The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 45

044

“Fucking Asian bastards.”

As soon as he hung up the phone, Jason cursed.

“I offered to help, and they should have jumped at it, but why are they being so difficult?”

The negotiation ended unpleasantly.

He never imagined the other party would refuse.

If it weren’t for the file, he would have cursed them for not knowing their place, but his current situation was too desperate.

‘I can’t believe I’m lobbying the Independence Association…’

Jason threw his head back.

It was a waste, of course… but at least it ended with 1 billion [Korean Won, roughly $750,000 USD]. He could somehow manage within that budget.

“Chloe.”

Jason, having sorted out his thoughts, called her.

“Yes, sir.”

“Figure out the schedule for Team 1 next week and pull out a few guys who are available.”

“Team 1? Weren’t we supposed to pull from Team 3?”

“I don’t trust those Team 3 guys. Who knows what might happen in Korea? That’s why I’m taking Team 1.”

“Still, suddenly deploying the elite team like this…”

Chloe trailed off.

As soon as he said he would recover the file by any means, he’s dispatching the elite team.

This was practically a declaration that he would use force to take back the file.

Should she let it go, or should she stop him?

After hesitating, Chloe opened her mouth heavily.

“Team Leader, as I’ve said before, conducting operations in other countries is a risk for the branch…”

“I know, I know. Do you think I’m crazy enough to cause trouble in the middle of the city?”

Jason added the words in a barely audible voice, except inside a dungeon.

“But if we send Team 1 with the million-dollar payment condition, we’ll far exceed the budget.”

“Don’t worry about the budget. The Loop Dungeon revenue is pretty good, right? Even if we split it 50/50, we can roughly cover it. And above all, there’s the Time Stone.”

“…….”

One of the ‘Bank Items’ designated as prohibited for trade and transfer due to the potential for causing significant social disruption.

The Time Stone, which is prohibited from secondary processing and can only be used for research purposes, was an item of inestimable value.

If he brought such an item, the higher-ups wouldn’t care about the budget.

Fine, you fucking bastard. Do as you please.

Chloe muttered inwardly.

Seeing him go this far, it was clear that nothing she said would be heard.

“Anyway, take care of the Time Stone. I don’t care how you do it. I just need to recover the file.”

“……Understood.”

As she turned to leave.

Chloe spoke again.

“By the way, what was the name of the person you just spoke with?”

“…Kim? Kim Junwoo. He’s the chief of this operation, I heard.”

“Is he the operations team leader?”

“I don’t know. He seemed higher up. Maybe the head of headquarters. Why are you asking?”

“……No. It’s nothing.”

Chloe left the office, leaving behind a meaningful answer.

***

It was already past sunset.

“Oh, you’re home early today?”

“…….”

As Han Yubin dragged her exhausted body home, Han Sanghyuk, who was watching a drama, commented in a dry tone.

Judging by his appearance, he must have left work a long time ago.

“Dinner?”

“I’m not eating.”

“Good. I wasn’t going to give you any anyway.”

“…….”

Chuckling laughter.

Han Yubin threw herself onto the sofa without a word.

“…What is it? Is the job kind of growing on you? You used to complain like crazy that you couldn’t do it, but you’ve been quiet lately?”

“…….”

That was nonsense.

Han Yubin wasn’t quiet because she had adapted, but simply because she didn’t even have the strength to open her mouth.

“Sigh…….”

She buried her face in the sofa and sighed deeply.

In one week, she had worked on a total of 33 dungeons.

She had participated in the subjugation of 7 dungeons.

This was a schedule she had never experienced even when she was at the American branch. Moreover, since she wasn’t officially a Hunter, she couldn’t even receive subjugation pay.

So, it was only natural that she felt disillusioned.

‘Kim Junwoo…….’

Han Yubin gritted her teeth.

When you think about it, all her hardships were because of that bastard.

She wanted to go and confront him right away, but she couldn’t because of her performance.

She would rather have a trash who only gave her work without thinking, so she could curse him without hesitation, but she couldn’t because that wasn’t the case, so she had to swallow her dissatisfaction.

Above all.

-There’s no such thing as ‘your side’ or ‘my side’ in work. We’re all in the same boat, working our asses off.

Those words were still echoing in her head.

A guy who didn’t divide sides based on rank, hierarchy, origin, or race, but only valued work. She had never seen such a guy even in America, the land of freedom and equality.

But to hear such words in Korea, which was more conservative than that.

Han Yubin habitually fiddled with her pendant again.

‘Unnecessarily perfect…….’

Besides, he wasn’t just full of hot air.

She didn’t want to admit it, but Kim Junwoo was close to perfect in terms of work.

Of course, she vaguely knew that he was quite capable in headquarters even before she was hired.

But after working with him for a week and seeing it with her own eyes, she realized that even that was an understatement.

He practically ran an entire operations team, and the support team was almost exclusively his. He even moved the control team with a single word.

All the teams moved without complaint under Kim Junwoo’s command, and as a result, they produced the best efficiency.

He was an unpredictable human being, but one thing was certain.

He was capable.

