The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 264

263

Herb’s main shipping point, Zone A.

The interior was on the verge of collapse. Pillars crumbled from enemy attacks, and thick smoke and dust made it impossible to see more than an inch ahead.

‘I managed to get in somehow, but…’

It was too dark to even figure out where I was, and moving around was difficult because of the debris everywhere.

It was practically a dungeon.

I decided it would be difficult to move as a group any longer, so I stopped and turned to speak.

“The path is too narrow. It seems difficult to move all together, so we’ll have to split up.”

I continued, addressing the local cleaning team.

“Local Teams 2 and 5, head to the 2nd floor. Teams 6 and 8, head to the 3rd floor. The rest of you, search the warehouse and sorting areas. Our team will search the 1st floor and the shelter.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Understood.”

With that, we split up and headed to our respective locations.

Cleaning Team 3, including myself, ventured deeper into the building, which could collapse at any moment.

We slowly searched, opening every door in the hallway leading to the shelter.

“I heard the local cleaning team is merging with another company? Even the teams that were restructured.”

Department Head Park Geun-tae casually brought it up.

“Yes, well… that’s what happened.”

“That’s what happened? You planned it all from the start, didn’t you?”

“…I suppose so.”

When I answered, Department Head Park Geun-tae glanced at me and said,

“Tell me next time. We’re a team, aren’t we?”

“…….”

As I hesitated to answer, he asked again.

“Or do you still not trust us?”

“…That’s not it.”

“Then let us know next time, you rascal.”

It was his usual playful tone, but his voice was more serious than usual.

I reluctantly nodded.

Only then did Department Head Park Geun-tae smirk.

And then.

“Uh, excuse me… ?”

Moon So-yeon, who was in charge of on-site command, called out to us as if she had found something while checking the route ahead.

“According to the map, the shelter is right ahead…”

“…Oh, no.”

“It’s completely blocked.”

The place she pointed to was blocked by collapsed debris.

“What should we do? It would take too long to find another way.”

“Tsk… Jun-woo, why don’t you try breaking through with your skill?”

I shook my head at Department Head Park Geun-tae’s suggestion.

“It’s too dangerous. It could collapse completely.”

“Damn it, then what do we do…?”

Han Sang-hyuk and Moon So-yeon also frowned, muttering as if they couldn’t come up with a good solution.

As the team members pondered how to deal with the obstacle in front of them.

“Hey, did you bring a drill?”

Something suddenly came to mind, and I asked Han Sang-hyuk.

“Yeah, I brought it… What are you going to do with a drill?”

“Let’s slowly disassemble it from below.”

“What…?”

“Huh? W-What if it collapses?”

The team members’ eyes widened at my suggestion.

“It’ll be fine as long as it’s not debris that’s bearing weight. Of course, if we touch the debris that’s supporting it, it will collapse…”

At that moment.

Thud, rumble—!

Another shock reverberated throughout the building.

The attack was still ongoing.

I glanced at the ceiling, which continued to crack, and continued.

“We don’t have time anyway. We just need to dig out the floor a little and slowly disassemble it to secure enough space to crawl out.”

“But… can you disassemble a pile of rocks that precisely?”

“What are you talking about? I’ve done it dozens of times.”

“…What are you talking about?”

At Department Head Park Geun-tae’s question, I smirked and replied.

“I’m talking about disassembling golem corpses.”

“……!”

“……!”

At that answer, all the team members looked as if they had been hit on the head.

Disassembling golem corpses is one of the most difficult tasks.

It’s not like venomous types where your life is in danger the moment you touch the fluids, or insect-type monsters that move even after death, but the fact that they are magic-infused boulders makes it extremely difficult.

The disassembly itself was impossible to even attempt with most methods.

More than anything, golems don’t fall to the ground even when they die.

They simply stand there, like a battery has run out, and stop operating.

In other words, you have to disassemble those huge rocks, several meters tall, while they are standing.

Above all, if you touch it even slightly wrong, it is likely to collapse at once and cause an accident, so you have to carefully identify the joints and work carefully.

