The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 198

197

“What, what was that just now?!”

“Sounds like it’s coming from the airport…?”

The distant roar echoed.

The dispatched team from the Chinese Association, having just arrived at the scene, looked around in bewilderment at the sudden noise.

But there was no time to waste.

“What are you doing, you bastards! Focus!”

They were currently facing dozens of monsters that had escaped the dungeon.

“Don’t engage, just hold them back! We can’t handle all of this with the current manpower anyway. We’ve requested reinforcements from headquarters, so let’s just hold out until they arrive.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Understood.”

They turned back to face the enemies before them.

[Unique Skill: Inferno Circle]

[Unique Skill: Summon – Ice Age]

[Unique Skill: Phantom Dance Sword Master]

Boom, Kaboom—!

Thump, Thump—!

The onslaught began.

Following Team Leader Jang’s orders, everyone began pouring out their skills all at once.

Fortunately, the Hong Kong branch had prioritized evacuating citizens, so there weren’t many casualties. Therefore, there was no need to push themselves to subjugate the monsters.

In the current situation, it was enough to prevent the escaped monsters from advancing further, but….

‘The problem is what comes next….’

Team Leader Jang Xian muttered with an anxious expression.

No matter how you slice it, too many dungeons had appeared.

There were still over 10 Yellow Dungeons remaining in the Xianshui area alone.

If monsters started escaping from there before the reinforcements arrived, then things would really get out of hand.

Retaking the Hong Kong branch was secondary; they might have to abandon Hong Kong itself.

‘Come quickly. Please….’

As he muttered desperately, a tremendous number of monsters relentlessly charged in despite the fierce attacks.

Kieeeeeek—!

Krrr—!

“Damn it, there are so many.”

Flame Lizards, lizard-type monsters.

They weren’t particularly dangerous, but they always moved in packs, making them difficult to deal with numerically.

“Attack! Keep attacking!!”

“Don’t stop! Those with insufficient mana, fall back and replenish your potions!”

“Rear guard! Rotate to the front again!”

They had already fended off the Flame Lizard horde several times.

In fact, aside from being troublesome, they weren’t impossible to subjugate.

The Hong Kong branch personnel alone should have been able to handle it….

Kaaaak—!!

At that moment, an ear-splitting roar echoed from somewhere.

The deafening noise caused everyone to drop their weapons and cover their ears.

Thwack—!

The head of the team member at the very front was severed.

“W-what…?”

“Did something just pass by…?”

“I-I didn’t see anything…?!!”

The ranks began to stir from the sudden attack.

Everyone was panicking and bewildered when, in that instant.

Thwack—!

“Ugh…!”

Again, someone’s head was cut off.

“W-what the hell!!”

“What is it?!”

“R-run away!”

“Aaaagh!!”

Eventually, the team members began to retreat in disarray, terrified by the unseen horror.

Thwack, thwack, thwack—.

But they all died.

Escape was impossible.

“D-don’t move!!”

Team Leader Jang shouted, belatedly realizing the identity of their opponent.

A boss had appeared.

The boss of a Red-grade dungeon.

“If you move, it will attack. Absolutely do not move.”

“……!”

Only then did a deathly silence descend.

Team Leader Jang glared and scanned the air.

He had forgotten for a moment.

Due to the nature of lizard-type monsters moving in groups, there was a leader who commanded them.

‘An invisible monster….’

Its camouflage, which defied common sense, made it more than just difficult; it was dangerous.

No wonder the Hong Kong branch’s operation failed.

They were already within the leader’s range.

In this state, they couldn’t retreat, nor could they attack.

What on earth were they supposed to do? It was then.

Cugugugugu—!

A massive presence was felt from another direction.

Kieeeeeek—!

Krrr—!

“This is bad…….”

The worst-case scenario he had feared had finally occurred.

Eventually, monsters had begun to escape from other dungeons as well.

***

Hong Kong Branch, Command and Control Center.

“I refuse.”

Branch Manager Hwang Ga-hui answered Team Leader Lai as if there was nothing to think about.

“Attack the airport where there might be survivors? Surely you don’t think I would accept such an absurd negotiation?”

