"Representative…"

Chung-seop, at his wits' end, sent Seong-ho a look pleading for help.

"Brother. Let go of this, and let's talk."

At that, Seong-ho pried loose Chang-jong's hand — the one he'd forced into gripping Chung-seop's collar — and separated the two of them.

Chang-jong stepped back for a moment and turned to Seong-ho with his own plea.

"Seong-ho. Help me. Hm? Forced liquidation can't come out here…"

Chang-jong seized the chart-displaying screen with both hands, as if he wanted to embrace it, and said —

"It's here. If it's climbed this far, it's climbed as far as it goes. Now all that's left is to fall…"

Chang-jong murmured it as if to himself, then turned his head to Seong-ho.

"Seong-ho. 100 billion isn't a huge sum to you, is it? Just back me for 100 billion. It won't take long. If you back me for 100 billion and Silla Future Asset opens 5,000 more contracts, in a month… no, two weeks, I can pay it all back."

Chang-jong, his eyes red and bloodshot, seized Seong-ho by both arms and begged, close to weeping.

Seong-ho pried Chang-jong's grip off his arms and turned to Chung-seop.

"Representative Jo. Would you tell him how I've been helping him?"

"Helping him? What do you—?"

Chang-jong looked back and forth between Seong-ho and Chung-seop with an expression that couldn't follow.

Chung-seop nodded at Seong-ho's cue and explained to Chang-jong.

"The reason you were able to trade futures without margin last time, sir, was entirely because Representative Kim put up the money on your behalf."

"You put up the money?"

At Chang-jong's shocked face, Seong-ho sighed and said —

"If not, how do you think you were able to trade at the time, Brother? Why do you think Silla Future Asset is suddenly asking for margin now? Because the money I put up for you has all burned out. That's why they're asking you to bring the margin, Brother."

Seong-ho, reversing the grip from before, took hold of both of Chang-jong's arms and said —

"Brother. You asked to borrow 100 billion, didn't you? I've…