"Representative. Are they really going to buy?"

Chi-jeon Song, acting president of Ilhyeon Securities, glanced once more at the Securities Association building with eyes still full of suspicion.

Recalling the conversation they'd just had, he found it hard to place any trust in the other firms.

"As you know, Representative — the stock market is a place where others have to lose for you to win, isn't it? In theory we can all do well, but the truth of the business is that you have to snatch the apple out of the other person's hand…"

"You're worried we exposed our plan to them?"

"…Yes."

Song glanced sideways at Chung-seop, standing beside him.

In his eyes, Chung-seop wasn't especially trustworthy either.

Seong-ho smiled at Song and said —

"Representative Jo here is fine. He's practically family to me."

"Yes. If you say so, then…"

Even the word family didn't quite dispel Song's doubt. But having come this far, he couldn't push the matter, so he set the suspicion aside and shared his thinking with Seong-ho.

"Representative. Frankly, buying in this situation is an enormous risk. And we came right out and told them we're going to buy — if they band together to try to eat us and take the opposite position…"

"Then their companies will shut down."

"Sir?"

Seong-ho smiled at Song and said —

"Weren't you listening a moment ago? Their losses are in the hundreds of billions — if they turn around and come after us, they won't be able to bear the piled-up losses. They'll collapse first."

"Ah!"

Song, hearing Seong-ho's words, let out an involuntary exclamation. Then he hurried to offer an apology.

"I apologize. I was looking at only one narrow face of it and second-guessing your judgment."

"Hahaha. No — it's understandable. How wouldn't I know a stock guy's psychology?"

Listening beside them, Chung-seop quietly clicked his tongue.

The truth was, Chung-seop had briefly harbored the same thought as Song. Even Chung-seop knew that in the market, eating others and surviving alone felt safer than everyone rising together.

Professionals and industry insiders were extremely…