Money Keeps Piling Up No Matter How Much I Spend

Chapter 136

Translator: Dreamscribe“They’re trying to surpass Google?”

After finishing the meeting, Nick McTeman looked back at the Kwangwoon Securities office where Jung Jin-ho was.

“To be honest, it’s a difficult task.”

“Yes. It’s not just any company, it’s Google. The capital, the roots, they run too deep. There’s practically nowhere that Google’s influence doesn’t reach.”

Once the official version of ChatXPT is released to the public, the entire world will be shaken.

People will be enthusiastic over the shocking advancement of artificial intelligence, and they will finally begin to believe that the singularity is approaching.

That’s how confident Close AI was.

Confident that XPT would change the world.

“But if it’s Google, they’ll catch up quickly. They may even show innovations beyond what we imagined.”

However, once XPT is released, companies everywhere will begin accelerating AI development, and before long, Google will likely take the lead.

They knew this too.

Some of them had, in fact, worked at Google for a long time.

“The most important thing for artificial intelligence is data, right? There’s no place in the world with as vast an amount of data as Google.”

AI needs a lot of data to develop.

Only then can it be trained to handle various situations.

And Google was ahead in that area.

“That’s probably why he offered to hand over the massive data from PicPic and other platforms to us. Because he knows that.”

He even said he didn’t care how much it cost.

“But even so, can we really beat Google?”

“I don’t know. What matters is that Kwangwoon has promised us full support. And besides, the target they’re aiming at is Google.”

Google is the world’s largest IT company.

Also, no matter how much stock you buy, it’s impossible to secure a controlling stake there.

Because the founders hold more than ten times the voting rights.

"Even if you spend hundreds of trillions of won, you can't control Google... but what if control isn't the goal?"

“Like always, Kwangwoon’s goal is to crush its competitors?”

He can tell just by looking at Kwangwoon’s history.

They were ruthless toward competitors, unless they were Korean companies.

So many companies had fallen because of Kwangwoon.

Even if it meant sacrificing an entire nation, they had not hesitated to trigger major incidents for Kwangwoon's success and monopoly.

"Does that mean they're really planning to destroy Google?"

But how?

No matter how many times he thought about it, he couldn't come up with a way to bring down Google.

Because Google was simply too overwhelming to be destroyed.

“That’s not something we need to think about. We just have to focus on development as developers. We’ve been promised support on a scale comparable to Google, so all we need to do is produce results that live up to it.”

McTeman was right.

Developers just need to focus on development.

Even though McTeman was the CEO and the others were executives, the fact that they were participating in AI development remained unchanged.

While Kwangwoon fought on the front lines, these people would be the ones crafting the weapons to wield.

“This isn’t just any project, it’s about taking down Google. I think it’s worth trying. Besides, with the stage set like this, if we can’t create something that even Google can’t catch up to, wouldn’t we look incredibly incompetent? Don’t you think?”

Those words stirred the executives’ blood.

“To hell with it, let’s do it.”

“We’re going to take down Google? Hahaha.”

"There's nothing more satisfying than stabbing those who fired me in the back."

They had planned to do a bit of sightseeing and rest since they were in Korea, but that thought suddenly vanished.

They now just wanted to hurry back to headquarters and immerse themselves in development.

Having boosted the morale of the executives like that, McTeman smiled and walked alongside them, when a sudden thought struck him.

‘But... just how far is Kwangwoon planning to go?’

Even with what they currently had, Kwangwoon was already a group worthy of being called a giant.

But they still weren’t satisfied.

Now, they were targeting companies so deeply rooted that they could never fail.

If anyone else had said something like that, he would’ve laughed it off, calling them a crazy bastard.

But he had seen it in Jung Jin-ho’s eyes today.

Kwangwoon was serious.

They were truly aiming to topple a colossal kingdom and build a new empire atop it.

An empire named Kwangwoon.

***

The meeting with Nick McTeman had been intriguing.

More than anything, it was shocking that the advancement of artificial intelligence had exceeded my expectations.

And to think that what I saw was only an early version.

"Is it that impressive?"

“Yes. The speed of technological advancement is scarier than I thought.”

“Wow. Then, in the future, college students might do all their assignments with AI, and office workers could have AI do their reports or Excel work?”

“Hmm. For something like that to be possible, I’d say it’ll take at least another 10 years.”

“Well, if what I saw today was only a prototype, I think that could be possible within two years.”

In the vision I saw, the entire world was operating on an AI-based system.

I even saw android robots equipped with AI, which meant the era of AI and robots we only saw in movies was truly approaching.

“Then should we look into investment items in that sector?”

There wasn’t really a need for that.

I had already promised Close AI massive support.

And we had set one clear goal.

To develop artificial intelligence technology that would surpass Google, not just Google, but any company in the world.

