The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 97

096

At the Suncheon Branch office, Team Leader Go Chang-soo of Operation Team 1 and Kim Min-joo began discussing the current operational status.

As guests, Director Lee Ah-young and I stepped back, quietly observing their conversation.

“Hmm… including the dungeons on the outskirts of the city, about 150 appear each month.”

“Yes. Our quota is between 25 to 30 per week, but we only have 5 operation teams. The number of personnel per team is far less than at headquarters. And most importantly…”

Team Leader Go Chang-soo nodded and added, glancing around before continuing quietly.

“Due to the nature of the branch, there are many new Hunters, so the operational efficiency is…”

“I see.”

Kim Min-joo cut him off, seemingly understanding immediately.

It was obvious.

Everyone might be assigned to the branch for their first post, but how many of them would want to work in the provinces for their entire lives?

As soon as they gained some experience, they would all leave for Seoul or Busan, leaving the branch to reluctantly carry out subjugations with only new Hunters.

“Alright. For now, our team will support the subjugations for a week to put out the immediate fire. And then…”

Kim Min-joo paused, turning to look at me.

“…Why are you looking at me?”

“After that, I think you’ll have to help us, Instructor Kang.”

“…”

She seemed to have become more brazen while I wasn’t looking.

Was this because she had gained some experience?

“The situation is worse than we thought. Even if we support the subjugations for a few days, things will return to square one once we go back to Seoul.”

“That’s why I said we need to solve the fundamental problem together.”

“Should we try the method we used in Vietnam?”

“Increasing the cleaning team? That won’t be very effective in the current situation.”

As if by agreement, everyone in the room crossed their arms and groaned simultaneously.

After pondering for a moment, I asked,

“What’s the average difficulty of the dungeons that appear?”

“Um… on average, about Blue. The frequency of higher grades isn’t that high. At most, Yellow grade or higher appears about three or four times a year.”

“The difficulty isn’t high.”

“Yes. If we had experienced Hunters, we could somehow manage with the current personnel, but since they are all new recruits with less than six months of experience…”

“So, you’re saying that if we have enough personnel, even if they’re new, it would work out?”

“That… would be the case.”

New recruits.

Lack of personnel.

Dungeons with low difficulty.

Then there was a possible solution.

“Let’s expand the scale.”

“Pardon?”

“The Association’s Operation Team New Recruit Training Center. We’ll build it here.”

Everyone in the office, including Kim Min-joo, turned their attention to my suggestion.

“New recruit open recruitment for 3 months in the first and second half of the year, experienced recruitment for 1 month every quarter. That should be enough personnel, and since the dungeon difficulty is low, it’s perfect for practical training.”

“You’re saying we should focus on practical subjugation rather than official operations?”

“That’s right.”

“If possible, that would be great. After all, the profit is the same whether it’s practical training or an operation. But…”

Kim Min-joo wore a dubious expression.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“More than anything… will we get permission?”

“The training center issue has been under review for years anyway. Or has it been confirmed for another location recently?”

“No. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but I heard that Chief Director Choi Ho-sung is pushing for it in the Seongnam Branch area… Moreover, the Operation Team Training Center is under the authority of the Operation Headquarters Director.”

Pushing for it in the Seongnam Branch…

Come to think of it, that’s right.

Around this time, Chief Director Choi Ho-sung started favoring Bundang [a district in Seongnam] after receiving all sorts of lobbying, I think.

Still, well…

“Don’t worry. I’ll try to persuade him.”

I felt like it would work out somehow.

“Director Lee, please prepare a business plan. In the meantime, you continue to support the subjugations. And schedule adjustments until the project starts…”

“Should we ask Team Leader Pyeon?”

“That would be good. Contact the Control Team.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen everyone’s faces.”

Kim Min-joo smiled.

We had to work like crazy from now on, but I didn’t know why she was so happy.

We immediately started on our respective roles.

***

“Is Choi Ho-sung here?”

While Chief Director Choi Ho-sung was busy with work, the Association President suddenly visited the Headquarters Director’s office.

He reflexively stood up from his seat.

“Oh, what brings you here…?”

“Sit down, sit down.”

He glanced at him with a very nervous expression and smiled.

“How is it, is the work manageable?”

“Yes, well…”

“That’s good. It’s nothing much… but about the Operation Team Training Center construction project. It’s been under review for years… Isn’t it taking too long? It seems like we should make a decision soon.”

Chief Director Choi Ho-sung’s face brightened at the Association President’s words.

“I’ve already looked into a suitable location. I think it would be best to promote it in the Seongnam Branch area…”

“No. Promote it in the Suncheon Branch area.”

“…Pardon?”

Of course, the happy feeling didn’t last long.

“The operation team there has a shortage of personnel, so their reliance on guilds is too high. I heard that this is causing various problems, using it as an excuse.”

“…”

“The Association branch has its pride, so how can we let that happen?”

Chief Director Choi Ho-sung’s expression grew darker.

“Why? Is there something you don’t like?”

“…The promotion of the Operation Team Training Center is under my authority. From what I’ve gathered, it would be best to build it in the Seongnam Branch…”

“That’s true, unless there are any other problems. Is there any reason to insist on Seongnam when there’s a more urgent place? We haven’t even signed a contract with a construction company yet, and nothing has been confirmed? Or…”

The Association President continued in a serious voice.

