Yokai Come to the Countryside Café

Chapter 52: The Reward of Good Deeds (1)

Just a few minutes before lunchtime, an internal email arrived.

【Internal Notice】

Subject: Notice of Internal Audit Regarding SL Software

『Hello. This is the Audit Team.

Our company will conduct an internal audit regarding the overall business dealings with SL Software as follows.

Audit Overview

Audit Subject: All business dealings related to SL Software

Audit Period: April 10, 2025 ~ April 24, 2025 (15 days)

Audit Scope: Contract agreements, project progress, settlements, and all other related tasks

Cooperation Items

Preparation of related documents and materials (refer to the attached list of documents)

Active cooperation in scheduling interviews with responsible personnel

Prompt submission of additional materials upon request

Required Documents

Contracts and agreements related to SL Software

Meeting minutes and reports related to project progress

Payment details and settlement data

…….』

SL Software, named after Ria's friend Saerin’s initials, was a company not only personally familiar to me due to the CEO’s acquaintance but also well-known within our team. It was a first-tier vendor that frequently appeared in various business proposals.

Due to the nature of IT companies, the distinction between first-tier vendors often becomes ambiguous.

From mid-sized companies generating billions in revenue to small firms barely having fifty employees, companies that dominate a particular niche or would cause a stir if they switched to a competitor were typically listed as first-tier vendors.

Among them, SL Software possessed several core technologies necessary for multi-platform compatibility, making it a default entry in proposals prepared by the Sales Team.

The dispatch of the Head Office Audit Team to such a vendor meant only one thing.

They were going to shake them down, and any speck of dust they found would serve as an excuse to push them out.

And the repercussions would inevitably fall upon the teams that handled the related business.

“The SI Sales Teams must be on high alert. They're going to have to scrap the UI and technical parts of the proposals and find new vendors fast.”

“Even the projects running this quarter will probably need to submit change requests. Ugh, it's a nightmare.”

“Manager Jeong Ji-won is seriously relentless. It's already over—why’s he still poking around everywhere?”

“Why do you think? He’s buying time for damage control by keeping the Audit Team busy while he hires lawyers and covers up what's yet to be exposed. Strategic Planning Team’s mess is making things hell for everyone……”

“Hey, hey!”

“What? Huh?”

The two employees who were gossiping while receiving their meals on trays spotted our team and quickly scurried away.

“Those jerks!”

“Let it go, Assistant Manager Joo. If you go over and yell, they'll think they're about to get fired and lose sleep. See, we should’ve gone for hangover soup instead. We just ended up getting insulted instead of eating.”

“It’s the same everywhere. Which department isn’t bad-mouthing us right now?”

“Well, sorry. This all got blown up because of me.”

Dohyuk scratched the back of his head with a bitter expression.

“What? It was Manager Jeong Ji-won who did the dirty work—why are you apologizing, Assistant Manager Joo? Chin up! And what if they talk behind our backs? They don’t dare say anything to our faces.”

“Yeah, our team was always kind of a hassle to other departments, so no one really liked us to begin with. Only the Sales Team was fond of us.”

“But I’m worried. We already have a target on our backs, but SL Software—this kind of operation might just knock them off the first-tier vendor list.”

“Come on, does getting audited really go that far?”

“With this level of sword dance? Absolutely.”

Any team that worked had to produce results. The Audit Team investigating Manager Jeong Ji-won’s corruption was no different.

“Assistant Manager Joo, just saying this out of concern—stay out of this one. It might feel unfair on the receiving end, but the Audit Team’s just doing their job.”

“Still!”

“Getting involved would be overstepping. This is totally different from the tip you submitted last time.”

Assistant Manager Lee was right.

Submitting a tip to the Audit Team was a public act—anyone could do it.

It would be contradictory if whistleblowing had to follow formal reporting hierarchies.

But stopping the Audit Team’s investigation into SL Software just because you’re the Chairman’s son was a completely different matter.

That was beyond overstepping—it shook the foundations of the organization.

There was no one inside the company who could rescue SL Software from the Audit Team's scrutiny.

“But Manager Kim, what have you been so deep in thought about this whole time?”

“Waaah!”

“Geez! Manager, why’d you scream all of a sudden?”

“Manager Kim, your face!”

“What about his face? Huh? Eeeeek!”

What’s going on?

“That’s the face Manager Kim makes before a major screw-up!”

“What?”

But I’ve never caused a screw-up before… And what’s wrong with my face?

The internal notice sent by the Audit Team was distributed to all related departments and personnel. Even Chairman Joo Man-ho, who sat at the top of the organizational chart, was no exception.

“This punk’s letting himself get completely swayed by the crap some kid’s spewing, huh?”

Under the rim of his reading glasses, Chairman Joo Man-ho stared at his phone screen for a long while before asking in a displeased tone.

“It’s an audit being conducted by protocol, so there’s no way to sanction it. For now, the official stance is that it’s just an investigation.”

“That’s already a brand. Which department would have the guts to extend their hand to a company the Audit Team already tore apart?”

None.

Even if no issues surfaced, once you became a subject of investigation, you’d be tormented endlessly with document submissions and interviews.

