Matan’s Shooter

He hadn’t thought about the units yet.

While his economic sense might have been lacking, it didn’t mean he lacked the ability for calculation.

The intellectual capability of a sniper to quickly compute wind direction, wind speed, the size of objects, and distances to targets came into play instantly.

“So, when it’s converted to Korean Won…?”

Leeha extended his hand. Ram Hwayeon handed him a pen.

KRW 2,536,109,740,091,400.

“I can calculate the numbers, but it’s hard to even read the unit.”

Leeha barely managed to read out the amount. His eyes were on the verge of becoming bloodshot.

The market capitalization of Goople, roughly estimated with just a cursory glance at the exchange rate, came out to about 2,536 trillion and 109.74 billion Korean Won.

The valuation of the company, which could extend the concept of time fivefold, was on that level.

It was naturally larger than the combined market cap of the company that sold the most emotionally resonant smartphone in history, the largest search engine in history, and the most innovative internet logistics company in history.

“The current CEO, co-founder of Goople, holds 12% of the shares. Similarly, the other co-founder and head of development who developed the overall system of Middle Earth holds about 13% due to exercising his stock options. So effectively, there are two major shareholders. About 25% is held by individual investors globally. The remaining 50% is divided among numerous institutions including global investment banks. Now, do you understand what it means for a single corporation to hold 4.88%?”

Countless entities held Goople’s shares.

In that context, if the Ram Long Group held 4.88%?

Moreover, a fund typically represents a collective of several companies or wealthy individuals around the world.

Ultimately, it meant that Ram Long alone held approximately 10% of the total 50% institutional investor share.

“Even in simple monetary terms… 4.88% is about 123.7 trillion Korean Won. Seriously, isn’t this insane!?”

No matter how much money Leeha earned in Middle Earth, it was still a story from another world, beyond his reach.

Watching Leeha’s eyes widen, Ram Long lifted his wine glass.

“So, it’s only natural that we have high expectations from our young sniper.”

“What, huh? What do you mean by that…?”

“I never liked the idea when our director first decided to make it a business. Even now, the money he earns from the game Middle Earth is not sufficient to be called a ‘new business’. Above all, how unstable is the ‘game’ created by someone else. Gambling lasts forever, but games do not.”

“So then why… No, why do you have expectations of me—”

“Based on the data from our director and, more importantly, if I correctly understood the young man I’ve spoken to.”

He raised his wine glass.

Leeha clinked his glass with his own, taken aback.

A clear clink resonated across the floor.

“I mean, I believe our young sniper here can turn Middle Earth’s financial statements either black or red. If it turns black, the company’s stock price will surely rise.”

Ram Long drained his wine glass.

Leeha had to take a moment to process what he said.

He must have heard about Leeha from Ram Hwayeon herself.

He would have explained the whole flow of the game Middle Earth.

He must have known how sensational the game was. Nevertheless, he was not convinced about investing.

The turning point for him to consider investing was ultimately!

“Huh, just from talking to me? What did I even say?”

Leeha couldn’t remember much beyond the fact that he drank wine born in his birth year and it tasted good.

He did remember that Ram Long had tried to test him with the roulette, but he couldn’t recall their conversation at that time.

“The game where you bounce the ball and it lands on black or red numbers, that was it?”

Black and red. Financial gains were recorded in black and losses, or deficits, in red.

It implied that he could predict where the roulette ball would land as well as read the flow of a company, but Leeha hadn’t grasped that much.

“Chairman, speaking of that operations team staff member…”

As Leeha was sorting out his thoughts, Ram Hwayeon asked what she had been curious about.

Currently, no user other than those present at the time knew that Leeha had met the GM.

“Ah, right. News does reach you better when you’re a shareholder. They say the internal situation is currently in chaos. So, I had a chat with the operations team. Suggesting some risk management, very subtly.”

“Subtly… I see.”

Since Ram Hwayeon knew best how her father ‘subtly’ conveyed his messages, she didn’t press further.

