「Breaking News: Russia declared a moratorium, stating “We can’t pay back foreign debt.”

Russia announced a moratorium. They stopped repayment of all foreign debts for ninety days and raised the ruble’s exchange rate to 9.5 rubles per dollar, which was a fifty-three percent increase. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) started an immediate talk with the Russian government regarding the situation. Following the declaration, the official value of Russian bonds and the ruble significantly decreased along with their holdings among major European companies. In addition, the major Asian currencies and the price of raw materials and oil produced in Russia fell altogether. The U.S…」

***

「Estimated profit: + 512% 」

「Estimated profit: + 22% 」

「Estimated profit: + 620% 」

「Estimated profit: + 43% 」

…….

「Estimated profit: + 2% 」

「Estimated profit: + 125% 」

「Estimated profit: + 34% 」

「Estimated profit: + 310% 」

All my accounts began to gain profit. However, it wasn’t the time to only look at the number as the highest estimated profit was from my gambling funds which were small amounts. Also, now wasn’t the time to calculate the total profits because I had to pop the champagne as my knights were collecting the trophies.

“It’s over…New York and the Isle of Man must also be frenetic now.”

***

Shouts of surprise and disbelief burst out on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Some people in other financial institutions on Wall Street actually screamed in horror. Those on the thirteen floors of the Jonathan Investments building, which used to belong to Onider Associates, were the only ones screaming in joy.

“B-rian! B-rian! B-rian!”

It was like a cheer to the batter who hit a winning home run in the ninth inning. There was nothing like a championship toss because the market was still open, but every trader was shouting Kim Cheong-Soo’s name.

Kim Cheong-Soo was dazed probably since he was more astonished than anyone else. When the breaking news announced Russia’s bankruptcy, he felt like his heart had dropped to the ground even though he definitely deserved a cheer. Nevertheless, his legs were trembling and he was about to throw up due to the massive burden that had pressured him.

He looked at his employees one by one, and there were many famous traders. They were running private newsletters and Kim Cheong-Soo was one of their subscribers. Furthermore, everyone had graduated from Ivy League universities, and there were thirty such elites on the floor where the computer room was located. Other floors also held many elites, and cheers burst out from upstairs and downstairs.

When he became the leader of more than a hundred elite traders and was responsible for twenty billion dollars in funds, Kim Cheong-Soo felt terror rather than happiness. Since then, he had suffered from the accusing stares of his subordinates and had nightmares of being ripped off by them. It was inevitable. He had signed the contract after being amazed by the genius of the investment proposal, but twenty billion dollars was unexpectedly massive! However, he managed to succeed, and he somehow stood up.

Kim Cheong-Soo didn’t realize he was in tears. When he opened his mouth, everyone became silent so that his confused voice was heard across the floor.

“I had genuinely been waiting to be trained under brilliant professionals like you, and I’m still learning a lot.”

He noticed he was crying after hearing his sobbing voice. They were tears of relief not joy.

“Today’s victory is due to all of you and Jonathan, the CEO and main director of the firm. He’s the greatest strategist, and you guys are heroes. I’m so honored to be here with you. Thank you.”

Applause filled the office. Kim Cheong-Soo was aware that humbleness worked well in Western society as he had worked in New York fast food restaurants for five years.

“Congratulations, Brian!”

Jonathan came down as soon as he saw the breaking news, and now everyone shouted Jonathan’s name.

“Jon-athan! Jon-athan!”

Jonathan waved to the employees. He remembered his first impression of Kim Cheong-Soo, which correlated with the look of a loser as Sun had said. At first, Jonathan couldn’t trust him to manage such a large project and lead over a hundred elite traders. Kim Cheong-Soo’s education and experiences were not outstanding either. Therefore, Jonathan couldn’t understand Seon-Hu’s decision back then.

“I knew you would do this, and the biggest reward from this financial war in Russia is you, Brian Kim! B-rian! B-rian!”

