A Wall Street Genius's Final Investment Playbook-Chapter 104

The next morning, I checked social media on my smartphone.

It was to gauge the impact of last night’s broadcast.

‘This is… way bigger than I expected.’

Overnight, the internet had exploded with an overwhelming number of memes, spreading at an incredible speed.

And all those memes converged on a single theme—the unique sense of guilt that white people feel, known as "white guilt."

Images of my face combined with the great white shark’s were dominating social media.

While my expression radiated confidence, the shark’s face was visibly flustered.

And to emphasize this contrast, numerous captions were stamped across the images.

-The Day the Great White Shark Got Eaten by an Orca

-Ha Si-heon: ‘I will compete with the taste of ‘Black'!

Great White Shark: Hey, don’t say that…'

In another meme, the great white shark’s bewildered eyes were overlaid with a message:

-White Privilege.exe has stopped working.

Some memes depicted the great white shark frantically typing in a Google search bar:

-How White People Should Talk About Black Issues

Another image parodied a credit card decline notice:

-The Great White Shark’s White Privilege Card Has Been Declined.

Countless other unique memes were being created and actively shared.

I couldn't help but smirk.

‘This is working well.’

I reminded myself.

My goal wasn’t just to win this debate.

The real objective was to raise my public profile.

From that perspective, last night’s broadcast was a resounding success.

Every few minutes, dozens of memes featuring my face were flooding social media.

My face was now imprinted in the public's mind as "the Asian commentator who shut down the great white shark."

Of course, it wasn’t as if I had defeated him with sheer debating skill.

I had simply weaponized the sensitive issue of racial inequality to put him on the defensive.

But—

‘This actually works even better.’

From the perspective of fame and influence, being "the skilled newcomer" was nowhere near as powerful as being "the Asian who schooled a white guy."

Raising issues about racism and white privilege was the perfect way to draw public attention and sympathy.

Right now, my top priority was to make my face as widely recognized as possible.

That goal had already been exceeded.

"Something wrong?"

Beside me, Whitmer asked.

I turned off the screen I had been monitoring and smiled.

"Of course not. Everything is going according to plan."

But this was only the beginning.

The broadcast was merely a light jab.

The real knockout punch was coming next.

"Are you ready?"

At my question, Whitmer nodded resolutely.

It was his turn to step into the ring.

***

The afternoon after the broadcast.

Epicura’s CEO, Whitmer, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

[Yes, the claims made on the broadcast are true.]

Whitmer acknowledged everything Ha Si-heon had asserted.

[In fact, we wanted to grow a brand that embodies Black culture and flavors into a national chain. But we feared that if we disclosed this openly, our sincere intentions might be misinterpreted. Our only goal was to prove the true value of these flavors, which is why we remained silent until now. However, my actions ended up causing even greater misunderstandings. I sincerely apologize for the concerns I have caused to the public.]

After his apology, Whitmer revealed the hidden story behind the acquisition of Double Crab House.

[Watching how Black communities were disproportionately affected by the financial crisis, I couldn’t just stand by. After all, I come from a working-class background myself. I was raised by a single mother, and we always struggled financially. When I was in elementary school, we even lost our home and had to move from one relative’s or friend’s house to another.]

A distant look crossed Whitmer’s eyes as he recalled his past.

He continued in a heavy voice.

[That made me think—could my family back then have ever afforded a place like Harbor Lobster? No way. For us, spending $30 or $40 per meal at a restaurant was a luxury beyond reach. But still, we went out to eat sometimes. As a kid, those rare outings felt like birthday presents. That’s why I wanted to create a restaurant chain that families going through tough times could still visit. That’s how I discovered Double Crab House.]

His teary eyes and trembling voice touched the hearts of viewers.

After sharing his personal history and the reasons behind the acquisition, Whitmer made a firm declaration.

[Double Crab House will be reborn as a place that brings joy to people of all income levels—especially those facing hardships.]

With that, the brand’s identity was solidified.

Double Crab House was more than just a restaurant chain—it was a brand that existed to provide comfort and hope to people of all income levels, especially those facing financial hardship.

Then, Whitmer followed up with an announcement that shocked everyone.

[Double Crab House will provide a free meal once a day for a year to all customers who lost their homes due to the financial crisis.]

By offering warm meals to those who had gone through difficult times, he aimed to establish the brand as a "restaurant for everyone."

But that wasn’t the end of it.

That evening, major news outlets ran bold headlines:

<Epicura Donates $30 Million to Black Lives Matter Movement>

<Epicura Makes Generous Contribution to BLM Headquarters… Emphasizing Corporate Social Responsibility>

Epicura had made a massive donation to the Black Lives Matter movement.

With this, the company didn’t just talk about justice and equality—it proved its commitment through action.

However, this turn of events left the online community in an awkward position.

Many of those who had fiercely condemned Epicura as a racist corporation were now forced to reconsider their hasty judgments.

They had assumed the company had abandoned Black communities because they weren’t profitable…

But now, they realized it had all been a misunderstanding.

As a result, social media timelines were flooded with posts of apologies and self-reflection.

