The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 346

345. After Story 2

“So.”

Seoul Southern Police Station.

The Special Task Force for Ability-Related Crimes office.

“You two are dating?”

Min Yujin looked back and forth between me and Lee Ayoung, then spoke.

“Seriously, who I date or marry is none of your business, is it?”

“Oh~, so you’re even planning to get married? Make sure to send me an invitation. I’ll come and crash the place.”

“What are you even saying……”

I let out a dumbfounded laugh at her absurd words, but Min Yujin didn’t seem like she was going to stop.

“Honestly, I thought something was up since the Pohang case. What kind of office worker takes time off to go work alone with someone?”

“So, what are you trying to say? We sorted things out, didn’t we? Why the sudden outburst now?”

“Sorted things out, my ass! You made someone wait for you through military service, then disappeared without a word, and now I see you as the Secretary-General, talking about marriage—it makes me want to puke! Why!”

“But I told you, there was a misunderstanding…!”

It was at that moment, as our voices grew heated.

“Excuse me.”

A heavy voice settled in the office.

“Did you bring us here to catch up? If you’re a cop, act like one and investigate, will you?”

“……”

“……”

Lee Ayoung’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

With that one sentence, the atmosphere in the office instantly froze.

Every detective’s gaze was fixed, their ears perked up.

Min Yujin seemed to notice those gazes belatedly.

“…So? What’s this all about, anyway?”

She cleared her throat and got to the point.

“Isn’t it a bit much for someone who’s the WDSO [World Defense Security Organization] Secretary-General to use their ability on civilians in the street? Are you not aware, or just plain stupid?”

“First of all, I didn’t use any skill. And you’re the one who used violence first.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“What if you don’t?”

“Tsk.”

I don’t know what she’s so unhappy about.

“Ugh… if you don’t have anything else to ask, we’ll be going.”

I was about to get up, thinking any further conversation would be pointless, when…

“Wait a minute.”

Min Yujin called out to me again in a low voice.

“What is it now?”

“Actually, that’s not why I brought you here… there’s something I want to talk about.”

“Ha, what is it this time……”

“It’s about work.”

“……”

Her expression turned serious.

I stared at her for a moment, then sat back down.

“What is it?”

“How’s the situation on your end these days? Any other problems?”

“Not really.”

“Anything strange you’ve heard or seen?”

“Nothing important enough for you to worry about, at least. What are you trying to say, anyway?”

“……”

She hesitated to answer.

I stared at her and asked.

“Hey, don’t tell me you’re still thinking about applying for the task force……”

“It’s not that.”

She said firmly.

Then, she let out a small sigh.

“Actually, today’s incident isn’t the only one that’s happened.”

“What…?”

I didn’t expect that answer.

“Recently, we’ve been getting a lot of reports of association employees getting into fights. Five cases this week alone.”

My eyebrows twitched at those words.

“Well, seeing as today’s was just a minor squabble, it probably isn’t related…”

“What are you talking about? So you’re saying the other cases are related?”

“That’s what I think, at least.”

I couldn’t understand her answer.

“So… someone is constantly picking fights with association employees, is that it?”

“That’s right. And mostly with the cleaning team. The common thing is that they don’t know the instigator or the reason.”

“Are kids just playing around?”

“It’s too regular to be that. It’s like they’re deliberately following the cleaning team around and harassing them……”

“Haa……”

“Well, it’s just throwing things or stealing cleaning supplies, so it’s not really terrorism yet… but seeing as the level is getting higher, who knows.”

Min Yujin continued with a sharp look in her eyes.

“Maybe it really will become that later on.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Aren’t you being too sensitive? If it was that serious, there’s no way I wouldn’t know. Surely a report would have come up……”

“……”

As I said that and looked at Lee Ayoung, she was sweating with a rather embarrassed expression.

“……What is it?”

“Ah, that……”

“You knew about it?”

“……”

Her reaction made it clear without her having to answer.

I rubbed my forehead.

“Why didn’t you report it?”

“It wasn’t that serious… and if it’s happening in the Korean Association, it’s my responsibility anyway. You already have so much to worry about……”

“Haa……”

Still, how could she not report a problem like this?

“The problem is, our side doesn’t seem to think it’s a big deal either, so they won’t issue a search warrant.”

At that moment, Min Yujin brought up the main point again, as if sensing the heavy atmosphere.

“I guess not. Who would think a simple squabble would turn into terrorism?”

“No matter how I look at it, it’s a regular and planned thing. It’s definitely going to get worse.”

“So, what do you want me to do?”

“Look into it.”

“……”

Ugh.

I knew it.

“Put a monitor on them, or follow them yourself, just find out who’s committing the terrorism……”

“Why would I? I’m not free enough to help you with your work.”

“……”

When I said that firmly, Min Yujin hesitated for a moment, then raised the corners of her mouth.

“You were going to do it even if I didn’t ask, weren’t you?”

Then, she hit the nail on the head without a care.

“……I’m leaving.”

I didn’t bother to answer and left the police station with Lee Ayoung.

