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# Chapter 3
A thick folder of documents came flying onto the table.
Its plastic cover slid across the surface before coming to a stop in the center of the conference table.
In the small conference room on the third floor of the main building, the head of Human Resources and several members of the review team were seated. Division Head Noh Jaehun sat with his arms crossed and pointed at the documents with his chin.
"Read it and sign. The HR manager is here as a witness, so there won't be any procedural issues."
Kim Mingwan opened the folder that had stopped in front of him.
Just as he had expected.
The top page contained a "Notice of Regional Waiting Assignment" citing insufficient work ability and failure to follow instructions. Beneath it was a "Confirmation Form" acknowledging the reasons for a downgraded performance evaluation and disciplinary action.
"After feeding you for nine years, the least you could do is earn your keep. You lack even the basic qualities of an appraiser, and you don't work well with the team. What else can we do? Go to some regional office where there's barely a person around, eat dust, and start learning everything from scratch."
Noh Jaehun's voice was filled with malice.
But Mingwan's gaze was directed beyond the folder, toward the laptop screen turned on at the end of the table.
It was the very same appraisal report that had caused controversy in the conference room yesterday.
The approval window for the report, whose figures had been elaborately altered to match the development company's demands, was displayed openly.
At the very bottom, in the responsible appraiser field, the three characters "Kim Mingwan" were still designated, and an electronic signature was being requested.
Noh Jaehun subtly gestured toward the screen and brought up the main point.
"Of course, things would be different if you came to your senses right now. Just put your signature on the laptop. Then I'll tear up this transfer proposal myself. How about it?"
It was a petty threat disguised as a disciplinary notice.
The HR manager sitting beside him narrowed his eyes. Using disciplinary action as a weapon to force someone to sign exceeded the authority granted by HR regulations. However, intimidated by the division head's influence, he seemed unable to intervene and merely watched the situation.
Mingwan closed the folder without changing his expression.
Then he looked directly at Noh Jaehun and spoke.
"There are two contradictions in what you've just said, Division Head."
"What? Contradictions?"
"First. You just said that I lack the basic qualities of an appraiser and that my work ability is insufficient."
Mingwan pointed toward the blinking signature field on the laptop screen.
"Why are you trying to use the qualifications of someone you're excluding from fieldwork for lacking judgment as the final guarantee for a loan worth tens of billions of won? If you send a report bearing the signature of an incompetent employee to the bank, wouldn't that itself constitute a faulty appraisal?"
"You, you little bastard! Are you playing word games with me?"
"Second."
Mingwan calmly continued, cutting off Noh Jaehun's shouting.
"Those figures on the screen. The deletion of access road restrictions, the replacement of comparable properties, and the application of an uncertain development premium. Aren't all of these things instructions that you personally deemed justified?"
"Of course! How many times do I have to say that they're legitimate instructions for the company's benefit!"
"Then you have even less reason to demand my signature."
Mingwan's voice remained dry and level.
"If it's a legitimate instruction and the result is free of problems, then you, the person who gave the instructions, can sign the responsible appraiser field yourself. In that case, there would be no need to discipline me and send me to a regional office, nor would you need to gather all these people first thing in the morning for this meeting."
Silence descended upon the conference room.
The review team staff held their breath, while the HR manager almost unconsciously nodded at Mingwan's words before quickly stopping himself.
Noh Jaehun's face turned red with anger.
"T-This is a team decision! The staff reviewed it together and submitted it, so there's no reason for me, as the division head, to personally sign..."
"Then submit the approval under the name of one of the staff members sitting over there."
When Mingwan turned his gaze toward the review team, the staff members flinched and looked away.
They all knew the documents had been manipulated. Who in their right mind would willingly put their own neck on the line?
"Nobody can sign."
Mingwan's gaze returned to Noh Jaehun.
"You can't put your own name on it either, Division Head. The moment your signature goes in, both the person who ordered the figure changes and the person legally responsible will be recorded as you. In the end, you want to take the performance credit for yourself and push the responsibility for the accident that will happen later onto me, don't you?"
"You fucking bastard, shut your mouth!"
Bang!
Noh Jaehun slammed his fist against the table and shot to his feet.
But Mingwan didn't even blink. Remaining seated, he turned his head toward the HR manager.
"Manager. As you can see, the reasons for disciplinary action and the conditions for demanding my signature are completely contradictory. Is it the HR department's official standard of judgment that I gain competence when I stamp that document, but become incompetent if I refuse?"
Faced with the direct question, the HR manager cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable.
"Uh... No, that's not it. Separate from the division head's reasons for the transfer, forcing a signature was never agreed upon in advance with our HR department."
"Then let me ask you this. Did the original report I submitted yesterday contain any technical defects or violations of regulations?"
The HR manager looked toward the review team staff.
One of the staff members, who had been anxiously worried about being saddled with the responsibility, quickly answered.
"N-No. Appraiser Kim Mingwan's original report had no practical defects. We simply... created a separate revised version according to the division head's instructions."
It was a clear confirmation of the facts.
Noh Jaehun glared at the review team, but the water had already been spilled.
