The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 93

092

Yeouido Administrative Headquarters, Main Conference Room.

A board meeting was convened, attended by Chairman Park In-beom and all the directors.

“So, you’re saying you want to reduce the number of cleaning team members?”

Chairman Park In-beom, who had been listening silently to the agenda presented by Director Choi Ho-seong, finally spoke.

“Yes.”

“Hmm, how long has it been since you became the director?”

“Today is my fourth day.”

“I see, you bring up the restructuring of the cleaning team only four days after taking office….”

The chairman asked cautiously.

“Do you know whose position that was?”

“…I know.”

“I see.”

The chairman stroked his chin and then raised his eyes.

“And someone who knows that dares to say such a thing?”

“…….”

A fierce gaze shot towards Choi Ho-seong.

Choi Ho-seong momentarily froze, overwhelmed by the charisma that was hard to believe came from an old man.

But only for a moment.

“Please take a look at this.”

He took out the prepared materials.

He had already anticipated being reprimanded.

Wasn’t it obvious?

He was about to dismantle something a near-deified person had personally built.

Moreover, he had heard that the two men who currently held all the power in the association, Chairman Park In-beom and Director Lee Doo-sik, had personal connections with Kim Jun-woo.

Nevertheless, the fact that he openly brought up the restructuring card in front of them meant that he was confident.

“As you can see, there isn’t much budget left in the Seoul headquarters. We’ve pulled everything from the next quarter and the quarter after that, so there will be a problem with paying the operation team’s salary this month.”

“But the profits from the current subjugation progress and the Vietnam branch development should be quite substantial, right?”

The chairman, who was reviewing the data, retorted.

Having already anticipated the rebuttal, Director Choi Ho-seong responded without hesitation.

“The subjugation profits have only just covered the large-scale intercept damage that occurred last time, and we don’t know how long it will take for the Vietnam branch to generate profits. At this rate, we will record a huge deficit for at least half a year.”

“…….”

The chairman was silent.

Director Choi Ho-seong seized the opportunity and continued to speak.

“Of course, it would be great if we could all work together to overcome this difficult time. It’s not like I proposed this agenda because I didn’t want that. But everyone knows it’s realistically impossible.”

“Then, how about temporarily adjusting the hunters’ salaries? They will all understand. Cutting so many people because of a temporary hardship is a bit….”

“Even if we adjust the hunters’ salaries this month to get through it somehow… what about next month? What about the month after that? If it’s not covered by cutting the hunters’ salaries, then we’ll have to reduce the directors’ salaries as well.”

“Ahem….”

“No, it won’t go that far….”

Hacking coughs leaked out from here and there.

Director Choi Ho-seong sensed victory from their reactions.

No matter how much they cared about their employees, it was all just talk in the end.

They had no colleagues or subordinates in front of their own rice bowls [personal interests].

Choi Ho-seong knew that fact very well.

Of course, there were some who weren’t like that.

“This isn’t right! Everyone admits that the cleaning team played a big role in raising our subjugation performance to this level!”

Unsurprisingly, it was Director Lee Doo-sik.

But this time, Director Choi Ho-seong didn’t need to refute it.

“Still… honestly, the budget going to the cleaning team is too big, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. No matter what, the association’s top priority is the operation team, and as for me, it’s a bit much that the hunters are suffering because of the cleaning team….”

“Let’s be realistic. Realistically.”

Other directors stepped in to stop him.

The public opinion had already turned.

Feeling a sense of crisis, Director Lee Doo-sik looked at the chairman, pleading for him to say something.

The chairman pondered for a long time before speaking again.

“…Well, that’s not wrong.”

He delivered an unexpected answer.

“Ch, Chairman!!”

“Be quiet. This isn’t something to be emotional about.”

“…….”

A shadow fell on Director Lee Doo-sik’s face.

“Director Choi Ho-seong.”

The chairman’s sharp gaze turned to Choi Ho-seong once again.

“If there’s even the slightest problem with this agenda, you’ll have to take full responsibility. Can you do that?”

“Of course.”

“I see….”

The chairman frowned deeply at the confident answer.