Ram Long read the atmosphere around Leeha, knowing that he had finally sorted out his intentions.

“Even without pointing it out specifically, the team manager mentioned the young sniper’s name. It was easy to recognize since the nickname and the name were the same.”

“I see.”

“I won’t extend this longer since you must have already heard. Frankly, my situation isn’t bad. I could liquidate my shares right now and make a substantial profit. The stock price has soared significantly since my investment. Even more than the profits from the director’s ‘new business.’ But… I don’t want to stop there. Do you understand?”

Ram Long filled his glass once more.

He personally filled Leeha’s glass with wine from the bottle.

Leeha received the wine with both hands, cautiously accepting the drink.

What Ram Rong expected was for Leeha to return Middle Earth to a “normal flow.” In other words, he was essentially telling Leeha to ensure the game remains popular and retains its users.

The continuous rise in Goople’s stock, the company behind Middle Earth, would only strengthen Ram Rong’s influence.

Seeing Ram Rong, a chairman who displayed calculated measures for extreme profit, Leeha once again felt frightened by him.

That short conversation left Leeha bewildered—making such a decision after only exchanging a few words?

‘No, perhaps because I saved Ram Hwajung…when I think about it…’

He had managed to save Ram Hwajung from well-armed kidnappers, even though he himself had not fully recovered from his injuries.

This meant that Ram Rong had judged Leeha’s decisiveness, actions, and knowledge based on solid grounds.

At that moment, Ram Rong must have made his decision.

He filled Leeha’s glass with wine and clinked their glasses.

“Give it a shot. To your heart’s content.”

“Yes. I was planning to do so even if you hadn’t mentioned it.”

Leeha nodded as he listened to Ram Rong.

It was different from Ram Rong benefiting; Leeha also stood to gain much from Middle Earth.

Not for him, but for himself.

Leeha was determined to do it right.

Just as he was bolstering his resolve with a sip of wine, Ram Rong’s final words suddenly shattered his composure.

“That’s right. If you want Hwayeon, that is.”

“Dad────!”

Ram Hwayeon stood up and shouted.

Wine dribbled from Leeha’s nose.

“Ha ha ha! Hwayeon, it’s your turn next!”

Ram Rong laughed madly as he stood.

He quickly left the restaurant with his aides.

As he arrived at the hotel lobby and boarded his private vehicle, Ja Cheong asked,

“Chairman, are you really okay with this? We already achieved our initial profit target. Relying solely on Ha Leeha—”

“Ha ha, isn’t he the one Hwayeon chose? We must see what happens.”

Watch.

Once Ram Rong had made a decision, no aide had the right to open their mouths.

Ja Cheong quietly bowed his head.

Ram Rong slightly opened the window and gazed at the night sky of Hong Kong.

“If he can’t even achieve this, he doesn’t deserve the opportunity.”

The vehicle with the plate number 8888 smoothly accelerated.

Their path was clear.

* * *

“Err, cough, um, forget what Dad— the Chairman, my father— said! Uh, just, uh—”

Ram Hwayeon stuttered, acting and speaking incoherently. Leeha could only watch her with a shocked expression.

“Son-in-law. Test.”

“Hwajung! Can you keep quiet?”

Ram Hwajung managed to condense their father’s words into two succinct phrases.

Though Ram Hwayeon hastily shut her sister’s mouth, Leeha had already understood enough.

‘…Me? Why? Ram Rong? Ram Hwayeon?’

Leeha knew that Ram Hwayeon didn’t feel entirely indifferent towards him. Even someone as clueless as Leeha could see a certain level of affection.

But, could it not be just that?

Was it not simply a warm affection formed through business interactions, but rather, a genuine romantic interest significant enough for the word “marriage” to be uttered by her father?

As Leeha stayed silent, Ram Hwayeon, who had been flustered, also became quiet.

She observed Leeha’s expression and asked,

“Why, why! What’s wrong! Why! Do you hate it? Does it feel unpleasant?”

