The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 58

057

Headquarters intersection.

The old Korean rice soup restaurant in the narrow alley was Association President Park’s favorite spot.

“God damn it, here again.”

“Hmm? Have you been here before?”

“……No. It’s my first time.”

He’s asking if I’ve been here before.

Even before the regression, I came here about 300 days out of the year.

Now, just smelling the rice soup makes me want to throw up, but I pretended to be okay and entered the restaurant.

Association President Park, sitting at a corner table, waved his hand.

“I ordered the menu roughly. No complaints, right?”

“When have you ever let me decide?”

Director Lee Doo-shik joked.

“You’ve never been here before, have you? Their pork rice soup is really good.”

“Haha… I’m looking forward to it.”

I smiled bitterly.

As soon as we sat down, the side dishes came out, and I waited for Association President Park to pick up his chopsticks before opening my mouth.

“So… is there a special reason you called me here?”

Director Lee Doo-shik answered instead of Association President Park.

“As you already know from the articles, the faction including Director Song Cheol-shik, Seo Min-cheol, and Lee Soo-yong are tearing each other apart.”

“It seems like they’re trying to bite before they get bitten.”

“Right. Honestly, even if the Association President came back and created the Planning Division, I thought it would be too much to deal with the executives who had already turned their backs… I never thought they would self-destruct like this.”

Director Lee Doo-shik stroked his chin and continued.

“You, did you predict even this far?”

“There’s no way I could have.”

I answered firmly, but he doesn’t believe me at all. Honestly, I feel a bit wronged.

“Director Song Cheol-shik was dismissed from the board of directors because of this. Seo Min-cheol will probably fly to Ulleungdo [a remote island in South Korea, often used as a metaphor for exile], and I’m still considering what to do with Lee Soo-yong.”

I let out a small groan.

So the headquarters really did get turned upside down.

“The merger and acquisition that was being pushed forward has been canceled.”

“That was obvious without even looking. Has there been any talk from the International Association?”

“Not really. Well, they might not have thought it was important from the beginning.”

Director Lee Doo-shik shrugged his shoulders.

I let out a small laugh at the sight.

“Anyway, you must be very busy.”

“Don’t even mention it. I haven’t even seen my wife’s face for the past few days.”

“Isn’t it better than having nothing to do?”

“Seriously, the way you talk.”

Director Lee Doo-shik put a piece of kimchi in his mouth and continued.

“Well, you’re right. Just a week ago, we were like a candle in the wind, so I shouldn’t be complaining about having a lot of work. Anyway, I owe you a big debt this time. I’m grateful.”

“I’ll take it back with interest later.”

Lee Doo-shik laughed heartily.

Just in time, three bowls of rice soup came out.

“So… you came back as you said, and you’re pushing for headquarters reform.”

While we were each adjusting the seasoning, Association President Park In-beom opened his mouth this time.

“What should I do from now on?”

“Haha, are you asking me that?”

“You planned everything. Who else would I ask if not you?”

Hmm, I took a shallow breath.

“You don’t have to do anything for the time being.”

“Shouldn’t we strike while the iron is hot?”

“Sometimes it’s better to leave it to the wind. If you rush out, you might face a headwind.”

“Explain in detail.”

The association president put down his spoon without even taking a spoonful.

“With the creation of the Planning Division this time, you’re in charge of the operation’s financial management and the administrative processing of the Operations Division, right? That alone gives you a means to check the Operations Division. On top of that, key figures who had a significant influence on the Operations Division, including Director Song Cheol-shik, have been cut off, so everyone in the Operations Division must be on edge.”

I paused for a moment.

Even Director Lee Doo-shik was listening intently.

“If you’re greedy here, you’ll have to fight not with executives but with hunters next time. Of course, there are some hunters in the headquarters who are underperforming compared to their salaries… but that’s a problem to be solved later. Anyway, hunters are the association’s most important asset, right? It’s better to avoid being at odds with them in many ways.”

“So, you’re saying we should show that we’re just doing our job and not making enemies?”

“Exactly.”

By the way, why am I giving advice?

It has nothing to do with me anyway.

“I see. Let’s stop with the official advice and get some personal advice.”

“……Personal advice?”

“I’m saying, tell me what you want.”

“Ah…….”

After stirring the rice soup, I opened my mouth.

