The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 344

343. Side Story – Episode 21

“Y-You, how could you…!”

As I revealed my face, Chairman Woo Seok-ho’s voice began to tremble.

He was reacting as if he couldn’t understand the situation at all.

I opened my mouth in a dry, emotionless voice.

“Even though Employee Ha Eun-hye is stubborn… she’s not stupid enough to be killed by your hand, at least. More than anything, there’s no way someone in your position as chairman would commit murder so openly. I already expected you to have someone else do it.”

“What are you…!”

“Well, even though I expected it, I didn’t really have a way to dig in… but luckily, someone helped me.”

As I said that, I took out the phone that Um Kyung-hoon had given me from my pocket.

The phone contained all the information, including Chairman Woo Seok-ho’s call history, recorded files, and texts.

Of course, even the contents of the call I had with Yang Min-ho a little while ago.

“Well, isn’t this enough evidence?”

I slowly approached him.

In response, Chairman Woo Seok-ho continued to back away.

Thud.

“……!”

But he soon reached a dead end against the wall.

“If you touch me here… your hunter life is really over. Are you willing to ruin your life over some newbie?!”

“Of course not.”

Cornered, Chairman Woo Seok-ho raised his voice, so I shook my head.

“I’m still young and have a bright future. There are many things I still need to do, and more than anything… I’ve gained a goal.”

“Then you especially shouldn’t lay a finger on me…!”

At that moment.

Thwack—!!

Chairman Woo Seok-ho’s jaw twisted.

As if he had momentarily lost his mind, Chairman Woo Seok-ho collapsed on the spot.

With that one blow, blood poured endlessly from his mouth.

But he didn’t even have time to feel the pain, and just looked up at me with an expression of half fear and half anger.

“Chairman Woo Seok-ho. Do you think you’re in a position to threaten me right now?”

I lowered my stance and took out my phone.

And then, the voice that flowed out from it.

「How many people have you killed while cleaning up after those dirty old men? Assemblyman Jung-hoon, Chief Park Hyun-joon, Elder Kang Hak-sun, I know more than ten people alone!」

“……!”

It was definitely his voice.

“If you think you can do anything with just that, you’re greatly mistaken…!”

“I suppose so. There are many people behind you helping out, Chairman.”

I nodded calmly, as that was also what I had expected.

But only for a moment.

“But… what about the contractor you hired?”

“Wh-What…?”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho’s eyes changed in an instant.

“I don’t know who that contractor is, but if I release this, not only will they be exposed, but their clients as well… do you think they’ll just stand by and watch?”

“Wh-What are you talking about……”

“More than anything, the people you mentioned, Chairman, are all big shots in this industry. It seems like burying you wouldn’t be a big deal for them if it meant hiding their names.”

I said with a small smile.

It didn’t take long for Chairman Woo Seok-ho to realize what that meant.

Whoever it was, a contractor working in the shadows against big shots.

If that person’s name and their clients were exposed, the first thing they would have to deal with is…….

“W-Wait a minute…!”

The human who brought them up.

“Let’s talk, how about we resolve this through conversation! Yo, you said you had a goal, right? Just tell me! Task Force Leader? Or even Headquarters Chief? I can give you anything you want!”

“Chairman Woo Seok-ho.”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho’s voice became increasingly desperate.

But I grabbed his right leg with a calm expression.

Snap—.

“Kkeuaaaaaack!!!”

With an emotionless face, I broke his leg.

At the same time, a piercing scream echoed.

I opened my mouth expressionlessly.

“Do you know what Employee Ha Eun-hye told me when she was my supervisor?”

Instead of answering, Chairman Woo Seok-ho let out a groan mixed with pain.

I continued without paying attention.

“She told me to trust my colleagues a little more.”

At the same time.

Snap—.

“Euaaaack!!!!”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho’s other leg was also broken.

“The irony is, the person who told me to trust my colleagues died without receiving help from anyone until the end.”

