Chapter 3: Is This the Taste of Capitalism?
As I peered closely at the screen of my phone, I realized something was amiss, causing me to gently place it back on the bed.
“What did I just see?”
My reflection in the ceiling mirror caught my eyes, and the trembling pupils in my wide-opened eyes seemed to express my current state of mind.
“Phew… I must be tired. Seeing things that are not there.”
I let out a deep sigh and picked up the phone again.
But then, a scream mixed with a gasp burst out.
“Ugh…?”
No, it was not a scream, to be honest.
It was a gasp, simply because what I saw warranted such a reaction.
[NOX Protocol $3,844.8]
23,255 / $0.17 + $8,323,040 / +211,160%
“………”
No matter how many times I looked at the screen, the numbers remained unchanged.
Slap.
I raised my right hand and slapped myself on the cheek.
It hurt enough to be sure it was not a dream.
Thinking it might be a computer glitch, I restarted my phone.
With trembling hands, I reopened the Wallet.
[NOX Protocol $3,3844.8]
23,255 / $0.17 + $8,326,040 / +211,625%
“Huh…”
Even in that brief moment, the profit had gone up.
My heart pounded madly, and my head grew hotter by the second.
I could not grasp how to react to what I had just seen. Trying to hold onto my fading sanity, I quickly got up from the bed and dashed into the bathroom.
“Splash… Ahh!”
As the icy cold water sprayed fiercely from the shower, touching my skin, I gradually regained my senses.
“Okay… Let’s calm down. Dae-woon. Remember how calm you were when you encountered a typhoon in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Stay calm, stay calm…”
Repetitive self-affirmations and mind control slowly brought my rationality back into place.
Exiting the bathroom, I discarded the wet gown and quietly lay back on the bed, calming my mind.
With a solemn heart and trembling hands, I picked up the phone again, I tried converting the displayed dollars into Korean won using a currency calculator.
“One… ten… a hundred… thousand… ten thousand… a hundred thousand… a million… ten million…”
Have I ever uttered such large numbers in my life before?
As I continued to recite, my head started to grow hot again, and the climax was reached.
“Hundred… billion.”
A miscellaneous coin that I had bought at an average price of ₩215 had now become a major coin worth ₩450,000.
With my mouth gaping open at the unrealistic numbers, I stared blankly at the phone screen.
“Nox Coin?”
As I murmured the name of the coin, a forgotten memory resurfaced like a lie.
“This was definitely… what Kobugi Hyung told me to… ICO coin, right?”
The ICO (Initial Coin Offering) was a concept similar to The IPO (Initial Public Offering) in the stock market, meaning raising money from unidentified investors to create new cryptocurrencies and distributing coins in return.
And Kobugi was the YouTube channel I used to watch daily during the days when I was obsessed with coins.
Back then, on the Kobugi channel, it was strongly recommended to participate in every ICO coin offering, and I obediently followed, applying whenever there was an ICO offering until I finally won the NOX coin.
However, even though I had managed to win, there was a lock-up period of two years, during which I could not sell the coin. After getting involved in gift trading, this coin had also faded from my memory.
“What on earth… happened over the past 4 years?”
Without even bothering to dry my hair, I immediately started searching for news about the NOX coin, which had driven me mad ever since.
[“NOX Coin, catching the attention of the U.S. Congress”]
[“Skyrocketing from the first day of listing for NOX Coin”]
[“NOX Coin sees an 800% surge, achieve a milestone”]
[“How far will the skyrocketing NOX Coin go?”]
[“NOX Coin rises by 4500% over 6 months, entering the top 10 in the market capitalization?”]
As I read through these news articles filled with stimulating words, I momentarily lost my words. It seemed like a lot had happened while I was out at sea.
Putting the news aside for a moment, I examined the chart of the NOX Coin.
“Unbelievable…”
Having experienced countless waves in the sea, I had become somewhat accustomed to them, but facing the dizzying waves of candlesticks crossing between bearish and bullish trends made my head spin.
There were even two occasions where the price plummeted so much that I wondered why it was not delisted. If I had been aware of the existence of NOX Coin during those times, the chart would have undoubtedly seemed like a chart of utter catastrophe, prompting me to sell.
“Ah…”
Finally, a sense of reality set in. Over the past 4 years, the NOX Coin, which had weathered severe storms, had truly gone “to the moon”.
There was no more excitement left in me.
Having assessed the situation, I quickly sold all 23,255 NOX coins I had at an average price of ₩450,000.
After that, I searched the internet to find a way to exchange the money I had in overseas exchanges with minimal fees.
The authentication process was extremely complicated, but with 10 billion won at stake, what did a little complexity matter?
After all, there was nothing left but time.
In the end, after spending the night as if it were day, I was able to transfer all 10 billion won worth of coins to domestic exchanges and convert them into Korean won.
Although my eyes were bloodshot and my body felt stiff and sore, my mind was clearer than ever.
“Now that the urgent matter is taken care of… Hmph, now I can finally get some sleep.”
As the tension eased, my mind, which had been as sharp as a taut bowstring, gradually became blurred, and before I knew it, I fell into a deep sleep, so deep that even someone had lifted me, I would not have noticed.
***
“Ugh… I slept well.”
How long did I sleep?
Stretching out and enjoying the languid feeling, I blinked as I sat up in bed, momentarily puzzled about why I was here.
Then…
“Oops! Damn! Was it a dream?”
With a sense of urgency, I quickly grabbed my phone, which was plugged into the charger, and opened the ‘Onbit’ app.
