The rooftop apartment in Gwanak-gu had become a makeshift war room. Two monitors, scavenged from a secondhand shop, hummed alongside Seo-yoon's high-end laptop. The air was thick with the scent of cheap coffee and the electric heat of overclocked processors.
Seo-yoon stared at her screen, her eyes bloodshot but intense. "The 6 million won is already in the trading account. But if you want to hit my target of 50 million by the end of the month, we can't just hunt penny stocks. We need a 'Whale.'"
Kang-min stood by the window, looking out at the glittering towers of the Shin-Hwa Group in the distance. To everyone else, the market was a chaotic ocean. To him, it was a map of glowing lines.
[Activating Dividend Sight: Wide Lens]
His vision blurred, then sharpened. He wasn't looking at a single stock now; he was looking at the flow of capital across Seoul. A massive, pulsing vein of dark blue—representing stable, stagnant wealth—was being intersected by a sharp, jagged streak of neon violet.
Event: The 'Dae-Han' Construction Hostile Takeover.
Current Status: Secret accumulation phase by 'Vulture Capital.'
Future Dividend (7 days): +180%
Risk: High. Market manipulation in progress.
"Dae-Han Construction," Kang-min said, his voice dropping an octave.
Seo-yoon froze, her fingers hovering over the keys. "Are you crazy? That's a mid-tier giant. Their stock has been flat for three years. It's a 'zombie' company."
"It's a zombie because someone is poisoning it," Kang-min replied, pointing at a specific dip in the 15-minute chart. "Look at the volume. Someone is buying in 'blocks' of 5,000 shares every time the price hits 42,000 won. They're keeping the price suppressed while they hoard the float."
Seo-yoon squinted at the data. Her "Golden Aura" flared as her brain processed the patterns. "You're right. If they hit 15% ownership, they'll announce a takeover bid. The price will double overnight."
"We aren't going to wait for the announcement," Kang-min said, his eyes cold. "We're going to ride their wake. Buy call options for the 45,000 strike price. Use all of it."
"If the announcement is delayed even by a day, the options expire worthless. We'll be back to zero," she warned, though her hands were already moving. She was starting to trust his "instincts."
"It won't be delayed," Kang-min said. "Because the person leading the takeover is Director Choi's cousin. And he's greedy. He'll move early to impress the family."
Five days later.
The rooftop room was silent. The only sound was the rhythmic ticking of a wall clock. The 6 million won was now locked into options that were currently sitting at a -40% loss.
Seo-yoon looked like she hadn't slept in forty-eight hours. "Kang-min... the market closes in two hours. If nothing happens..."
"Wait," he said.
Suddenly, a notification chimed on both their phones.
[FLASH NEWS: M&A Rumors Surround Dae-Han Construction. Trading Halted.]
The gray box on Kang-min's screen exploded into a brilliant, blinding green.
[System Level Up!]
[Level 1 -> Level 2]
[New Skill Unlocked: Insider's Whisper (Rank E)]
[Effect: Can overhear one 'Corporate Secret' per week within a 1km radius.]
"It hit," Seo-yoon whispered, her face lit by the green glow of the monitor. "The options... they're up 600%. Kang-min, we have... we have 40 million won."
Kang-min didn't celebrate. He just looked at his Level 2 status. The "System" was rewarding him for his ruthlessness.
"Don't sell yet," he said. "The 'Whale' is just getting started. But now, we have enough capital to get Director Choi's attention."
He turned to Seo-yoon, who was looking at him with a mix of awe and fear. "Get your best suit ready, Seo-yoon. Tomorrow, we stop being 'dirt spoons' hiding in a rooftop room. We're going to Gangnam."