“Well, I don’t particularly want anything… just raise the cleaning team’s salary a bit.”

“……Ha!”

“Don’t be surprised. He’s always been like that.”

Director Lee Doo-shik shook his head and said.

“Yeah. He’s definitely an interesting guy. I should have come back sooner if I had known this would happen.”

The association president smiled with satisfaction.

I couldn’t understand his reaction, but…….

“So, do you have any thoughts on becoming the head of the headquarters?”

“I refuse.”

“…….”

Perhaps because I answered so firmly as soon as I heard the question, both men’s expressions froze for a moment.

“…Why? Among all the guys I’ve seen, there’s no one more suitable for the position of headquarters head than you.”

Well, that might be true, but…….

I shook my head and took out the resignation letter I had prepared from my inside pocket and handed it over.

“I know it’s not polite to do this in a place like this, but I don’t have time to visit you properly.”

“…….”

The association president’s expression became quite serious as he received the resignation letter, and Director Lee Doo-shik’s eyes widened.

“……Are you serious?”

“I told you before.”

“Is there something you don’t like? I can actively reflect on it, you know?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then why?”

I gave a subtle smile.

“I have a personal goal.”

With that, I put a spoonful of rice soup in my mouth.

With the merger and acquisition also called off, it’s safe to say that I’m completely at odds with the International Association.

In this situation, even if I stay in the association, I won’t be able to get close to the International Association for several years.

Fortunately, the skill unlock is going well, and I’ve even received a promise to raise the cleaning team’s salary, so now I need to start preparing to enter the International Association in earnest.

“Well, it’s a shame, but… well, if that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do.”

The association president put the envelope in his inside pocket as if he had given up.

“Then I’ll ask you to do your best for the remaining month.”

“Yes, I underst…… Huh?”

“Did you think you could quit as soon as you submit your resignation? That’s a violation of the Labor Standards Act.”

The corners of the association president’s mouth turned up in a smirk.

Taking advantage of my bewildered state, he offered a handshake.

“Anyway, I believe you’ll do well, even if it’s just for a month. Kim Jun-woo, Head of the Operations Division.”

What the hell…….

***

After eating a late lunch and returning, the office was in chaos.

“Team Leader, is it true that you’re resigning?!”

“No, Jun-woo? You’re not really going to resign, are you?!”

“Hey! Even if you’re a loner, how can you do this without saying a word?!”

Not only Moon So-yeon and Han Sang-hyuk, but even Han Yu-bin, who had heard the news, was pouring out nagging.

“Surely you’re not resigning to take responsibility for us, or anything like that…….”

“Don’t worry, it’s not like that.”

I said firmly, but Han Yu-bin’s expression was quite complicated.

As I was doing that, Han Sang-hyuk opened his mouth this time.

“What are we supposed to do if you just leave like this?”

“What do you mean, what are you supposed to do? Am I your nanny?”

“If the association’s top power leaves, do you think the headquarters guys will leave us alone?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Why.”

“There’s a reason…….”

I answered bitterly.

Thanks to that, the atmosphere in the office instantly sank.

If someone else saw it, they would think someone had died.

“……When exactly is your resignation date?”

At that time, Han Yu-bin asked in a low voice.

“It’s a month from now.”

“That’s a relief. At least you can sort things out before you leave.”

“Well, I have to suck up everything I can before I leave.”

I said that and took a deep breath.

I was forced to take on the position, so I have to get something out of it.

***

France, Paris.

An organization under the International Hunter Association, ‘Perfect Balance Corporation.’

Commonly known as PB Corporation.

Even though it was late at night, the lights were brightly lit in the conference room.

As it was a meeting of all the team leaders of PB Corporation, a very heavy atmosphere hung over the room.

The employees gathered in front of the large whiteboard looked like ordinary office workers at first glance, but since it was an officially non-existent organization, not many people knew of their existence.

Except for the Secretary-General of the International Association, it was about the highest-ranking person in charge of each branch.

“So…….”

At that time, a middle-aged man with a shaggy beard—Mark, the team leader of the Hunter Balance Adjustment Team—opened his mouth with a voice full of dissatisfaction.

“The recovery of the Time Stone failed, and the merger and acquisition also fell through?”

“That’s right.”

A young woman—Chloe, the team leader of the Bank Item Management Team—who was briefing in front of the whiteboard, answered.

