Meanwhile, Pierce was eavesdropping on the entire conversation between Ha Si-heon and Brent.
The more he listened, the more intrigued he became.
Every newcomer who tried to get into Brent’s good graces chose the same method: groveling.
Because the easiest way to elevate someone is to lower yourself.
But Ha Si-heon was the exact opposite.
By elevating himself, he was actually elevating Brent even more.
I’m from med school, so I have a lot of interest in this field.
Brent was delighted to be acknowledged by a med student.
"He's steering the conversation."
Brent thought he was in control, but the actual driver of the conversation was Ha Si-heon.
After covering his name, background, department, and hobbies, Ha Si-heon even said,
You could probably help us with our work too.
Of course, that was an empty statement.
There was no way Brent would actually take action.
For a newcomer, this level of performance was commendable.
With such quick thinking and fast hands, he might prove useful.
Just as he was asking the instructor for the next candidate,
Ha Si-heon, who had been nothing but courteous until now, changed his attitude.
—From my observation, about 80% of the companies I keep an eye on always have some news about deals. But the bio-pharma industry is a bit unique, isn’t it?
—It seems that expertise plays a larger role here compared to other fields.
Suddenly, he was acting out of arrogance, relying on his medical background, right in front of an industry veteran.
Is this just youthful arrogance?
It felt off to dismiss it that easily.
This was the same rookie who had just expertly maneuvered the conversation.
And despite his sudden boldness, he was still being unfailingly polite.
This wasn’t a personality flaw but rather a statement coming from an over-reliance on his expertise.
It was as if he were deliberately making this claim.
His actions reeked of intention.
"Does he have something to gain from this?"
Wall Street is a macho environment.
In most places in America, a senior colleague who embraces an arrogant newcomer might be seen positively, but on Wall Street, that would only make him look soft and weak, inviting ridicule.
If Ha Si-heon continued making such audacious remarks, Brent wouldn’t just sit by.
As Pierce’s thoughts reached this point, his eyes widened.
"Could it be… that was his aim?"
There was only one way for Brent to protect his reputation: to put that cocky kid in his place.
He had to show the rookie the harsh realities of the field firsthand.
And to do that, he'd have to bring him into his own department.
If Ha Si-heon wanted to move to the healthcare department, this was the fastest route.
The real challenge would come next.
He’d have to prove his skills under immense pressure.
Even if he performed admirably, people might still say, "Is that all you’ve got after making such bold claims?"
"This situation couldn’t possibly turn out well… Unless…he displayed overwhelming talent."
If he displays enough skill to be acknowledged even by those with a biased perspective, this situation could turn into a favorable opportunity.
"There's no way that will happen."
"It's nothing. I just had a ridiculous thought for a moment."
As Pierce chuckled and shook his head, the instructor looked puzzled.
Pierce had a tendency to get ahead of himself.
He often saw moves that didn’t even exist.
"There’s no way someone like that exists."
No matter how confident someone is in their abilities, that was too bold.
No, bold wouldn’t even begin to describe it.
If that was truly a calculated move, that person was insane.
There were plenty of insane people on Wall Street.
The big shots at the top were all out-of-the-ordinary madmen.
He knew this because he had met them.
The ones ruling from the top of Wall Street weren’t there because of genius intellect.
There was a bigger common denominator than knowledge, strategy, or experience.
Big players always took absurd actions without hesitation.
This kind of courage couldn’t be trained; it was a natural-born talent.
Was this guy just an arrogant rookie?
Or was he an out-of-the-box monster?
There was no time left to ponder.
If left alone, that guy would end up in the healthcare department.
If Pierce wanted to snatch him, this was the moment.
"Should I steal him first and figure it out later?"
When the instructor turned his head, Pierce was already gone.
I need to be taught a lesson.
That’s why I worked so hard to provoke and act arrogant, practically begging for someone to "discipline" me.
And finally, that effort paid off.
Brent, with a sour look on his face, said something :
"When you actually try it, you'll realize that theory and knowledge have their limits."
"You’ll see soon enough."
This was an invitation to the department.
Judging by his expression, he was ready to move immediately, perhaps even tomorrow.
Well, it wasn’t going to be that difficult.
All Brent had to do was complain to his superiors about the lack of personnel and point out that there just happened to be a med school graduate without a department.
‘He’ll probably make my life miserable for a while… but that’s only temporary.’
What’s the most important thing on Wall Street?
If I rack up achievements and make a ton of money, Brent’s superiors will start to like me.
Then Brent will have no choice but to like me too.
Remember, the most important thing for me is time.
I need to transfer to a high-volume department as soon as possible, prove my abilities, meet clients, and gather future investors.
Thanks to my efforts just now, I’ve shortened my waiting time by a few months.
I’ve already made this much progress, so who cares if Brent whines a bit?
As I quietly celebrated my small victory,
"I see you're having an interesting conversation."
A stranger’s voice interrupted.
I looked up to see a middle-aged man dressed in a t-shirt and jeans standing there.
