The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 342

341. Side Story – Episode 19

Early afternoon, in front of the Operations Headquarters Chief’s office.

Clunk—.

As soon as I arrived, I opened the door without hesitation.

Then.

“……!!”

Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol, who met my eyes, was greatly taken aback and jumped up from his seat.

At the same time, his body automatically cowered as if frightened.

The lesson I taught him last time seemed to be still ingrained in his mind.

“I, I didn’t know it would go that far!”

“…….”

He started making excuses before I even said anything.

“Really! I was trying to protect her! I never imagined he would kill her like that…!”

As I approached him, keeping my mouth shut, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol suddenly trailed off.

I pulled up a chair and sat facing him.

“Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol.”

As I spoke with a light sigh, he swallowed hard.

“Actually, I know it’s not entirely your fault. No matter how blinded you are by ambition, you’re not the type to kill someone directly.”

“……Y, you understand?”

“But.”

I looked him straight in the eye and asked.

“Did employee Ha Eun-hye die because she deserved it?”

“…….”

Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol’s pupils began to tremble.

“I intend to hold all those involved in this matter accountable. Chairman Woo Seok-ho, of course, as well as you and Team Leader Lee Soo-yong.”

“D, don’t do anything reckless. No matter what you do, Chairman Woo Seok-ho will never stand trial…”

“Even if I can’t make him stand trial, I can make him face the consequences.”

“What…?”

He asked back, but I smiled without answering.

Soon, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol seemed to realize what that meant, and his face turned pale.

“D, don’t say such ridiculous things. You won’t be safe if you mess with that man! I understand how you feel, but you should stop here…!”

“That’s a shame.”

I shook my head and took out my phone.

When I showed him the screen, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol’s mouth dropped open.

Sure enough, on the screen.

「Lee Soo-yong, Team Leader of Operations Team 1, Seoul Headquarters of the Korea Ability Dimension Management Association, voluntarily appeared at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor’s Office earlier. Team Leader Lee, who said he had something to testify regarding the Ha Mo case…」

“It’s already started.”

The scene of Team Leader Lee Soo-yong entering the prosecutor’s office under the spotlight was playing.

Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol shook his head, as if in a panic.

“N, no… You don’t know who that man is…”

“Now is not the time to worry about others, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol.”

「…In addition, it was revealed that Operations Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol and Woo Seok-ho, Chairman of the Operations Truth Investigation Committee, are involved in this case, and it is expected that this testimony will be a turning point in the investigation.」

“Start thinking about how to save yourself.”

As I smiled, his face turned pale.

“Until now, you could have quietly buried it by pretending not to know, but with the testimony of a related party, the investigation will inevitably proceed. Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol, you won’t be able to avoid it.”

“……Th, there’s no evidence anyway! In the first place, Chairman Woo Seok-ho has people all over the police force, do you think they can prove the charges even if they investigate?”

“I have evidence.”

I had been waiting for those words, so I immediately took something out of my pocket.

“Th, that’s…”

At the same time, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol’s hands trembled.

“It’s the original file that employee Ha Eun-hye stole.”

“H, how did you get that…”

A face so flustered that he couldn’t finish his sentence.

But only for a moment, he tried to maintain his composure.

“D, do you think anything will change if you spread that? Now that the person who can prove the file’s acquisition path is dead, it won’t be adopted as evidence…”

“I know.”

I interrupted him and answered.

“A file with an unclear source, they can just claim it’s fabricated. Woo Seok-ho has the connections and the ability to do that.”

“If you know that, then that kind of thing can’t be a threat now…!”

“But what if *you* spread it, Headquarters Chief?”

“……What?”

At that moment, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol’s eyebrows twitched greatly.

Yes, in fact, he is right.

Woo Seok-ho is not someone that a mere hunter like me can handle.

A big shot that even the association president and directors can’t do anything about.

There is no hope for me, without any backing, to confront head-on a man who has steadily built his foundation for years and climbed to that position.

No matter how much Team Leader Lee Soo-yong testifies, he will use all kinds of connections to escape the investigation.

Of course, it will be impossible to even prove the charges, let alone punish Woo Seok-ho and Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol.

Because he is a person with that much power.

No matter how much I spread the file, I would just be floundering in a swamp.

But.

“If you think Chairman Woo Seok-ho can bury this matter completely, you can discard the file. However, if you don’t trust Chairman Woo Seok-ho even a little, you should strike first.”

If he, a person involved in this case, spreads it, things will be different.

“……You’re telling me to spread this?”

“Yes.”

“Are you telling me to turn myself in…?”

“You understood right away.”

I answered immediately.

Then, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol shouted in an agitated voice.

“I won’t be safe if I spread this! Even if I’m not punished, I might be kicked out of the association…!”

“That’s none of my business.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“However, I promise… I will go to the end no matter what.”

“…….”

“And if the situation becomes even slightly unfavorable at that time, I guarantee that Chairman Woo Seok-ho will cut you off without hesitation.”

“Cut me off…?”

“Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol.”

I continued, looking into his eyes.

“This is not a metaphor.”

“…….”

He swallowed hard again.

The same choice as Team Leader Lee Soo-yong.

Will he stick with his backer until the end, or will he cut his tail now, even if it means stepping down from his position right away?

Team Leader Lee Soo-yong chose the latter in that choice.

Then…….

“So, what do you think? Headquarters Chief… do you trust your colleague?”

What about this side?

“…….”

He kept shaking his legs, looking at the USB in front of him.

And then.

Ring—.

Just then, his phone rang.

He checked the caller and looked at me in surprise.