After a moment.

“Proceed.”

The chairman’s permission was granted.

***

Cleaning Team Office.

Section Chief Park Geun-tae received the news like a bolt from the blue.

“R, Restructuring?!”

His voice trembled.

But contrary to him, the man sitting across from him had a rather indifferent tone.

“Along with the reduction of personnel, there will also be a major adjustment in annual salaries.”

“I, Isn’t this a bit too much! How long has it been since you took office that you’re already drawing your sword [taking drastic action]!”

“Section Chief Park Geun-tae.”

Director Choi Ho-seong continued, as if he didn’t want to hear anymore, picking at his ear.

“This is a matter that has already been decided at a higher level. If you want to complain, go complain there. It’s no use talking to me.”

“…….”

Section Chief Park closed his mouth.

The look in his eyes as he looked at himself was one he had seen several times before.

A look that didn’t consider him even a little bit as a colleague.

It was the look that he thought he would never see again after Kim Jun-woo joined the association.

“First, collect applications from those who want to leave voluntarily and make a list. As I said, it’s half. If the list is not enough, I will handle it on my own after that.”

“…….”

Director Choi Ho-seong left the office after saying those words.

Soon, Section Chief Park Geun-tae’s face turned pale.

‘A decision has been made at a higher level….’

Even if it was someone else, Chairman and Director Lee Doo-sik would not be the ones to approve this agenda.

Even though he thought there was no way, he had to accept the reality that was right in front of him.

Section Chief Park, who was looking at the list that the director had left behind, soon tilted his head back.

There was no way there would be anyone who wanted to retire voluntarily.

This was just telling him to fill out the list on his own, whether by persuasion or recommendation.

‘You’re telling me to fill this out….’

Section Chief Park’s vision went dark.

While he was wondering what to do.

The thought of contacting Jun-woo suddenly crossed his mind.

At that moment.

The office phone rang.

“Yes, Cleaning Section Chief Park Geun-tae….”

A low voice was heard, cutting off his greeting.

“Ch, Chairman?! Ah, hello!”

It was none other than Chairman Park In-beom.

Section Chief Park unknowingly held the phone with both hands.

“Yes, yes.”

“He just came by a moment ago.”

“Yes. He told me to make a list of volunteers first… I’m at a loss, really.”

“Yes, yes.”

At that moment.

“……Yes?”

He received unexpected words.

***

[Korea Association Seoul Headquarters, Dungeon Cleaning Team Mass Restructuring]

Seoul outskirts. Old office.

While I was having a late lunch with Manager Lee Ah-young, some news came on TV.

[Chairman Park In-beom dismisses it as an ‘unavoidable choice due to financial difficulties.’ Also, ‘We will actively support job changes and re-employment,’ he remarks]

[Dungeon cleaners suddenly driven out onto the streets. But all of them voluntarily resigned? ‘Received job offers from other companies’ becomes a hot topic.]

[Where did the cleaners who voluntarily left the association go? Cleaning team dispatch company ‘Karma Corporation’ becomes a topic.]

“Huh…?”

At the same time, Lee Ah-young’s chopsticks suddenly stopped.

Soon, she turned her head towards me with wide eyes.

“Wh, What is it…? Is that real?”

“I don’t know….”

I answered vaguely, but Manager Lee Ah-young still had a hard time believing it.

And at that moment.

The office phone started ringing.

“Yes, Karma Corporation… Yes, that’s right. Ah, you’re coming with your resume now? Yes, yes, that’s fine. Yes, then I’ll see you later.”

As soon as the short call ended, I asked.

“Is it an applicant?”

“Yes……. They were from the Seoul headquarters cleaning team and said they were recommended here….”

A voice that still didn’t know what was going on.

But as if there was no time to think, the phone rang again.

“Yes, we are currently recruiting. Ah, yes, yes.”

“The annual salary will be determined according to negotiations, but we are thinking of matching it to the same level as the association for now.”

“Ah, that’s something I’ll have to discuss with the CEO first….”

“Ah, yes, yes. Of course. Then I’ll give you the email address, so please send it there….”

