The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 160

159

* * *

Slap!

The sound echoed as Han Yubin, without a word of warning, slapped the man across the cheek.

“You expect us to believe that? Stop lying and answer truthfully.”

“I-It’s not a lie! H-Haramura-ssi really did request it himself…!”

“Seriously, you never listen when we’re being nice.”

She raised her fist again, but I stepped in to stop her.

“Hold on.”

She looked puzzled, but I was also trying to organize my thoughts, so I didn’t immediately answer.

‘The owner of the dojo, who went into hiding, directly requested to have his techniques stolen…’

It sounded absurd at first.

But if the reality of the Haramura family is as I know it…

“Well… it’s not entirely impossible.”

“What? You’re actually believing these guys?” Han Yubin retorted, sounding dumbfounded.

“Believe it or not, what reason do they have to lie?”

“Why else! To hide that the branch ordered it…”

“If that were the case, they would have made up a more plausible excuse. Why tell a lie that sounds strange to anyone who hears it?”

“…….”
Han Yubin seemed momentarily speechless and closed her mouth.

She seemed to realize something was off.

“And it’s actually good news for us.”

I glanced at Isshiki and continued in Korean.

“If we play this right… we might be able to take over the Haramura family.”

“……Huh?” Han Yubin’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What do you mean? We need to acquire the Japanese branch to bring in the Haramura family. But unless the Japanese branch is planning to withdraw from the International Association, acquisition is…”

“The first reason we were trying to acquire the Japanese branch was to absorb the influence of the Haramura family. Everything else was secondary.”

“……And?”

“Since the branch and the Haramura family are already at odds, we won’t achieve that goal even if we acquire the Japanese branch. There’s no need to pay a fortune for an empty shell.”

“Then what do you mean by being able to get the Haramura family…?”

“Let’s switch the order.”

Han Yubin tilted her head at my words.

“Instead of acquiring the Japanese branch to absorb the influence of the Haramura family, let’s get the Haramura family first and use that as leverage to withdraw the Japanese branch from the International Association.”

“……Huh?”

“Even if the acquisition fails, the Haramura family will still be in our hands, so we can achieve our initial goal either way.”

“…….”
Han Yubin looked slightly hesitant, as if she was taken aback by the sudden increase in scale.

“Well… I understand what you’re saying, but do we really need to go that far? It feels like things are getting too big. We don’t really have anything to lose if we don’t acquire it.”

“That’s true. If we were really trying to make money with this business.”

Of course, I’m not trying to make money with this business.

I’m just trying to bring down the International Association and rise to its place.

The Haramura family is a very good tool to achieve that goal.

The reason I bothered to check out the suspicious flyer was just to use the tool well.

Of course, if there was no way to get the Haramura family, I would have given up cleanly.

We’re already making quite a bit of progress in the overseas branch business, and forcing something that can’t be done would lead to nowhere.

“But well… if there’s even a slight chance, we should try, shouldn’t we?”

“Is it possible?”

“It will be possible.”

I looked at the three men kneeling and said in Japanese so everyone could understand.

“If we find Haramura-ssi before the branch does.”

“…….”

“…….”
The men looked flustered.

They seemed to realize what I was asking for.

But the answer they could give was already determined.

“W-We don’t know anything!”

“That’s right! We only heard that Haramura-ssi requested it, we didn’t talk to him directly…”

As expected, they immediately started making excuses.

Well, I understand. What would low-level thugs who only cause trouble to ordinary people know?

“I didn’t expect anything from you. Your boss probably knows, even if you don’t.”

“T-That’s right!”

“Only our boss knows, we really don’t know anything…!”

“Then take me to your office. I’ll ask your boss directly.”
The eyes of the three men widened simultaneously.

They seemed to belatedly realize that something was going seriously wrong.

“W-Well…….”

Finally, one of the men carefully opened his mouth.

“Y-You could die.”

“……Haha, if you’re saying that for your boss’s sake, don’t worry.”

Who’s worried about who?

“I won’t kill him.”

“…….”

“…….”

Well, I’ll decide after seeing what he does.

* * *

At the same time, news about the Haramura workshop was also delivered to Branch Manager Shoichi.

“Members of the Tachibana-gumi Donggang Association are looking for Haramura.”

Branch Manager Shoichi’s face immediately crumpled at Assistant Hina’s report.

“What…? Why are they?”

“I don’t know the details, but they’re going to the workshop almost every day and causing trouble. It seems like someone else requested it.”

“A request? Is someone else looking for the technique?”

“That seems to be the case.”

‘Someone else is looking for the technique. What is this all about?’

Who else knows about this besides the branch?

“Could it be that our employees requested it?”

“No. I investigated the employees who knew about this, and it’s definitely not a request from our side.”

“Then who the hell is…….”

Branch Manager Shoichi clenched his fist.

He suddenly disappeared after going to the workshop a few days ago to buy the technique.

The branch was also searching for Haramura on its own.