It’s no different now.

Those who have been cleaning them dozens, hundreds of times can proceed without any problems.

“…Okay.”

“Tsk, it’s not like we have another option… Let’s do it, damn it.”

With that, we slowly began to clear the debris using the equipment we had brought.

We dug out the debris that was bearing the least amount of weight little by little, and created space slowly but surely.

About 10 minutes passed, and at that moment when some space was secured.

“I-Is anyone out there?”

“Here! There are people here!”

A voice began to be heard from the other side of the hole.

I immediately shouted into the hole in a loud voice.

“This is the rescue team. How many people are there in total?”

“One, two… T-Total of 23 people!”

“Do you know where the other employees are?”

“Ah, they’re probably in the break room on the 2nd floor. It’s connected to the logistics warehouse, so they might be there.”

As soon as she heard that answer, Moon So-yeon immediately picked up the radio.

“Relaying. Please confirm survivors in the break room on the 2nd floor. Proceed with searching the logistics warehouse.”

「Yes, understood.」

「Acknowledged.」

After relaying the situation, we immediately began the rescue operation.

One by one, they slowly began to come out, and we provided first aid.

And soon.

「Team 2, rescued 8 survivors from the break room on the 2nd floor. Evacuating immediately.」

「Team 7, completed rescuing 11 survivors from the logistics warehouse.」

「Team 9, completed searching the interior. No survivors.」

Reports were coming in from each team.

“Good work. Everyone, evacuate the building immediately.”

With that radio message, I and the members of Cleaning Team 3 also immediately began to lead the survivors out of the building.

And one strange thing I realized belatedly.

‘The attack…?’

At some point, the building was no longer being impacted.

The attack had finally stopped.

‘Did the local operations team take care of them all…?’

They’re quite useful guys in their own way.

That’s what I was thinking as I exited the building.

“…….”

I soon realized that my thoughts were wrong.

“Kuh-euk…….”

Nguyen, the head of the operations headquarters, was groaning in pain on the floor.

And the one silently looking down at Nguyen was none other than…….

“…Long time no see.”

It was Secretary-General Wesley.

***

Just a few hours after issuing a withdrawal order to all headquarters employees dispatched to the Vietnam branch.

Sudden news was delivered to Secretary-General Wesley.

It was the news that all employees had flocked to the hub under the direction of Branch Manager Sean.

As soon as he heard the news, Secretary-General Wesley immediately realized what he was trying to do.

That bastard is trying to attack the hub.

If he returned to headquarters as is, he knew what kind of punishment he would receive, so he was trying to get at least some consideration.

He was trying to find a way to survive, as he was about to lose not only the hub but also the entire branch and control of Vietnam due to his mistake.

Well, I understand… but…….

This is the worst choice of the worst.

It’s not wrong to say that if we can’t have it, no one can, but attacking the hub makes the problem even more serious.

‘This damn bastard is doing things I didn’t even tell him to do…….’

Secretary-General Wesley was furious and tried to issue a withdrawal order immediately, but there was no way to do so because he was already out of contact.

In the end, he had no choice but to head to the scene himself.

When he arrived at the hub, the building was already half-destroyed, and a battle was taking place outside between the local operations team.

Secretary-General Wesley quickly subdued them all.

And just as he was about to finish things up and leave the scene in a hurry.

“…Long time no see.”

Kim Jun-woo appeared from inside the hub.

“…….”

He looked quite embarrassed, as if he had not expected Secretary-General Wesley to come in person.

But only for a moment.

“…What is it?”

Kim Jun-woo spat out the first words as he faced Wesley.

“I have a report that our employees are doing things I didn’t even tell them to do. And they’re attacking civilians, so as the person in charge, I can’t just stand by.”

“…Since when did you think about that?”

Kim Jun-woo’s eyebrows twitched.

“Don’t be like that. I don’t like the idea of people dying for no reason either.”

“Isn’t it because you’re worried that if it becomes known that the International Association attacked civilians, the power will shift to our side?”