Much more so than the morons she had seen countless times in the American branch, who only occupied positions without any skills.

Thinking that, Han Yubin opened the pendant with a click. Inside was a photo of a woman of a similar age.

She stared at the photo silently for a moment.

With a click, she closed the pendant.

‘Anyway, that’s that.’

For Han Yubin now, he was still a fucking boss who dumped an absurd amount of work on her.

Even though she came in because of his recommendation… there was a limit to how much you could exploit someone. This was too much.

At this rate, she would collapse before a month had passed.

Han Yubin clenched her fist.

Okay, she would endure until the end of this week.

She didn’t need to feel sorry for anyone. If this murderous schedule continued, she wouldn’t have any reason to stay in the Association.

Just as she was sorting out her thoughts, her phone rang.

It was a number saved as ‘Team Leader Kim.’

As soon as she saw the number, Han Yubin scoffed in disbelief.

Now he was calling even after work.

“…What is it?”

Han Yubin started with the most blunt tone possible.

「I’m sorry for calling so suddenly. Are you busy?」

“No. I’m not busy… why?”

「It’s nothing much, but a big operation has been scheduled for next week. I’m in charge, and a subjugation team will be formed, led by Operations Team 2… This is an operation that needs to proceed as smoothly as possible, so I’d like Han Yubin to participate…….」

“No, are you dumping it on us again?”

「Dumping it? I’ll be participating too, so you just need to provide support from the side. You’re a former operations team leader, after all. It’s reassuring to have even one more experienced person.」

“……Ha.”

A sigh mixed with annoyance and she swept back her hair.

The sound seemed to be heard over the phone.

「You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Then, please proceed with the unswept dungeons and cleaning work as scheduled…….」

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it yet.”

Realizing her mistake, Han Yubin hurriedly cut him off.

「Then will you participate? Decide quickly. I need to get the approval now.」

This guy, really……!

A curse rose to her throat, but Han Yubin tried to suppress her anger.

Okay.

If it’s just support, it’s better than other work.

“……I’ll participate.”

「Okay.」

“So, what kind of operation is it?”

「I’ll tell you on the day.」

Han Yubin was speechless.

What the hell? What is this absurd human being?

“Are you always so arbitrary? You call to ask me to participate in an operation without even telling me what it is?”

Sigh, a faint sigh was heard once.

「I thought you wouldn’t do it if I told you.」

He gave an incomprehensible answer.

And the phone hung up.

“……What?”

Han Yubin checked her phone again and muttered.

“Is that Kim Junwoo?”

Han Sanghyuk opened his mouth first as Han Yubin frowned.

“……Uh.”

“What did he say?”

“He said there’s an operation next week and asked me to participate.”

“Wow, he must really like you.”

Another chuckle.

At the same time, Han Yubin’s face darkened.

“…What the hell are you talking about?”

“Kim Junwoo never talks to anyone else about what he’s doing. He tries to handle everything himself.”

“But.”

Han Sanghyuk tilted his head and met Han Yubin’s eyes.

“What do you mean ‘but’? What do you think it means that such a person only gives you work? You’re getting a lot of love, you know?”

“……You’re full of shit.”

Han Yubin scoffed openly.

***

Operations Team 2 office.

“Hoo…….”

In the midst of continuing the operations meeting until late, I ended the short call and put down the phone.

“What did Yubin say?”

Kim Minju asked in a calm voice.

“I don’t know. I hung up without hearing her answer.”

“Does even the teacher care about Yubin?”

Kim Minju chuckled.

“Of course, I care. How much work have I given her in a week? If she knew I was trying to pit her against the American branch, would she stay still with that personality?”

“So, are you participating too, teacher? Because you feel sorry for making Yubin participate alone?”

“No. Because I’m anxious.”

“Hmm. Well, you never know where Yubin will bounce…….”

I shook my head.

“Not her, the other guys.”

“……Yes?”

Kim Minju asked in a puzzled voice.

The other guys I mentioned here were obviously the American branch guys who were after the Time Stone, but I couldn’t say that directly.

“As I don’t need to tell you, this operation is very important to both of us. Honestly, does it make sense for a cleaner to be in charge?”

“…That’s right.”

“If even a small problem arises, we’ll be diving off a cliff with all our past achievements.”

She nods.

“So, no problems should arise in this operation. Not only the subjugation but also externally.”

I spoke as vaguely as possible, but the core was the same anyway.

Whether it’s the subjugation, the profit distribution, or the item ownership. If even a small problem arises, the responsibility will fall entirely on me.

It would be fortunate if it only came back to me, but judging by the current state of the operations team leaders, they would probably drag the cleaning team down with them.

It’s hard to build, but easy to destroy.

I couldn’t let anyone else touch what I had built.

‘Well, if we finish it well without any problems, it could be beneficial instead.’

In that case, the higher-ups might even be wary of the cleaning team.

I stretched greatly.

After continuing the meeting for a long time, I was aching all over.

‘Anyway, I’ve solved one problem, and now all that’s left is…….’

To keep a close eye on them so they don’t steal the Time Stone on the day of the operation.

There’s nothing else to worry about.