Was it the aftermath of three consecutive Flawless clears?
Journalists, who had been waiting for Min-hyuk to do anything, posted even the most trivial news as articles.
However, as soon as his strategy video was uploaded, another major issue was created, and they began posting articles like crazy.
「Targeting the Monster Management Office again?」
「Nameless Hunter. Will he take over the monster dismantling industry after the hunter industry?」
「The wind of change started by the Nameless Hunter. How far will it reach?」
「Issues that were hidden with great effort begin to be revealed one by one because of the Nameless Hunter!」
The articles popping up everywhere were already too numerous to block.
Perhaps that was why?
Things that had been buried despite successful coverage for fear of those in power began to surface one by one.
「Circumstances of power abuse at the Monster Management Office! Slashing prices for numerous subcontractors…」
「Monster Management Office Team Leader! Received money to give monster by-products to lower-priority companies first…」
「A certain Team Leader! Personally embezzled profits from price-slashing…」
As the dying embers were rekindled, victims also began to speak out louder this time.
Hunters and companies who usually had grievances against the Monster Management Office also began to join in, making the fireball grow even larger.
“It’s time to move.”
“Director, will this be alright?”
An employee asked worriedly as the Director of the Hunter Bureau stood up from his seat.
What the Director was about to do was to completely oppose the government.
“Do I need to fear a government with only one year left in its term?”
“But…”
“What if we lose Nameless while worrying about the government? Wouldn’t that be scarier?”
The employee could not answer the Director’s question.
Losing a person who was changing the ecosystem of floors 1 to 3?
It would be no different from letting an SS-rank hunter go to another country.
Since the Director was an S-rank hunter himself, it would just be the end of his career if he resigned, but it was different for them.
There was a high possibility that it wouldn’t end with just resigning.
Just as the current head of the Monster Management Office was being used as a scapegoat, there was a high possibility that they would suffer the same fate.
“There are no other options.”
Park Young-hwan, who said that, headed to the press conference room.
After walking toward the journalists gathered in such numbers that the front of the Hunter Bureau was crowded, he quietly opened his lips.
“From this time until the Monster Management Office situation settles down, our Hunter Bureau intends to personally arrange transactions.”
At that, a journalist raised their hand.
“Isn’t that an abuse of authority?”
Matters regarding monster by-products were the authority of the Monster Management Office.
A question asking if he was encroaching on that.
It was a valid point, but that applied to normal times.
Now was an emergency.
“The Monster Management Office belongs to the Hunter Bureau. And the current situation is an emergency.”
“But…”
Park Young-hwan raised his hand to stop the journalist who was trying to say something more and continued his words.
“Currently, the Monster Management Office is unable to properly meet delivery dates even for items already contracted, and they are being delayed. In this situation, would additional volume be meaningful?”
“That’s…”
“Furthermore, the Hunter Bureau is merely acting as an agent. Transactions will be made through coordination between companies.”
The Director stated that the Hunter Bureau would not be acting on behalf of the Monster Management Office, but would rather provide convenience by acting as a bridge so that the private sector could trade freely until the emergency ended.
However, no one gathered there was unaware that this was an operation to end the Monster Management Office’s monopoly.
“Then must we trade only through the Hunter Bureau?”
“No. There is no need for that. We are merely providing convenience. I think it would also be good to actively utilize the Hunter Market.”
“Isn’t this change too sudden?”
Park Young-hwan stared blankly at the face of a journalist who asked if it was okay to let things explode so suddenly, even if the Monster Management Office was a problem.
He was a journalist who used to frequent the Monster Management Office often.
“It was something that had to be done eventually.”
“Contracts led by private companies had many ill effects. The problems of that time may be repeated.”
“There is room for abuse by criminals.”
“Couldn’t villains flock to Korea on a large scale?”
Journalists bit back, mentioning the reasons why Korea had to manage monster by-products through the Monster Management Office.
To them, Park Young-hwan calmly explained.
“I know well. However, unlike then, the Hunter Bureau has also changed. As you know, things were overturned once when I became the Director; agents are stationed throughout the city, and we periodically manage things with guilds that have close cooperative relationships with the Hunter Bureau.”
“But with just that…”
Park Young-hwan raised his hand again to stop the journalist who was trying to argue and lifted the documents he had brought with his other hand.
“The documents here are the first internal audit report of the Monster Management Office. Many names were listed here, and the names of the Villain Alliance, which we punished in the past, were also listed.”
The crowd buzzed at those words.
Everyone kept it quiet, but they had expected that spies of villains would be infiltrated into the Monster Management Office.
They just didn’t know he would reveal it in this place.
“For your information, I heard that some of the journalists are also involved.”
The atmosphere began to turn chilly at Park Young-hwan’s words.
Some journalists glanced at the journalists who had been defending the Monster Management Office just a moment ago.
“The government has also entered an audit, but we internally plan to enter a second audit with these documents.”
“Are you saying you will do it doubly?”
“Yes. Since we have learned that villains are involved, we cannot just let it pass.”
“…”
Looking at the silent journalists, the Director of the Hunter Bureau disappeared with the words that he would leave if there were no more questions.
