The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 169

168

“Haa…”

It’s only been three days since I returned from Japan.

I solved a major issue, so I should feel relaxed, but…

A long sigh escapes me.

There’s too much work.

Way too much.

Director Lee Ah-young gave me a heads-up, but I never imagined it would pile up this much just from being away for a week.

Moreover, most of it is important work that can’t be skimped on, like reviewing overseas business plans or this quarter’s Yellow-grade or higher dungeon subjugation plans.

On top of that, I have to prepare for a press conference regarding the recent delegation of operational responsibility for the Japan branch.

Most of all, because Directors Lee Ah-young and Ha Sung-il haven’t returned from Japan yet, all the work that should be going to them is coming to me.

‘Could this be why they deliberately stayed in the Japan branch…?’

A strange sense of betrayal flickers, but only for a moment.

I lean back in my chair.

‘Tch, I was better off just cleaning….’

Even though it was physically tiring, I could just focus on cleaning.

I’ve spent half my life in dungeons, and now I’m doing paperwork I’ve never done before… My head is aching to the point of turning to stone.

Of course, if I were told to go back to that time, I would refuse without hesitation.

‘Haa, how… it never ends.’

Out of frustration, I rummage through the pile of documents on my desk when something catches my eye.

‘Internal suggestions…?’

I become intrigued and pull it out.

Suggestions shouldn’t be coming to me.

Originally, internal suggestions are handled collectively by the Support Division.

Naturally, the person in charge of this task is Director Lee Ah-young, or the Support Division staff.

Unless it’s a very big issue, it doesn’t come to me.

It seems it went around and around and ended up here because she’s not here.

‘Let’s see….’

I open the document and see that it’s a suggestion from the cleaning team.

I slowly begin to examine the contents.

It’s like how even the news seems interesting during exam periods.

After reviewing everything without realizing how much time has passed, I close the document and stroke my chin for a moment.

So, this is what’s been happening.

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to this area….

Of course, it’s definitely not something I should handle directly. I could just pass it on to the Support Division, but I’m caught in thought.

After staring blankly at the mountain of documents piled on my desk, I finally decide.

‘Should I go and change the mood?’

Yes, relieving the employees’ grievances directly is also the duty of the CEO.

A truly great leader should be able to take care of even these small details.

Anyway, that’s the reason.

It’s definitely not because I don’t want to work and am trying to slack off.

***

“No, how long do we have to keep doing this?!”

Kim Dong-hyuk, from Cleaning Team 2, raises his voice in agitation.

Team 2 Leader Bae Hae-gap immediately retorts.

“Why are you complaining to me, you punk? We’ve already submitted the suggestion, so let’s just wait and see.”

“Do you think they’ll even listen to it? These days, they’re only focused on overseas stuff like the Japan branch, right?”

“Hey, when haven’t they listened? At least they’ll send someone in charge down here.”

“Haa, who knows when that will be.”

Kim Dong-hyuk messes up his hair as if dissatisfied, and Team Leader Bae Hae-gap frowns.

Of course, it’s not good to talk back to the team leader, but he knows that the team members are suffering a lot because of this incident, so he can’t bring himself to scold them.

The reason they’ve become so edgy lately is none other than the temporary storage facility.

The temporary storage facility for corpses.

It’s an institution set up in various locations throughout the city for the cleaning team to temporarily store the corpses they’ve finished working on.

They write down the monster type, name, and any special characteristics, classify the corpses, and then a designated transport company collects them every night and delivers them to nearby byproduct processing facilities.

Of course, if transport is possible at the same time as the work, there’s no need to store the corpses, but individual transport is costly in terms of manpower and resources, making it realistically difficult.

It was a method used since the days of the Korean Association, and Karma Corporation, which merged with the association, continues to adhere to the same method.

However, recently, a complaint was filed regarding the temporary storage facility in District 19, located in a very wealthy neighborhood.

The nearby apartment complex requested the closure of the temporary storage facility due to odor and emotional issues.

