The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 23

022

It had already been three days since Kim Min-ju was promoted to Team Leader of Operations Team 2.

This was probably the busiest time for her.

Well, considering she took over a team on the verge of collapse, there wouldn’t be any non-busy days anyway.

She would have to replenish the lacking team members, check their rank status and stat growth, and analyze necessary items simultaneously.

Naturally, the opportunities to participate in subjugations directly would decrease, but for her own growth, she would have to force herself to participate in operations.

Above all, she would have to handle operation planning, which was the team leader’s main task, so it would be difficult to even see her face for a while.

Yeah, now that she’s a proper team leader, that’s only natural, but…….

“Teacher! Isn’t the dismantling done yet? The passage cleaning is all finished.”

But why was she cleaning here?

“……Don’t you have time to do this? Aren’t you working?”

“What are you talking about? This is also work.”

“No…… Ha, never mind.”

Her first task as team leader was cleaning a dungeon. *She must have something wrong in her head*, she thought.

If the team leader was like that, would the team members stay still?

*If I were on her team, I would never let it go*, he mused.

Operations team was busy enough, yet she was helping the cleaning team, so who would like that?

Naturally, the members of Team 2 would also have a lot of complaints.

Yeah, that’s only natural, but…….

“Cleaning Team Leader! The flesh stuck to the wall isn’t coming off easily, what should we do?”

“Cleaner Kim Jun-woo! Is this much dismantling enough?”

“Hey, you stupid bastard. Cleaner Moon So-yeon told you to divide it into five equal parts! You divided it into four and you’re asking if it’s enough? Can’t you even count?”

“Geez, you were scolded by Cleaner Han Sang-hyuk for making a mistake earlier, and now you’re giving instructions……. Anyone would think you’re a senior in the cleaning team.”

“…….”

Why did those bastards follow me again?

*Is there anyone in that team who’s sane?*

“Four parts are fine too! We’ll take care of the rest, so take a little rest.”

“No! Since we’re helping, we should finish it!”

“Really? Hmm… then could you do the disinfection work with Sang-hyuk?”

“I’ll tell you very kindly. Hahaha!”

“Yes, I understand!”

Despite the awkwardness of their first meeting, Moon So-yeon and Han Sang-hyuk seemed to have become quite close to them.

Well, Park Team Leader, who loves people, goes without saying.

“They’re my friends who happen to be off today. When I said I was going to see the teacher, they immediately followed me.”

“Haa… like team, like leader.”

Kim Min-ju shrugged her shoulders, even though it wasn’t a compliment.

“So? Why did you come? You didn’t really come to help clean, did you?”

“Ah, it’s nothing much…. We have to plan this month’s operation, but there’s a difficult part…….”

Her voice gradually faded away, eventually trailing off.

Knowing she was being shameless, her head also dropped.

“Sigh, I knew it……. What is it? Tell me.”

Kim Min-ju’s expression suddenly brightened.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, she immediately opened her mouth.

“Our team’s operation quota for this month is 50 dungeons. But with the current number of people, no matter how we calculate it, we can’t meet it…….”

“50… that’s a lot.”

With that quota, it’s a team level with 30-40 people.

Tsk, even if it’s a failing team, there’s a limit.

“Ah, and the operation difficulty is at least Blue grade. The headquarters said that anything below that won’t be included in the quota…….”

“That’s a lie.”

“……Yes?”

Kim Min-ju’s eyebrows rippled.

“The minimum grade is arbitrarily set by the headquarters. It’s not really related to the association’s performance. Well, you can’t have too much difference from the set grade……. If it’s Blue, then Navy grade is included in the quota.”

“……I, I haven’t heard that.”

Well, unless you’re directly involved in the association’s internal affairs, it’s natural not to know.

Even people who have been team leaders for over 10 years don’t know, let alone someone who became a team leader the day before yesterday.

“Anyway, even if there are many Navy grades, 3-4 people are enough to subjugate them, so focus on that. If you’re worried about the team’s performance, mix in Blue and Green grades occasionally. One or two a week should be enough.”

“W-wait a minute.”

Kim Min-ju took out a notebook from her pocket.

Then, with sparkling eyes, she prepared to write it down.

She came fully prepared.

“First, since there are only 17 people, divide them into three teams like last time. Subjugate exactly twice a day, in the morning and night shifts. Anything more than that is too much, even considering the team members’ condition. Give the team that went on an operation that day a day off the next day. Do that for about 2 weeks, and if they’re having a hard time, ask the support team to take care of them once in a while.”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

She wrote diligently for a while.

Soon, Kim Min-ju cautiously opened her mouth.

“……I’m always relying on you, Teacher.”

Her voice sounded listless for some reason.

I scoffed and turned my head.

“It’s okay. If you’re done, go now. We’ll finish the cleaning.”

“Am I bothering you?”

“……Not you, but he’s bothering me.”

I gestured towards the back.

Secretary Song Hye-yeon was glaring at me.

“Why? Aren’t you two acquainted?”

“……What are you talking about? I’ve never seen her before.”

“I thought so. You were staring so intently yesterday that I thought she was your ex-girlfriend.”

Kim Min-ju’s muttering voice was somehow sharp.

*What nonsense was she talking about?*

“Even if the team members followed you on their own, why did you bring the secretary?”

