The meeting lasted for quite a while. Thanks to that, we even got to share a meal together.

We couldn’t rent a proper restaurant due to security concerns, but the chef’s skills made it a fairly decent dinner.

“Enjoy your meal. This is probably the first time we’re all eating from the same pot, right?”

“It’d be nice if we could do this more often. We’re not like relatives you see every holiday—sometimes it’s hard just to see each other’s faces.”

Seo Joo-eun, who had long since left my side, said this with a soft smile. Her expression was much gentler than back when she worked directly under me, and there was a certain seasoned grace about her now.

– Clink.

I picked up a piece of meat with my fork and nodded.

“Mm. I’d been thinking about it already. Guess we should.”

Honestly, there was a certain charm to having a secret organization like this. Now that the group had grown so large, it seemed worth trying.

“I thought you said it was tricky to get everyone together because of security concerns?”

“Well, that’s true. But soon it’ll be fine.”

Seo Ji-yeon tilted her head. Normally, the larger a group becomes, the harder it is to avoid intelligence agency surveillance.

The organization as it stood now was already in dangerous territory. Most parts were still okay, but Lee Si-hyun was connected to American national security.

But me? I had one hell of a cheat code when it came to intelligence.

‘It should be about time that bastard gets a high-level position in the CIA.’

That cheat code was knowledge from my past life.

I might not know much about Korea’s NIS, but I knew the CIA well enough. In my past life, I’d dug deep, teeth clenched, and even seen some agents’ faces through the bars. No matter how powerful an intelligence agency is, if a regressor knows who’s going to join in advance, it’s meaningless.

And if I keep one of them nearby and feed them misinformation here and there, they’ll inevitably pollute any intel they get—even if they gathered it through a route I didn’t anticipate. Especially if they’re in a high-ranking position.

And...

“Ji-yeon, there’s no such thing as an organization that’s completely secret—one whose existence and members are entirely unknown. Even government-run intelligence agencies split their agents into white and black. So we also need to be partially open.”

Understanding my reasoning, Seo Ji-yeon nodded.

“Oh, that’s true. If you hold a legitimate position recognized by the state, it’s harder for foreign powers to interfere.”

“Exactly. Once we’ve secured a solid, public-facing position, a natural line of defense forms. The U.S. might try to apply pressure when we start scooping up money over there, but still—holding a visible position is important.”

“...Daehwa Group, huh.”

Yoo Seon-jun muttered bitterly, a crooked smile on his lips. I gave my cousin a gentle smile in return.

“Yup, Daehwa Group. I want to be called Chairwoman too, you know. You’ll let me have it, right? Sorry in advance.”

Most of the people here were originally from Daehwa Group anyway. That made the Daehwa chair position one I absolutely couldn’t skip over.

And personally... I liked it.

“I was never interested in that kind of position. But why are you so unnaturally rushing to grab the chairman title? If I had to guess, it’s because you won’t be called ‘Young Miss’ anymore once you get older?”

“Ugh—Hack!”

Ugh, went down the wrong pipe.

I coughed violently for a while before finally calming down with a sip of water.

– Glare.

“...No, thank you very much. I fully intend to be called ‘Young Miss’ forever.”

Also, I don’t plan on becoming Daehwa Group’s chair the moment the foreign exchange crisis hits. It’s not even possible.

Whether it was because he truly didn’t care about power or just didn’t want to argue, Yoo Seon-jun replied blandly.

“Do what you want.”

Hmph. I’m already doing that, you know?

“By the way, Oppa, how’s Grandpa doing?”

No matter what else, it would be bad if Chairman Yoo Seong-pil didn’t know about all this. It’s impossible he hasn’t noticed Yoo Seon-jun—the eldest grandson of the family—running around doing suspicious things next to me.

Uncle Yoo Jin-seok just assumes his kid is traveling overseas doing weird crap. Grandpa only stays out of it because he thinks Seon-jun is under his direct tutelage.

So this whole plan might look like an outright rebellion against him... meaning I should at least give him a heads-up.

I could beat Daehwa head-on now, but a proper fight would still ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ be a pain. Not that I think Grandpa would go that far.

As the eldest grandson of the Daehwa family, Yoo Seon-jun could meet directly with Chairman Yoo Seong-pil. He tilted his head slightly.

“If you mean his physical condition, then no. Ever since that lung cancer surgery, he’s barely active in public anymore.”

“Then how’s his attitude toward me?”

“Who knows? My grandfather doesn’t really have a gender bias, and he does care for you... but I’m not sure he’d hand over the business.”

I sighed quietly. Figures.

“Hm... convincing him won’t be easy, huh.”

“To begin with, I don’t think Grandpa can even imagine you’re aiming for the chair position. I mean, Alpha Fund alone already surpasses Daehwa Group, doesn’t it?”

“Well...”

