Chapter 17

Because of a tweet consisting of only three emojis.

[Train + Rocket → Moon]

The metaphor was clear.

"Exit to the Moon!"

I hurriedly read the following tweets.

A clear coin signal appeared one after another.

"It's a coin! This can't be anything else!"

After reading all those tweets, I could picture it.

The outline Musk had prepared over a week.

Some tweets would cause a price surge.

Some tweets would create a temporary adjustment period.

I just had to color in according to Musk's outline.

"Riding the rocket for free!"

I started to plan my trading for the next seven days.

*

I was taking a short break in the afternoon when I got a call from home.

[Our son, what did you send us!]

It seemed the gift I sent via quick delivery had arrived.

[You didn't have to do this. Where did you get the money?]

"How is it? Do you like it?"

[Of course I do! How can phones these days be so pretty?]

"Is it easy to use? The menu might be a bit complicated."

[You silly boy, I'm not that old. I'll learn it in a day.]

"I'm sorry for worrying you! How about Dad?"

[He likes it too.]

"I'm glad."

I smiled.

I liked hearing my mother's excited voice.

[Anyway, I'll use it well, our son! Are you eating well?]

"Of course. I'm eating too well."

I really am.

[That's good to hear.]

"Mom, make sure you eat well for lunch and stay strong!"

[Sure, our son. I love you! Call me again soon!]

After hanging up, I immediately got a message from my sister, Yujin.

[Shin Yujin: (Photo)]

[Shin Yujin: Is this really from you?]

It was a photo of an iPhone box.

[Shin Yuwon: I don't know, I didn't send it.]

[Shin Yuwon: Return it.]

[Shin Yujin: I'll use it well, thank you. I love my brother so much, you know?]

Only when she needs something, huh.

[Shin Yuwon: Sure, eat well.]

[Shin Yujin: (Nom nom emoji)]

Even though she says that, she's studying hard.

I should visit the school soon and feed her until she's full.

────

I was about to do that when a push notification from another app came in. It was Minchaeon posting a new Instagram story.

A 3-second video of her playfully wrinkling her nose in front of a graffiti-covered wall.

'......She's so pretty.'

I watched it a few more times for no reason.

When I really open a café or something, should I ask Chaeon to take some photos for me?

The promotional effect would be incredible.

'But I need to work hard, work hard!'

I jumped up, changed my clothes, and went out.

I went to a computer store and, as usual, bought some old graphics cards.

"Please process the payment for these."

"Sure."

"Ah, Mr. Owner, about the receipt I mentioned last time......"

The owner winked with his eyes full of dark circles.

"I've got it ready. Here you are."

This is our little secret.

I kept smiling as I carried the boxes of graphics cards back home.

'Just selling one graphics card can get me 80,000 EXI tokens!'

I wished the next day would come quickly.

*

Monday morning.

I went jogging early, had a light breakfast, and sat down in front of my PC.

'Is everything ready?'

Yesterday, I signed up for the coin exchange 'Upthumb,' completed the investor verification, and registered my bank account.

I liked that the coin exchange operates even on weekends.

'Although it's stressful to have to pay attention 24/7.'

I deposited 10,000 won into the exchange and practiced buying and selling various things.

It was similar to a stock trading program, so it was easy to learn.

The clean interface without any clutter was even better than a stock trading program.

'Investment amount......'

If I sell all my stocks today, 70 million won will fall into my account.

But after carefully reading the investment guide that Tam made for me, there was one thing he emphasized repeatedly.

Risk management.

The reason for buying and selling in installments.

The reason for diversifying investments across multiple stocks.

The reason for diversifying the portfolio with deposits, stocks, bonds, raw materials, and real estate.

It was all for risk management.

So I decided to sell only half of my stocks.

'Selling everything is too risky.'

What if I sold all my stocks and invested in coins, but Musk's influence didn't work as expected?

I'd be in big trouble!

Therefore, I decided to invest exactly half of my stock balance, 35 million won.

'35 million won means 1.7 million EXI tokens!'

And at exactly 9:00 AM.

A new trading week began.

The stock price of HT Biologics had already risen significantly from the opening.

[HT Biologics 15,970]

[▲630 +4.11%]

Moreover, news related to 'Tetrigene' started pouring in from Monday morning.

['Tetrigene' Phase 3 clinical trial results to be presented at US ASCO and AACR]

[HT Biologics laying the foundation for K-immunotherapy...... Expected to hit the upper limit this week]

[MFDS gives 'Tetrigene' a positive review...... Formal approval as early as June]

HT Biologics was a hit again today.

[HT Biologics 16,170]

[HT Biologics 16,250]

[HT Biologics 16,480]

[HT Biologics 16,590]

It seemed to be rising faster than last Friday.

'The momentum is so good. I can sell it later.'

The key was the timing of Musk's tweets.

If the date written on the paper was based on Korean time, it was the exact time for the first tweet to appear.

'5 seconds. 4 seconds. 3 seconds. 2 seconds.'