Jonathan started shouting Kim Cheong-Soo’s name, and the entire office burst out in joy again. Everyone clenched their fists and chanted in a rhythm. Today was a historic day where their victory would be remembered forever! Economic professors will write scholarly articles regarding this battle and teach their students, and those students will become professors and teach the next generation the same thing.

Jonathan and Kim Cheong-Soo’s eyes met, and while Wall Street people didn’t take the word ‘genius’ lightly, they saw each other as such.

Genius…

***

Of course, Gillian was also happy. During his immature youth, he had suffered from drug addiction after being introduced by a successful colleague. Although he had achieved many small and large victories, he was embarrassed when he realized that drugs were the greatest pleasure he had ever experienced. Chemical ecstasy was detrimental to brain health, and the resulting joy was temporary that was quickly followed by agonizing self torment. However, the current exhilaration that trembled his entire body was like a heavenly catharsis that only came from a great victory.

“Why are you so calm? Everyone would understand even if you run naked,” said Jessica.

She had witnessed history from beginning to end, so she couldn’t understand Gillian’s calm response when they had achieved an unprecedented victory in war after using fifteen billion dollars!

“...Who are they?” Gillian murmured.

“Those who drafted the investment proposal? I’m dying to know, too,” Jessica replied.

“No.”

Gillian walked to the open door. He almost jumped into the mosh pit where hundreds of elite employees including his old colleagues, desk teams and trainee managers who graduated from universities with perfect GPAs were shouting for joy. However, he closed the door and returned to his desk.

“You would’ve noticed by now. Tell me. Who are they?” Gillian looked at Jessica.

“...I’ll contact my friends in New York,” she answered.

However, Gillian stopped her.

“A phone call would resolve this curiosity, but…”

She asked, “You’re concerned about them, right?”

“Yes, when they joined us…” Gillian mumbled.

“No, they were allies from the start,” Jessica responded.

“Let’s say so,” he said.

“Why does that matter?” she questioned.

“It’s not that. We could be allies today, but enemies tomorrow. We should be on our guard against them from now on,” he replied.

She asked, “Why are you choosing the difficult path?”

“How much money do you think we manage? We’ll go against them one day or another,” he answered.

Gillian now could come out from the excitement the victory had brought.

“They didn’t just dip their toe into the Russian bankruptcy,” Gillian said.

Jessica responded, “Yes, they were like us as they were extremely aggressive like hell to their opposing forces. However, there’s more than one genius in the world, and those could’ve had a strong conviction that Russia would collapse.”

“Their main director and his deputy who coordinated were perfect,” he replied.

“That’s why I became more fond of them. Weren’t they like us?” she asked.

“You’re being so romantic. You have a long way to go before you understand the world better.”

Gillian frowned. Jessia watched her boss’s reaction and quietly headed to the corner to call her friends in New York. She stood up after hearing their answers and waited for Gillian to ask first. However, he concentrated on the monitor so much that he couldn’t even hear Jessica’s conversation with her friends. Jessica also stared at the monitor, and the screen was displaying the data regarding Russia’s government bond sales event in Moscow around June. A picture of Jonathan shaking hands with the officials from Russia and Silverman Socks after purchasing a billion dollars in Russian bonds was shown on another screen.

As expected, everything seems to have begun since this time, Jessica thought.

She also noticed that her boss had found the answer. Then, Gillian tapped Jonathan’s face on the monitor.

“Ugh, it’s this guy again.”

Gillian had no choice but to admit his inadequacy, and a great sense of defeat covered him. Without Jonathan’s investment proposal, he couldn’t achieve today’s victory. Usually, finance managers specialized in their fields, but Jonathan was an exception. He even bought Russian bonds while knowing that Russia would go bankrupt. This successfully dragged the hedge funds union into the battle, and Gillian’s profit was skyrocketing, all thanks to Jonathan.  

Thanks to Jonathan? Ha! Gillian clucked his tongue and stood up.

“Did you wrap up everything?” Jessica asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

Jessica rushed and opened the door, then stepped into the exciting chaos while shouting Gillian's name.

“Gil-lian! Gil-lian!”