040 – Internal War! #2
Apate, the executive director of the Strategy Planning Department. He was considered the key brain of the Nix faction, excelling in deception and schemes. That was why the audit of Happy World had been entirely entrusted to him.
The Happy World audit is in four days. But that's just the surface date, a mere facade. The real focus of this incident is purely retaliatory discipline.
The essence of this audit was to punish Deputy Manager Jo Iseo for ignoring and insulting the authority of the audit team, along with the Penalty Execution Department that protected him. Apate's core strategy was to announce the audit date and revel in watching the targets scramble and suffer in preparation until then.
What if we suddenly delay the audit date? Or push it forward even more?
The longer or shorter the preparation period, the more exhausted people would become. In other words, this was that kind of punishment.
But then, astonishing news reached Apate's ears.
"What? The entire Penalty Execution Department is enjoying a banquet at a high-end nymph lounge? Is this information reliable!?"
The opponent's reaction far exceeded the expectations of the god of deception, Apate. With the scorching audit day looming hotter than fire, how could they be so carefree as to hold a banquet?
His direct subordinate, Narcissus, bowed his head and asked.
"What should we do? Shall we raid these insolent fools right now and catch them off guard? With your authority, Director Apate, we could surely conduct a surprise audit on a mere subsidiary department!"
"Yes, I'll crush these bastards right—"
Wait. Apate's hand stopped abruptly. The top of the Strategy Planning Department hadn't risen through gambling; he quickly saw through the opponent's move.
"No, we won't raid them. This is the enemy's deception tactic."
"Pardon? Deception tactic?"
"Narcissus, you've heard of Deputy Manager Jo Iseo's reputation, haven't you? He's just a subsidiary employee, but he's rumored to be a cunning 'devil.' He even won the recent promotion exam."
"I wasn't interested in that rigged promotion exam, but... I think I've heard of Deputy Manager Jo."
"Would a guy like that hold a banquet at a high-end nymph lounge right before the audit, acting like he has no countermeasures? It doesn't make sense logically. Therefore, this is..."
Thwack! Apate slammed his palm on his desk.
"It looks like carelessness, like exposing a weakness, but it's thoroughly calculated behavior. If we act rashly, we'll be the ones who suffer. This is definitely a trap."
So why choose a high-end nymph lounge at this exact moment for a banquet? What was the enemy's aim?
Zing! Suddenly, inspiration flashed through Executive Director Apate's mind.
"Last year, where was the place we got entertained in exchange for loosening the headquarters Safety Management Team's audit? We received plenty of fine liquor and gifts there."
"That place where we ate truffle-topped caviar...!? No way, the location where they're banqueting now is the same one where we secretly met with the Safety Management Team—"
"Exactly! That bastard Deputy Manager Jo definitely knows about our secret meeting and bribery with the audit team and Safety Management Team! How the hell did the information leak!?"
As expected of a deputy manager worthy of an individual interview with the CEO. But Apate still believed he held the upper hand. Because he'd figured out all of Deputy Manager Jo's schemes.
"If information only we know has leaked, there's only one answer. There's a mole among our own ranks."
"A m-mole!"
"Before invading the outside, solidifying internal unity and purging disloyal elements is the first principle of tactics. Find the mole. No one goes home until we do!!!!"
"...As expected of Director Apate! So wise and insightful!"
And so, a brutal mole hunt began within the Special Audit Team. They distrusted and suspected each other for days on end. Yet the mole planted by Deputy Manager Jo showed no sign of its tail.
Who the hell is it! Could it be Narcissus? No one knows our sensitive secrets as well as Agent Narcissus, who's been my adjutant for so long!
Apate began suspecting his secretary, Narcissus. Thinking about it, there were quite a few suspicious points.
Why does that bastard Narcissus always walk around with squinting eyes? It's awfully suspicious.
Distrust spreads like black ink spilled on white paper. It kept nagging at him.
"Director Apate! What do you mean by this all of a sudden? Searching my house!? And inspecting my terminal—what are you talking about!?"
"Quiet! Narcissus! If you're truly innocent, there shouldn't be any problem searching your house and terminal! Unless... you're the mole?"
"Pardon? Director Apate, do you doubt my loyalty that much? Me, a mole!? Fine, go ahead and check! See if I'm a mole planted by Deputy Manager Jo!"
The confiscated Narcissus's terminal was filled, for some reason, with nothing but selfies of himself. Nude photos, at that. The photos hanging in his house were all nude selfies of himself too.
"Agent Narcissus, looks like you still haven't shaken your old habits from life."
"That thing where he loves himself?"
"Even fell into a lake and drowned because of it."
"Nude selfies of himself... Pfft!"
The whispering employees. Narcissus's face flushed red.
"See! My innocence is proven, right? After dragging my honor through the mud like this, even I can't hold back anymore! I have plenty of suspects too! It's do or die! You there!"
"M-me?"
"You have a Hermes Net account, don't you? Reveal everything you've posted and every comment you've made so far! All of it! Don't hide anything—reveal it all!"
"No way! That's invading my privacy!"
"What's this post? 'I want to get beaten up mercilessly by a bunch of furious nymphs'? So you're the kind of pervert who writes stuff like this!?"
"Kyaaah!"
A bloody storm raged within the audit team. Everyone turning their blades on each other. Yet Deputy Manager Jo's mole still didn't show even a hint of its tail.