“Keuk, keueok…!”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho was already out of his mind.

He was just consumed by pain, uttering only incomprehensible groans.

“But now, how can I trust you, Chairman?”

I said that and smiled slightly.

I placed the phone with the chairman’s voice recorded on the construction site fence.

“Well then, I’ll be leaving now. Goodbye, Chairman.”

I turned my back and left the construction site.

Chairman Woo Seok-ho dragged his two broken legs and desperately reached out to me, but…….

“You, you son of a bitch!!”

He couldn’t catch me in the end.

***

“Shit, shit…!”

Even after Kim Jun-woo disappeared, Chairman Woo Seok-ho continued to struggle.

To escape this place, or to ask for help.

Or at least to deal with the phone placed on the fence, he moved his body somehow, but…….

“Damn it!!”

With his two shattered legs, he couldn’t solve any of them.

“Shit, is anyone there?! There’s someone here!! Someone, please help me, damn it!!”

A deserted construction site.

Chairman Woo Seok-ho screamed until his throat was hoarse, but only echoes returned.

Nevertheless, Chairman Woo Seok-ho continued to struggle.

Hoping that someone, anyone, would help him.

Hoping that someone would save him.

He bet everything on that one ray of hope.

“I came because you weren’t answering your calls…….”

“……!”

But the person who finally appeared was the most desperate outcome for Chairman Woo Seok-ho.

“I wonder why you’re doing this here.”

“L-Listen… I’ll give you as much money as you want! Please, just forgive me this once!!”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden……”

Yang Min-ho frowned as if he couldn’t understand his words.

But only for a moment.

The phone placed on the fence caught his eye.

“W-Wait a minute…!”

Chairman Woo Seok-ho urgently tried to stop him, but Yang Min-ho ignored him and checked the phone.

“…….”

Soon, his brow furrowed deeply.

“Ha, haha…….”

And then, a hollow laugh leaked out.

With just that short recording, Yang Min-ho could understand the whole situation.

A voice recording mentioning his name and the real names of his clients.

And in that voice, a man imitating him.

No doubt.

It’s Kim Jun-woo.

“To think he’d pass this on to me like this…….”

This was an admirable level.

If you don’t want this to spread, finish it yourself.

That was the message Kim Jun-woo was sending to him.

I really didn’t expect it.

Yang Min-ho muttered for a moment.

Crack—!

He smashed the phone and looked down at Chairman Woo Seok-ho.

“I clearly told you to keep it a secret during the contract. If you expose everything like this… I have no choice but to kill you, Chairman.”

“I, I can solve everything! I’ll just take all the blame and confess! Wouldn’t that work! Your story… th-that’s right! I’ll say it’s a lie!”

“Haa…….”

Yang Min-ho sighed softly at that pathetic thought.

“Chairman Woo Seok-ho, don’t you understand yet?”

“Wh-What do you mean?”

He continued, staring at Chairman Woo Seok-ho.

“From the beginning, that guy wasn’t trying to put you on trial.”

“……!”

Without getting his hands dirty.

“I feel like I’m being played by that bastard, but… I have no choice now.”

“P-Please. There’s no guarantee that he’ll spread it!”

“Chairman.”

The moment Yang Min-ho’s fierce gaze turned to him.

“There are no ifs in my work.”

***

「Shocking news.」

Task Force 1, office.

As soon as I came to work in the morning, I could hear the same news audio from everywhere.

「Around 2:19 AM today. Woo Seok-ho, Chairman of the Task Force Truth Investigation Committee, was found hanged at a construction site in Jongno 3-ga.」

Everyone in the office was focused on the news, unable to take their eyes off their phones, and in that gap, I sat down at my desk as if nothing had happened.

