A Wall Street Genius's Final Investment Playbook-Chapter 45

"Insane!"

"Wow, damn!"

"Seriously, does this make any sense?"

Upon hearing the news of Ha Si-heon's all-in investment, everyone cursed in unison.

It wasn't that they intended to curse Ha Si-heon.

It was just that there were no other words to properly express the level of shock they felt.

"I knew something was going to explode…" Everyone had expected it. That Ha Si-heon would make a mistake. But not in this way.

The scenario they had originally imagined was clear.

Overwhelmed by excessive tension, Ha Si-heon failing to do his job properly or missing the obvious due to a narrowed perspective.

A flustered Ha Si-heon would attribute too much meaning to each mistake and become frustrated.

In the process, losses would naturally accumulate, and Ha Si-heon would sink deeper into the mire trying to recover from them.

People had intended to step in by then.

If everything unfolded as they had anticipated, they would point it out and say, ‘See, what did I tell you?'

They had planned to kindly offer advice to the fallen genius while secretly relishing his sweet failure.

However, Ha Si-heon completely shredded the scenario they had imagined from the start.

"Did that bastard do this on purpose?"

"Everyone got scared off by the big money, so he showed them…"

His judgment was clearly clouded.

Since everyone around him said, ‘You are intimidated,' it must have come to this.

To clearly show everyone that their guesses were wrong.

But listen.

"26 million dollars!"

"Crazy guy!"

To put all his wealth in one basket just for show.

What kind of mentality is that?

Moreover, Ha Si-heon's specialty was in biotech stocks.

A high-risk industry where stock prices fluctuate wildly based on the results of clinical trials.

If the results are good, the stock price might skyrocket, but if bad, it could plummet to a tenth of its value.

In a field where diversification is essential, he had invested a whopping 26 million dollars in a single stock.

Just to show that the worries and finger-pointing of others meant nothing.

This time, no one even bothered to dissuade him.

"Such a person shouldn't be associated with in the first place."

"There was a reason why communication didn't work. One needs to be sane to converse."

Externally, they clicked their tongues, but most associates seemed to secretly enjoy the situation.

The fun of watching a madman was quite satisfying.

Investment banking work is notoriously dull.

Staring at numbers every day, punching out Excel sheets, and repeating reverse engineering.

Ridiculously, this was also why rumors and gossip spread so quickly in the financial sector.

The environment inevitably fueled a desire for escapism.

For such people, Ha Si-heon had provided the best entertainment.

A mad gamble with money entrusted by true nobles, what would the outcome be?

"Do the investors know?"

"Don't they know? If they knew, they wouldn't just sit still."

What's the most entertaining thing in the world?

Watching a fire, followed by watching a fight.

Those thrilled by the fire clenched their fists.

"Shouldn't we tell them?"

It was only right to inform the investors immediately.

After all, those who had entrusted their money had a right to know.

This was the ethical duty that humans ought to uphold.

However.

"Oh, that? It doesn't really matter?"

Gonzalez' response was unexpected, as he wore a faint smile.

For him, who had entered this for fun, such a twist was more than welcome.

"Oh, really?"

"We're just worried about you…"

Those who had hoped for a fight were disappointed, but not for long.

There was an investor who showed the reaction they were hoping for.

He was an associate, ranked fifth on the investors list, named Faber from the retail department.

"What!"

Upon hearing the news, Faber's face turned red as he rushed towards the M&A department.

And as soon as he spotted Ha Si-heon, he growled fiercely.

"All in, is it true?"

Everyone in the department stopped their work and listened intently, as such a scene was very rare to witness in real time.

Ha Si-heon didn't seem flustered at all.

"Where did you hear that?"

"That's not important! Is it true? Just tell me that!"

Despite Faber's anger, Ha Si-heon remained calm.

"It's true."

"Crazy! Don't you even know that diversification is the basics of investment!"

Faber eventually could not contain his anger and shouted.

Yet, Ha Si-heon's complexion did not change.

What he said next was unexpected.

"Who says that? That diversification is the basic principle of investment."

Ha Si-heon was confident.

"Diversification is a strategy focused on avoiding losses. It’s a ‘low risk, low return' approach, aiming to preserve capital even at the cost of sacrificing some profits. That doesn’t suit me. I am pursuing maximization of returns."

His gaze was steady, and a provocative smile lingered on his lips.

"My investment policy is ‘high risk, high return.'"