Now?

────

A Twitter push notification came in.

[@nylonmusk]

[To those who say Twitter is a waste of life: Ain't waste a good thing?]

[To those who say Twitter is a waste of life: Isn't waste a good thing?]

Bingo!

Stamp stamp!

It was exactly as written on the paper, both the time and the content.

"Yay!"

If this is the case, the subway exit photo would be posted at 9:51 PM Korean time, so I just needed to buy the coins before then.

'Everything is going according to plan.'

I stretched and turned my chair.

Why is everything going so smoothly these days?

And at 2:30 PM.

HT Biologics finally hit the upper limit.

[HT Biologics 19,940]

[▲4,600 +29.99%]

Three consecutive upper limits!

I habitually checked my stock balance.

────────

Purchase price: 10,488 won

Current price: 19,940 won

Held quantity: 4,290 shares

Purchase amount: 44,993,300 won

Evaluation amount: 85,542,060 won

Evaluation profit/loss: +40,549,300 won

Profit rate: +90.12%

────────

The stock balance, which I had expected to be around 70 million won, had grown to 85 million won.

90% profit!

40 million won in profit!

'If this is the case, I can just invest the money I made, right?'

I didn't need to mechanically sell half.

If I reinvest the 40 million won I made from stocks, it would look good.

If you want to take it and pay it back?

I'll make even more from something else.

I immediately started the selling process.

[Sell order executed.]

[Sell order executed.]

[Sell order executed.]

Since the stock price was already fixed at the upper limit, I could sell everything quickly.

I immediately converted the 40 million won in proceeds to cash using the 'instant withdrawal service.'

Normally, the proceeds from stock sales are deposited into my account after two business days, but Jin Sung Securities provided a service to withdraw the proceeds interest-free and immediately.

"Wow."

My first investment profit, 40 million won, was deposited into my account.

A phrase from the investment guide popped into my head.

[Unrealized gains are not yours until they are cashed out.]

So now this money is mine.

I can use it as I please.

'Let's buy some coins!'

I calmed my racing heart and logged into the Korean coin exchange 'Upthumb.'

The founders probably named it 'Upthumb' to mean 'thumbs up,' but it was often called by dishonorable nicknames among investors.

MoneyUpthumb, Upthumbed, JThumb, etc.

Even someone like me, who had never dabbled in coins, had heard of it.

But to me now, it was a land of opportunity, a real treasure island.

I transferred 40 million won to the exchange's dedicated bank account and applied for a deposit on the exchange's website.

[Deposit of KRW completed]

Once the deposit was confirmed, my exchange asset status was updated.

[Total assets: 40,000,000 won]

What was interesting during the deposit process was that 'KRW' was treated like a coin.

In the stock market, KRW is real currency, and you 'buy' other stocks with this currency.

In the coin market, you 'exchange' KRW coins for other coins.

In the coin world, KRW is just one of many currencies.

'How interesting.'

I had never thought about it that way before.

100 won, 1,000 won, 10,000 won, these units seemed so obvious.

I cleared my mind and checked the time: 3:10 PM.

I had 6 hours until 9:31 PM to collect coins carefully.

If necessary, I could sweep them up at market price around 9:00 PM.

What I needed was patience and composure.

'Let's wait calmly.'

I got up from my chair and returned to work.

I assigned the old graphics card work to Tam and tried feeding various useless items to Coco.

──【Advanced A-Space Workbench】complains that you gave it such useless items to process.

──【Advanced A-Space Workbench】is horrified by your poor aesthetic sense.

Can't help it, Coco.

'Need to level up?'

Both Tam and Coco were still level 2.

I had no choice but to keep grinding for experience points, as I didn't know what skills they would get at level 3.

"This is precious soy sauce from the countryside, Coco! Just taste it!"

I chased after Coco, who was running away, and kept stuffing items into her.

──Hoooo!

Taking care of Coco and exercising, two birds with one stone.

*

The price of EXI started to drop around 4:30 PM.

[EXI/ KRW 20.18]

[EXI/ KRW 20.15]

[EXI/ KRW 20.12]

By around 6:00 PM, the 20 won line had collapsed.

[EXI/ KRW 20.00]

[EXI/ KRW 19.99]

In other words.

[Buy order executed: 37,928 EXI]

The EXI tokens were now in my possession.

But I didn't get all 2 million at once.

[Buy order executed: 29,932 EXI]

[Buy order executed: 37,547 EXI]

[Buy order executed: 107,547 EXI]

True to its nature as a coin, the transactions were executed in small amounts, like a trickle.

'I still have 1.8 million left.'

I tore my eyes away from the order confirmation notifications on my phone and pushed the cart again.

I had just finished a secondhand transaction and was visiting the mart.

'Should I buy something?'

The coin market operates 24/7.

If an unexpected situation arose, I needed to be able to respond immediately.

Food was essential.

I filled the cart with various items, like a housewife preparing for an apocalypse.

I also added items that Coco showed a slight interest in.