The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 275

274

WDSO Headquarters, Seoul, South Korea.

The sudden news had thrown the headquarters into turmoil.

A board meeting was hastily convened.

Chloe Ross.

Former team leader of the Bank Item Management Team at PB Corporation.

Also, the leader of the hostile takeover that attacked the Korean Association two years prior.

The news that they were considering recruiting her into WDSO had just been delivered.

Moreover, the proposal was for her to head Eclipse, replacing Support Headquarters Director Lee Ah-young.

“Absolutely not!”

“She’s the one who tried to wipe out the entire operations team two years ago!”

“That’s right. Who knows what she’ll do if we bring her in!”

“Instead of bringing her in, shouldn’t we just hand her over to the police?!”

As expected, the directors reacted with agitation even before taking their seats.

“Who on earth brought up this agenda?”

“Could it be… Team Leader Kim Jun-woo again?”

“Secretary-General, you must deal with this decisively this time!”

They had already identified the culprit before he could even speak.

“…Everyone, please sit down first.”

Secretary-General Park In-beom said, pressing his forehead.

His voice and expression were unusually grave.

Only then did the directors quietly take their seats, watching the Secretary-General’s mood.

Secretary-General Park In-beom let out a deep sigh.

He wasn’t entirely happy with Chloe’s recruitment either.

Even he, who had until now blindly supported Kim Jun-woo’s proposals, felt this way, so the other directors were bound to be even more opposed.

If it were simply a matter of judging Chloe’s recruitment into WDSO, he would have rejected it outright without even bringing it to the board meeting, regardless of Kim Jun-woo’s recommendation.

But…

“There’s information that Secretary-General Wesley… is planning an attack soon.”

Secretary-General Park In-beom revealed cautiously.

“Yes… ?”

“A, an attack? What does that mean…?”

The directors’ eyes narrowed.

Secretary-General Park In-beom continued with a complicated expression.

“The International Association is facing its worst crisis ever due to the recent incident at the Japan branch. At this rate, they may lose control. They will likely try to demonstrate their power to maintain their influence.”

“Where are they attacking…?”

“Are you saying it’s our country?”

“We don’t know about that. However…”

Secretary-General Park In-beom looked at the directors with a glint in his eyes.

“Chloe, that woman knows.”

“……!”

“……!”

The directors’ eyes widened.

“As you all know, we are at war with the International Association. Checking each other’s power and attacking in any possible way is… only natural in a war situation.”

Secretary-General Park In-beom leaned back in his chair and spoke again.

“But as always, our top priority is the safety of the citizens. If civilians lose their lives due to the power struggle between the two organizations… apart from politics or diplomacy, we are not qualified as an international organization.”

He looked at the directors with sharp eyes once again and continued.

“So… we must prevent the attack, no matter what.”

“…….”

“…….”

The directors, who had been agitated, fell silent, refraining from answering.

We must prevent the attack…

That was a perfectly reasonable statement, beyond dispute.

In fact, if the International Association, cornered, launched an attack, a massive resistance might arise among the countries angered by it.

Until now, everyone had been hesitant, only watching, afraid of being harmed, but now they would try to stand against the International Association even if it meant suffering damage.

It would be a war of killing and being killed.

If countries united according to each camp and launched a fierce offensive until one side collapsed… in fact, WDSO wouldn’t need to come forward.

The war would be directed by each country, and we would simply support them from behind with weapons and insufficient troops.

A great war triggered by the attack.

An opportunity to confront them with full force without worrying about what others think.

The easiest and most effective way to bring down the International Association without us directly intervening.

However, if the goal of destroying the International Association for the safety of citizens is achieved through the sacrifice of citizens…

What meaning would that have?

Do anything to achieve the goal?

Then how are we different from the International Association?

‘He’s passing on the difficult stuff…’

Secretary-General Park In-beom muttered to himself.

It was uncomfortable to accept it readily, and yet, if he ignored it, he couldn’t even estimate the negative impact it would have in the future.

The directors were also having the same concerns, and everyone was silent, lost in thought.

And then.

“By the way… that information that the International Association is going to launch an attack… can we trust it?”

Go Byeong-cheol, an outside director who had been wearing a serious expression, cautiously asked.

The other directors, belatedly realizing this, raised their voices.

“Come to think of it…”

“You don’t believe that woman’s words, do you?”

“Isn’t it obvious that it’s a lie to get on our side!”

Chairman Park In-beom wore a reluctant expression.

Well, it was only natural that her information was not trusted in this situation, but…

“It’s not necessarily so.”

Nevertheless, Secretary-General Park In-beom shook his head and said.

“Leaving aside the source, if we consider the International Association’s actions so far, isn’t it a possibility?”

“Th, that’s true, but…”

“…It might not be.”

“Yes, it might not be. It might not be, but…”

Secretary-General Park In-beom trailed off for a moment and let out a faint sigh.

He looked like he was wondering if he really had to say this.

Soon, he slowly continued.

“If, just if, it’s true, then what are we going to do?”

“That’s…”

“…….”

“Of course, I understand what you’re saying. Not investing in an uncertain future and trying not to lose as much as possible is a necessary mindset as a businessman, but unfortunately, we are no longer businessmen.”

