The trading hours had only totaled four hours, but the day had moved up and down more sharply than any other.

The composite index, which had started at 490, had climbed to 499 after the circuit breaker tripped. Bouncing from the range low that had held so far, it looked as though it were trying to slip back into 500 — as if to insist that the range floor was, somehow, still holding.

But in the end, the index couldn't take 500 back and was pushed down. And through the extended session, it kept falling — breaking not only the opening print of 490 but 480 as well, in an endless-looking crash.

The composite index closed at a historic drop of minus 12 percent. Given that the trading session had only run for four hours, that 12 percent decline delivered a shock no one there had ever felt.

And once the market closed, a different kind of fear arrived.

"The box is broken."

Chang-jong sat across from Seong-ho, tapping the chart with a finger.

"The box is broken."

"Yes. I saw."

"…Fuck."

Chang-jong, as if still unable to believe it, stood and hurled a curse at the chart on the screen, then dropped onto the sofa.

"The market's fucked, and Silla Future Asset is fucked too."

"Is there a problem with Silla Future Asset?"

Seong-ho already knew what Silla Future Asset had done. And he knew why Chang-jong was sitting in front of him. Chang-jong was in front of him because of the very thing Seong-ho had told Silla Future Asset to do.

Chang-jong gulped down the iced coffee sitting in front of him. Then, chewing the ice with his teeth, he said —

"Those bastards forced my account into liquidation."

"Forced liquidation?"

"Yes. Forced liquidation. Are they out of their minds?"

"Were you planning to roll over and hold the long futures position?"

"Are you crazy?"

Chang-jong asked Seong-ho whether he was crazy, and then shook his head.

"Well — a beginner like you wouldn't know."

Chang-jong nodded as if he understood Seong-ho. Then he took another sip of…