Seeing her aggressive questioning, Leeha finally collected his thoughts.

What exactly was she saying?

She hadn’t outright called Ram Rong’s words a “lie.” She did not deny her father’s assessment, which accurately grasped her emotional state towards Leeha.

Leeha finally understood.

“It’s…strange. It is strange, but—well, I don’t dislike it—no, how could I dislike it? Why would I be upset?”

Leeha continued to speak.

As Leeha spoke, he organized his thoughts and feelings.

“What? Then…”

Ram Hwayeon’s eyes were teary.

How should she react? It was clear that her flustered demeanor was not what she had wanted to show.

‘I am…’

Leeha thought as he looked at her.

Only then did he understand all the countless actions Ram Hwayeon had shown so far, and he felt a wave of guilt.

What about himself?

Despite his tangled memories and thoughts, one thing was certain.

“I also… l-like you.”

Leeha said.

Though his voice was as tiny as an ant’s whisper, Ram Hwayeon certainly heard it. She looked at him with wide, astonished eyes.

“What… did you say just now?”

She asked again.

She hoped what she heard wasn’t false. That she hadn’t misheard.

Leeha took a deep breath and composed himself.

He was a sniper. There should be no tremor when pulling the trigger toward the target.

Ensuring that no shot veered off the target.

That was the duty of a sniper.

Leeha looked at Ram Hwayeon. His eyes were shining.

“I said, I like you too, Ram Hwayeon.”

Leeha’s forefinger twitched ever so slightly. His words, faster than 830 meters per second, pierced Ram Hwayeon’s heart.

The difference from his usual sniping was that the target ran toward him after being hit by the bullet.

“Ha Leeha―!”

Leeha gently embraced Ram Hwayeon who had run into his arms.

They stared into each other’s faces. When Leeha hesitated, Ram Hwayeon was the one who initiated it.

The moment their lips met.

It was the moment that the emotions, hovering for a long time, finally connected.

Ram Hwajung quietly watched the two of them.

Her feelings toward Leeha were closer to admiration or affection rather than love.

“I also…”

She hugged both Ram Hwayeon and Leeha who were kissing.

She quietly spoke, looking at the woman and man she liked the most.

“Today. Day 1.”

* * *

Leeha could not remember how Ram Peng’s wedding went, nor what the German doctor, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, said about his lower body.

From the moment he became an official(?) couple with Ram Hwayeon after dinner with Ram Rong, his memories of the entire time in Hong Kong seemed to blur.

Upon completing the schedule and returning home, it was Ram Hwajung’s “soon-to-be-hyung-in-law” gift of two suitcases and the fifteen sets of clothes Ram Hwayeon handed him to wear for Korean occasions that he vaguely recalled.

During that long span, Leeha mostly either dazed off or fiddled with his lips.

“Hyung?”

Even now, when he had safely returned home and logged into Middle Earth.

When Kijung saw Leeha fiddling with his lips, he asked. Leeha suddenly snapped to attention and looked at Kijung.

“Oh! Oh, yeah, Kijung.”

“What’s up with you? Something happened? Didn’t you say you were going to Hong Kong?”

“Oh, yeah. I did. I did.”

“…What is this? Why are you so out of it? Were you even listening to what I was saying?”

“Oh! Yeah, yeah, I was. I was.”

His responses were all he could manage.

Realizing that normal conversation wasn’t working, Kijung sighed.

They had met today just to catch up a bit anyway.

“Sheesh, whatever. I’m still working things out with Raphaela. It’ll take a while longer. Biyemi seems to know something about Lark and Shin Nara, but he said he’ll observe a bit more and let us know? What does that even mean? Everyone’s been acting so secretive lately.”

“…Shin Nara? What’s she up to? Are the two of them still together?”

Biyemi and Petyr hadn’t made any immediate judgments about what they had seen.

Fortunately. When Leeha heard about Shin Nara, he felt a twinge in his chest.

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