Chapter 10 — The whole company flew to France, but I alone did not have a plane ticket

Almost at the same time. The chain defense mechanism I buried under the system's core was immediately activated. To prevent unauthorized modification of the database. The system automatically enforces top-level security protocols. Lock the entire user database. For ten minutes. Users of all company products cannot log in. Although the core trading system is not affected. The damage level is not as serious as last time. But with an internet company. Having the user database completely locked down... Was a disaster. Chairman Co's phone call came almost immediately. There was no longer any anger in his voice. No more begging. It's real fear. A kind of fear emanating from deep within my bones.

“Hua An Nhien!”

“What happened again?!”

I am chairing an online meeting of the entire engineering department. The content is the technology plan for the next quarter. I directly pulled Chairman Co into the meeting room. In front of everyone. I opened the server administration interface. No explanation. No excuses. Don't say unnecessary words. Just slowly type three lines of command. // Unlock the database due to unauthorized modifications from Dr. Ly's team. // Restore user module to stable version. // System is stable. Immediately. The security lock is removed. The entire system returns to normal. The whole process... Less than thirty seconds. I raised my head. Eyes penetrate the screen. Pausing on Dr. Ly's red face from embarrassment in the conference window. I used a calm, almost cruel tone. Talk to him. Also tell everyone.

“Dr. Ly.”

“I'll say it again.”

“My system is sick clean.”

“People who don't understand it…”

“It's best not to touch.”

Dr. Ly's team left in disgrace. They didn't even dare mention compensation for breach of contract. Leaving was faster than arriving. That news was like the last drop of water that overflowed the cup. The atmosphere in Chairman Co's office completely fell into a state of dead silence. I proactively made an appointment to meet him personally. This is the first time since the airport incident and the team building trip in France... The two of us sat down and talked face to face. Not over the phone. Not via email. No middlemen. Chairman Co sat in his large general manager's chair. But right now he no longer has any of the spirit of a business leader. The whole person seemed to have been drained of vitality. Just for a short time. He looked like he had aged ten years. He looked at me. His eyes contained all kinds of emotions. Not satisfied. But the most... Is a helpless collapse. A kind of helplessness when knowing that you are no longer able to turn the situation around. He spoke hoarsely:

“What do you want in the end?”

I don't answer. Just calmly open the briefcase. Take out a thick stack of documents. Gently place it down in front of him.

“Chairman Co.”

“First, let's see something.”

Documents are on top. It's a lawyer letter. Issued by the intellectual property lawyer's office that I hired. It clearly states the list of source code frameworks and patent technologies that are personally owned by me. Those currently in use in the system company's core. I calmly said:

“Chairman Co.”

"The company's Hoang Hon system currently has more than 70% of the core layer source code built on an open source framework called Khai Minh Tinh."

“This framework is a product I developed myself in my personal time.”

“According to the Copyright Law, Patent Law and additional terms in the labor contract when I joined the company…”

“All intellectual property rights of those parts of the source code belong to me personally.”

“The company only has the right to use it.”

“There is no ownership.”

I took each copy of the patent certificate. Spread out in front of him as if dealing cards. Then look him straight in the eye.

“Meaning…”

“If I leave.”

“I have every legal right to take all of this away.”

“And the company's Sunset system…”

“It will immediately turn from a complete skyscraper into a pile of scrap metal that cannot be translated.”

“Unable to maintain.”

“There is no longer any value.”