Three days later, in the grand conference room on the top floor of the Sega Headquarters Building, the routine Board of Directors meeting was underway.
President Nakayama Hayao was currently recovering in the hospital due to a flare-up of hypertension caused by recent overwork. As a result, Takuya Nakayama was presiding over today's meeting in his stead.
Takuya was dressed in a perfectly tailored, deep blue custom suit, exuding the calm and relaxed confidence unique to a young man in a position of power. He sat in the President's seat, idly twirling a Montblanc pen in his hand.
Hoshino stood before the projection screen, recounting the thrilling maneuvers of the past few days and the latest situation in Southeast Asia in the most matter-of-fact tone.
"Based on the above analysis, we managed to transfer all risk exposures to the offshore market before the Bank of Thailand could freeze liquidity. Currently, all of Sega's funds in mainland Thailand have been safely withdrawn. We have not only preserved our principal but also secured an early-stage bonus of approximately thirty percent."
The conference room fell into a deathly silence.
Several old directors, who usually paid little attention to financial operations and cared only about console sales, now all donned their reading glasses and began frantically flipping through the reports in their hands.
The sound of pages turning echoed sharply in the deathly silent conference room.
Each of the directors had their own network and sources of information.
Over the past few days, the Southeast Asian operations departments of Japan's major banks had been thrown into absolute chaos, as if struck by a bomb.
After all, Japanese banks had extended astronomical corporate loans across Southeast Asia over the last few years.
Now, with the situation in Thailand spiraling rapidly, the risk of bad debts was skyrocketing. Many bank executives were so desperate they were practically lining up on rooftops.
Director Takahashi swallowed hard and set down his report. He picked up his teacup, hoping a sip of water would calm his nerves, but his hand trembled so much that he nearly spilled it on his lap.
"Director Hoshino's judgment... it was absolutely divine." Takahashi looked up at the young Managing Director seated at the head of the table, his expression a mix of a faint smile and a mocking hint. His voice carried undisguised admiration. "My wife's bank, Sumitomo, held an emergency board meeting last night. It was a complete shouting match. Several of their large corporate loans in Bangkok are already showing signs of actual default, and the collateral properties are completely unsellable right now."
Takahashi paused, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with a lingering sense of dread. "If Director Hoshino hadn't repeatedly warned us at the board meetings, I wouldn't have had the chance to privately alert the Madam. Her bank was able to hedge their risks and transfer assets in advance. Otherwise, we'd be facing a devastating loss this time."
Takahashi's words were like a stone thrown into a still lake.
He cleared his throat, his eyes suddenly burning with eagerness as he rubbed his hands together and looked at Takuya Nakayama. "Um—Executive Director Nakayama, Director Hoshino, I have a somewhat presumptuous request."
"Since our Investment Department's Southeast Asian strategy is so sound and its foresight so keen, could we old bones... perhaps ride your coattails a bit?" Takahashi's old face flushed, but he set aside his pride for the sake of real money. "Personally, and on behalf of my wife, I'd like to allocate some of our idle funds to be managed by the Investment Department. We're happy to pay the highest possible commission!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the conference room ignited like a lit fuse, instantly erupting into a chaotic buzz.
Director Hattori slapped his thigh and immediately chimed in, "Takahashi, this proposal is brilliant! The investment environment here in Japan is a stagnant pool right now—even keeping money in the bank can't beat inflation. Southeast Asia is a bottomless meat grinder; if we went in alone, we'd be chewed up and spat out without a bone left. Since Sega's team has already figured out the ropes, following them to get a slice of the pie is way better than throwing our money at those unreliable fund managers who talk a big game but deliver nothing!"
"Yeah, yeah! I've got some idle cash from selling a property!"
"Managing Director, take us with you on this get-rich-quick ride!"
The other directors, who had been hesitating, now nodded in agreement, whispering among themselves. They looked at Hoshino as if he were a living God of Wealth.
Takuya Nakayama sat in his executive chair, watching these old foxes—men who usually held their heads high—now eagerly begging him for a chance to strike it rich. He found the sight inwardly amusing.
He didn't commit immediately. Instead, he turned to Hoshino.
Hoshino gave a slight nod, a silent confirmation that increasing the capital pool in the offshore market would present no technical difficulties.
A slight smile touched Takuya Nakayama's lips as he gently set the fountain pen he had been twirling down onto the table.
Tap.
The soft sound acted like a mute button, instantly silencing the bustling chatter in the conference room.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on him.
"It is a good thing that you directors are willing to trust the Investment Department and Hoshino-san," Nakayama said, his gaze sweeping the room. His tone was gentle, yet it carried an unquestionable authority. "I am happy for Sega's platform to provide everyone with some extra income outside of our main business. After all, we are all in the same boat."
His tone shifted abruptly. He pressed a finger onto the cover of the briefing document, his eyes sharpening. "But let me be clear up front: the financial markets are volatile, and risk control is always our top priority. You are welcome to join in, but we must establish a strict upper limit on the total amount. We cannot allow the pool to grow so large that it compromises our discretion."
Takahashi swallowed hard, his voice cautious. "Managing Director, what amount do you think is appropriate?"
"The total pool will be capped at one hundred million US dollars." Takuya Nakayama raised a single finger, delivering the figure with absolute finality. "Everyone, subscribe for a share based on your own circumstances. Anything beyond this amount will compromise the Investment Department's operational flexibility and risk drawing the attention of those major institutions on Wall Street. Don't forget, we are here to fish in troubled waters and act as the opportunistic third party, not to steal the spotlight and become targets."
One hundred million US dollars.
For the wealthy directors in the room, their individual contributions wouldn't be crippling, but it was still a massive sum of money.
This amount would allow them to get a piece of the action while keeping their risk exposure to an absolute minimum.
"I'm in! I'll subscribe for ten million!" Takahashi shouted, being the first to raise his hand, his voice as booming as a twenty-year-old's.
"I'll put in five million! I'll transfer it immediately!"
"Don't try to take my share! I can scrape together fifteen million! I'm even dipping into my pension!"
The directors, who had been maintaining a certain level of decorum, immediately dropped their facades upon realizing the limited allocation. Like old women fighting over discounted eggs at a wet market, their eyes turned red as they frantically called out their bids.
In less than ten minutes, the entire one hundred million US dollar quota was devoured by the old men. A few directors who failed to secure a sufficient share were even seen beating their chests in frustration.
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