The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 214

213

Karma Corporation Headquarters.

A disciplinary committee was urgently convened early in the morning following a phone call from Kim Junwoo.

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik and other executives from headquarters were in attendance. The subject of the meeting was none other than Director Park Jang-mok.

Normally, this process would take at least a week, but Kim Junwoo had no intention of waiting that long.

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik seemed to agree, as he immediately issued the summons.

Thus, the disciplinary committee was held a mere five hours after Director Park Jang-mok’s return to Korea.

The reason for pushing things forward so quickly was partly to conclude the matter before the evaluation was over, but…

More than that, everyone was furious that he had targeted Karma Corporation’s pillar and top ace.

“Now that everyone is here… let’s begin.”

At Executive Director Lee Doo-shik’s words, the executives surrounding him began to ask questions one by one.

“First, could you state your affiliation?”

“I-I am Park Jang-mok, an inside director of the Karma Corporation board of directors.”

Director Park Jang-mok, with casts on his arms and legs, answered in a barely audible voice.

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik saw his condition and his terrified demeanor and knew that something must have happened.

“And you are currently a member of the rank evaluation committee, correct?”

“Yes… that’s right.”

“What is your role in the evaluation committee?”

“I am in charge of evaluating hunters’ written and practical exams and ensuring fair audits.”

“Ha!”

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik let out a burst of laughter, seemingly dumbfounded by his contradictory introduction.

“Executive Director Lee Doo-shik…”

“Ah, I apologize. It was unintentional. Please continue.”

Only after another executive cautiously asked him to be mindful did the questioning resume.

“Ahem, Director Park Jang-mok. Is it true that you used a task force hunter to spread malicious rumors about Head of Division Kim Min-ju?”

“……”

“Director Park Jang-mok, answer the question.”

“…Yes, yes, it is true.”

“What was the reason?”

“I… I received a request to have Head of Division Kim Min-ju fail this evaluation.”

“From whom?”

“From the International Association…”

A moment of silence descended upon the shocking revelation.

“So…”

But only for a moment. Executive Director Lee Doo-shik broke the heavy silence and spoke.

“You’re saying that you received a request from the International Association and spread malicious rumors to try to get Head of Division Kim Min-ju to fail? Is that correct?”

“Yes, yes…”

“Why did the International Association make such a request?”

“I’m not sure…”

“Then what did they promise you in return?”

“An offer to be scouted by the International Association headquarters…”

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik shook his head.

He was dumbfounded that someone would try to bring down the company’s top ace for such a paltry condition.

More than anything, he couldn’t believe that there was still someone who had illusions about the International Association. And that someone was a director.

He wondered how foolish of a choice he had made.

“Then… I’ll ask you one last question.”

At that moment, Executive Director Lee Doo-shik opened his mouth in a rather serious tone.

“Is the rumor that Director Park Jang-mok spread about Head of Division Kim Min-ju true?”

“……”

After hesitating for a moment.

“It’s… not true.”

He finally confessed everything.

The people attending the disciplinary committee remained silent.

Well, now that he had confessed everything, there was nothing else to say.

“Despite holding a position that requires all evaluation processes to be handled fairly, you engaged in solicitation, corruption, and spread malicious rumors to manipulate the evaluation, which demonstrates a lack of responsibility and qualification for the position. Do you have anything further to say about this?”

“…No.”

“Then we will conclude the investigation. The results of the disciplinary committee will be notified to you later. In addition, the defamation case against Head of Division Kim Min-ju will be separately investigated by the prosecution, so please keep that in mind.”

“……”

“You may leave now.”

Director Park Jang-mok grabbed his crutches and struggled to get up from his seat.

The meeting lasted less than ten minutes.

The outcome and disposition were both obvious, so there was no point in sitting there any longer.

Just as Director Park Jang-mok was about to leave the conference room.

“Director Park Jang-mok.”

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik called him back again.

“Why are your arms and legs like that?”