I nodded, signaling him to answer.

“Ye, hello.”

As he answered the phone in a trembling voice.

「Hey, you son of a bitch! What is this! Why did Lee Soo-yong suddenly crawl into the prosecutor’s office!!」

A voice so loud that it could be heard even outside the phone.

But Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol couldn’t say anything, as if his mouth was completely frozen.

「Hey, you bastard. Are you listening?! Are you listening!!」

As the voice became more and more agitated, I snatched his phone.

“Chairman Woo Seok-ho. This is Kim Jun-woo.”

「……Wh, what?」

“Didn’t I warn you?”

I took a slow breath and said.

“If something happens to that newbie, you should be prepared.”

「……D, did you do this?! Hey, Seo Min-cheol! What did that bastard say? If you listen to that bastard, everything is over!!」

He screamed at the top of his lungs, but I lightly ignored him with a snort.

“Then… please wait. I’ll be visiting you soon, Chairman.”

「Y, you…!」

I hung up the phone and looked at Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol.

Still trembling and looking panicked.

I got up from my seat and said.

“It’s up to you how you use it.”

「…….」

“You’re putting the leash back on. I hope you don’t miss it this time.”

I left those words and left the office.

And at that moment.

“Ah, hello?”

“……?”

I ran into a young man outside the office.

“Who…?”

“I’m Eom Gyeong-hoon. I’m from the Control Team…”

He introduced himself in a barely audible voice.

A man with a rather haggard appearance.

But that look in his eyes.

‘What, this bastard…….’

Was filled with a deep anger that could not be expressed in words.

***

Bang—!

Immediately after the call was unilaterally cut off, Chairman Woo Seok-ho slammed his desk in anger.

“What the hell… what’s going on…!”

At the same time, his eyelids trembled.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand this situation.

Why did Lee Soo-yong, who wasn’t even directly involved in this, suddenly turn himself in, and why is Seo Min-cheol with Kim Jun-woo at this timing?

“Shit…….”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho gritted his teeth.

Of course, the charges won’t be proven by Lee Soo-yong’s testimony alone.

As much as the media is paying attention, the investigation must proceed externally, but it’s only testimony without evidence.

If the guys who have been eating money [taking bribes] all this time do their job, it is impossible to prove the charges.

But the problem is Seo Min-cheol.

That bastard is directly involved in this.

If that bastard opens his mouth after Lee Soo-yong, it’s dangerous.

‘He’ll shut up if he knows he values his life…….’

Of course, he wouldn’t reveal the case without any justification, but the fact that he was with Kim Jun-woo makes him uneasy.

It seems like he’s trying to appease him… he’ll have to choose wisely.

No matter how promising a genius hunter he is, there are places he can never climb.

Whether Kim Jun-woo threatened or persuaded him, he can never catch him.

Seo Min-cheol must know that too.

But.

‘……Shit.’

Nevertheless, the unease did not go away.

After a long time of thinking, Chairman Woo Seok-ho eventually took out his phone again.

He pressed the number that wasn’t even saved.

Soon, a short ringing tone was heard for a moment.

「Yes.」

The voice of the man called the Cleaner, the number one freelancer hunter and problem solver in Korea, was heard.

“This is Woo Seok-ho.”

「Tell me.」

“Can I… ask you to take on one more job?”

「Are you going to take care of Kim Jun-woo?」

Chairman Woo Seok-ho flinched at those words.

But Yang Min-ho let out a snort, as if there was nothing to be surprised about.

「I also watch the news. Well, it looks like Kim Jun-woo is taking down the guys below him… well, you must be uneasy. Especially since you haven’t recovered the file either.」

“……So, is it possible?”

「Of course. As long as you meet the cost.」

“How much do you want?”

「Well. It seems like it should be at least 2 billion won to match the price.」

“……!”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho’s face instantly hardened at the absurd amount.

“Wh, what nonsense…! It was 500 million won to deal with the newbie! 2 billion won is not a dog’s name! [worthless]”

「Is dealing with an ordinary person with no connections the same as dealing with a genius hunter? I have to take care of the risk allowance to make ends meet.」

“Even so, 2 billion won is…!”

「Of course, you don’t have to do business if the price doesn’t match. I’m not the one who’s sorry. But…… are you really okay, Chairman?」

“…….”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho swallowed hard.

「Well, don’t worry too much. There are many ways to pay. You have land and real estate, right? You’ll have to deal with all that before running for election anyway, so isn’t it a win-win situation?」

“Haa…….”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho let out a long sigh.

After a long time of thinking.

“Okay. I’ll try to arrange it somehow.”

He continued, as if he had made up his mind.

“Ah, while you’re at it, keep an eye on that bastard Seo Min-cheol for a while. You can kill him if he tries to do anything stupid.”

「Okay. Well, that part will also incur additional costs, but I’ll tell you about that later.」

‘Damn bastard…….’

The hand holding the phone tightened.

But only for a moment.

“Then… please do it as soon as possible. Report to me immediately after you finish the job.”

「I will.」

Chairman Woo Seok-ho hung up the phone and took a deep breath.

He never imagined that a single hunter would come out like this.

But it’s over here.

If Kim Jun-woo is taken care of, this incident itself can be blamed on him.

Isn’t he a guy with a bad reputation in the team anyway?

He constantly harassed the newbie who was assigned as a supervisor, and when the newbie threatened to sue him, he killed him impulsively. And he committed suicide because he was cornered as the investigation narrowed.

This will solve everything.

‘Hoo…….’

Yes, let’s not think about it anymore.

It’s going to pass anyway, so let’s just look ahead.