That was our goal.

That didn't mean we weren't going to recognize Google as a competitor.

Like Messi and Ronaldo.

Isn't it said that having a rival to compete fiercely with leads to more development?

“Any other items on the agenda?”

“Yes. The Turkish lira is showing some troubling signs right now.”

The lira is Turkey’s currency.

“1 dollar for 7 lira used to be within the normal range, but now it has surged to 9 lira.”

“That’s a big jump.”

“Yes. It’s due to President Erudo’s policies. The president and his administration have some strange economic ideas. They strongly believe that high interest rates cause high inflation, so they recklessly slashed the base interest rate, which led to the lira’s value collapsing.”

High interest rates cause high inflation, huh.

In conventional economics, high interest rates are supposed to curb inflation.

But Turkey’s President Erudo referred to interest itself as Satan and detested high interest rates.

“So even though the governor of the Turkish central bank warned him several times, he didn’t listen and actually fired him. That too, not once but three times.”

The governor was replaced three times, and each time he was dismissed for not listening to the president.

“So because of the continuous rate cuts, inflation is surging?”

“Yes. That’s why the lira’s value is plummeting. The problem is, even after all this, the president still hasn’t come to his senses. He probably thinks his belief isn’t wrong. He even went so far as to declare that he’ll cut interest rates further.”

It was absurd.

Despite having clearly demonstrated that low interest rates cause inflation, which then leads to higher prices, he was still pushing for more rate cuts.

“So now foreign investors are fleeing Turkey en masse. That’s also contributing to the lira’s further collapse. At this rate, everyone’s predicting the lira’s value will crash even more. If they raise rates now, they might be able to hit the brakes, but since there’s no intention of doing that... we might even have to consider an extreme scenario like 1 dollar for 20 lira.”

The reason the department head was telling me this wasn’t to suggest shorting the lira.

“Since foreign investors are all rushing out, President Erudo seems to be getting desperate. He’s drastically easing regulations on foreign capital and advertising large-scale investment opportunities. To be precise, he’s sending out SOS signals in all directions.”

“He could just raise the interest rate.”

“That, he absolutely refuses to do.”

This is why a person’s belief can be terrifying.

He was deliberately taking the harder path, twisting and contorting himself, instead of taking the easier one.

“Thanks to that stubbornness, foreign investors are fleeing, and the Turkish government is unusually lifting restrictions on foreign capital. I thought this might be a good opportunity, so I brought a list of Turkish companies.”

I looked through the list.

And... surprisingly, there were quite a few promising options.

“There are a lot of startups.”

“Yes. Among them, one I’ve been personally keeping an eye on is a company called Dream Games. Their performance isn’t bad. But due to this situation, they’ve suffered heavily from the massive withdrawal of foreign investors.”

The mobile game company the department head recommended gave off a pretty good vibe.

As I checked through the companies that seemed promising one by one, my gaze stopped at one place.

“Baykar?”

This one alone shimmered with a golden light.

“Ah. That company’s a bit unique. It originally manufactured automobile parts, but then changed its business nature and now makes drones. Military ones, at that.”

It was a company that developed UAV-type unmanned aerial vehicles, software, and drones.

“It’s unlisted, I see?”

“Yes. Being part of the defense industry, it seems they were reluctant to accept outside investment. Above all, I heard this company is run by President Erudo’s son-in-law. But given how bad Turkey’s situation is now, they’re making an unusual exception by opening up defense industry investment.”

“Are they planning to sell to civilians too, not just for military use?”

“Yes. Since there’s a limit to how much they can earn with just military sales, they’re planning to manufacture drones for sports purposes rather than military ones. That’s why they need investors. As you know, the entire defense industry is going through a rough time.”

Judging by the brilliance it gave off, perhaps they were aiming for major success in the sports field.

I didn’t know the exact direction of their business, but given my instincts were locked onto this place, it seemed well worth the investment.

“Proceed with the list as is. And make sure a large portion of the money goes into Baykar.”

“Yes. If we say we’re investing, I’m sure the Turkish government will welcome it. But since it’s a defense company, there will naturally be some regulations, so we’ll try to negotiate for as much equity as possible while investing in various ways.”

I left those matters to the staff to handle.

Honestly, what mattered more to us wasn’t Turkey, but the domestic and U.S. markets.

“I’ve brought reports on the current stock market conditions and item lists for Korea and the U.S.”

Due to COVID, people weren't going out much, and both in Korea and the U.S., there was a massive stock market boom.

“Especially the KOSPI is surging. It finally broke through 3,300 and is now racing toward 3,400. There are even optimistic predictions that it might actually surpass 4,000.”

I never thought I’d live to see the day KOSPI broke 3,000.

And yet, it was the terrifying pandemic called COVID that became the trigger pushing KOSPI to its peak.

