Neo Gate (2)
At first, I thought about storming into the company after taking control and grabbing the executives by the collar.
After years of built-up stress from dealing with their bullshit, I had a lot of pent-up rage.
Tch. It's a shame, but this is the right call.
But after cooling my head and thinking it over again, I realized that showing up myself in a situation where tons of people were already watching this drama and declaring, "This company's mine now," would cause a massive shitstorm.
Wise choice, Master. I was worried about how to talk you out of charging straight to the company.
"Right? It looks way better if they handle it instead of me."
The stock communities and news portals floating in one corner of my vision showed massive interest in this whole fiasco.
Couldn't eat this lololol
Lunatic lol
lol you're braindead don't trade stocks lol
Who tf forced you to buy?
Fr lol
Escape soon gogo
Fr lol
Dog stock lol tbh game potential is solid just ops are disgusting
It's guaranteed lol why spam multiple posts alone?
Gallery solo? Stay quiet if rekt why spam
The communities were a wild mix of mockery, cheers, and straight-up madness, and with Jennifer stirring up the press, Neo Gate was getting way too much attention.
"News is somewhat readable, but the communities are total chaos."
Probably cuz it's a game company—gaming communities are blowing up too. Starting cleanup now.
Two domestic luxury sedans pulled up in front of Neo Gate's headquarters at Pangyo Techno Valley.
"Alright, let's go in. Wrap this up quick and report back."
At Arthur's order, Sarah, the temporary interpreter, and the new ops team strode into the building.
They marched straight to the executive elevator, rode up to the 15th floor, and flung the doors open.
"Wh-who the hell are you! Do you know where you are…?"
"Where else? Our company's office now."
Sarah shot back at Kim Chi-gon with a stone-cold face, snapped a photo of the chairman's office with her phone, and shoved some documents at him.
"Take a look."
"What the… I still hold 30% shares! I'm the majority shareholder!"
"That's why I'm telling you to read it."
Despite being way younger, Sarah's icy charisma overwhelmed Kim Chi-gon, and he started reading the papers on his desk.
"Embezzlement, breach of trust, and even internal whistleblowing on probability rigging. If this goes to prosecutors, kiss your peaceful retirement goodbye."
Kim Chi-gon's eyes shook violently after hearing Sarah and finishing the docs.
"Spare… spare me. What do you want? Money? I'll give you money!"
"Not interested in your money. Sign here."
"Par value… you're saying hand over my shares at par value?"
"Yes. Transfer your 30% at par value, and we'll overlook the charges I mentioned. Hand over the shares, take the cash, and vanish."
Sarah glanced at her watch after finishing, then issued the final ultimatum coldly.
"You've got 10 minutes. Decide in 10, or it goes straight to prosecutors."
Sarah tapped her watch while staring down the trembling Kim Chi-gon.
"…8 minutes left."
Kim reached for the phone with shaky hands but stopped.
Ronghua Capital? Cut loose ages ago. His political and business connections built over years? No idiot would help a mid-tier chairman like him.
"You bitch… my 30% is worth billions at market price…!"
"Weren't you the real bitch? 5 minutes left."
Kim's face drained of color at Sarah's words.
He gripped the fountain pen on his desk hard, impulse rising to chuck it at this insolent woman.
"3 minutes."
Time kept ticking while he agonized.
Two thoughts flashed through Kim Chi-gon's mind: cling to shares worth billions and face years of investigations, prison, and asset seizure—or hand them over for pocket change compared to that, but retire free.
"Sign… if I just sign, you'll really bury it?"
"Black Ridge is honest with business partners. Dragging you through investigations and jail is less rational than cleanly taking your shares and getting the company back on track."
Kim finally crumbled at Sarah's words.
With worm-like scrawl, he signed the share transfer agreement for what was basically his entire fortune.
Click.
Sarah snatched the papers the second he finished.
"Wise choice. Now get out. No reason for a non-employee to be here."
"What? My personal stuff…"
"10 minutes are up. We'll pack your belongings and ship to your house. Stay, and we'll show you how vicious we can be."
Kim's eyes bulged in shock.
Before he could reply, the burly guys Arthur brought grabbed him and dragged him out of the chairman's office like trash.
Arthur, watching Sarah's handling, gave a wry smile.
"You… don't look anything like when I first met you."
Arthur, who knew Sarah from her New York career start, felt a mix of emotions seeing her changed self.
"Gotta change to survive New York. Dealing with all those psychos turned me into this."
Sarah gave a bitter smile, pulled out her phone, and called to halt the lawsuit proceedings.
"Done. Leave the rest to ops and head back?"
"You go report. I'll stick around to see how it runs."
"Got it. See you later, Arthur."
Acquired Chairman Kim Chi-gon's shares too. It's fully Master's company now.
I was watching combo vids on Newtube, fuming after 3 straight losses to Eric in that fighting game bet and plotting revenge, when Athena brought good news.
"Kim Chi-gon… thinking about how he screwed me makes me wanna throw him in jail, but whatever, can't be helped."
Hmm… he'll probably end up in jail?
"Why? We settled with him."
We settled with us, but not with all the people he's been screwing over. Even without embezzlement or breach, he's got a mountain of karma piled up.
Someone with that much sin—now that his wings are clipped, it's prime time for them to bite.
"Bet we'll see him on the 9 PM news soon."
Long career means probably some crimes I couldn't dig up from docs alone. Prosecutors will drag him soon—no worries.
The ending felt a bit iffy and left a bad taste, but Athena's words melted away the stress like butter.
"Now to normalize it… honestly, so many issues I don't even know where to start."
I knew the game had problems since I played it, but not even a clue on priorities.
First, cull the internal problem children. Starting with probability riggers, then the bootlickers and politicians who rose without talent—I'll sort them.
Clean the top to clean the bottom, but Neo Gate's top was radioactive waste level.
"Can't just 'you're fired' like in America. Exhausting."
Easy with clear crimes, but axing the deadweight seat-fillers? Pain.
Disciplinary fire criminals from docs, then reorg to demote the talentless to non-roles.
"If pressure doesn't work, offer 2 years' salary to GTFO. Wrap by end of week, start normalization ASAP."
Some losses inevitable, but new direction needs new blood.
"Keep story team as-is. Skin team too. Fire ops, cull incompetent devs."
Years playing, all users unanimously spared story, design, and music teams.
Got it. Quick cleanup and report.
A few days' grind, and the game finally normalizes.
Finally getting payback for years of stress.