Whether it’s through threats or negotiations, we need to meet him to do anything.

Of course, we also have our own work to do, so there was a limit to the number of people we could use, but as long as he’s in Japan, he’s a rat in a trap.

As a result, finding him would be a matter of time, so I didn’t think there was any need to rush…….

‘Suddenly, an intruder interferes…….’

If a competitor interferes, the plan will be disrupted.

Above all, Tachibana-gumi is a group that has a tight grip on the Tokyo area.

Considering the recent news that they have recruited a large number of hunters whose qualifications have been suspended… if they put their minds to it, finding one person would be a piece of cake.

I don’t know who else besides us is aiming for the technique, but if the technique falls into their hands, the branch may lose the Haramura brand forever.

“In this case, it’s impossible to proceed quietly.”

Branch Manager Shoichi cautiously opened his mouth.

“There’s no choice. We have no choice but to release people too.”

“People……?”

“Why, those newly assigned field workers from last time.”

“Are you talking about the balance team?”

Branch Manager Shoichi nodded.

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous……? Asking them for help to find one person is…….”

“Then are we just going to sit back and watch Haramura fall into the hands of some random guy?”

“That’s…….”

Assistant Hina trailed off.

Of course, Branch Manager Shoichi also knew their notoriety well, so he was just as uneasy… but what could he do?

We can’t give up either the title of International Association branch or the Haramura brand.

So we have to find it first no matter what.

We’ll have to accept the fact that a few people will die in the process.

* * *

Tachibana-gumi Donggang Association Saitama Prefecture Headquarters.

The office of the chairman of the Donggang Association, which we arrived at with the guidance of the three men, was quite different from the traditional atmosphere seen in movies.

‘It’s just a normal company office…….’

Of course, the guys guarding the area were anything but ordinary.

“What?”

At that time, the chairman of the Donggang Association came out, scanned Han Yubin and me, and opened his mouth.

He didn’t have the sharp eyes of an action team member, but he had a charisma that gave off a sense of intimidation just by looking at him.

Soon, the man who brought us spoke first on my behalf.

“T-These people said they wanted to see you, sir…….”

“These people?”

Bang!

The chairman suddenly kicked the table over.

“Who are you elevating in front of me right now?!”

“I-I’m sorry!!”

The three men immediately bent over 90 degrees.

Just for a moment, the chairman soon opened his mouth in a low voice.

“You look like a foreigner, what business do you have with me? If you’re here to borrow money, go back. We don’t do business with foreigners.”

“We are looking for Haramura-ssi.”

“……!”

Swish-

The burly men around suddenly drew their swords.

And at the same time.

Slash!

“Aaaagh!!”

They cut down one of the men who brought us without hesitation.

Brutal, damn it.

“We don’t need guys who can’t even keep their mouths shut.”

Soon, he dragged the fallen man out of the office.

The two who were lucky enough to survive were trembling like aspen trees.

“You, what are you? Are you from the branch?”
The chairman asked me.

“No. I’m just a foreigner who came to meet Haramura-ssi. I came because I heard you might know him.”

“Didn’t you hear you could die?”

“I heard.”

“But you still crawled here…?”

Thwack!

He took out a dagger and stabbed it into the table.

Then he glared at me for a while.

“Are you one of us?’

“No. I’m just an ordinary businessman.”

“Damn it, what kind of businessman has eyes like that…….”

He muttered something incomprehensible, then suddenly burst out laughing alone.

‘None of these guys are sane,’ I thought.

“You came to find Haramura?”

“Yes. Do you know him?”

“I know him. I know him, but… I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.”

His eyebrows twitched.

“Is there a reason?”

“He’s been a friend of mine for a long time. He asked me to hide him, so I have to listen.”

“A long-time friend… then do you know a lot about Haramura-ssi?”

“Of course. I even know how many moles he has on his butt. Hehehe.”

He again muttered nonsense and laughed alone.

“Then…….”

I leaned forward and cautiously opened my mouth towards him.

“The rumor that Haramura-ssi makes special weapons… you must also know that it’s a lie.”

“……?!”

“……Huh?”

“……Ha?”

As soon as I finished speaking, everyone around me, including Han Yubin, let out shocked voices.

“…….”

But unlike them, the boss became quiet instead.

A cold, hardened expression.

The appearance of the thug who was joking a moment ago was nowhere to be found.

After a long silence in a truly oppressive atmosphere, he finally opened his mouth.

“Take those two… and kill them.”

As soon as that order was given, the action team members approached me and Han Yubin.

“Well, knowing that would happen, I brought something too.”

I carefully got up from my seat and took out what I had brought from my pocket.

It was a toy knife made of plastic.

“I bought one at the souvenir shop in front of here because they were selling it.”

“You bastard, are you looking down on us now…!”

“Consider it fortunate that you’re being looked down on.”

“[Acquired Skill: Ultimate Beginner – Sword Art]”

“Because that means I won’t kill you at least.”
A blue flash of light flashed from the knife.