“…….”

Team Leader Lai’s expression hardened at the firm refusal.

“Do you think I don’t know that you’re trying to pin the blame on me for attacking the airport in the first place?”

“Branch Manager, I don’t think you understand the situation yet….”

Team Leader Lai approached Branch Manager Hwang and said,

“This isn’t a negotiation; it’s a notice.”

“…….”

“If you can’t do it, you’ll be transferred to headquarters as is. You know what will happen after that without me having to say it, right?”

“I already gave up that pathetic life once 20 years ago.”

Team Leader Lai frowned.

‘This is troublesome.’

This was a problem.

If he dragged this out any longer, the Karma Corporation bastards might find the evidence first.

It would become dangerous in many ways if he didn’t handle it as quickly as possible.

“…I have no choice then.”

Team Leader Lai sighed softly and gestured to his subordinate.

Then, the subordinate appeared with a piece of paper.

It was a blank sheet with nothing written on it.

The moment he placed it in front of Branch Manager Hwang.

Thwack—!

“Ugh…!”

Team Leader Lai punched Branch Manager Hwang in the jaw.

As his body staggered greatly from the sudden impact, Team Leader Lai didn’t miss the opportunity and grabbed Branch Manager Hwang’s arm.

“W-what is this…!”

Branch Manager Hwang belatedly struggled, but the deed had already been done in the blink of an eye.

Team Leader Lai grabbed his arm and forcibly scribbled a signature on the blank paper.

“Take this and create an airport bombing permit, and deliver it to the remaining operation personnel.”

“Understood.”

Team Leader Lai handed the blank signature to his subordinates.

“Y-you crazy bastards…!”

Branch Manager Hwang, who had struggled to get up, spat out a voice filled with anger.

“How long do you think you can cover up that filthy behavior?! How long do you think you can do as you please like this…!”

The moment he opened his mouth.

Boom—!!!

A roar was heard from afar.

Branch Manager Hwang’s pupils shook greatly from the impact that shook the building.

“Branch Manager, the attack is complete.”

His subordinate reported calmly.

“How long do you think we can cover it up? Well, isn’t it obvious?”

Team Leader Lai answered leisurely, as if asking what he was even asking.

“We belong to the Chinese Association. As long as the authorities don’t collapse, we can cover it up forever.”

“…….”

“Well, don’t look at me like that. Thanks to this, I saved your life, didn’t I?”

Team Leader Lai smirked.

That was it.

Everything was resolved with this.

The fact that they had attacked the airport was now buried forever underground by the second bombing.

No matter how much Branch Manager Hwang shouted the truth, no one would believe him as long as there was an order signed by him.

No, rather, they could pin everything they had done on him.

The Karma Corporation bastards, who had been bothering him, were also dealt with at once by the attack just now.

The dispatched rescue team, as well as CEO Kim Jun-woo, who might have been alive, would never see the light of day again.

‘Now, all I have to do is wait for the additional troops to arrive from headquarters….’

Everything would be finished.

Wiiiiing—.

At that moment, an emergency siren began to sound in the control room.

“B-Branch Manager!”

One of the employees who was monitoring shouted urgently.

“Monster breakouts have been confirmed in other dungeons as well!”

“W-what…? Already?!”

The thing he had feared had finally happened.

“How many?!”

“There are too many dungeons appearing, so we can’t accurately grasp the numbers.”

“Give me an estimate!”

“W-well, since there are a total of 12 dungeons appearing in the Xianshui area alone, if we assume that they all escaped from there….”

The employee opened his mouth heavily after diligently tapping on the keyboard.

“It is estimated to be at least 200 or more….”

“You’ve got to be kidding…!”

Team Leader Lai, who finally realized that things were not going well, urgently contacted headquarters.

“Hey, it’s me! When are the additional troops arriving?! It’s an emergency here!”

The headquarters control team employee who received the call answered in a barely audible voice.

「Ah, I was just about to contact you… It seems that it will be difficult to provide troop support.」

“What…? What do you mean?!”

「The additional support team just contacted us, and they said that all the roads leading into Hong Kong have been destroyed, so they can’t enter.」

“What?!”