“I told her she didn’t have to come, but she said she couldn’t send me alone and followed me on her own. Of course, I told her she didn’t have to help with the cleaning.”

“…She’s full of energy.”

“She’s a rookie.”

I tried to glare at the secretary one more time, but gave up.

The look in her eyes was still too fierce.

I had been feeling a prickling sensation on the back of my head since earlier…….

“Team Leader Kim Min-ju! You need to leave soon. You have to attend the operation general meeting in the afternoon.”

At that moment, Secretary Song Hye-yeon, who had been glancing at her watch, urgently opened her mouth.

“There’s still time. You should have lunch before you go.”

“…Ah, yes, yes! Then, should I make a reservation at a Korean restaurant nearby?”

“Yeah. Make a reservation for 9 people. The cleaning team will come with us, right? I’m planning to treat you to a promotion meal.”

“We’d love to!”

Han Sang-hyuk jumped up and shouted.

“Then Hye-yeon, go out first and make a reservation? You can’t make calls inside the dungeon anyway.”

“Yes! I understand!”

She never walks.

Secretary Song Hye-yeon immediately ran out of the dungeon.

I stared at her as she walked away, then made a puzzled expression.

“……You can make calls here, though?”

“I know. There’s something I want to talk about when Hye-yeon isn’t here.”

*I thought it was backstabbing after only 3 days of meeting*.

But unfortunately, that wasn’t it.

“Teacher, do you know anyone in the support team?”

It was an incomprehensible story.

I blinked once.

“No. Why?”

“It’s nothing much… the support team contacted me saying they wanted to meet you.”

“The support team wants to meet me? Why?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking you. If you know anyone.”

I pondered and organized my thoughts.

But I couldn’t think of anything.

There is someone I know, but I’m the only one who knows them. They probably don’t even know who I am.

Or maybe… are they trying to warn me?

The cleaning team destroyed one of the operation teams, so they’re worried that I might touch them too, so they’re trying to draw a line in advance?

Anyway, it doesn’t seem like they want to see me for a good reason.

Hmm, I shouldn’t go.

“……Tell them I’ll visit when I have time.”

“Yes. I will.”

“But it’s not really a big deal. Why are you doing it when the secretary isn’t here?”

“Ah, well… I don’t really understand it either, but the Hunter Management Office asked me to keep it a secret from Hye-yeon.”

I narrowed my brows.

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, the support team wants to see you. They don’t want Hye-yeon to know. They said she doesn’t like you very much, so she’ll definitely hate it?”

“Why does that person dislike me?”

“Who knows. Isn’t it because you’re her ex-boyfriend?”

“…….”

Kim Min-ju smiled brightly.

It was a strangely subtle feeling.

“I’ve made the reservation!”

“Good job.”

She instantly returned to her usual expression.

I wondered what I had just seen.

“Okay, everyone, hurry up and finish up and let’s go eat!”

“It’s almost the first time we’ve finished it with an hour left on the limit, isn’t it?”

The cleaning team hurriedly began to organize their equipment, and the operation team helped without being told.

Whether it was because the work was finished quickly, or because they were excited about getting lunch, or because they had made friends… anyway, it was a very friendly atmosphere.

Well…….

It wasn’t a bad scene.

***

「Breaking news.」

「At around 12:30 PM today, two male middle school students accidentally entered a completed building-type dungeon and were poisoned by gas.」

「The victims said about the accident, ‘There was no barricade installed at the entrance of the dungeon, so we mistook it for a normal building.’」

「The victims’ guardians also demanded a detailed investigation and strong accountability from the association for leaving the dungeon unattended without a barricade.」

「Fortunately, the victims are known to have suffered only minor first-degree burns. Meanwhile, the association is still reluctant to comment on the cause of the careless dungeon management…….」

Headquarters office.

Kim Min-ju and Secretary Song Hye-yeon, who had been summoned, were maintaining silence in front of Chief Seo Min-cheol.

And I was also there with them.

I felt something was wrong with the urgent call that came down to the cleaning team, so I came up instead of Team Leader Park… and it seemed like a good choice, looking at the situation.

“What is this?”

Soon, Chief Seo Min-cheol threw his phone in front of us.

Kim Min-ju’s face was already pale. Her lips were trembling.

“I said, what is this? What’s going on!”

Chief Seo Min-cheol yelled, and Kim Min-ju’s shoulders flinched at the same time.

“The, dungeons are originally prohibited from public access…….”

“Who doesn’t know that? Then would they have crawled in knowing it was a dungeon? You left the dungeon unattended, so they mistook it! Why didn’t you put up a barricade! It’s basic, basic!”

Kim Min-ju looked at me.

But I just stood there without any reaction.

“It’s a relief they weren’t seriously injured, if there had been a serious accident, you guys would have really…….”

Chief Seo Min-cheol sighed, whether it was relief or regret.

“Anyway, we need to announce the cause of the accident before it gets any louder. Compensation and responsibility are the next problem. So, who made the mistake?”

“…….”

She hesitated to answer for a moment.

Of course, she wasn’t thinking of an excuse to get out of this situation.

Just…….

[Polymorph – Unlocking condition: Increase public interest in the dungeon cleaning team]

I was wondering whether to unlock it here or not.