「Although the investigation is still ongoing, the police authorities have secured a clue that Woo, the chairman, is the prime suspect in the murder of Ha, a member of the previous investigation team, based on the testimony of Team Leader Lee Soo-yong and the statement of Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol.」

「Meanwhile, in the suicide note found in Chairman Woo’s coat, there were phrases such as ‘feeling guilty’ and ‘atoning with death,’ which further strengthens the suspicion that he was the mastermind behind this incident.」

「In addition, video evidence submitted by Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol revealed that Chairman Woo Seok-ho was the real culprit in the accidental death that occurred in the dungeon 15 years ago, and that he had framed Hunter Ha Ki-sik to protect Team Leader Woo Jung-ho.」

「An official related to the case said that there is a high probability that Ha was killed by Chairman Woo after being caught conducting an internal investigation to clear her father’s name…….」

I quietly closed my eyes in my seat and listened to the leaking news.

And then.

“What the hell is going on…….”

“This is crazy, really.”

“I feel so bad for Eun-hye…….”

I could hear murmurs from all over the office.

“But didn’t Kim Jun-woo know about this?”

“How could he not know? He was the surveillance target, so he was with Eun-hye for a week straight.”

“Then he should have helped her, right?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Wow, if he knew and pretended not to know… he’s a real piece of trash, isn’t he?”

“Didn’t you know? He was always trash. That bastard.”

“Still, I didn’t think it would be this bad…….”

Soon, many glares flew towards me.

It seemed like they had no intention of lowering their voices or being considerate anymore.

But I didn’t bother to react.

I just pretended not to hear and focused on the documents in front of me.

“Uhm, Deputy Team Leader…….”

Then, Kim Min-joo, who was sitting across from me, cautiously opened her mouth towards me.

“Could it be that the reason you were late for the subjugation [dungeon raid] that day was…….”

“I overslept.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said I overslept.”

I answered without even looking at her.

But Kim Min-joo still didn’t seem to understand.

“Then you didn’t know that Eun-hye was in danger…?”

“I knew.”

“Yes? Then why…!”

“Then should I have given up a Red-rank subjugation for her? Why should I care if some newbie is in danger?”

I ended up glaring at her and snapping.

Kim Min-joo’s expression was truly a sight to behold.

She seemed to have a lot to say, but she didn’t open her mouth in the end.

I also didn’t say anything more.

After that, my name continued to be heard in the office.

But I ignored it all with a faint sigh.

The incident ended like this.

Team Leader Lee Soo-yong was found to have no connection to this incident but was dismissed for manipulating dungeon files.

Unlike him, Headquarters Chief Seo Min-cheol, who was directly involved in the incident, was dismissed and sent to the prosecution.

His crime is also not light, but it is likely that his voluntary confession, including decisive evidence, will be taken into consideration.

And Chairman Woo Seok-ho followed Ha Eun-hye’s path.

Taking all the blame.

As he had threatened, no one was harmed or disadvantaged for touching him.

No…….

Rather, they would have benefited.

“These guys, they’re not working and just looking at their phones.”

At that time, an old man entered the office.

At the same time, the movements of all the team members stopped.

“Ch, Chairman…?”

“Ah, hello!”

“Hello, Chairman!”

They jumped up from their seats and bowed to him.

The head of the Korea Ability Dimension Management Association.

Chairman Park In-beom.

He had come directly to the task force.

“I know that there was an unfortunate incident. It’s all my fault for not managing it properly.”

Chairman Park In-beom then conveyed those words in a heavy voice.

“The board of directors, including myself, deeply feels responsible for this incident and will prepare measures to prevent this from happening again.”

“…….”

“…….”

The atmosphere became heavy in an instant.

But it didn’t last long.

“But… that’s that, and you guys have to do your jobs.”

Chairman Park In-beom said that and began to approach me.

And then.

“Deputy Team Leader Kim Jun-woo.”

“……Yes.”

“You are the new team leader of Task Force 1 as of today.”

He spat out those words.

At the same time.

“……!!”