“……”

Director Park Jang-mok’s hands began to tremble, as if he had been asked an inappropriate question.

Judging by his expression, it was as if he had gone on a solo subjugation and encountered a terrifying monster.

Of course, that wasn’t really the reason.

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik already had a rough idea of what had happened.

But.

“…I fell.”

Director Park Jang-mok ultimately did not tell the truth.

***

I received a call as soon as the disciplinary committee ended and went up to the headquarters rooftop.

“It ended sooner than I expected.”

I approached him, who was looking down with a troubled expression, and spoke.

“Well, there was no need to drag it out. The charges were clear, and he confessed everything.”

“So, what do you think will happen?”

At that question, Executive Director Lee Doo-shik looked at me as if asking if I really didn’t know.

“The matter is serious. Solicitation and unfair evaluation. It’s obvious he’ll be fired.”

“I see.”

“Well, the legal team will additionally hand over the legal issues to the prosecution, so he’ll pay the price for his sins.”

I nodded.

But Executive Director Lee Doo-shik still didn’t seem to be relieved.

“That son of a bitch… I didn’t like him from the start. I should have gotten rid of him sooner, but I showed him a little mercy, and he ended up causing this mess.”

“Well, that’s just hindsight, isn’t it?”

After all, you don’t know what kind of person someone is until they actually do something.

“So, how did you catch that bastard? I heard he ran off to Japan.”

“I used someone below me. It wasn’t easy because they planned and moved so thoroughly, but… well, I managed to get a hold of their tail.”

“You didn’t break the tail off, did you?”

“……”

He let out a faint sigh with an ‘I knew it’ expression.

“Sigh, it’s a wonder you didn’t kill him.”

“If I had left him alone, he probably would have died.”

“……You’re crazy.”

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik shook his head, utterly disgusted.

“What are you going to do if they try to find fault with that? Even self-defense is often treated as a mutual assault, so isn’t a one-sided beating a bit risky?”

“No. Park Jang-mok will never be able to use me against him.”

“What? Why?”

“Because there’s someone backing him.”

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik’s eyes narrowed.

He seemed to be asking what I meant.

“This whole thing was introduced by the guy behind him from the start. The connection to the International Association wasn’t Park Jang-mok, but that guy. Well, judging by how he’s keeping quiet about that guy, he must be pretty scared…”

“And?”

“If a police investigation into the assault is launched, that guy will inevitably get involved, won’t he? He’ll want to avoid that at all costs, so he won’t be able to sue, even if he wants to.”

“Huh… you thought of all that before you beat him up?”

“No. I thought about it after I beat him up.”

“……”

To be honest, I wasn’t entirely in my right mind back then.

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik looked down at the sprawling cityscape and said nonchalantly.

“Sigh, the fact that the International Association was really involved is… I wonder when things will quiet down.”

“Isn’t that what we expected? This evaluation was started to catch them in the first place.”

“That’s true, but…”

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik ruffled his hair as he replied.

Even though it was expected, he seemed quite troubled to actually face it.

“How’s Kim Min-ju? Is she doing any better?”

“Well, she’s not the type to show it anyway.”

“Tsk… she’s the one who suffered the most. But now that he’s been caught, hopefully she’ll feel a bit better.”

“I hope so.”

I sighed deeply as I replied.

As a result, the incident has been resolved.

Director Park Jang-mok will take all the responsibility, and Kim Min-ju’s reputation will soon be restored. It won’t be easy, of course.

Well, the full story of this incident won’t be revealed to all employees.

There’s no point in revealing that he colluded with the International Association to manipulate the evaluation.

However, it is necessary to at least inform everyone that the rumors about Kim Min-ju were maliciously created by someone.

Well, I’ve already taken care of that part, so there’s nothing to worry about.

The only problem is… there’s still something I haven’t resolved.

‘A member of the Future Democratic Party…’

The guy who’s backing Director Park Jang-mok.