And if an overlooked problem were to come to light, it might not end with just a demotion or quitting your job.

No department executed every minor manual to perfection during business operations, so an audit by the Audit Team was tantamount to a sentence. Only with luck did it end with a written explanation and a pay cut.

“Then, are we able to find a replacement company?”

“FutureLeapSoft happens to possess the same technology and is currently in contact with the Sales Team.”

“Ha! Before the executioner even swings his blade, they’ve already found a new body? Shameless, every one of them.”

It had only been an hour since the Audit Team's notice went out. Yet, a replacement company was already selected.

Clearly, someone on the inside was playing games.

“I’ll look into it.”

“No need. They’ll all just deny it anyway, and asking around will only stain your own name. Let it be.”

“There’s considerable resentment toward the Strategic Planning Team because of this. Especially Assistant Manager Joo Dohyuk and Manager Kim Jinseong, who had previously been mentioned in that workplace community, are now in a tough spot.”

“Of course. People always need someone to blame so they can feel better. That’s just human nature.”

“So you're planning to just let it be?”

“Wahaha! What could a powerless old man possibly do? I’m just watching.”

-Slurrrp.

A bitter sip of tea went down.

“结者解之, shouldn’t the one who tied the knot be the one to untie it?”

‘I have no idea how two low-level staff members from an unclear department are supposed to resolve this situation.’

Director Shin Ji-cheol couldn’t find an answer no matter how hard he thought.

“Why? Curious?”

“Well, if the goal is to just endure until retirement, maybe. But Manager Kim Jinseong values his team more than his own safety. I can’t think of any way out other than resignation.”

“I’ve said it again and again—we brought him in with a high price tag. Don’t jinx it with talk of resignation! Just wait and see. That kid’s got more guts than my own son. He might start something we won’t be able to control. When that happens, you’d better brace yourself, because you’ll be in for quite a ride.”

And Chairman Joo Man-ho wasn’t the only one who suspected Jinseong might act.

“Detective Lee, turn off the lights in the interrogation room.”

-Click.

The lights in the interrogation room—no, the meeting room—turned off.

The Manager slipped his fingers through the blinds, checked outside, and then placed his hand on my shoulder.

“Come on, confess now. We’ll consider it in your favor.”

“Yeah! Just admit it now instead of doing it again!”

“What’s this all about, ganging up on Manager Kim? Are you guys even syncing up your act?”

“Detective Joo doesn’t get it, Assistant Manager Lee.”

“That day was a late autumn day, three years ago.”

“No, that was…”

“Shh!”

Undeniably treated like a suspect.

Lunchtime had long passed, yet this nonsensical detective play showed no signs of ending.

“Someone knocked on our team office door amidst all our busyness. Then he suddenly started shouting, claiming that the data we submitted was wrong and that he got scolded by executives at the new business presentation.”

“Ugh, it was awful.”

“Manager, don’t throw in ad-libs. It breaks immersion.”

“Oh? Sorry.”

“Ahem. Anyway, it was completely irrational. All we did was organize the data and send it. But the guy wouldn’t listen.”

“Getting scolded in front of all the executives must’ve wrecked him.”

“Manager…”

“Sorry.”

“The problem was, the only person guarding the office was a newly hired rookie who had just finished his internship. Everyone else was out on business trips due to the busy season.”

As Assistant Manager Lee paused for a beat,

-Gulp.

Dohyuk’s swallow echoed clearly, immersed in the story.

And that day remained a long and difficult one for me.

Even without Assistant Manager Lee’s vivid recollection, it came back to me like it happened just yesterday.

“You didn’t go on business trips—you both ran away. And that day…”

In the end, I had to finish the story myself to avoid distortion.

Three years ago, at the Strategic Planning Team’s office.

“Hey! Who wrote this report? Come out now! Not coming?”

“What brings you here?”

“Who are you? Are you from the Strategic Planning Team?”

“Yes, if you let me know what the issue is, I’ll…”

“Issue? Ha! What issue? Hey, hey.”

-Smack. Smack.

A middle-aged man struck Jinseong on the head with a document board stuffed with a thick proposal.

Coincidentally, the other department sharing the office only had junior employees present. With no one of higher rank around to stop him, the man’s aggressiveness grew.

“Do you know how badly I got chewed out because of you guys? The executives were all there, and your damn statistical summary didn’t match the proposal at all!”

In his rage, he repeated incoherent complaints.

“May I ask where exactly the issue was?”

Jinseong politely took the document board with both hands and asked.

“Look! Right here! The platform usage ratio is completely off!”

“That’s because it includes users with overlapping usage. Users who utilize multiple platforms are likely potential customers when new platforms are created.”

“Really? Then go say that in the meeting room. Go on, explain that to the executives, the directors, and senior managing directors!”

Despite Jinseong’s calm explanation, the man wouldn’t let it go and struck him again lightly on the head with the document board.

“Damn it.”

Just as the swearing and tapping paused—

-Smack.

Jinseong snatched the document board away.

“Yes, I will go explain to the executives.”

With the materials in hand, Jinseong took off running at full speed.

“Whoa? Where are you going! Hey! Hey!”