Mingwan took a neatly folded white envelope from his inner pocket and slid it across the table.
"I cannot acknowledge the reasons for disciplinary action, so I won't sign this confirmation form. Instead, I'll submit this."
The three characters meaning "Letter of Resignation" were neatly written on the front of the envelope.
"It's a voluntary resignation letter. In any case, I have no intention of staying at a company where instructions that I cannot take responsibility for are issued so freely."
"What? Resignation? Ha, look at this bastard. You're about to be disciplined and thrown out, so now you're putting on airs as if you're leaving of your own accord?"
Noh Jaehun scoffed and sneered. But Mingwan's hand was already opening his tablet.
"Quality control system access confirmed. I am officially registering my withdrawal from participation in this appraisal case."
"Hey! What the hell are you doing!"
"At the same time, I am permanently revoking my electronic signature authentication key. From now on, my signature can never be added to that revised report, even if the dead were to rise."
Short system notification sounds rang out each time Mingwan's fingers tapped the screen.
The report's status was completely frozen, while the original data Mingwan had uploaded the previous day and the change history logs recording the review team's modifications were all transferred to a folder designated for compliance preservation.
"This is a legal measure to protect myself personally. HR Manager, please process my resignation as a regular voluntary resignation without leaving a disciplinary record."
The HR manager alternated his gaze between the resignation letter on the table and the electronic processing that had just been completed.
From the company's perspective, quietly covering the matter as a voluntary resignation was far more beneficial than escalating a disciplinary dispute over improper work instructions.
"Yes. We'll process it that way. The regional waiting assignment proposal and the downgraded performance evaluation proposal will both be canceled as of this moment."
"Thank you."
"Manager! What kind of decision are you making without my permission!"
Noh Jaehun went into a frenzy, but Mingwan ignored him.
On his tablet, he downloaded the certificate confirming receipt of the dissent report and a fact confirmation document showing that customer information had been redacted, then sent them to his personal email.
He had equipped himself with every protective measure he could legally secure.
"Then my business here is finished, so I'll be leaving."
As Mingwan pushed his chair in and turned around, Noh Jaehun's desperate voice came from behind him.
"Hey! What are we supposed to do about that report, then? The development company is making a huge fuss, saying they'll cancel the contract if we don't give it to them by today!"
"As I said, either sign it yourself, Division Head, or find someone else. It's not my problem."
Bang.
The conference room door closed.
Behind Mingwan, Noh Jaehun's animalistic shouting mixed with the sound of someone hurriedly calling the IT department.
The revised report had already been suspended from issuance. The development company's urgent request would soon be withdrawn, and the quick-contract performance record and internal achievement allocation Noh Jaehun had been boasting about would disappear into thin air.
At 3 p.m.
The HR department's processing was faster than expected. Despite Noh Jaehun's furious protests, the resignation procedure proceeded swiftly.
After returning to his desk, Mingwan placed all his personal belongings into a single box.
On the desk lay his employee ID card, corporate card, and the field equipment he had been issued, all neatly arranged for return.
Bzzzt.
The smartphone in his pocket vibrated briefly.
Mingwan opened his banking app and checked his balance.
When he added his personal savings accumulated over nine years to the severance pay that had just arrived, the available funds displayed on the screen came to exactly 80 million won.
"That was quick."
At least he wouldn't be thrown out onto the streets immediately.
He had no massive debts, nor did he have a family he needed to support right away. This was enough capital to start over from the bottom.
Mingwan opened the smartphone settings and blocked all notifications from the work messenger and company email accounts.
The notifications that had constantly buzzed and grated on his nerves disappeared all at once.
When he carried the box of belongings outside the headquarters building, the refreshing afternoon air filled his lungs.
It was the first time in nine years that he had experienced the leisure of a weekday afternoon.
He felt relieved to be free from field inspection schedules, report deadlines, and the division head's unreasonable orders.
Standing in front of the crosswalk, Mingwan set the box down for a moment and picked up his smartphone again.
The call connected after only two rings, and a familiar voice came through.
"Oh, son. Aren't you at work? What made you call at this hour?"
A faint smile spread across Mingwan's lips at his mother's cheerful voice.
There was no reason to beat around the bush with his family.
"Mom. I quit my job today. I'm on my way out after packing my things."
A brief silence passed through the receiver. She was clearly startled.
"Oh my goodness, really? Why all of a sudden? Nothing bad happened, did it?"
"Nothing bad happened. I just found something new I'd like to try."
Mingwan didn't offer a lengthy explanation. He simply added that he had enough money and wouldn't have to worry about going hungry anytime soon.
"All right. You must have thought it through carefully. You've worked hard all this time. I'll tell your father, too."
"Yes. Keep tomorrow evening free. I'll visit home. Let's have a nice, leisurely meal, the three of us."
"All right. Come safely."
After ending the call, Mingwan shoved his smartphone into his pocket.
As he stepped toward the crosswalk, whose signal had turned green, there wasn't the slightest hesitation in his stride.
Mingwan easily lifted the box of belongings he had set on the ground.
"First, I'll go home, wash up, and get some rest."
With a quiet mutter, his footsteps carried him forward.