[Current balance in KRW]
10,156,253,545
Finally, I could breathe a sigh of relief.
“Phew… My heart is still pounding.”
Despite having endured four years of rough sea life and convincing myself that there was hardly anything left to surprise me, I was mistaken.
In the face of a number exceeding 10 billion, anyone, no matter how strong-hearted, would experience a special sensation of hearing their heartbeat ringing in their ears.
First, I requested a withdrawal of 1 billion won.
For a user who has completed all verifications, the daily withdrawal limit was 1 billion.
“So, it means it will take 11 days to withdraw all this money.”
After enduring four years in the vast sea, can’t I even hold out for a mere 11 days?
After a refreshing shower with cold water, I quickly dressed for going out.
I couldn’t really feel it just by looking at the numbers on the screen.
Leaving the motel, I headed to an ATM machine located in the basement of a nearby building, where there were few people around.
With movements that might be mistaken for those of a voice phishing scammer, I pressed each button on the machine solemnly.
Dr-r-r-r-r-r-r.
The sound of money counting came from the ATM machine, and soon a bundle of yellow bills with a portrait of Shin Saimdang was ejected.
After grasping 60 yellow bills in my hand, the realization hit me that it wasn’t a sweet dream but a reality.
Moreover, even after withdrawing the maximum limit of 3 million won, there was still more than 990 million won in my account.
“Just when life said not to give up…. My life ruined by coins has turned out like this.”
Only after holding the cash in my hand did I truly feel the miraculous event that had befallen me.
Although I had come into possession of a tremendous sum of money, the hardships and adversities of life at sea had broadened my perspective.
Glancing around to see if anyone was watching, I neatly folded the bundle of cash and tucked it into my pocket before hastily leaving the building.
“Phew… Ah… It feels good.”
On this scorching spring day, the sunlight felt unusually warm, and amidst the bustling city filled with its usual sharpness, a faint scent of flowers wafted through the air.
Honk Honk.
Even the car horns that would usually annoy me felt like fireworks celebrating me.
“What should I do with this money?”
As I fiddled with the bundle of bills protruding from my pocket, a sign caught my eye.
[WowBling]
We insist on 100% eco-friendly, antibiotic-free grade 1++ Korean beef.
The luxurious atmosphere emanating from the building’s exterior was exceptional.
As my hunger intensified, I felt drawn to the restaurant as if under a spell.
“Welcome… How many in your party?”
As I entered the restaurant, a well-dressed staff member greeted me.
They seemed slightly taken aback by my disheveled appearance, but they smoothly continued their service, perhaps thanks to their excellent training.
“One person. It’s crowded. Is there any seat available?”
“Yes, we’ll seat you right away.”
I followed the staff member and glanced around.
The interior featured sleek, modern decor in various shades of black.
A golden chandelier illuminated the room, and the soft sounds of classical music added to the sense of sophistication.
As it was just past the lunch hour, the restaurant was not very crowded, creating a remarkably serene atmosphere.
“Would you like to sit here?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“The menu is placed over there, and you can ring the bell to place your order.”
“Okay, got it.”
I opened the menu, which had an elegant design.
- Korean beef sirloin (120g) – ₩92,000
- Korean beef ribeye steak (120g) – ₩85,000
- Korean beef tenderloin (150g) – ₩77,000
“Wow…” Although I hesitated at the unusual price for meat, all those emotions melted away like snowflakes in the face of the richness emanating from my pocket.
I pressed the button on the table in the corner to call the waiter.
“Yes, sir. Are you ready to order?”
“Please bring us four servings of Korean beef sirloin.”
“Korean beef… Four servings of sirloin, correct?”
“If we need more, I’ll order later. I really love meat.”
I placed the order confidently and casually, knowing that it wasn’t meant to be a question.
“Yes. I’ll prepare four servings of sirloin right away.”
Immediately after placing the order, a generous serving of side dishes was brought to the table one after another.
As the waiter placed the crimson meat on the luxurious wooden plate, they also took out a piece of paper.
“We’ll start by showing you the butchering date and grade certificate.”
Although I was slightly taken aback by this new experience, I didn’t show it.
“The Korean beef we handle is carefully selected meat of grade 1++ BMS number nine.
It’s also the highest grade Korean beef available domestically.”
“Ah… Well, it looks good.”
As the copper grill was placed on the red-hot charcoal, the waiter skillfully grilled the meat with tongs.
“If you need anything else, please feel free to call us. Enjoy your meal.”
After skillfully grilling the meat, the waiter, like a craftsman, left, and I picked up a piece of meat and put it in my mouth.
“Mmm…”
A chuckle escaped me.
As soon as the meat entered my mouth, it melted away, leaving only a rich aroma of beef behind.
I sat down with an explosive appetite and neatly finished off the four servings of sirloin.
“Expensive things do taste different.”
I started to doubt whether the beef I had eaten up to this point was indeed the same as the beef I just had.
Satisfied with my now bloated stomach, I picked up the bill and headed to the cashier.
“I’ll pay.”
“Did you enjoy your meal, sir? That’ll be ₩396,000 in total.”
Taking out eight fifty-thousand-won bills, I paid in cash neatly and received ₩4,000 in change before leaving the restaurant.
“Is this the taste of capitalism?”
Feeling the satisfying fullness of the premium Korean beef, I returned to the motel and began to seriously contemplate my plans for the future.
Eleven days passed, and I was able to withdraw all the Korean won from ‘OnBit’ to my bank account.
The next day, I headed straight to the bank.
