CHAPTER 65: “IS THAT... CAVIAR?”

"Abalone?"

"Is that... caviar?"

The shock traveled table to table like a stadium wave. Suho cracked a lobster claw with the serene focus of a monk breaking a vow. On my own dime, I can barely afford instant noodles. On the company’s dime? Feast like a king. Keep spending, my beauties. Daddy needs a deficit.

Lee Wonho suddenly sprang up. "Everyone! A word from the boss?"

A chorus detonated: "Boss! Boss! Boss!"

Suho stared at Lee Wonho the way a cat regards a glass on the edge of a table. Then he stood.

"Relax today," he said. "Eat hard. Drink soft. That’s all."

Ten seconds. Thunderous applause. The devs at the back wiped imaginary tears. "A speech that respects our time... legendary."

The room melted into little constellations: factory cutters trading banter with junior coders; QA and sewing masters comparing ’bugs’ (stitches win); and Zhao and Zhou Chen navigating introductions with that polite smile remote workers wear when their Slack avatars meet reality.

Lee Wonho drifted past them with two wine glasses and one reckless grin. "Welcome party! Finance gets first service—without you, none of us have rice."

Zhao arched a brow. "We also subtract rice when you overspend."

"Tonight," Lee Wonho said solemnly, "I vow to overspend responsibly."

Across the room, Fen Su (planner, professional chaos magnet) clinked cups with Jin Wu. "Director Jin, synergy achieved. Next quarter: even more synergy."

Jin Wu smiled. "No idea what that means, but I support it."

Excellent, no thought. Two men, one vision: confuse accounting.

When the room hit peak volume and the wine hit peak bravery, Suho ghosted downstairs. Cho Rin followed, heels whispering against the steps.

The restaurant manager appeared with the confidence of a man about to please a whale. "Mr. Kim, the current total is $72,000. As a VIP, you enjoy ten percent off. rinnded, that’s $64,000."

Suho’s smile fossilized. A discount? I am trying to lose money, not win a coupon book.

Cho Rin read the look and misread the reason. To her, the boss was a saint—generous but frugal for the company’s sake. She felt a little pride to work for a man who measured every dollar.

Suho flipped the menu like a general unrolling a battle map. "Add the chef’s tasting set for every table. Double the desserts. Send up fruit platters the size of islands. And—do you have wagyu? You have wagyu now."

The manager’s pen sprinted. "At once."

As he hurried off, Suho muttered, "If I have to drown them in custard to torch this budget, so be it."

Cho Rin coughed into a smile. "I’ll, uh, notify the lactose‑intolerant."

On the landing back up, Zhao and Zhou Chen were taking photos of the chandelier like tourists who couldn’t believe HR approved this. Lee Wonho materialized, balancing three desserts.

"For finance," he said, offering them. "A bribe to process my expense claims gently."

Zhou Chen accepted a mousse. "We process facts, not bribes."

Zhao accepted two. "We also process desserts."

Upstairs, someone yelled for karaoke. Downstairs, the kitchen roared to life again. Suho breathed in the smell of butter and ruin and felt, for once, at peace.

Burn, little dollars. Burn bright.

Two more of these."

The restaurant manager almost laughed out of his eyes when he looked at the dishes Kim Suho ordered.

This boss was really awesome.

These dishes were all lobster, king crab... and other high-end specialties of the hotel, and Suho asked for two portions of each.

"Okay, Mr. Kim."

The manager greeted him warmly, quickly sending the order back to the kitchen.

...

"Cho Rin, check later if there’s a higher-end karaoke bar nearby and book it. The budget is $15,000. Anyone who doesn’t want to go home after dinner can head there."

Suho still had system funds left unspent, and the meal wasn’t draining enough. Sixty people combined hadn’t cracked $100,000 yet. Not acceptable.

Cho Rin nodded, half-sighing, half-smiling. Mr. Kim always chose the most expensive options—for food, for fun. Even their karaoke had to be top-class.

...

Back in the banquet hall, Lee Wonho approached with a glass in hand.

"Mr. Kim, let me toast you. Without you, there would be no Lee Wonho today."

Behind him, others were itching to do the same. Suho frowned. Last time, he’d nearly been drowned by employee toasts. This time would be different.

Cho Rin stepped in quickly. "Mr. Kim can’t drink."

Lee Wonho laughed nervously. "Then let’s toast with juice."

...

Hours later, Suho roamed the hall, pressing food on his staff like a benevolent tyrant.

"Lee Wonho, eat this lobster. And here’s a duck leg, half a can of caviar... oh, and this red wine. Don’t waste it."

Lee Wonho’s face turned pale as he forced it down. When Suho left to terrorize someone else with generosity, Lee Wonho nearly wept with relief. Mr. Kim was too good to them—it was killing him.

Suho moved on.

"You there, this Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is only half finished—down it. This fish soup, drink! Big sea cucumber, don’t waste it!" He bullied them with delicacies, ensuring every last dollar went down someone’s throat.

By the time Jin Wu stood and announced karaoke, the hall was filled with groaning, grateful employees.

...

The next morning,

Son Nahee brought him his breakfast as usual. He leaned back on his gaming chair, sipping Cho Rin’s coffee with a smile. Today was the big day: settlement.

[Host: Kim Suho]

[System Funds: 3.99 / 4 million]

[Personal Assets: $1,942]

[Settlement Cycle: One month (Countdown: 2 hours 38 minutes...)]

Perfect. Every dollar spent, every loophole closed. The clothing factory was stable; Horny Princess Interactive was still bleeding money as planned. No sudden orders, no surprises. This time, the $4 million would land cleanly.

Cho Rin, watching him from the side, saw the rare, easy smile on his face. She wondered what kind of good fortune had made her boss so happy.

...

Horny Princess Interactive,

Jin Wu stumbled in late, looking wrecked from karaoke. Passing Fen Su’s office, he noticed something odd.

"Manager Fen, no breakfast today?" Wei asked.

Fen Su groaned, remembering the giant bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Suho had forced on him. "Not hungry. Still full."

Before Jin could reply, Zhao Bowen rushed in breathlessly.

"Manager Fen, great news! Horny Princess Online suddenly saw a huge spike in revenue!"