In fact, it was an absurd request.

Of course, temporary storage facilities are always installed underground to ensure the emotional stability of citizens, and they are thoroughly managed to prevent problems such as odors or gas leaks.

At first, they tried to resolve it through dialogue, but because they strongly opposed it, the temporary storage facility in District 19 was eventually closed.

The problem was what came next.

Since the storage facility in that district disappeared, they had no choice but to move the corpses to storage facilities in other districts.

In the past, the corpses were collected once every night from the storage facility, so they weren’t very noticeable.

Now, they had to move the corpses every time they worked, day and night, so it was natural that they would be more visible to people.

Thanks to that, another complaint.

The content was that they would regulate the transport of corpses near schools and apartments because it negatively affects children’s emotions.

“Seriously, this is too much. It’s not like we’re showing off the corpses all over the neighborhood! We cover them well with vinyl, but the fact that they’re doing this is just…!”

“Do you really think it’s because of the kids? They just don’t want monster corpses roaming around in their living areas.”

Team Leader Bae Hae-gap clicks his tongue.

Since they can’t do this and can’t do that, they have no choice but to go as far as possible to other storage facilities after finishing work in the area.

In fact, up to that point, it was just annoying, and there weren’t any major problems.

They thought it couldn’t be helped and tried to put up with the slight inconvenience.

Until the news that monster corpses had been completely driven out of the neighborhood reached other apartment complexes.

Thanks to that, requests to close storage facilities are pouring in from this neighborhood and that neighborhood.

Cleaning Team 1 Leader Han Sang-hyuk and Cleaning Manager Moon So-yeon seem to be working hard to resolve this issue, but it seems like it’s not going well, judging from the lack of news.

In the end, Team Leader Bae Hae-gap couldn’t stand it any longer and submitted an internal suggestion.

Of course, he can’t guarantee that the higher-ups will pay attention to such minor matters.

‘Tch, those selfish bastards….’

Bae Hae-gap muttered and shifted his gaze to the young man standing awkwardly next to him.

“Beom-jin, I’m sorry. You’ve only been with us for less than a month, and you’re suffering as soon as you join.”

“Ah, no. The seniors are suffering more than me. I’m fine.”

Woo Beom-jin, a new employee of Cleaning Team 2, replies in a tense voice.

“It makes me feel a little better that you say that. Hehe.”

“Team Leader, you’re just saying that. Would a fresh-faced young rookie tell the team leader that it’s hard?”

Kim Dong-hyuk shakes his head.

“Anyway, this isn’t even a problem that we can solve on our own, but what the heck are the higher-ups doing….”

“Sigh, do you think the higher-ups would care about this? They’re probably too busy with important things like subjugation and overseas business.”

“Still, this isn’t right. What, I heard our CEO was a cleaner? Then they should pay more attention, what is this.”

Kim Dong-hyuk blurts out words that are either audacity or recklessness.

“Should I just go and meet the CEO directly? I can say a word or two clearly!”

“No, you punk. I’ll talk to the person in charge when they come, so don’t talk nonsense and just watch.”

“Do you trust them? Don’t just say it’s okay and manageable because they’re a higher-up?”

“Would a high-ranking person come down for this kind of thing? At most, it’ll be someone from the Support Division. And so what if they’re a higher-up! I’ll give them a piece of my mind even if the CEO comes, so don’t worry!”

Team Leader Bae Hae-gap pounds his chest with his fist and makes a confident promise.

And then, the phone rang in the office.

“Beom-jin, answer the phone.”

“Yes, yes.”

Woo Beom-jin, who answered the phone at the team leader’s instruction, said “Yes, yes” a few times and quickly ended the call.

“What is it? Who is it?”

“Uh… it’s the person in charge… they said they’re coming now to check on the suggestion.”

“Ah, really? That’s good timing.”

Team Leader Bae Hae-gap rolls up his sleeves and puts on a determined expression.

