The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 237

236

International Hunter Association Headquarters.

“Secretary-General.”

The executive secretary entered Wesley’s office and carefully delivered the message.

“Interpol has launched another investigation.”

“Is it because of Mr. Ji?”

“…Yes.”

Secretary-General Wesley nodded calmly, as if he had anticipated it.

Ji Bo-won.

Head of the Seoul Central District Customs Office, a customs director.

One of his contacts and part of the network he’d created to keep Karma Corporation in check.

…Or rather, *had* been. Now, news of him intentionally blocking Karma Corporation’s shipments was spreading through the media in various countries after he was caught.

Of course, he had prepared for this situation, so it didn’t matter much.

“If an investigation is launched, select any team leader and present this document.”

“This is…?”

“It’s a directive. A directive to block the shipment.”

The executive secretary immediately understood the meaning of those words.

It meant covering everything up as if a lower-level employee had acted independently.

“Give them as much as they want and let them take the fall. Well… talk to CEO Emma a bit so they can’t change their story later.”

“…Yes.”

“Even with just this much, the fallout shouldn’t reach us.”

Secretary-General Wesley said with a smile.

But only for a moment.

‘But still… how did they catch on so quickly?’

He immediately frowned and pondered.

No matter how he considered it, it was strange.

Even if they started investigating immediately, they shouldn’t have been able to find it so quickly, especially with their attention focused elsewhere….

‘Even if they *did* find it, there’s no way a private company could threaten a customs director…….’

And then, something suddenly flashed through his mind.

Right.

If it’s difficult to resolve things officially, you can approach them unofficially.

With an unofficial organization filled with unofficial personnel.

‘Kim Jun-woo… seems to have created something interesting.’

Soon, the corners of Secretary-General Wesley’s lips curled up.

“But… are you really sure about this?”

At that moment, the executive secretary asked with a worried voice.

“What do you mean?”

“I think they’ll be certain we’re preparing for war once they see us backing out…”

“Of course, they’ll notice. But well, it doesn’t matter.”

“Yes? H-However… wouldn’t that mean they’ll prepare too?”

“How so?”

He asked in response to the executive secretary’s question.

“Are they going to order hunters around the world to attack us? Would those guys even attack us if they did? Most of them are just worried about their own livelihoods, aren’t they?”

“…….”

“Or are they going to raise new hunters now to create troops? I don’t know if Korea has the population for that.”

Secretary-General Wesley rattled off answers without hesitation, as if the outcome was obvious.

“Of course, they’ll prepare. But no matter how many ants gather, they’re still just ants. The weak are always weak, no matter how many of them there are, especially in this day and age.”

“…….”

“For Karma to be on equal footing with us, they’d have to make all the associations around the world their allies. World harmony? Does he think he can do what even the great saints of human history have failed to do?”

“But… isn’t Kim Jun-woo a bit dangerous?”

At the executive secretary’s words, the secretary-general smiled slightly.

“I realized it after meeting him in person this time.”

“…Yes?”

“Kim Jun-woo can’t beat me.”

It was a confident answer.

But the executive secretary didn’t understand why he was so sure.

“Anyway, have the hunters start training. Not for subjugation [controlling monsters], but for military training.”

“Understood.”

Just as the executive secretary, having received the order, was about to leave the office…

“S-Secretary-General…!”

A staff member from the overseas business team rushed into the office.

“Karma is recruiting new hunters from associations in various countries all at once… something’s wrong!”

“Yes…?”

“100,000 people are applying per day, and the cumulative total has reached 1 million today!”

At that moment, Secretary-General Wesley’s eyebrows twitched.

“Were there that many unregistered ability users…?”

“No! According to our data, even excluding the unranked, there are fewer than 700,000 ability users other than hunters.”

“…….”

What did that mean?

Then where did the other 300,000 ability users come from?

Did new abilities develop in the meantime?

‘Even so, isn’t the timing too perfect…?’

He rolled his eyes at the incomprehensible situation for a moment.

The staff member swallowed hard and conveyed the message.

“It seems that the Karma guys are using Ability Stones to create ability users.”

“……!”

At the same time, the secretary-general’s eyes widened.

***

“It’s not possible.”

The Blue House, the President’s office.

President Cho Hyun-min immediately rejected Director Lee Doo-shik’s proposal without hesitation.

“P-Please reconsider…….”

“There’s no value in considering it. Creating ability users with Ability Stones? From the start, Bank Items [items from dungeons] are prohibited from secondary processing, aren’t they?”

“The International Association has used Bank Items that have been processed several times! If we want to deal with them, we have to…!”

“What kind of logic is it to say that we can use them too because they used them?”

“……!”

President Cho Hyun-min glared at him with sharp eyes.

It was a firm stance without an inch of retreat.

“This is strictly forbidden. They broke the law, which doesn’t mean we’re falling behind. Even if the purpose is different, if we follow them, how are we different from them?”

“…….”

Director Lee Doo-shik couldn’t answer those words.

He lowered his gaze and clenched his teeth.

Then, President Cho Hyun-min opened his mouth with a light sigh and a calmer voice.