But instead of stopping at 3,000, once it broke through that wall, KOSPI was now eyeing the 3,400 level.

“KOSPI had always been stuck in a box range, never able to go higher. And now, it’s become a market aiming for 4,000. It’s an emotional moment.”

“What do you mean 4,000? Everyone’s only looking up right now. So isn’t it possible it could even hit 5,000?”

When KOSPI rises continuously like this, securities firm employees enjoy every moment.

It’s a market where you can make money no matter where you put it.

“Even Bitcoin is continuing its upward rally and is about to break past $50,000.”

Just like that, everyone was smiling brightly, dreaming of a rosy future.

So was I.

With hopeful dreams that we might really see the KOSPI era of 4,000 and even 5,000, I opened the report.

“!?”

There was only one thing I could see.

Red.

Stocks burning up as if engulfed in hellfire.

‘W-what is this, all of a sudden……’

Panicking, I flipped through the documents quickly.

Here, there, and on the next page too.

Everything was being swept by a red vortex.

And they were all stocks where our money was invested.

“……CEO-nim?”

As my hands began to tremble, the employees also seemed to notice something was wrong.

“Right now…… all our money is invested in KOSPI and the U.S. stock market, right? Including the National Pension funds?”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct.”

All I could see was red.

My instincts were screaming, pulling at my head as if to say we had to get out immediately.

“From this moment, withdraw all our funds from KOSPI and the U.S. markets.”

“Huh……?”

The employees stared at me blankly for a while, dumbfounded by what I’d said.

“C-CEO-nim... but right now, both the U.S. stock market and our KOSPI are hitting their yearly highs. To cash everything out now is...!”

I raised my hand and silenced the staff who were trying to object.

“Start liquidating everything before it’s too late. And... just a moment.”

I looked over the report once more.

It was so drenched in red that it was hard to make out what anything said, but within that mess, a few things were faintly glowing.

I quickly marked those stocks with a pen.

The names of the stocks didn’t matter.

They were shelters, places that could help us avoid this horrific storm.

I flipped through the massive pile of documents rapidly, checking off the stocks I finally managed to find, and handed them to the staff.

“Proceed with the liquidation, but buy as much as you can of the stocks listed here.”

Something is coming.

Something that will shake this rosy KOSPI and U.S. stock market.

Could it be... that horrific vision I saw last time is about to come true?

***

“Hmph... this is strange.”

“Seriously. It’s a market where money is practically duplicating, and now we’re being told to cash everything out?”

The employees who exited the CEO’s Office tilted their heads in confusion.

This was, quite literally, a market where money was multiplying.

And yet CEO Jung Jin-ho had given the order to sell everything.

Even the funds put in by the National Pension Service.

“Maybe we should go back in and talk to him again…”

“Quiet. You lot must’ve gotten big-headed and forgotten the most important thing.”

“Huh?”

“Have you forgotten our company motto? Discard your ego. Never question the orders the CEO gives. Even if those orders lead us straight into the flames.”

At Department Head Seo’s sharp glare, everyone lowered their heads.

They had momentarily forgotten.

The number one rule that must be followed in this Prime-grade department.

“But... Department Head, about that list of stocks the CEO gave us…”

“What about it?”

“It’s a bit strange.”

“What?”

“At first glance, I thought nothing of it. But when I looked closely at the stocks the CEO marked for purchase while liquidating everything else, they all belong to similar sectors.”

So, does that mean something is coming where everything else falls and only that sector skyrockets?

“What sector is it?”

“Defense.”

“......?”

Defense?

Up until now, CEO Jung Jin-ho had never invested in defense stocks.

And for good reason, the performance of defense companies hadn’t been particularly strong until recently.

“He focused solely on defense stocks?”

“Defense is the main, but he did select a few others. It’s just that...”

“Don’t trail off. What is it?”

“At first, I tried to see if there was a connection. Alongside defense stocks, the CEO also instructed us to invest in energy, grains, crude oil, and raw materials. And for all of these to rise at the same time, there’s only one possible scenario.”

At Deputy Manager Ahn’s words, Department Head Seo swallowed dryly.

Because the answer had already flashed through his mind.

“War. That’s the only one.”

“!?”

The employees froze on the spot.

“C-come on. N-no way…”

“Right. I mean, it’s not like a war’s going to break out...”

But they weren’t fools.

Just as Deputy Manager Ahn had said, there was no other scenario where all those stock categories would surge at once, except war.

And the one who had made this prediction… was CEO Jung Jin-ho, who had never been wrong up until now.

“.......”

Knowing that, everyone just stood there in stunned silence.

While everyone remained quiet in the shock of it all.

Someone cautiously opened their mouth.

"...Shouldn't we be evacuating right now?"