The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 278

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277

Germany, Berlin.

After arriving at Berlin International Airport and successfully passing through immigration.

“Thankfully, we weren’t caught.”

I sighed in relief.

If they had discovered our affiliation with WDSO [World Defense Special Operations], we would have been deported immediately. Entry would have been out of the question.

Of course, we had temporarily transferred all three of us to Hanbyul Construction in preparation for such an event, but I still felt uneasy.

Disguised as Hanbyul Construction employees, we planned to approach the German Association.

Chief Haseongil put a lot of effort into this operation.

It’s only natural that we’d use any means necessary to prevent the airstrike, but that’s just our perspective.

Hanbyul Construction, a private company, has nothing to do with this. On the contrary, if they rashly get involved, even the already signed projects could be canceled.

In other words, Hanbyul Construction had no reason to grant our request.

Chief Haseongil said he spent day and night persuading Hanbyul Construction’s president… that is, his sister, to take on this task.

Thanks to his hard work, we were able to get a disguised affiliation with great difficulty.

Currently, my cover is the head of the German division of Hanbyul Construction’s overseas business department, dispatched to oversee the bridge construction project in Berlin.

Chloe is the local German representative in charge of site review.

And the other person is…….

“You only needed to bring that woman, so why did you bring me?”

It was Chief Iayoung, supposedly here for local legal advice.

“Are you still complaining about that? We’ve already left the country! Can’t you just accept it?”

“That’s because you haven’t answered me since we left!”

Chief Iayoung glanced at Chloe, who was following behind, and spoke close to me.

Well… they haven’t gotten along since their first meeting.

Even though she said she would hand over the position of General Manager of Eclipse, there’s no way they’d become friends so quickly.

It’s not like I don’t know that.

Even so, there’s a good reason why I brought the two of them together.

“We’re essentially entering the country under disguise. We have to maintain the pretense of being affiliated with Hanbyul Construction, at least until we persuade the association. You’re more of an expert at that than I am.”

“Then what about that woman? What’s her role?”

“Isn’t she from PB Corporation [a fictional company]? What a former member of the International Association says will be more credible than what we say.”

“Haa…….”

Chief Iayoung sighed deeply at my answer.

She looked like she had a lot to say, but couldn’t think of a counterargument.

Taking advantage of that, I subtly glanced at Chloe.

She was pulling her carrier and following behind us, looking somewhat uneasy.

“Is there a problem?”

“Well, it’s not really a problem, but…….”

She answered my question.

“It’s Europe. The International Association is always watching this place. I’m not sure when I’m going to die, so I’m a little anxious.”

“…….”

“…….”

She said such things quite calmly.

“See? I told you not to bring that woman.”

Chief Iayoung whispered.

“The International Association must be searching for her like they’re hunting mice. If we get caught with her, persuasion or anything else will be completely useless, right?”

“Aren’t you being too extreme? They must be busy preparing for the airstrike. Would they waste their energy trying to find a team leader who defected?”

“Still, what if…….”

Just as Chief Iayoung was continuing to grumble.

“By the way, I’ve been wondering since before…….”

As the two of us were whispering, Chloe suddenly interjected.

“Are you two dating?”

“…….”

“…….”

What the hell is she talking about?

“What kind of nonsense is that…….”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

I heard an answer that felt like a slap in the face, and I immediately turned to Chief Iayoung.

“What do you mean yes? Since when have we been like that? I don’t want to be misunderstood, so don’t joke around and be serious…….”

“Ah, just stay still. This way, that woman won’t make any moves on you.”

Instead, she urged me.

I asked back, dumbfounded.

“What moves are you talking about?”

“Haven’t you seen any movies? That woman might seduce you and steal information. That might have been her purpose from the beginning!”

“If that was her intention from the beginning, would she give up by saying she has a lover?”

“…….”

She pursed her lips as if she hadn’t thought that far.

Of course, that didn’t last long either.

“Anyway! Just let her think that way, just in case.”

“……Haa.”

What on earth is she saying?

It seems like she’s just making the situation more troublesome.

As I was making a rather sullen expression at that thought.

“I don’t care what you two do, so can you stop whispering?”

Chloe snapped.

“……Ahem.”

“…….”

At those words, Chief Iayoung and I felt awkward and slightly distanced ourselves.

But that was only for a moment.

“Anyway… we are now employees dispatched for the Berlin bridge project. Of course, that’s just on the surface. I believe everyone is aware of their positions.”

I brought up the main point again to clear the air.

“Our first goal right now is to conceal our true identities and approach the German Association to persuade the chairman.”

“What’s the second?”

“Of course, it’s to prevent the International Association’s airstrike.”

I answered Iayoung’s question immediately.

“And everyone should keep in mind that if we fail in this, Hanbyul Construction will also suffer enormous damage.”

“……I guess so.”

“I heard that this construction project is worth about 300 billion won [approximately $250 million USD]. If our disguised affiliation is exposed, Hanbyul Construction’s project will be completely ruined.”

I said in a serious tone.

“Hanbyul Construction is helping us with this project, which has no benefit to them, out of loyalty to us. Everyone, please be more alert and dedicated.”

“Okay.”

“…….”

Chief Iayoung answered immediately as always, but Chloe just stood there blankly and shrugged.

……That’s it.

I didn’t expect loyalty from her.

It’s enough if she just does her job.

“Then where are we going first? We’re not going straight to the association, are we?”