As soon as he disappeared from view, the journalists began to post articles quickly.
「The Hunter Bureau Draws Its Sword. Rebellious Against the Government!」
「Audit of the Monster Management Office? It’s just the beginning!」
「It’s different this time. With the intention of catching everyone involved with the Monster Management Office…」
「Will we be able to break the Monster Management Office’s monopoly this time?」
「Reform of the monster dismantling business? It’s a good thing. But the disadvantage is that it could bring back the ill effects of the past…」
「How the government will react to the Hunter Bureau’s stance…」
Articles poured out like crazy.
As the Hunter Bureau poured oil on the spark nurtured by the Nameless Hunter, it began to burn brightly.
Now it would burn until it was out of control.
Because of this, all the hunters, regardless of their floor, set off celebratory fireworks.
– God Nameless! Praise time begins!
– Nameless-men!
– Nameless-men!
– Three people among those who post praise for Nameless get a hamburger set!
– Nameless donation certification post!
– Nameless…
– Name…
Hunternet was completely covered with things about Nameless.
They set off celebratory fireworks among themselves and moved to breathe strength into the wind of reform that started with Min-hyuk.
The amazing thing was that even guilds began to join in these celebrations.
Additionally, there were companies that promoted themselves without missing this situation.
– Entering a special event to worship Hunter Nameless!
– God Nameless limited special price event!
– Nameless Event! Beginner set for floors 1-9 special price!
– Monster dismantling set super special price!
They tried to sell off old stock at super special prices by using Nameless’s name on the Hunter Market.
It wasn’t just the Hunter Market.
Cosmetics made from the slime mucus that Min-hyuk first dismantled also went on sale at a special discount and were sold to the general public.
While some companies enjoyed the boom caused by Nameless and hunters also toasted the changing trend, one side was in an uproar.
“Isn’t the plan going awry?”
“What do we do?”
As the spark they thought was dying down began to burn again, middle-level managers and lower-level managers hurriedly gathered in the Director’s office.
They had followed the line of the Office Director, but since a lot of political funds were consumed to get to this position, they had committed corruption with the intention of making the most of it.
They thought they would just have to serve about one or two years or get a suspended sentence, but looking at the situation, it was not at that level.
Perhaps that was why?
This time, even the Office Director had no answer.
The higher-ups they trusted did not allow any kind of approach, let alone a phone call.
They were afraid that the sparks would fly to them.
Now the time for choice was approaching.
Whether to confess everything they knew and receive even a slightly reduced sentence, or to trust the higher-ups and keep their mouths shut until the end.
Despair began to cast a shadow on the faces of those who had been high-spirited until not long ago.
A while later, after hearing from the manager that it was every man for himself, all the employees who followed the Director’s line had expressions as if they had chewed on dirt.
However, contrary to them, the expressions of the employees who were stubbornly holding out at the Monster Management Office changed to expressions that were happier than ever.
One employee, who had been waiting for this day, called somewhere.
– Team Leader! You heard the news, right?
An employee who used to work under Min-hyuk while he was at the Monster Management Office.
At the voice of the young employee who visited and asked questions steadily even though Min-hyuk had awakened, Min-hyuk spoke with a faint smile.
“Yeah. The news says an extensive audit is taking place, but how is it inside?”
– Perhaps because the Hunter Bureau stepped in, I think they’re going to shake things down properly this time.
So, the Director’s line is in an uproar.
“Really?”
– Yes.
This time, even the government side won’t be able to cover for them.
The employee, who was chatting and listening to Min-hyuk while he listened to the story of his former subordinate who was talking excitedly, stopped talking and asked with a heavy voice.
– Your body is okay, right?
“It’s not as bad as you’d think.”
– Please don’t worry about this work anymore and take care of your health first.
Min-hyuk could not bring himself to answer those words.
It was because he thought he would continue to intervene until the main culprits who ruined the Monster Management Office were surely crushed.
“You just hang in there.”
– Phew… as for me…
As an awakened person, he would not be easily fired.
The problem was the non-awakened people who had already been fired.
It would take time for them to return while receiving proper treatment.
Those whose abilities were proven might be able to flee to other countries, but among those who worked at the Monster Management Office, there were many who could not settle down properly because they were kicked out.
Since most companies would want to recruit them but wouldn’t be able to do so for fear of being targeted by the Monster Management Office.
‘So I can’t stop yet.’
He had to keep lighting the fire without stopping until they were surely crushed.
To do that, he had to keep gathering attention for now.
Only then would his words have power.
“Let’s see each other’s faces next time.”
– Yes!
Definitely!
Okay?
There are many people who want to see you, Team Leader. Don’t just say it, let’s really meet.
“Alright. I’ll contact you when I have time.”
– Yes!
Min-hyuk, who hung up the phone, drew a deep smile on his lips.
It was because he felt proven that the efforts he made at the Monster Management Office were not in vain.
“Phew… then shall we go stir up some issues?”
The surest way to gather attention.
That was to record another Flawless clear on the next floor.
[Would you like to enter the 4th floor?]
“Yes.”