That’s true. If it were just about money, it’d be better to keep operating in the U.S. anyway. As a foreign corporation, I’d have fewer regulatory shackles.

A bit tricky. I should finish wringing out Thailand first, then settle this properly.

– Clink.

Meanwhile, Ha Yeong-il, now revived and vigorously cutting his food, glanced at a dish and asked:

“Mm, that’s smoked herring. Did you intentionally include it on the menu?”

“Uh... no? Why? Are you allergic?”

“Haha, no allergies. Young Miss, have you heard of Judge Wargrave? He’s a character from a famous detective novel.”

The Wargrave I know is a post-apocalyptic faction name.

Still, I get what he’s saying.

“You mean the English idiom, right?”

Ha Yeong-il gave a soft smile.

“Yes, I asked because of that. The current situation... it fits the expression.”

Smoked herring has a strong scent.

So “to draw attention with a red herring” refers to misleading your opponent—classic misdirection. Pretty famous, and yeah, I lived in the English-speaking world, so I know.

“Exactly. While everyone’s obsessed with the dotcom bubble, we strike East Asia. All the other hedge funds are still busy frolicking in the bubble, right?”

“Indeed. Even I, who know the full plan, have been so focused on the bubble that I didn’t notice what was happening elsewhere. Unless you’re Soros himself...”

After finishing my meal, I wiped my mouth and stared into the mirror, admiring my reflection briefly—then sharply turned away.

Too many eyes on me. I’ll indulge in narcissism after the champagne’s popped.

“Still, since we’re on the subject... soloing it is fun and all, but going in completely alone is risky, no?”

“You mean...”

– Clap.

With a slight smile, I whispered calmly.

“Let’s summon the hedge funds and tear it all down—just like last time.”

.

.

.

A few days later.

The web I’d spun reached all the way to Thailand.

[Berlin-Bearings Bank announces withdrawal from Thailand. “We will no longer engage in risky investments.”]

[George Soros throws down the gauntlet in Thailand! Baht currency crisis deepens...]

***

U.S. Federal Reserve.

Chairman Greenspan—nicknamed “The Maestro”—was scanning a report with a grim expression.

A report on what was commonly referred to as the dotcom bubble.

“Chairman, shouldn’t we raise interest rates this time?”

No one could ignore the overheated atmosphere anymore. And some were starting to worry about the country's future, thinking the bubble might’ve gone too far.

But no one else bore the weight of the Fed's burden.

Unlike everyone else, they had the authority to burst the bubble.

“We just cut interest rates recently. It’d be hard to hike them again so soon, wouldn’t it?”

His voice was deep—surprisingly strong for his age. Even as he spoke, he was considering the broader economic implications.

– Thump.

He rubbed his tired eyes and sighed.

“Hoo... And now the East Asian economies are showing signs of trouble. Didn’t you see Soros move in? These hedge funds, high on profits, are charging into East Asia like lunatics.”

“Well... it’s just Thailand, isn’t it? It doesn’t compare to the dotcom bubble sweeping across the U.S., Chairman Greenspan.”

But he shook his head. With the dollar being sucked into the U.S. due to the bubble, Thailand wouldn’t be the only one groaning under dollar shortages.

“Thailand’s just the beginning. East Asia shares common causes of growth—and similar flaws. If Thailand falls, the rest could collapse too. Maybe even South Korea, which only just joined the ranks of developed nations.”

And one of the causes was America’s own high interest rate policy. Since they helped cause the crisis, the U.S. had a responsibility to help.

Why? Because it’s the United States.

The global police. The world’s dominant superpower. The one nation with the authority—and obligation—to take care of everyone else. That’s what made the U.S. a hegemon.

So ideally, interest rates should be kept low, and policies should be relaxed.

Beyond diplomacy, there were practical reasons to prevent an East Asian collapse. If those economies fell, the aftermath would inevitably hit the U.S. as well.

Sure, American manufacturing might enjoy a temporary rebound... but the price would be skyrocketing inflation. The very thing all central banks loathe most. Saving manufacturing at the cost of runaway inflation? Not wise.

“...I see. So, rate cuts, then?”

“That’s also hard. Like you said, the bubble is extreme. The only way to contain it... is to raise interest rates.”

“What about regulating IPOs? If you’re worried about garbage companies going public, then just stop them.”

Greenspan twisted his lips into a half-smile.

“Mmm. Excellent idea. Then you go talk to the senators and the SEC and make that happen.”

“....”

Impossible. The politicians and the SEC lived off votes and money. They’d ignore the bubble until the moment it burst. Their supporters loved the bubble.

“Haa...”

The decision didn’t take long. If the domestic and international crises had conflicting solutions, then the Fed chairman’s job was clear.

“We have no choice. Let’s wait until next month. If there’s still no sign of the bubble deflating by then... we’ll raise interest rates.”

An economic death sentence—for East Asia.