But it didn’t last long.

Knock, knock—.

A man appeared with a knock.

“I heard there’s a problem with the temporary storage facility, so I came. Is the team leader here?”

“……Huh?”

“……Ah?”

As soon as Team Leader Bae Hae-gap and Deputy Kim Dong-hyuk saw the person in charge, they froze on the spot.

Kim Jun-woo.

The highest authority of the company they belong to.

The CEO of Karma Corporation, who they joked about, had actually come in person.

“You said you’d give them a piece of your mind even if the CEO came, right?”

“Didn’t you say you were going to go directly and negotiate?”

“…….”

“…….”

The two muttered to each other and then closed their mouths as if they had made a promise.

Son of a bitch.

Who would have known that the real CEO would come down.

***

“…….”

“…….”

Cleaning Team 2 office.

A situation where he is meeting with several employees, including Team Leader Bae Hae-gap, to hear the details.

But.

‘Why isn’t anyone talking…?’

For some reason, no one has opened their mouth for several minutes.

Did they put glue on their mouths?

If you’re not going to say anything after calling someone, why did you submit the suggestion?

In the end, I couldn’t stand it any longer and opened my mouth first.

“I have reviewed the suggestions in detail. You’re saying that requests to close temporary storage facilities are coming from various places?”

“Yes, yes, yes… that’s right.”

“It must be quite inconvenient for you to work.”

“Ah, no. It’s manageable.”

“……?”

Manageable?

Then why did you submit the suggestion?

‘More than that… it’s not manageable at all, is it?’

Even though I look like this, I’m from a cleaning background.

There’s no way I wouldn’t know what happens when temporary storage facilities are reduced.

“Are you really okay?”

“Th-that… yes, yes. It’s okay.”

Team Leader Bae Hae-gap answers vaguely, and Deputy Kim Dong-hyuk immediately glares at him.

I don’t know why.

I let out a faint sigh and continued.

“Please don’t be afraid to speak comfortably because I’m the CEO. You must have submitted the suggestion because there are clearly difficulties, right?”

“…….”

“…….”

Even though I told them not to be afraid and speak, they don’t open their mouths.

They’re persistent, persistent.

Am I going to eat them or something?

Why are they all like that…….

“As it becomes difficult to use temporary storage facilities, the entire process of storing monster corpses and scheduling work is becoming difficult.”

“……?”

“……?!”

At that moment, the young man who had been silent next to me finally opened his mouth.

Judging from the unfamiliar face, he seems to be a rookie.

“Hey, hey…!”

“You, you punk…!”

At the same time, the team leader and deputy are horrified as if they had detonated a bomb.

But the rookie continued to speak without paying attention.

“If this continues, the average amount of work that can be done per day may decrease by more than 40% compared to the past. Not only are temporary storage facilities being closed, but even the roads where corpses can be transported are being restricted, so the problem is more serious than expected. Therefore, I think the intervention of the higher-ups is necessary for a more fundamental solution.”

“…….”

“…….”

As soon as the rookie finished speaking, the two men sitting next to him began to tense up.

I stared at the rookie for a moment and then smiled.

He’s a useful guy, isn’t he?

“I understand. For the time being, I will accompany the cleaning team and try to find a solution myself.”

“…Y-yes?!”

“D-does that mean the CEO is going to work with us…?”

“That’s right. Of course, only if the three of you aren’t uncomfortable.”

“Ah, no, how could we be. It’s an honor for us. However…….”

Team Leader Bae waved his hand and then continued cautiously.

“Our schedule may be a little difficult for you to accompany us…….”

“Haha, don’t worry.”

A little difficult?

Seriously, I’m speechless.

Back in my day, even if it was ‘Unlucky Day’ for five days in a row, I would sleep for 3 hours and come to work on weekends.

“Even though I look like this, my nickname was the possessed broom a year ago.”

Of course, it’s a lie.

But what can I do?

I’m tired of being stuck in the office doing paperwork now.