“I wish we could, but we can’t. We have no justification for contacting the association right now. We should go to the place where we signed the bridge construction project first.”

When I said that, they both nodded slightly.

I took the lead and said.

“Then… let’s go now.”

To the National Assembly.

***

Korea, Seoul.

Cleaning Team 3 visited headquarters to report after completing a week of work.

And in between.

“I wonder why they didn’t take us this time……?”

Munsuyeon muttered.

“What? You’ve been sulking all day because they didn’t take you?”

“It’s Europe, not just anywhere. All my friends have been there at least once…….”

Munsuyeon pouted at Hansanghyuk’s teasing.

“Yeah, it’s a shame. Don’t tease her about it.”

“No, well… I wasn’t really teasing her…….”

When Deputy Head Parkgeuntae joined in, Hansanghyuk scratched his head, embarrassed.

“But I heard that Kimjunwoo went there with a lot of difficulty?”

Trying to comfort her, he shared what he knew.

“I heard he disguised himself as a Hanbyul Construction employee, pretending to be in charge of the project to barely get in. If they found out he was a member of WDSO, he would be sent back immediately.”

“R, really…?”

“I heard it from my sister, so I don’t know for sure. But if there are too many people, it’s hard to maintain the disguise, so I think they only took the experts.”

Of course, it wasn’t a definite fact, but it was a reasonable explanation.

Munsuyeon nodded, understanding.

“By the way, if it’s Hanbyul Construction… are you talking about the one where Chief Haseongil’s sister is the president?”

Deputy Head Parkgeuntae asked.

“Yes. I heard Chief Haseongil had to persuade her a lot.”

“Wow~ that’s amazing. No matter how much it’s a brother’s request, it wouldn’t have been easy considering their own business is at stake. I guess they were originally on good terms.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I thought all siblings were like us. Hehehe.”

Siblings who get along well.
Hansanghyuk laughed, amazed by such a relationship.

At that moment.

“Haseongil, you son of a bitch!!”

A woman rushed into the headquarters building, shouting.

A voice and face full of anger.
The woman who came in with the momentum to destroy everything was none other than…….

“That crazy bastard secretly took our contract and ran away?! Do you even know how much this contract is worth?! Where is Haseongil, that bastard!! Come out now!!”

The president of Hanbyul Construction and Haseongil’s eldest sister.

It was Hamiyeon.

“H, President Ha…?”

“W, what brings you here…….”

The employees in the headquarters lobby immediately approached her, trying to stop the sudden appearance of a VIP…….

“I don’t need anything, just bring Haseongil! Bring him to me right now!!”

She was clearly out of her mind.

“…….”

“…….”

Cleaning Team 3 members watched the scene.

“I guess siblings are all the same.”

“……I guess so.”

They shook their heads, not specifying who they were talking about.

***

[Team Leader Kim, I guess this is the end for me. I hope you will continue to move forward even without me. It was an honor to be with you all this time.]

‘……?’

A text message from Chief Haseongil.

No, a suicide note.

‘What the hell is going on…?’

I tilted my head, puzzled by the message.

But there was no time to be distracted.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah. No, it’s nothing.”

German Parliament, Berlin.

I was meeting with Minister Lukas of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

I hurriedly put my cell phone in my pocket and continued.

“Anyway… as I said, it will take about two weeks to start construction. We need to review the land, and it will take time to get various permits.”

“That’s very fast. It’s okay if it takes longer, so please try to eliminate all variables. Safety is the priority, not speed.”

The answer of a typical stickler for the rules.

Minister Lukas seemed to be quite stubborn, as I had heard.

If our affiliation is exposed to such a person, we’ll be kicked back to Korea without a second thought, let alone persuasion. But now, that stubbornness might actually help us.

“But… there is one problem.”

I took out the documents and opened my mouth.

“What’s the problem…?”

“The area currently scheduled is the Hafel River, but after our investigation, the frequency of dungeon appearances is quite high.”

“…Is that so?”

He answered with a question.

It seemed he wasn’t aware of that fact either.

“It will take at least three months to build… if a dungeon appears in the meantime, the workers as well as the construction itself will be in danger.”

“Hmm, that’s definitely a big deal.”

“So, I’m saying…….”

I brought up the main point.

“Could we ask the German Association for help?”

“D, the German Association, you mean…?”

I nodded.

“Yes, if we deploy a task force within a 1km radius of the construction area, we can proceed without any setbacks.”

“Well… this is only under the jurisdiction of our department, so asking for designated subjugation is a bit…….”

He showed a skeptical reaction.

“Above all, the German Association is quite hostile to foreign companies and organizations. After what happened in France, they’ve become even more closed off…….”

“I know that. But this is essential.”

I pushed forward firmly.

Since I was emphasizing the safety of the workers, there’s no way a principle-oriented and stubborn person could refuse.

He fell into deep thought.

“I’ll contact them. But… Team Leader Kim will have to explain the details yourself.”

“Of course.”

As expected, he reluctantly accepted my proposal.

Finally, the door to the German Association was opened.

All that’s left is to somehow persuade the chairman to prepare for the airstrike.

As I was thinking that and trying to leave the office, Minister Lukas received a phone call.

“Yes, this is Lukas.”

“Yes, yes. Yes……?”

His expression hardened.

“Hanbyul Construction hasn’t dispatched any employees yet…?”

Hearing those words, Minister Lukas’s gaze turned to me.

“…….”

I sensed that the situation had gone to hell.