At Secretary-General Park In-beom’s words, the directors seemed to have nothing more to say.

Yes.

Karma Corporation, which used to be a private subjugation company, is no more.

Currently, WDSO is a clear international organization.

An organization where preparing for the worst, even at the cost of losses, is more important than a sure investment for profit.

So… now we have to make a choice.

However, Secretary-General Park In-beom was still deep in thought.

In the end, he couldn’t easily make a decision and quietly asked Director Lee Doo-shik.

“What do you think?”

“Logically speaking, recruitment is obviously out of the question. She may have other intentions, and she may betray us again if things go wrong.”

“That’s right…”

“So, I was thinking…”

Director Lee Doo-shik continued in a low voice.

“What if we set a condition that she works in the cleaning team for a month?”

“…….”

Secretary-General Park In-beom hesitated for a moment.

“Is that some kind of human rehabilitation team?”

He frowned.

***

Cleaning Team 3’s office, located in the WDSO headquarters and individual buildings.

Chloe and I were waiting for the board meeting to end.

“…….”

“…….”

I brought her here because there was nowhere else to go, but since we had nothing to say to each other, we both remained silent.

We had been sitting there blankly for 30 minutes without saying a word, and just as the awkward atmosphere reached its peak.

“Tsk, it’s suffocating.”

In the end, she opened her mouth as if she couldn’t stand it, looking displeased.

“What, shouldn’t you at least offer me some tea? I’m a guest, aren’t I?”

“A guest? Don’t you understand the situation yet?”

“Geez… well, let’s forget about the hospitality, but at least we could wait in a cleaner place. Why is it so dirty here?”

“Just stay still. I brought you here thinking of you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If you had waited in the operations team’s office, you wouldn’t have had any bones left before the board meeting ended.”

The person who tried to kill them two years ago appeared before their eyes; there was no way the vigorous hunters would stay still.

Chloe seemed to understand what I meant only then, and she didn’t complain any further.

But that was only for a moment.

“But why are they having a meeting among themselves without me? It would be faster to just ask me.”

This time, she brought up another point.

“Isn’t it because they can’t trust anything you say?”

“…Ha, I’m speechless, really.”

“Now that you’ve come this far, at least pretend to reflect. There’s no one here who will welcome you.”

When I replied coldly, she clicked her tongue and crossed her arms.

Tsk, I can’t see any sign of remorse.

“By the way…”

This time, I spoke first.

“Civilian lives are at stake, and you want to negotiate with that? Can’t you just tell us the expected attack area?”

“That’s my lifeline, you know? Who doesn’t know that you’ll throw me away right away if I tell you?”

“Oh…”

She’s quite perceptive.

“I betrayed the International Association. If I can’t get into WDSO, I’m really going to die, no joke. I need to have a weapon to protect myself.”

“…….”

I clicked my tongue and nodded.

Well…

Actually, she’s right this time.

She can’t just show her hand if she might die.

“Anyway, I don’t know what the board of directors will decide. I wanted to at least try to persuade them, but… the agenda is such that they didn’t even listen to me at all.”

“Weren’t you the representative?”

“Can’t you see the state of the office? Do you still think I’m the representative?”

“…It’s hard to get to the top, but it’s only a moment to fall.”

She clicked her tongue and muttered.

I seriously thought about hitting her just once.

I clenched my fist and tried to endure it.

“Anyway, the decision is entirely up to the board of directors. There’s nothing I can do, so just accept it even if it doesn’t go well.”

“…….”

She stared at me for a moment, then covered her face with both hands.

“Sniffle. They’re really going to abandon me… sniffle…”

“If you pretend to cry that damn thing one more time, the recruitment will be off.”

When I said it with genuine contempt, she raised one corner of her mouth and shrugged her shoulders.

‘Ugh, I’m getting angry…’

She’s a real pain in the ass.

After that, I tried to hold back my anger at Chloe’s constant provocations, grinding my teeth, when suddenly.

Bang—.

Director Lee Doo-shik came into the office.

“Is it over?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Director Lee Doo-shik glanced at Chloe and answered dryly.

“How did it go?”

“Well… they decided to allow the recruitment.”

“I see.”

The moment I nodded.

Clap clap clap—.

I turned my head at the sudden applause, and Chloe, who was sitting behind, was smiling and clapping her hands.

She wouldn’t have understood the details, but she seemed to have roughly guessed the atmosphere.

‘Ha…’

She’s a pro at making people angry.

I can’t hit her, really.

I tried to ignore her and opened my mouth again.

“By the way, how did you persuade the directors? There must have been a lot of opposition.”

“Instead of allowing it unconditionally, I set one condition.”

“A condition?”

When I asked back, Director Lee Doo-shik raised the corner of his mouth and answered.

“A condition that she works in the cleaning team for a month.”

“…….”

And at that answer, my eyes flashed.

“…Which team?”

“Team 3.”

“What are the labor standards?”

“There’s no such thing. She doesn’t even have a visa yet.”

“Perfect.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

Without anyone saying anything, Lee Doo-shik and I turned our gaze to Chloe and raised the corners of our mouths.

“……?”

Of course, she had no idea what was going on.

Nevertheless, she seemed to have sensed something was amiss, and her expression was gradually hardening.