Her official affiliation was the American branch, but she was also affiliated with PB Corporation at the same time.

At least no one around her in the American branch knew about this. Including Jason, the former control team leader.

“So you should have recovered it somehow during the joint operation. Why did it fail?”

“It seemed like one of the headquarters team members noticed. There was a risk of being caught if we moved rashly, so we had to give up.”

The entire office buzzed.

“Noticed our identity? Or that we were after the Time Stone?”

“……I’m not sure.”

“Then who’s the guy who noticed?”

“It’s a cleaner from the Seoul headquarters.”

Laughter erupted here and there.

“That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

“A cleaner ruined our work, seriously.”

Those sitting at the round table added a word each.

At that time, Mark opened his mouth again.

“Then why did the merger and acquisition fall through? I heard it was almost agreed upon? And I heard that the Korean association proposed the merger and acquisition first.”

“I heard that the opposing forces rose to the top because the Korean association president returned.”

A gaunt man—Kane, the team leader of the International Subjugation Rights Recovery Team—answered instead.

This was because the acquisition of the Independent Association and the recovery of subjugation rights were his responsibility.

“…Suddenly at this timing?”

“According to the report, the cleaner incited those forces.”

Everyone’s expressions became serious.

It seemed they had finally realized that it was not something to laugh at.

PB Corporation.

An unofficial subsidiary organization created by the Secretary-General to bring all associations, subjugation rights, and all hunters around the world under the control of the International Association.

Their main tasks varied by department, such as removing elements that could threaten the International Association, recovering bank items, and absorbing independent associations.

The agenda they were discussing now was, of course, the recovery of bank items.

It started back during the joint operation with Korea.

The original mission was to recover the Time Stone, but as a result, it failed due to Kim Jun-woo’s check.

Since it was an item that could not be transferred or traded between associations, the only way to bring back the Time Stone that had already flowed into the Korean association was to swallow the Korean association whole.

That’s why they thought an opportunity had come when the Korean association first proposed a merger and acquisition.

They were carefully proceeding with the merger without showing it as much as possible… but they were very embarrassed when the Korean association suddenly contacted them to reject the offer.

“With the reorganization of power in the Korean association due to this incident, that cleaner has been appointed as the head of the Operations Division.”

“A cleaner has risen to the head of the Operations Division… What information do we have on him?”

“There’s not much known. His education, background, and experience are all ordinary. However, there is one special thing.”

“Special thing?”

“Yes. That cleaner has a level of combat power that cannot be measured. He’s overwhelmingly more skilled than most hunters. From what I’ve witnessed, it’s definitely not a skill he’s experienced just once or twice.”

Mark’s expression became serious.

A cleaner stronger than most hunters?

He couldn’t understand what it meant at all.

“Is he registered in the hunter rank system?”

“I’ve checked and he’s not.”

“So… an unregistered ability user is working as a cleaner?”

“Yes.”

“An irregular, you mean?”

A murderous aura hung over Mark’s face.

His job was to deal with irregulars and people who could threaten the International Association.

And then.

A middle-aged woman who had been listening to the briefing with her arms crossed, hmm, made a sound.

It was Emma, the CEO of PB Corporation.

She spoke in an elegant voice that conveyed dignity.

“An irregular has also swallowed the Time Stone…… What are you going to do about this?”

Chloe swallowed hard.

She tried to erase her tension and opened her mouth.

“I’m going to try a different approach. Since the route to recover it legally is blocked anyway, we’ve crossed the line where we can solve it through dialogue.”

Chloe answered as if there was no need to think about it.

“I’ll try to contact him one more time for now.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“Yes.”

Chloe paused for a moment and opened her mouth in a low voice.

“I’m thinking of using the Dimension Stone.”

CEO Emma’s eyebrows rippled at the word Dimension Stone.

But that was only for a moment, and she nodded.

“Do that. I’ll report to the Secretary-General. Shall we stop here for today?”

CEO Emma got up from her seat first and left the conference room.

After she left, Team Leader Mark sighed heavily. At the same time, his gaze turned to something scattered on the floor.

“Seriously, how much damage have we suffered because of this bastard, tsk… I’m going to leave first, so please take care of this when you leave work.”

“Yes.”

Mark kicked something lying on the floor.

It was none other than Jason, the former control team leader, who had stopped breathing.