"……"

At Ha Si-heon's confident declaration, Faber was at a loss for words.

"Selecting promising stocks that expect high returns even if they carry a somewhat higher risk…?"

"You, you madman! That’s not investing, that's just gambling!"

Faber eventually exploded in a shout.

However, Ha Si-heon replied with a calm expression.

"Not at all. I plan to choose only those stocks with manageable risks. Did you read the risk management section in the monthly report I sent you yesterday?"

"I saw it! But there’s nothing in there about going all in!"

Faber shouted, his neck veins bulging, yet Ha Si-heon was not intimidated.

Instead, he looked at Faber with a meaningful smile.

"There's a more important question you should be asking, but you’re not…"

"Are you trying to change the subject…!"

"Aren't you curious? Which stock I went all in on."

Faber hesitated for a moment.

Of course, he was curious.

Where his precious $55,000 had gone.

"It’s stock number one. Before you decide it's a gamble, you should thoroughly read the materials."

Faber gritted his teeth.

In reality, once all in on any stock, risk management was as good as thrown to the dogs.

But right now, curiosity about the stock prevailed over such concerns.

He reluctantly opened his email and started to skim through the materials.

"…Is it Genesis?"

"Yes."

As Faber rapidly read through the report, his face grew paler.

Genesis Pharmaceuticals.

A company founded six years ago and went public last year.

But…

"Are you insane! There isn’t a single product on the market!"

A pharmaceutical company without a single product on sale.

Thus, this quarter's revenue was $0.

Not just this quarter.

Genesis had been without revenue last quarter, last year, and the year before that.

"It’s still in the development stage. But there are three new drug candidates in the pipeline."

"That, that needs FDA approval to launch! No one knows how long that will take!"

For a new drug to see the light of day, it must first pass through the needle's eye of the FDA.

However, this was not only unlikely, but the review period often dragged on indefinitely.

Thus, this was an issue beyond managing risk.

It was a clear-cut case of "make or break."

Pouring all his fortune into a company pinned on such a needle's eye?

"How is this risk management!"

It was so absurd that Faber was almost at a loss for words, yet even in this situation, Ha Si-heon remained confident.

"Read the risk section. My target isn't the final approval, but entering Phase 3. At that point, the company value will definitely surge."

"There's no 100% in investment!"

"Rare, but it happens. This is one such case. There might be some delays due to unexpected variables, but entering Phase 3 is certain. There will be no halting of development midway. If you look at the primary tissue tests from Phase 2……….."

Whenever Faber discussed the terrible odds, Ha Si-heon presented clinical trial data with lengthy explanations.

But no matter how much they argued, it was pointless for Faber, not medically trained, to dispute the efficacy of the drug with Ha Si-heon, a medical graduate.

Realizing he was outmatched in a debate littered with specialized terminology, Faber eventually backed down.

"Alright, let's say Genesis is promising! But does it make sense to tie up all your assets in one place!"

"Diversification is for when you're unsure. If you're confident, you need to press hard."

"……"

It was clear. Rational conversation was impossible.

"I never agreed to such insane tactics……………"

"You did."

"What?"

"From portfolio composition to trading timing, you agreed that I would make and decide all of it. You even signed it, have you forgotten?"

…….

Faber was momentarily speechless.

He remembered signing a contract that included such clauses.

"That, that's because I didn't know you'd stab me in the back like this! Without discussing or even notifying me about such a critical matter……."

"There was no obligation clause to report investment destinations in advance. We agreed to include general updates in the monthly report. I've fulfilled that duty."

"You think I'll just let this go! Withdraw now! Or else I'll sue….!"

But, as Faber mentioned "suing," Dr-r-r-rk.

Ha Si-heon, who had been sitting the entire time, pushed back his chair and stood up suddenly.

Faber had always subtly underestimated Ha Si-heon, partly because he was Asian.

But Ha Si-heon was over six feet tall.

Intimidated by the height difference and Ha Si-heon's cold gaze, Faber stumbled through his protests.

"My, my money is being invested, isn't it? As the one who provided the funds, I should at least have a say…."

"Of course, you can assert your rights as an investor."

Ha Si-heon nodded.

It seemed he acknowledged Faber's point.

But then he continued with a piercing look.

"However, that right does not extend to interfering with my decisions. You have two choices, senior. One, to withdraw your investment. Two, not to."

He raised two fingers, thumb and forefinger. Like pulling a trigger.

