Chapter 8 — The whole company flew to France, but I alone did not have a plane ticket

Dress simply. Faded in the crowd. Looks like this again. My eyes slowly scanned each face on the screen. I calmly announced the final rule. Also the most important rule.

“I have restructured the security protocol of the Sunset system.”

“Starting today, the core code repository will require a private key to access.”

“I'm the only person in the world who owns that key.”

“From now on, this system isn't just mine to fix.”

“But it's also under my control.”

“Without my permission...”

“No one is allowed to edit even a single line of core code.”

As soon as I finished speaking. The online meeting room fell into absolute silence. No one spoke up. I saw Chairman Co's secretary panicking and leaning close to his ear to say something. He realized what I was doing. He wants to install people on my team. Want to regain control. Want to once again turn the technical department into its own tool. Unfortunately... He was too late. From the moment I typed that comment. Since the “private key” mechanism was created. The technical department... And the lifeblood of the company... No longer belongs to them. First time in my life. I feel the taste of power. Not to show off. Not for revenge. Nor is it to force others to bow. It's about building a clean environment. Where only real strength can speak up. A place that can protect people like the old me. So that they are no longer oppressed. No more being robbed of your achievements. No longer buried in darkness. And for the first time... I realized. What changes a person's destiny is not power. It's when that person finally has enough strength to hold power in their hands. One month later. The group of employees who went to team building in France finally returned home. The atmosphere in the company became extremely strange. In the hallway. In the elevator. My colleagues who used to treat me like air, even had some disdain... Now, every time they see me, the expressions on their faces are extremely complicated. There is embarrassment. Yes please. There is also jealousy that cannot be hidden. From far away, they proactively stopped walking. Call out respectfully:

“Hello Ms. Hua.”

“Hello General Hua.”

Then immediately bowed his head. Don't dare look me straight in the eyes. I pretended I didn't see it. Walk right past them. Because of the attitude of these people... It no longer has any meaning to me. Chu Nghi's office has been cleaned out. The successor to the position of Technical Director... It's me. But I don't use my private office to symbolize that power. I still sit in my old position. Only thing... The area around my desk has formed an invisible void. No one dared to casually approach. It's like I carry a kind of aura about me that makes others wary. On the outside it looks peaceful. But below... The underground water is flowing. Tham Nguyet has reminded me more than once to be careful.

“An Nhien.”

“There's something very unusual about Chairman Co these days.”

“He has closed private meetings with several senior deputy general managers many times.”

“I also see a lot of people from headhunting companies top people coming in and out of his office.”

I'm still attentively reviewing the subordinate code I just sent. The head doesn't even lift up. Just calmly ask:

“What does he want to do?”

“What else can be done?”

Tham Nguyet lowered her voice.

“If the birds run out, the bow will be taken away.”

“If the rabbit dies, the hunting dog will be cooked.”

“He's looking for someone to replace you!”

“He feels the system is stable and your firefighting mission is complete.”

“Your greatest value is no longer there.”

“How can he accept an outsider like you holding the company's technical lifeblood and owning 3% of the shares?”

My fingers stopped on the keyboard. What Tham Nguyet said... Of course I know. Even understand better than anyone. The kind of person like Chairman Co. I will never truly trust someone who once threatened me. Used to make me lose face. From the moment he accepted my conditions. In his mind he began to calculate. How to after everything calms down... Throw me out of the game.

“I know.”

I looked at the blinking mouse pointer on the screen. The voice was extremely calm.

“But I didn't say anything.”

Not just don't say it. I even intentionally slowed down the progress of some new projects. During this period. I spent most of my time organizing all my research results over the past three years. Including inventions that are not within the scope of work. Personal source code sets. Frameworks and tools I develop outside of work to solve specific technical problems. At the same time. I also secretly met with one of the top intellectual property lawyers in the country. Chairman Gu thought I was on the fifth floor. Gradually consolidating power. I'm trying my best to protect my position in the company.