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As I grew up, I became an easy baby to handle, sleeping well during the daytime and only crying at night when necessary. However, my current existence was thanks to my parents' sacrifices in my past life. They had worried about me constantly, from my near-death experience at age one to my delayed speech development until age four. I was also hospitalized for over two months after a motorcycle accident at age seven. Though I didn't remember these events, my mother had told me about them.
My childhood memories were fragmented, focusing on "firsts" like watching fireworks, visiting my best friend's house, and seeing my grandfather in the hospital. I couldn't recall my parents' dedication, making me realize how selfish a child could be.
One day, I said "Mama" for the first time, intentionally making eye contact with my mother. This was to make up for her worrying about my delayed speech. I completed the quest "Like a Human 1" and earned 5 points.
My next quest was related to linguistic development, which I found interesting. I had to speak 16 words, a piece of cake for me. I realized that the everyday quests in my original timeline were huge risks, but now I could earn points by simply speaking.
The final quest of the cumulative quest "Like a Human" was to communicate with someone using over ten sentences. I chose my cousin Ji-Ae, who was four years old and spoke well. We exchanged cute sentences, and I completed the quest, receiving a silver box as a reward.
To my surprise, I was given the option to skip the tutorial "Infancy and Childhood." I faced a difficult decision, as skipping meant I would miss spending time with my parents' younger days. However, I decided to skip the tutorial and move on to the Chapter of Beginning, knowing that the real challenges awaited me.
I found myself in a classroom, surrounded by young students and a teacher lecturing on English. I held a mechanical pencil and saw an incomplete scribble in my notebook. The textbook was for first-grade middle school English. I was sitting alone near the window at the back of the classroom, which was unusual since I always sat in the middle as a student.
I checked my status window and was relieved to see my clear pronunciation after living a toothless life for almost half a year.
[Name: Na Seon-Hu
Health: F(2), Strength: F(20), Agility: F(13), Sense: F(20)
Total points: 87
Trait(1)]
My average class was F, but my body had grown into an average adult male with increased Strength and Sense. I had a scribble of an F-class monster, the "Guard Dog," in my notebook, along with an address and price. It seemed I had maintained life as a returner during the skipped time, preparing to attack the F-class dungeon.
After class, I ran home to Miari, where my family had moved. I found a picture of my elementary graduation ceremony, where I was already grown. I searched my room, which was different from my past life, and found no zip drives or floppy disks containing memories from the skipped time.
I decided to buy a mountain in Hwansung, Gyeonggi Province, where an F-class sealed dungeon was located. I needed to prepare by buying the mountain and installing security systems, which required money. I had saved 500,000 won during my skipped time, but as a minor, I couldn't establish a stock account or make speculative transactions. I needed an attorney, and I thought of Jonathan, a twenty-five-year-old man on Wall Street.
I sent him an email about the Thailand baht exchange rate, knowing he would take the bait. He replied, and we exchanged messages about the feasibility of attacking the Thailand baht. Jonathan was shocked and intrigued, inviting me to his office. His hands trembled as if he had seen a ghost.
Here is the rewritten text with corrections and rearranged for better flow:
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Jonathan sent me over ten desperate emails, but I didn't reply until the day Sammi Group filed for bankruptcy, following Hando Group. Jonathan's email showed hesitation, unlike his confident self. He had sent an investment product betting on the Thailand baht's fall, but I asked him to find one that bet on its increase. He was taken aback, and his reply came quickly.
I suggested establishing an investment corporation, offering my investment proposal in exchange for 51% of the corporation shares. Jonathan was disappointed, feeling fooled by a swindler. However, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing. He asked me to clarify why I thought the hedge funds would fail, and I explained that Thailand had protective measures in place, like Malaysia's Negara Bank, and a reciprocal agreement with ASEAN central banks.
Jonathan was shocked, realizing that his investment product might be wrong. He considered notifying the board, but instead, he asked me to talk in person. I agreed, and he sent another email, willing to visit me. Our communication ended, but Jonathan's company was in trouble as the hedge funds' attack on the baht didn't yield the expected results. Jonathan's colleagues condemned him, but he didn't give in.
On May 14th and 15th, the hedge funds attacked the baht with all they had, but it didn't collapse. Instead, it rose, and Jonathan's colleagues were devastated. His assistant clerk apologized, acknowledging Jonathan's correct prediction. Jonathan was relieved but didn't want to face anyone who had doubted him. He quit his job, handed his name card to Harry's clients, and announced his plan to establish his own investment firm.
Harry tried to persuade him to stay, but Jonathan was resolute. He sent me an email, accepting my "nonsense suggestion" and asking to meet in person in Seoul.