And the end of that metaphorically tilted trigger sharply aimed at Faber.

"If you wish to redeem, I'll proceed with the procedure today. However, as I mentioned, the payment will be made on the settlement date, March 1st.

Also, if you redeem, you will be immediately removed from the fund. The next investor on the waiting list will take your place, and if you wish to rejoin, you must wait until a spot becomes available."

"Will you withdraw, or will you leave it?"

"… …"

In the end, Faber left without making any decision, teeth clenched.

He hesitated to redeem now that it came to it.

And the moment Faber disappeared, Tap-tap, tap-tap-tap!

The sound of keyboard typing filled the room.

The associates, who had quietly watched, were busy informing their peers about the situation.

Meanwhile, Ha Si-heon sat back down and quietly swallowed a smile.

‘Indeed, it was good to include a layperson.'

While the heavyweight investors would have conveyed their dissatisfaction covertly,

If it had been them, the public wouldn't have known what conversation took place between the two.

But Faber was different.

His public outburst allowed Ha Si-heon to disclose various facts,

From the legality of his actions to his basic investment strategy and investment targets.

"It's not bad that he seems more like a con artist."

Generally, being perceived as a swindler would be disadvantageous, but for Ha Si-heon, it was rather welcome.

He was conducting a kind of ‘swindler test' for his own purposes.

"Will it really work…?"

In fact, Ha Si-heon had several tricks up his sleeve when he decided to go all-in with his investments.

There might be about seven if listed.

However, a plan is just a plan.

Whether it would go as planned was something that needed to be observed.

The news of Ha Si-heon and Faber's argument spread quickly.

"He’s openly admitting he’s gambling!"

"Is it for real that he’s pushing it even when investors freak out?"

"He nailed it in the contract; no suing allowed. He aimed for this from the start."

Ha Si-heon was determined to push his all-in bet.

Persuasion was futile.

The investors had only two options: Join this mad rush, or jump off now.

"What if all investors unite and request redemption?"

"There’s a time difference, so no worries."

"Settlement date is March 1. We can ride it out till then."

"This guy really prepared meticulously."

Even if all investors united to reclaim their funds, Ha Si-heon was not immediately obligated to return the money, thanks to a clause he'd made stating ‘actual payment is three months later.'

This meant he could continue his all-in bets as he pleased until then.

"If it doesn’t profit by the deadline, bankruptcy?"

"Conversely, if it skyrockets, it’s a jackpot."

"Popcorn time!"

"I’ve marked March 1 on my calendar."

"Ah, how can I wait for this?"

"But are there no redemption requests from other investors?"

"The top 1-2 investors might not know, the third one says it doesn’t matter, the fourth is on a business trip."

"He just got back! Wait and see."

Ha Si-heon’s fourth investor, Ferguson from the Industrial department, had been on a business trip for days.

However, many associates were eager to tell him what had happened during his absence.

"What?"

"Ha Si-heon has poured all funds into one place. An investor got angry, and Ha Si-heon said he was initially aiming for ‘high risk, high return'…"

The associate’s voice was tense while conveying the news, worried that Ferguson’s anger might explode onto him.

But, on the other hand, the associate was also feeling a thrilling anticipation.

‘Could this turn out to be interesting?'

What if Ferguson confronts Ha Si-heon?

Even in front of an MD who entrusted $5 million, would Ha Si-heon hold his ground?

Contrary to his expectations, Ferguson showed no particular reaction.

"I see. Alright."

With a calm voice, he headed straight to his personal office.

Alone, Ferguson opened his smartphone contacts, pondering for a moment.

<Raymond Mosley>

<Gerard Mosley>

Finally, he had a reason to contact the distinguished Mosley family.

‘Which side should I take…?'

Naturally, his heart leaned towards the father, but that might risk revealing the son's incompetence to the father.

After pondering, Ferguson decided to call Gerard.

"Hello, Gerard. This is Ferguson from Goldman."

[……]

"We briefly met last year at the Crabson & Swaine year-end party. I’m the MD of the Industrial department at Goldman, Rachel’s boss too."

[What’s the matter?]

The voice on the other end was cold, but Ferguson continued undeterred.

"I understand you have also invested with Ha Si-heon. There’s an important matter you need to be aware of. Ha Si-heon has invested the entire fund's capital in a single company."

[…I'm sorry, the call quality isn't good, I must have heard…]

"You heard correctly. Ha Si-heon has gone all-in with $26.8 million on a single stock."