Team Leader Lai’s eyes widened.

“Then what about helicopters? They can move by helicopter!”

「W-well… after checking, all the heliports in Hong Kong have also been destroyed…….」

“Damn it, what the hell…!”

At that moment, a spark flashed in Team Leader Lai’s head.

‘Could it be Karma Corporation, those bastards…?’

Had they completely locked down Hong Kong?

To prevent support from headquarters?

「We are currently restoring the roads as much as possible, but it seems that it will take some time.」

“How long!”

「About two more days…….」

“You’ve got to be kidding!”

Team Leader Lai slammed the desk.

They hadn’t even dealt with the monsters that had already escaped, and there were more than 200 additional monsters that had escaped.

Moreover, there were still several more active dungeons remaining.

This was not a situation that could be handled by a few elites.

This was a national disaster-level situation that required all of headquarters’ forces to step up.

In this situation, they were supposed to hold out for two more days with just themselves?

There was no way that was possible.

‘I’m screwed…….’

At this rate, not only would they fail to retake Hong Kong, but Hong Kong itself would disappear.

And he would be solely responsible for that.

He couldn’t let that happen.

Rather than taking all the responsibility….

“…Branch Manager Hwang.”

At that moment, Team Leader Lai’s gaze turned to Branch Manager Hwang Ga-hui.

“I will return the command to you.”

“……What did you say?”

“You’re the head of the Hong Kong branch! I’ll give you back the command, so from now on, you’re responsible for handling it!”

“Ha, haha…!”

Branch Manager Hwang let out a burst of laughter at the desperate voice.

“How pathetic, Team Leader Lai. You’re going to pass it on to me now?”

“Shut up and listen to me. You’re in charge here from now on, got it?”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“You crazy…!”

Team Leader Lai raised his fist again.

“Accept it.”

At that moment, someone entered the command room and said.

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to that place….

“Take back the command. Isn’t this an opportunity to get the branch back?”

It was none other than the CEO of Karma Corporation.

Kim Jun-woo was standing there.

“C-CEO? How did you get here….”

“We can talk about that later.”

Soon, he approached Team Leader Lai.

He smiled in front of him, who was stiff as if he had seen a ghost, and opened his mouth.

“From now on, I’ll be in command, so you can get lost.”

***

“H-how on earth…?”

The man who appeared to be from the Chinese Association had an unbelievable look on his face.

Did they really think we would die from that level of attack?

‘Well, I almost died, though….’

Fortunately, Kim Min-ju immediately deflected the attack, so we were safe.

Seriously, now she’s even deflecting skills with a sword.

She’s not even human.

I scanned the command room.

Judging by the looks of things, I had a rough idea of what the situation was.

Judging by the looks of things, it was the Chinese Association, not the monsters, who attacked the airport first.

If they ordered the withdrawal of the branch rescue team so that they wouldn’t find any evidence, then everything would roughly add up.

But an unexpected third party intervened… so they were trying to bury us along with the airport.

And that order was issued under Branch Manager Hwang Ga-hui’s signature.

‘They’re doing stupid things.’

Who else but me can solve this situation right now?

As I shook my head, the man raised his voice, veins popping out of his neck.

“I don’t think you understand the situation yet, but this is not something a third party should interfere with! This is strictly a matter for the authorities…!”

“Then can you solve it?”

“……!”

“If you just insist without the ability, will the monsters just die on their own? If you can’t do it, then step aside and watch.”

“You guys… the moment you interfere with this operation, the authorities won’t stand still. We will formally protest to Korea…!”

“Do whatever you want.”

I said, passing by him as he continued to ramble on, not even getting tired of it.

“I’m thinking of destroying the Chinese Association this time.”

I drowned out his words and approached the monitor.

“Ah, ah. This is Kim Jun-woo from the Central Control Room. Each team, have you arrived at the scene?”

「This is Team Leader Kim Min-ju. I just arrived.」

「Team 2, Han Yu-bin. We’ve arrived too.」

「We’ve also set up a temporary support room near the site. Weapon supply and hunter care are available immediately.」