-I was too quick to judge Epicura. I sincerely apologize. #SorryEpicura

-Now I finally understand what Double Crab House truly stands for. I’m ashamed of myself for criticizing without checking the facts. I apologize and will support them moving forward. #SupportEpicura

-I teared up listening to CEO Whitmer’s heartfelt story. I’m sorry for misunderstanding his good intentions. Wishing Double Crab House great success! #SupportEpicura

-I apologize. Supporting Black-owned businesses is a responsibility we all share. #StandWithEpicura

Their posts overflowed with regret, guilt, and a newfound enthusiasm for Epicura.

After a brief period of self-reflection, public attention quickly shifted to a new topic—Epicura’s ambitious new brand launch.

-Honestly, I’ve never really thought about Black issues separately from racial conflicts before.

-Just the idea of tasting ‘Black flavors'… That really caught my attention.

-A seafood barbecue in Black style? I NEED to try this!

Curiosity about Double Crab House surged, with people flooding online forums with inquiries.

Most reactions expressed a strong desire to visit at least once.

But—

-I searched for Double Crab House and found out it only has locations in Chicago… Any plans to expand? New Yorkers feel left out! 😦

-I’m going on a business trip to Chicago next week. Can someone recommend the best menu items?

The brand was still a regional chain headquartered in the Midwest.

While Epicura’s acquisition sparked hopes of nationwide expansion, that process could take years.

Just as people in other cities began expressing disappointment—

A welcome news alert appeared.

<One-Month Operations Planned in Major Cities Including New York, LA, Boston, and Washington>

The highly sought-after brand was set to open pop-up stores in major cities for a limited time!

Since Double Crab House was already a trending topic, this news spread like wildfire across social media.

And then, finally—on opening day.

A massive crowd swarmed the stores.

The turnout far exceeded expectations.

Lines stretched for five blocks around the pop-up locations, causing such severe traffic congestion that the police had to intervene.

The overwhelming demand forced stores to close early after selling out all inventory within just five hours.

Calling it "popular" would be an understatement.

But instead of dying down, the craze only intensified.

Customers who had visited Double Crab House eagerly posted their experience on social media, complete with photo proof—accompanied by hashtags like:

#SupportEpicura #BLM #TasteOfBlackCulture

#PreservingBlackCulture #SupportEpicura #BLM

-Black lives matter. But so does Black flavor. #SupportEpicura #BLM

Before anyone realized it, Epicura had become inseparably linked to the BLM movement.

It was now part of a broader social cause—fighting for Black equality while promoting and uplifting Black-owned businesses.

On top of that, Whitmer boldly declared his vision of growing this Black-owned brand into "the next Chipotle, the next major powerhouse in the restaurant industry."

At this point, supporting the brand felt inevitable.

From BLM supporters to self-proclaimed "woke" individuals, everyone was rushing to share the news.

It was none other than the #BLM hashtag.

And those who saw that tag found themselves heading to the nearest pop-up store the next day.

This wasn’t just about eating good food.

If one truly supported the spread of Black culture and racial equality, this was the right thing to do.

This surge in socially motivated action poured fuel on the already skyrocketing demand, causing even greater chaos.

But then, a few days later—

A bigger event exploded.

<Beyoncé in Line Too… Double Crab House on the Brink of a Mega Breakthrough>

<This Is What True Equality Looks Like! In Line With Everyone Else: Rihanna, LeBron James, Ariana Grande…>

Numerous A-list celebrities who supported the BLM movement were spotted visiting the pop-up stores.

And what’s more, they didn’t receive any special treatment—they stood in line for hours, just like the general public.

But it wasn’t just one or two stars.

A wave of celebrities, eager to demonstrate their sincerity toward BLM through action, began flooding the stores.

Reports of people spotting major celebrities while waiting in line spread like wildfire.

Before long, Double Crab House became the hotspot for celebrities.

The rumors only brought in more people, and the already long queues continued the next day, and the day after that.

Eventually, customers began lining up at dawn, and soon, the stores were packed even during late-night hours.

The situation escalated to the point where city officials had to intervene due to safety concerns.

Even with police and city workers deployed to maintain order, it wasn’t enough.

Ultimately, this measure was announced:

<Double Crab House Implements Reservation System>

Epicura had no choice but to introduce a reservation system and launch an online booking site.

But as soon as reservations opened, they were instantly sold out—

And then, scalpers emerged.

Seats at the pop-up stores started being resold for exorbitant prices, turning the situation into a full-blown economic phenomenon.

News outlets pounced on the chaos, further amplifying the social significance of the movement.

At this point, Epicura and Double Crab House were no longer just popular brands.

They had become a social phenomenon—a full-fledged cultural movement.

Typically, such excessive hype would invite criticism about being a public nuisance.

But not this time.

—This isn't just a restaurant. This is the beginning of the change we are building together. #SupportEpicura #BLM

—Double Crab House isn’t just serving food. We are making history.#SupportEpicura #BLM

This was no longer just about food.

Dining at Double Crab House had become a symbolic act of supporting Black culture and fighting for racial equality.

People felt a sense of pride in taking part in the movement—

And those witnessing the spectacle felt it too.

Of course, all of this had been meticulously planned by Ha Si-heon.

—Detonate the time bomb. And then—use the explosion to your advantage.

‘As expected, nothing ignites public fervor like racial issues.’

The impact of BLM was immense, just as he had anticipated.

By leveraging that power, Epicura and Double Crab House had ascended beyond being just restaurant brands.

They had become symbols of social change and solidarity.

Everything was unfolding exactly as planned.

But this was still just the process.

Very soon—

The real outcome would be revealed.