over too?”

Among the companies that had invested heavily in Japan was Morgan Stanley.

They were proud of their investment in Japan to the point that they held a party at the end of last year.

But in less than a year, the situation had completely changed.

The Nikkei stock market had plummeted, and even the real estate that seemed solid was faltering.

On Wall Street, there was talk that Morgan Stanley’s losses would exceed $10 billion.

“Mr. Montana, take responsibility.”

Morgan Stanley’s big head, Chairman Kyle Montana.

He could not avoid taking responsibility for the failure of his investment in Japan.

“Hmm, I understand. I’ll step down.”

He was the one who raised his champagne glass high just 10 months ago. But he couldn’t last a year and had to step down as CEO of Morgan Stanley.

He was not the only one who was hit. Howard Robinson, who had led the investment in Japan with him, had no choice but to leave the company.

Morgan Stanley people said, looking at Howard Robinson leaving.

“Howard, he really won’t be able to come back this time.”

“I agree.”

“Mr. Montana is leaving with him.”

JP Morgan’s Chairman Edmund Morgan also handed over the CEO position to Henri Arnault due to this crash.

People tilted their heads at his retirement.

“Did JP Morgan also invest in Japan?”

“Didn’t they push Victoria Fund’s short selling?”

“It’s strange.”

People were wondering why JP Morgan had suffered losses from this incident.

But soon the truth was revealed.

In July, when the Japanese stock market succeeded in rebounding, Edmund Morgan pushed $5 billion into the Japanese stock market, aiming for short-term profits, even though he had invested in Victoria Fund. And then Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait broke out.

“They say that they lost everything by coveting something small.”

Sarah raised her voice.

“Charlie, why would someone like Edmund do such a thing?”

“There’s a story that he was being chased.”

“He was being chased?”

“The owner of the company changed.”

The death of Arthur Morgan, who had been controlling JP Morgan.

It was the story that Edmund Norman was being chased by performance thanks to his death.

“Hmm, it’s a sad story.”

“A new wave is rising on Wall Street.”

The retirement of Edmund Norman and Chairman Kyle Montana became a signal announcing the retirement of the middle-aged group that had dominated Wall Street.

By the end of 1990, Wall Street banks were competing to put young CEOs at the forefront.

But no one could have a CEO as young as Jeong Hyun-woo.

December 1990. New York.

Wall Street Victoria Fund headquarters.

The person sitting across from Jeong Hyun-woo was John Pierre. He had just completed the establishment of the Shanghai branch yesterday and returned to New York.

“Are you really leaving?”

John Pierre nodded and answered.

“Didn’t I say that I would retire when the Nikkei short selling was over?”

“I thought John’s mind would change.”

“It wasn’t an easy thought to change.”

“That’s a shame.”

Jeong Hyun-woo sincerely regretted his retirement.

“Isn’t my successor decided too?”

“Are you talking about Jeremy?”

John Pierre said in a dry voice.

“Jeremy will do well.”

It was Jeremy Spin who persuaded him in China this summer.

When John Pierre retired, Jeremy Spin was scheduled to become the CEO of Victoria Fund naturally.

“Jeremy will do well. But he may not be as good as John.”

John Pierre looked at Jeong Hyun-woo and raised his voice.

“Charlie, I have a question.”

“What question is it?”

“With this success, Charlie has money that will not decrease no matter how much he spends.”

Jeong Hyun-woo’s personal assets reached $220 billion with the short selling of the Japanese Nikkei and the listing of Victoria Fund.

This was an enormous amount, 15 times the annual budget of South Korea.

“Are you asking how I’m going to use that money?”

John Pierre nodded.

“I thought Charlie would have different thoughts from ordinary people. Are you perhaps going to use it for investment?”

He knew that Jeong Hyun-woo was a genius at investment.

Jeong Hyun-woo shook his head.

“Investment? I’m going to use it for the future.”

“The future?”

Jeong Hyun-woo answered in a dry voice.

“In the future, the world will be dominated by technology, not ideology.”

He was saying that he would secure the technology to lead the future with astronomical funds.

His gaze was directed not at the present but at the future.

‘I can’t beat him.’

John Pierre said in a soft voice.

“No one will be able to follow Charlie for the next 10 years.”

Jeong Hyun-woo slightly raised his voice.

“Why 10 years?”

John Pierre answered.

“Because Charlie won’t be young in 10 years either.”

The young Jeong Hyun-woo is better than anyone else. But he couldn’t predict what the older Jeong Hyun-woo would be like.

‘Maybe he’ll be someone who has both experience and spirit.’

He felt a slight chill when he thought of the perfect Jeong Hyun-woo.

‘Could it be that he will dominate the world?’

John Pierre finally imagined Jeong Hyun-woo becoming the President of the United States in his head.

‘A non-white president.’

He thought that it would be impossible no matter what.

(End of main story)