When you think about it, he’s the one who started this whole thing.

More than anything, if he’s connected to the International Association, he can’t be an ordinary person.

There’s no guarantee that this won’t happen again, and he might even plant another one of his henchmen in the company, just like Director Park Jang-mok.

So, I have to catch him… but Director Park Jang-mok never revealed his name.

He’d rather take the blame himself than turn that person into an enemy.

‘Just what kind of guy is he…’

Just as I was clicking my tongue and muttering to myself.

“By the way, Choi Jong-hyuk, are you really going to give that bastard a break?”

Executive Director Lee Doo-shik frowned as he asked.

“A promise is a promise. I don’t intend to officially discipline him.”

“Damn, just thinking about that bastard walking around with his head held high makes me uncomfortable.”

“Well, I’m not giving him a break just because I’m not officially disciplining him.”

“……What?”

Instead of answering, I gave a sly smile.

“He probably won’t be able to walk around with his head held high in the future.”

***

Task Force 5 Office.

Choi Jong-hyuk let out a long sigh as soon as he arrived at work.

The disciplinary committee must be over by now. There’s no doubt that Director Park Jang-mok will be fired.

‘Damn… how can they hold a disciplinary committee in less than half a day with just one phone call?’

Choi Jong-hyuk felt a slight chill at the vivid memory of last night.

He never imagined that the intern would be an evaluation officer.

Honestly, he thought his life was over, but…

In exchange for selling out Director Park Jang-mok, Kim Junwoo really didn’t impose any punishment on him.

‘At least he keeps his promises…’

Choi Jong-hyuk muttered to himself and glanced at the team leader’s empty seat, which had been vacant for days.

Team Leader Lee Tae-beom eventually applied for a leave of absence.

Well, regardless of the truth, it would be difficult for a family man with children to work in the same place after being caught up in such rumors.

Besides, Kim Min-ju still hasn’t reacted, and CEO Kim Junwoo has promised not to hold him accountable any further…

‘This is the end of it.’

A smile spread across Choi Jong-hyuk’s face.

From now on, he just needs to pretend he doesn’t know anything and hold on.

Just like Director Park Jang-mok said, everyone will forget about this incident over time anyway.

If he just keeps his mouth shut and endures, the fact that he spread the rumors will disappear.

Then he can go back to the way things were before.

Well, it’s a shame that the scouting fell through, but…

There’s no reason to be greedy in this situation.

He should just be grateful that he wasn’t fired.

Choi Jong-hyuk organized his thoughts and got up from his seat to check the task schedule.

And then.

“Hey, that rumor about Head of Division Kim Min-ju, I heard it’s all a lie?”

“Huh? Who said that?”

“Someone I know in the support team told me.”

“Hey, how would someone from the support team know about the operations division head? Do you believe that?”

“No, really. There’s someone around who knows the head of division well, and they heard it directly from that person.”

Voices of other team members whispering from the back of the office reached his ears.

Choi Jong-hyuk fixed his gaze on the schedule hanging on the wall and perked up his ears.

“Anyway, according to that person… Choi Jong-hyuk hit on [made unwanted advances toward] Head of Division Kim Min-ju and was rejected, so he spread the rumors to get revenge.”

“What? Really?!”

“Shh!”

At those words, Choi Jong-hyuk’s pupils widened.

“No way…”

“No, that sounds like something that bastard would do. That bastard was all over the interns too, you know.”

“I know. He’s in his mid-thirties and goes to clubs every weekend to pick up girls, right? With his hunter business card.”

“Wow… I never thought he’d go so far as to hit on the operations division head.”

“Even so, why would he spread such rumors? He’s such a loser.”

“How many people have been harmed because of him?”

“Tsk, I feel so bad for the head of division…”

“Team Leader Lee even submitted his resignation. Can’t he be sued for that?”

Standing facing the wall, Choi Jong-hyuk listened to the whispering voices for a while.

Choi Jong-hyuk’s hands began to tremble.