“I know. I know that this is a situation where we can’t just make rational judgments.”

“……Representative Kim risked his life to confirm it. The International Association is preparing for war, but we don’t have the conditions or the power to resist.”

President Cho Hyun-min nodded.

But it didn’t last long.

“I agree that we need to come up with countermeasures. But… this is not the right way.”

He put his hands together and continued.

“Using Ability Stones to turn ordinary people into ability users to stand against the International Association is not morally right. Rather, it will be a signal to incite war.”

“…….”

“Above all, most of the current ability users developed their abilities at a young age and received thorough training. Even so, there are still ability users committing crimes… what about ordinary people who gain abilities overnight? Can you control them?”

That’s right.

It was so right that he couldn’t raise any objections.

80% of abilities first manifest before the age of 12.

The rest also manifest before the age of 20, and only a very small number manifest after becoming adults.

That’s why all countries thoroughly manage and educate children who have developed abilities.

The power they possess is the power to save humanity, but conversely, it is also the power to threaten humanity.

They are educated from a young age to use their power for good, but that doesn’t mean everyone becomes a hunter for the sake of the citizens.

Some realize that their power can be used for money and jump into contract work, while others decide to join in on crime.

Even ability users who have been educated since childhood become corrupted, so if ordinary people are given such power… there’s no way there won’t be problems.

“Therefore, let’s pretend we didn’t hear about this. Let’s find another way.”

“……Understood.”

Director Lee Doo-shik had no choice but to accept his decision.

As he politely offered his regrets, that’s when it happened.

Tring―.

Someone’s ringtone echoed.

At the same time, everyone’s attention was focused on one place.

“…Ah, ah. I’m sorry!”

Director Ha Sung-il, who belatedly realized that he was the culprit, hurriedly took out his cell phone to turn it off.

But President Cho Hyun-min stopped him.

“It’s okay. Answer it.”

“…Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”

He asked for understanding once more, turned his head, and carefully answered the phone.

“Yes, this is Ha Sung-il.”

“Ah, Director. Yes, yes.”

“……Yes?”

Soon, his eyes suddenly widened as if he had heard something shocking.

“A-Are you sure?”

“…Understood. I’ll check it out.”

Then, he hung up the phone with a rather unusual expression.

Seeing that, President Cho Hyun-min was immediately curious.

“What happened?”

“Ah, that’s…….”

He hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to explain.

“They’re recruiting new hunters in various associations to replenish their personnel… and they say there are over 1 million applicants.”

“W-What…?!”

“……? Why is that a problem? Isn’t that a good thing?”

Unlike Director Lee Doo-shik, who was shocked, President Cho Hyun-min’s reaction was one of incomprehension.

Director Ha Sung-il added an explanation.

“According to our data, there are fewer than 1 million ability users with skills that can be subjugated. Even if we exclude the unranked, it’s only about 700,000…….”

“……Yes?”

President Cho Hyun-min seemed to realize what that meant.

“So you’re saying… 300,000 ability users who didn’t exist before suddenly appeared?”

“Yes, yes. I think that’s what we should assume…….”

President Cho Hyun-min’s gaze turned to Director Lee Doo-shik.

Then, Director Lee Doo-shik immediately waved his hand.

“N-No! Would we have used Ability Stones without permission! We don’t know anything about it!”

“Then what the hell is going on? It can’t be that 300,000 new abilities have suddenly developed with good timing in the meantime.”

“…….”

“…….”

At the sharp voice, the two men closed their mouths while avoiding each other’s gaze.

They were lost in thought for a moment.

“I think we need to investigate.”

Director Ha Sung-il said that first.

“…Report to me as soon as you find out anything.”

“Understood.”

With those words, the two men immediately left the office.

***

“Ability users who weren’t in the data suddenly appeared?”

A lodging located in Paris.

While resting, I received an urgent call from Director Ha Sung-il.

「Yes! I contacted you because I thought the International Association might be up to something again. Do you know anything?」

“It won’t be the International Association.”

「Yes?」

“There’s no reason for them to do that. They’re secretly gathering troops, so if there are ability users who aren’t in the data, they’d prioritize assigning them to themselves. If they’re supporting the operation team, the International Association didn’t move.”

「Then what the hell is going on…….」

I stroked my chin and fell into thought for a moment.

“You didn’t use Ability Stones, did you?”

「Ah, no!」

“Then that doesn’t make sense…….”

I muttered and racked my brain for a moment.

‘……Wait a minute.’

A faint memory flashed through my mind.

‘Shit, could it be…….’

Soon, the moment all the pieces fit together.

“Have the information team gather. I’ll return home right away.”

「Yes? Ah, understood.」

I immediately hung up the phone and jumped up from my seat.

“What is it this time?”

But Han Yu-bin, who didn’t know the situation, had a bewildered reaction.

Of course, there was no time to explain.

“I’ll explain on the way, so pack your bags first.”

I immediately stuffed my luggage into the carrier and said.

“I think we have to go back right away.”

This… if we’re late, we might really be screwed.