“Wh-What does that mean…!”

“Kim Jun-woo is the team leader…?”

The voices of the team members, dumbfounded, were heard.

Chairman Park In-beom glanced around for a moment.

“Are you perhaps dissatisfied? Well, if you don’t want to, you can of course refuse.”

“…….”

He then met my eyes and asked.

I hesitated to answer for a moment.

“…I’ll do my best.”

I accepted the chairman’s offer.

“Good! Now that you’re the team leader, say a few words to the team members.”

Chairman Park In-beom pushed my back, and I took a step forward and looked at the team members.

And then, I stood still and organized my thoughts for a moment.

“……I don’t expect anything from you guys.”

I finally opened my mouth like that.

In fact, I had never been interested in positions from the beginning.

The title of genius hunter was not something I particularly wanted to obtain, and I had never thought that it had great significance.

Even if I wasn’t a team leader or a genius hunter, subjugation was possible.

“I understand that you’re trying to do something as an elite team… but stop it. In my eyes, you’re all just the same mediocre people.”

But now my mind has changed.

Employee Ha Eun-hye told me to trust my colleagues until the day before she died.

And I realized once again with this incident.

There are no colleagues here.

Lee Soo-yong and Seo Min-cheol are the same, and I am the same.

If there was such a thing in the first place, Ha Eun-hye would not have died.

A high position and strong power.

Those things that I had never been interested in killed one newbie.

Even in the middle of the city, not in a dungeon.

“So from now on, don’t think and just do what you’re told. If you do just that, I won’t care what you do.”

I’ve been too lenient so far.

The naive thought that if I didn’t want someone to die, I just had to focus on subjugation.

But in reality, what kills people is not monsters or dungeons… but people’s positions.

Therefore, I can no longer achieve my goal with subjugation alone.

But if I can sit in that position, it is possible.

That’s why I have to sit in the highest place.

In a place where neither the chairman nor the secretary-general can dare to object to my judgment.

“So please…….”

Until then, you are just tools.

I will not hesitate to use any means to climb up, and even if you are an elite team, I am ready to throw you away at any time.

But don’t be too upset.

“Just don’t block my path.”

At least I’ll make sure you don’t die.

***

Paris, France.

An organization under the International Hunter Association, Perfect Corporation.

Commonly known as PB Corporation.

“The youngest task force leader?”

News that would attract everyone’s interest was delivered there.

“Well, the association can just raise it on its own. Which association did the news come from?”

Balance Adjustment Team Leader Marc asked, and Subjugation Authority Recovery Team Leader Kane answered.

“The Seoul headquarters of the Korean Association.”

“Tsk, the Korean Association wouldn’t raise a fledgling to team leader without thinking.”

“I agree. So I looked at the hunter information… and something bothers me.”

“Bothers you?”

Team Leader Marc made a puzzled expression.

Then, instead of Team Leader Kane, Chloe Bank, the Item Management Team Leader, opened her mouth.

“Name Kim Jun-woo, currently an A-rank hunter, and his unique skill is ‘Demon King.’ There are no special notes on the information… but his potential stats are close to SS-rank.”

“What…?”

“At this rate, not to mention awakening, the youngest S-rank…….”

Team Leader Chloe put down the document and continued.

“No, he may be the first SSS-rank in the world.”

“Hmm…….”

At her report, the two team leaders stroked their chins as if lost in thought.

But only for a moment.

“What does the representative think?”

With Team Leader Marc’s question, everyone’s attention was focused on the middle-aged woman sitting in the seat of honor.

“Well, there’s no guarantee that just because he’s an SSS-rank, he’ll be a threat to us, but… it wouldn’t hurt to be careful.”

Emma Lucia.

She, the representative of PB Corporation, smiled slyly.

“From now on, classify Team Leader Kim Jun-woo of the Seoul headquarters as a Category 1 threat and closely monitor every action he takes.”

Soon, that order was given.