And so the audit day arrived. The employees of the notoriously fearsome Special Audit Team were torn apart by infighting, their morale shattered. They'd gone days without going home, their fatigue at its peak.
In contrast, Happy World's Penalty Execution Department looked more united than ever. Their morale was sky-high after days of banquets at high-end restaurants.
This must all be part of that bastard Deputy Manager Jo's scheme too!
Apate stormed up to Deputy Manager Jo, who'd orchestrated this situation, and vented his rage.
"When and where did you plant the mole in us!? Making us distrust and fight each other—Deputy Manager Jo, you devil!"
"Who, me?"
But Deputy Manager Jo looked genuinely shocked. He even made an aggrieved expression, as if he were innocent in this whole affair.
"What did I even do? Great executive, have pity on this foolish mortal and explain properly."
It was such a convincing innocent victim act that even Apate almost fell for it. But as an expert in deception and trickery, Apate didn't buy it.
"Shut up! You think I don't know about your dirty intentions and schemes!? Now that it's come to this, I won't back down no matter what! Not even for the dignity of Narcissus, sacrificed because of the mole you planted!"
"Wasn't my dignity sacrificed because of your suspicions, Director Apate!?"
###
The executive who seemed to be the audit team's leader came storming over in a rage. I had no idea what I'd even done, so I was truly baffled and wronged. If anything, hadn't I been doing nothing lately? Ahead of the audit, I'd stepped back from everything.
No overtime, and on the way home, I'd treated the employees to tons of delicious food. They were going to suffer because of me soon enough—I felt bad about it. To ease my conscience even a little, I'd emptied my wallet and bank account.
My clueless colleagues and juniors were pledging their loyalty to me left and right.
...So why are they mad at me? Ah, could they have figured out my plan?
My strategy of intentionally leaving tons of openings to get caught in the audit, making it look sloppy. Maybe Director Apate had seen through it.
And why not? My plan was a desperate makeshift from my ordinary brain, but Director Apate was an executive called the god of deception and trickery.
Maybe he'd caught on that I was clumsily scheming to get fired on purpose.
What if that got exposed to everyone? If it reached Lady Melinoë's ears...!?
—Intentionally getting fired? How dare you try such insolence. I'm going to make you spend some quality time with the bugs. Become a deputy manager-level cockroach, ya!
—Joooouuuuch!!!
I had to avoid that at all costs! So I had no choice but to admit it somewhat.
"Truth be told, there was some intention behind it. But if you ask if it was all intentional, no. And since nothing actually happened in the end, can't we just let it slide...!?"
"Nothing happened!? Deputy Manager Jo, because of your pathetic little scheme, we've spent these four days camped out at the office, pulling all-nighters without going home—!"
Director Apate clenched his fist tightly. But then he approached me and whispered softly in my ear.
"So, how much do you know about the connection between our Night Faction and the Safety Management Team? I'm asking what your planted mole has spilled, from start to finish."
What connection? I had no idea. I furrowed my brow, and Apate added urgently, like he was anxious.
"Don't play dumb. Do you think this Apate can't tell a lowly mortal's pathetic poker face apart? I'm the god of deception and strategy!"
No, I seriously have no clue what you're talking about. I glanced at Manager Bones for some help, but he was busy shaking his blue eye sockets dramatically.
"D-Deputy Manager Jo is toying with that terrifying Special Audit Team and Director Apate! My god, to reverse the power dynamic this much!"
This guy's gonna drive me crazy. Let me think. Lady Melinoë had called it a 'war,' so this special audit was no joke. The auditors wielding the knife must have gritted their teeth through days of hardship too.
Maybe the excessive workload and pressure had driven Director Apate nuts? Hallucinations, delusions, seeing things that weren't there. It made sense to me.
But then Director Apate suddenly burst out laughing—hahahaha!
"Fine, I didn't want to say this much, but do you know there's a mole in your Happy World too? A mole from the returnists, Tartarus."
The returnists Tartarus... They were the rebels insisting on reverting Happy World back to Tartarus. They denied Business Renewal outright, demanding a return to the past. Those guys had hidden weapons in Crates's field, ruining my 'real estate investment firing' plan completely. In that sense, the rebels were my mortal enemies.
A mole from those guys in our Happy World?
"Using Agent Crates's corruption to turn him into a pawn like that requires intel only possible from long-term surveillance inside Happy World."
Made sense. It was something I'd vaguely suspected too.
"Not to mention stealing armaments like Dud Lightning Bolts or Cyclops Iron Stakes from Happy World's supply warehouse and hiding them in the field for their plot. Such boldness is impossible without an insider!"
It was shocking. Even the squinty-eyed Narcissus was stunned.
"...Director Apate. Wasn't that supposed to be classified until more intel came in? Revealing it now risks them destroying evidence and fleeing..."
"We catch them before they flee. After compiling various intel and personnel data, I'll reveal the traitor right here. It's you!"
Whoosh! Director Apate's finger pointed at someone. The target jumped in shock.
"T-this Crowzer, a member of the traitor party!? Even I didn't know! To think I had acting talent enough to fool myself! What a twist!"
"Sigh, not you, clown! The guy behind you!"
"Me?"
Marquius furrowed his brow. His already thief-like fierce gaze flashed menacingly.