“…Well, there’s that too.”

Secretary-General Wesley shrugged and joked.

Then Kim Jun-woo sighed softly and glared at him.

“Still, I didn’t expect you to come in person.”

[Unique Skill: Demon King]

“How about… we finish the conversation we couldn’t finish last time?”

A black aura began to emanate from Kim Jun-woo’s entire body.

But Secretary-General Wesley glanced around the scene and smirked.

“If we fight here now, the employees we worked so hard to save will be in danger again.”

“…….”

“Anyway, it’s unfortunate that it turned out this way. I didn’t know they would do things I didn’t even tell them to do. Really.”

Secretary-General Wesley stared at Kim Jun-woo and continued.

“And I’ll take Branch Manager Sean and the employees with me. Since it’s our people who did it, it’s right for us to take responsibility and handle it. Well, I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry too much.”

He turned around as he said that.

“Who said you could?”

Kim Jun-woo’s sharp voice was heard once.

[Unique Skill: Demon King – Dictator]

[Creates a disposable skill according to the caster’s thoughts.]

[Creating skill.]

[Skill creation complete.]

[Rat Cage]

Thud—!

A large iron cage fell from the sky and trapped Secretary-General Wesley.

But he just smirked and.

Swish—.

He passed through the cage without using any force and escaped.

“You should know. Our skills don’t affect each other.”

“…….”

“I have no intention of fighting here. So don’t waste your energy and take care of the survivors. Well… maybe I’ll change my mind someday.”

Secretary-General Wesley took a step back, leaving those words behind. Branch Manager Sean and the employees hurriedly followed him.

Just as he reached the helicopter waiting for him, Branch Manager Sean cautiously opened his mouth.

It was just before boarding the helicopter.

“Th-Thank you for saving me, Secretary-General…….”

And at that moment.

[Unique Skill: Genesis]

[Creates an 11th-dimensional unique space.]

Swoosh—!

His neck disappeared somewhere.

At the same time, his body collapsed helplessly to the floor.

“……!”

“……!”

The remaining employees who had followed him froze in place at the sudden and shocking situation.

Secretary-General Wesley let out a deep sigh and turned to the employees.

“Didn’t I tell you to withdraw?”

The employees couldn’t even answer the question, let alone move.

It was the first time everyone had seen him so angry.

“Who said you could attack the hub? Are you trying to ruin my future on top of losing Vietnam? Why did you do things I didn’t even tell you to do?”

“…….”

“…….”

Everyone was still just trembling in place instead of answering, when.

Team Leader Chris stepped forward.

He immediately lowered his body to the floor and bowed his head.

“I-I’m sorry…….”

Swoosh—!

But he also couldn’t finish his sentence.

His body, with its neck missing, was placed next to Branch Manager Sean.

Secretary-General Wesley turned back and gestured to his executive assistant, Kate.

“Take care of it all.”

“…Understood.”

He left those words behind and boarded the helicopter alone.

Soon, ear-splitting screams began to be heard from behind, but he didn’t even care.

‘You moronic bastards…….’

He gritted his teeth.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t get rid of his anger, but he had to admit what he had to admit.

Vietnam was now out of his hands.

It’s a shame, but there’s nothing I can do.

I’ll just have to pay more attention next time.

As Wesley tapped his forehead and organized his thoughts, he took out his cell phone.

Then, he called Emma, the CEO of PB Corporation.

“Hey, it’s me. Have you finished manufacturing Void?”

「Chloe’s team just brought a sample. About 1 ton is ready.」

“Good.”

The place that had already been prepared to be dropped from WDSO [World Development and Security Organization] after Vietnam.

The Japan branch.

As a result, Vietnam failed, but the Japan branch cannot.

“I can’t leave it to mediocre bastards anymore.”

「I agree.」

“So I want you to take charge of this.”

CEO Emma was silent for a moment at Wesley’s words.

「Okay.」

Soon, she chuckled and replied.

The CEO of PB Corporation and Secretary-General Wesley’s closest aide.

CEO Emma will take the lead herself.