***

“The first incident occurred a week ago. Around 2 PM, Cleaning Team 6 was moving after finishing their work when someone threw water at them and ran away—that’s how it started.”

While heading back to headquarters, Lee Ayoung began to report the things she hadn’t told me yet as we walked.

“At the time, it happened so suddenly and we couldn’t see the culprit’s face, so we didn’t think much of it, thinking it was just kids playing around……”

“The same thing kept happening?”

“That’s right.”

She answered.

“It’s happening once a day… sometimes even three times. Throwing water and running away is cute; they’re stealing cleaning supplies, deliberately pushing people over……”

She trailed off for a moment, then continued in a low voice.

“Sometimes they push people over outright, or bump into them on purpose……”

“That’s not just a squabble.”

“I know.”

“Ha… I’m more shocked that you didn’t report it.”

As I spoke again at the absurd situation, she glanced at me.

‘Ugh……’

Okay.

It’s better to know now than never.

‘Anyway……’

Someone is deliberately following the cleaning team around and committing acts of harassment.

What is this all about?

There haven’t been any major problems for almost a year, so why is this suddenly happening……

“So, did you investigate?”

When I asked, Lee Ayoung nodded.

“Yeah. I asked the control team to check the CCTV, but it’s not easy to figure out. They’re aiming for blind spots from the start, and it seems like they planned their movements in advance so they wouldn’t get caught.”

“Tsk, definitely planned.”

“We need to get cooperation from the police to investigate further. But, well……”

“They think it’s just a simple squabble, so there’s no reason for them to get involved.”

“Exactly.”

Lee Ayoung and I both let out a small sigh.

A harassment case where we don’t know who the instigator is, what their purpose is, or what their justification is.

‘It would be a relief if it was just some idiot doing this……’

If someone is doing this with a clear purpose…… it might continue until they achieve that purpose.

Also, like Min Yujin said, the intensity might get stronger and stronger.

“Well… the good thing is that no one has been seriously injured yet. Let’s find out the rest from now on.”

“How?”

At her question, I immediately took out my phone.

Then, I made a call somewhere.

“Secretary Shin. This is Kim Junwoo.”

「Yes. What is it?」

I heard Secretary Shin Suji’s voice.

“Actually… I’d like to clear my schedule for a week starting tomorrow, is that possible?”

「…All of your schedule for a week?」

“Yes.”

At my firm answer, I heard a troubled sigh.

But only for a moment.

「I understand. I’ll take care of the arrangements.」

She didn’t ask anything else and gave her permission.

「But it’s only for a week.」

“I understand.”

As I answered without hesitation, she let out a small sigh.

「By the way, what’s going on this time?」

“Oh, well……”

I glanced at Lee Ayoung.

“I was thinking of doing some cleaning.”

I threw out a meaningful answer.

***

“You’ve arrived!”

“You’ve arrived, boss!”

Geumgwang Capital Office.

As a man entered the place, which consisted only of old desks and messy sofas, the subordinates in the office jumped up.

At the same time, everyone quickly sized up the situation.

The expression on their boss, the head of the Black Light Gang, seemed angrier than ever.

“B, Boss, is something wrong…?”

One of them asked cautiously, but instead of answering, the man plopped down on the sofa and put a cigarette in his mouth.

Then, he took a deep drag.

“I met Kim Junwoo.”

“Y, Yes?! Already?”

“Kuh, the plan worked in just a week. You’re the best, Boss!”

“Congratulations……!”

The moment the subordinates were showering him with flattery.

Clang—!!

The ashtray flew between them.

The subordinates hesitated for a moment, then immediately straightened up and bowed their heads at attention.

The atmosphere turned hostile in an instant.

The man opened his mouth with a sharp look on his face.

“If it went according to plan, would I be here alone right now?”

“……”

“……”

At his words, the subordinates shut their mouths tightly.

The man took another drag of his cigarette and opened his mouth again.

“The police showed up and I missed the timing. It didn’t seem like it would work out, so I just gave up.”

“…Y, Yes?”

“Could he have already noticed……”

“No, I don’t think so. I just think I was unlucky.”

The man leaned his head back and let out a deep sigh.

“Damn it, why there of all places……”

That angry mutter echoed quietly in the office, and the subordinates tensed up.

It wasn’t for nothing that they had temporarily put aside their real job and started doing this; it was all for their boss to meet Kim Junwoo.

They had finally achieved that, but it was all for naught because of just one cop.

Knowing what situation their boss was in, they couldn’t even dare to offer him any comfort.

Then, one of the men mustered up the courage to speak to him.

“Then, should we… continue?”

“We have to.”

The man answered immediately.

“From now on, let’s go hard.”

“Hard as in…?”

“We have to go brute force.”

At that moment, the man’s gaze turned to his subordinates.

Brute force.

That was what the man hated the most, and what he avoided the most.

In the old days, the man was called a romantic.

Of course, he wasn’t a good person, but at least he stuck to his beliefs, even if he was a beggar.

But now, he couldn’t afford to be romantic or have beliefs.

“We have to do that much for Kim Junwoo to take the bait again.”

The boss of the Black Light Gang.

Choi Jangseok was that desperate.