Inquiries continued as if the phone was on fire.

While I was silently watching the scene, my cell phone started ringing.

I quietly left the office and answered the phone on the emergency stairs.

「Hey, did you see the news?」

The chairman blurted out those words right away.

“Yes. I just saw it.”

「I gave you half of what you wanted. Well, they’ll put in their resumes on their own, but just in case, I’ll send you the list later.」

“Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”

As I said my greetings, a deep sigh was heard from the other side.

「Hey, you bastard, even if you couldn’t find people, did you have to go this far?」

“You know that the association’s finances aren’t good, and if we left it alone, it would have exploded someday.”

「You know that’s all because of you, right?」

“Isn’t that why I’m helping you? Well, the association saves money, and I get employees. The employees’ jobs remain the same. Isn’t that a good thing in the end?”

「You’re crazy, really…….」

The chairman was appalled.

“Above all, the people I bring in this way will never be noticed by the International Association, so you can rest assured.”

「I’m telling you clearly, don’t involve me in this kind of thing again. Do you know how much I suffered? Lee Doo-sik was looking at me like I was a bug.」

“Hahaha, I’m sorry about that. Please explain it to him later.”

I was satisfied that things were going well as I wanted.

Yes, in fact, this restructuring was planned from the beginning.

Well, strictly speaking, it was closer to a gamble than a plan.

A gamble on Choi Ho-seong.

「But how did you know that Choi Ho-seong would bring up the restructuring agenda?」

“He’s the kind of person who cuts off his tail without hesitation when he’s in crisis [like a lizard escaping a predator].”

「So how did you know that?」

“Well… to put it simply, he’s like my old teacher.”

I vaguely glossed over it.

Choi Ho-seong.

The man who took over as the head of the operations headquarters after Seo Min-cheol before my regression [past life].

He was the one who taught me quite a lot when I was the head of Operations Team 1 at the time.

If I had to pick the most representative thing….

‘Something about a lizard’s tail.’

It’s been so long that I don’t even remember it well.

Anyway, the achievements he showed as the head of the operations headquarters were truly great.

It was commonplace to turn the team upside down at every chance, and the cleaning team’s wages were cut every year, eventually halving.

I was sure that if it was him, he would think of reducing the number of people as soon as he saw the budget I had messed up.

Especially the cleaning team, which he thought was the most useless based on his standards.

So I recommended him to the chairman as the next head of the operations headquarters.

To stabilize the association’s finances and to bring all the people who were restructured to my side.

In addition, the article was published, so it was a good promotion for the company.

Of course, this is something that no one knows except me and the chairman.

「Fortunately, everyone said they would voluntarily leave because I said I would send them to your company. On the contrary, there were so many people who wanted to resign that we had to cut some of them by drawing lots.」

“Did that happen.”

「Tsk, it’s a good thing everyone is satisfied, but if there was even a little bit of dissatisfaction, you and I would have done something terrible to those people. Do you know?」

“I know.”

「Anyway, do well now that things have turned out this way. If you cause our employees to suffer after going through all this trouble to bring them in, I won’t let you off the hook.」

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

I answered that way and smiled softly.

「By the way, what are you going to do about Choi Ho-seong? Seeing him this time, he’s the kind of guy who will do anything to keep his position. I’m a little worried about keeping him there.」

“It’ll be fine. He’s the perfect person to put in a suitable position and use as a long-term pawn.”

「Sometimes I think you’re the worst guy.」

“……Is that possible.”

He’s quick to notice.

Is this what experience is?

“By the way… is there any special reaction from the International Association?”

「It’s been quiet since you left.」

“That’s a relief.”

「So, when are you planning to proceed with the overseas acquisition?」

“Well… I have to build a foundation first, right? I have trustworthy employees now, so I’m going to try to build a foundation against the branches for the time being.”

「Okay. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need anything else.」

“…….”

I put down the phone after those words.

And at that moment.

“Jun-woo!”

“Wow, long time no see?”

“What’s with the company building? I was expecting something after you left so confidently.”

Moon So-yeon, Han Sang-hyuk, and Han Yu-bin visited the office.