He looked absolutely out of place in casual clothes.
‘Who the hell is this guy?’
While I and the other rookies were puzzled, Brent’s reaction was different.
He pulled himself together and took a respectful stance.
"Mr. Pierce! What are you doing here?"
"Have we met before?"
"Yes! During my internship, I helped with the Scion Capital pitch!"
"Oh, did you? You weren’t one of the ones who ran away, were you?"
"No, sir! I actually applied for the M&A department. But you didn’t call me…"
Judging by Brent’s reaction, this man’s rank was Managing Director.
As I quickly went through my memories based on the clues, something came to mind.
‘Could it be… the Lich King?’
A few rumors came to mind.
Some said he was the crazy guy who could revive dead deals or the monster who hunted corporate raiders.
It seems those rumors were true.
Because by now, a number of associates had already gathered around us.
They rushed over when they heard Pierce’s name.
"Why is Mr. Pierce here…?"
"Why, am I not allowed to come to a place ?"
"It’s not that… but this is a place mostly frequented by newcomers."
I want to hear this too.
Someone of his reputation should be hanging out in more upscale places, so why is he lurking around here?
And on top of that, someone as high-ranking as him is paying attention to Brent.
"I happened to overhear, sitting nearby. You were having an interesting conversation."
A sense of foreboding hit me.
"It was a rather intriguing topic. You were saying you could read the market through experience, while the rookie was saying theory and knowledge could do the same."
Brent’s face hardened.
He, too, must have had the same bad feeling.
And that feeling turned out to be right.
"How about a bet with me?"
"A bet? What are you talking about…?"
"Rather than just debating, why not settle it with an actual challenge?"
Brent’s face turned pale.
There was nothing to gain from such a contest.
Even if he won, there’d be no benefit, and if he lost, it would be humiliating.
"This rookie doesn’t know anything! It’s just ignorance speaking…"
"Exactly! Isn’t it interesting to compare the eyes of an ignorant rookie and a seasoned associate? Surely, you’re not afraid of losing to a rookie?"
"Of course not, but… I’m busy with a big deal right now…"
As Brent hesitated, Pierce suddenly turned his head toward me.
I definitely didn’t want to participate.
Why did I bother flattering and provoking him all this time?
This wasn’t just about beating Brent.
I needed to go to the healthcare department to be "taught a lesson" and then suddenly emerge as a standout genius rookie.
I’ve already laid out the groundwork, so there’s no reason to gamble on this.
"The senior is right. I don’t know anything yet."
"For someone who doesn’t know anything, you seemed quite confident. Didn’t you say you had an 80% success rate? Was that just bluster?"
"I meant to say that I was curious to see if it was luck or skill. It could have just been luck."
"Great! I like testing luck too."
This guy never intended to ask for our opinions in the first place.
In this situation, I had to stick with Brent.
Neither of us wanted to do this, so what could he do?
‘Just hold out until he leaves.’
That’s what I resolved to do.
Pierce put his glass down on the table and pulled out his wallet.
He took out a wad of cash and held it between his fingers.
His gaze turned to the spectators around us.
"I’m putting $1,000 on the rookie winning."
The associates’ eyes changed.
They had the eyes of hyenas that had found prey.
Those who joined this bet would later brag about "betting with Pierce" as a kind of heroic tale.
"Then I’m putting $50 on Brent!"
"Come on, $50? That’s petty! I’m putting $100 on Brent!"
"I trust Mr. Pierce’s judgment and put $500 on the rookie!"
"Hey, hey! Someone needs to keep track of the bets!"
Shouts erupted from all sides, and bills waved through the air.
"Who just bet on the rookie?"
"Wow, traitor! You should back your fellow rookie!"
"I trust Mr. Pierce’s judgment!"
"But I really don’t have the time…"
Brent tried to protest, but his voice was drowned out by the excitement of the betting.
I just gave up and kept my mouth shut.
This momentum couldn’t be stopped by just one or two people.
The bet had already become a foregone conclusion.
So now I had to prepare for what came next.
‘This isn’t looking good…’
There’s no benefit in setting myself up for a direct confrontation with Brent.
There’d be no reason to recruit someone without the necessary skills into the department.
That would mean Brent lost to a rookie.
That wouldn’t just be his personal embarrassment, it would disgrace the entire department.
No way they’d bring in someone who embarrassed their lord.
That would mean any chance of transferring to the healthcare department was gone.
My two hours of effort would have gone to waste.
It stings, but dwelling on it now would just be a waste of time.
I need to figure out why this happened.
Why would someone as high-ranking as him randomly show up at a rookie’s welcome event, and why would he come here specifically to ruin the pretty picture I’ve carefully painted?
It’s not like he has time to waste on things .
‘What’s he trying to gain from this?’
I tried to read Pierce’s expression, but our eyes met.
Avoiding it would have seemed strange, so I kept looking, and Pierce smiled.
From the greed in his eyes, I could tell.