“Did you receive anything?”

“…N, no way.”

Chief Director Choi Ho-sung forced a smile and replied.

“Then let’s proceed with Suncheon.”

“…I understand.”

It was a very reluctant answer, but the Association President got up from his seat without saying a word and left the office.

“Damn it!”

Bang!

At the same time, Choi Ho-sung slammed his desk violently.

That old man is like a snake. His instincts are no joke.

It wasn’t that he had tentatively promised the Seongnam Branch Director to promote the construction of this training center and had already received kickbacks from various companies.

Since he had the decision-making power for the construction of the training center in the first place, there was nothing dangerous.

‘But now they’re changing the region….’

If it was a simple change, he would have forced the original plan by making some excuse.

However, if he used a forced logic in a situation where the other side had a plausible reason, he might get caught.

Above all, his eyes were unusually suspicious when he probed.

He reluctantly said he understood, fearing that he would be suspected…

If this continued, he might have to return the money he received as a kickback, as well as pay a penalty.

‘Damn it, what should I do?’

He couldn’t stop this on his own.

If he tried to stop it… it would be those involved.

He immediately made a phone call.

“Hey, it’s me.”

「Director, I was just about to call you. How’s the thing I asked you about going…?」

“That’s secondary, it looks like a training center will be built in the Suncheon Branch.”

「…What are you suddenly talking about?」

“I just heard about it, so just listen quietly.”

He sighed once. Calming his mind, Choi Ho-sung slowly continued.

“The Association President suddenly came in and overturned the existing plan, saying to do it in the Suncheon Branch. But listen carefully, no matter how I look at it, it’s not like the Association President decided this alone.”

「Then…?」

“Someone tipped off the Association President.”

「…….」

“Besides, the timing is strange. As soon as there’s friction between the dispatch company and the branch, the Association President himself moves to build a training center in that area…? Do you think this is a coincidence?”

Choi Ho-sung said, trying to suppress the anger that was rising.

“Who the hell did you piss off?”

「…….」

The phone was still silent.

“Anyway, somehow prevent the training center from being built in the Suncheon Branch.”

「H, but what power do we have…?」

“Do you think I’m the only one who’s screwed right now? If this goes wrong, you’ll all be screwed at once.”

He informed the frustrating guy of the seriousness of the situation, even though he should have understood by now.

“The problem with that branch was the lack of personnel, but if you know, the dungeon difficulty is normal. If there are enough people, they’ll have more than enough subjugation, but imagine hundreds of Hunters residing there every day thanks to the training center. Do you think they’ll allocate dungeons to you?”

「They… won’t, will they.」

“There’s no justification for me to stop this. So you guys somehow stop it.”

「H, how do you mean?」

“Protest, lie down in front of the branch, stop it! If you stop that, I’ll somehow try to do what you asked me before.”

「Even if you say that…」

At that moment, Choi Ho-sung slammed the desk.

“Damn it, I’m about to get screwed because of you, and you’re saying something else?! If you and I both want to live, do something!”

「…I understand!」

As soon as he heard the answer, he unilaterally hung up the phone.

Choi Ho-sung sat down in his seat with anxiety and bit his nails.

As things were getting bigger and bigger, anxiety began to creep in at the fact that he couldn’t do anything.

***

While I was working in the office prepared by Kang Hyung-won, my phone rang.

As expected, it was Association President Park In-beom.

“Did it go well?”

「Yes. The final approval from the board of directors has been obtained, and the budget will be released within a few days. Choi Ho-sung, that bastard, something seemed strange. Surely he didn’t really take something, did he?」

“Only he would know that.”

In fact, the Association President’s suspicion was correct.

As far as I knew, he had already promised to promote construction in the Seongnam Branch and had received kickbacks from all sorts of companies.

Since I was the one who helped promote the training center before the regression, there was no way I wouldn’t know that.

「I don’t know if we can keep him in that position. He’s such a slippery guy that he cuts off his tail as soon as something goes wrong, so it’s hard to find any dirt on him…」

“If he keeps cutting off his tail like that, he’ll eventually eat away at his own body. You don’t have to worry too much.”

The Association President hmm’d and groaned.

「But what benefit is this to you? No matter how I look at it, it seems like a waste of time and manpower.」

“Why wouldn’t there be a benefit? If we save the Suncheon Branch, which is rotten to the core, it will be a good example for other branches. More branches will be looking for us.”

「…Is it for publicity purposes?」

“What else would it be?”

The Association President burst into laughter.

「Not because of your employees?」

“…Pardon?”

「I heard that the Baekje Guild acted quite badly. You’re not the type to just let that go.」

…What is he talking about?

「Are you embarrassed to say it? Alright, I’ll pretend I don’t know. Hehehe.」

“…”

I think he’s finally senile.

“Anyway, I’m sorry for suddenly making this request.”

「What are you talking about? As you said, you’re going to save a branch that’s rotten to the core, so the Association is grateful. Do it properly while you’re at it.」

“Of course.”

Anyway, I ended the call on a good note.