An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 119

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 118
Part 1. Just Trust Me! (2)
Wednesday.
The exact midpoint of the week.
Monday and Tuesday lay behind me, while Thursday and Friday awaited ahead.
Perhaps that’s why time seemed to crawl by so sluggishly today.
Kang Hyung-seok found himself watching the wall clock move with unusual lethargy, and he offered a gentle smile to the man seated across from him.
“Is there anything else you might need?”
A client.
While securing new contracts was important, maintaining existing client relationships was equally vital.
This was an account that Noh Su-chul, my former mentor, had cultivated years ago, and the Client Manager still bore traces of anger on his face.
“No, we’re fine.”
“I sincerely apologize. We’ve caused you considerable trouble.”
“No, please don’t say that!”
It happened often enough.
Presenting absurd conditions just to land a contract.
The previous contract had felt exactly like that, and as a result, the Client Manager had fumed about how the terms had been changed.
“Surely it wasn’t… Good grief.”
The Client Manager muttered bitterly.
“I apologize.”
Shin Jung-ah, standing beside Kang Hyung-seok, offered her own sincere apology.
At that, the Client Manager could no longer maintain his anger and drank his coffee roughly.
“Still, I’m relieved that someone with common sense came to meet with us.”
Kang Hyung-seok maintained an embarrassed yet apologetic expression as he smiled wryly.
“Not at all. We’re the ones who are grateful you’ve listened to us so patiently.”
“Phew.”
The Client Manager rubbed his canine tooth with his tongue, then nodded toward Shin Jung-ah as well.
“I’m sorry. I was too emotional earlier.”
“It’s our fault entirely.”
Yet despite her words, Shin Jung-ah was visibly exhausted.
She had inherited Noh Su-chul’s contract and had been managing it without a proper handover.
Though her experience had prevented major issues, this incident had struck like a bolt from the blue.
With the company’s reputation at stake, both managers had been dispatched urgently.
“Really, whew! So for this quarter, we’ll proceed with delivery as we discussed today. As for adjustments to unit prices and such, I’ll speak with my superiors and we’ll coordinate gradually.”
“Yes, understood.”
Kang Hyung-seok replied respectfully, and the Client Manager pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and fiddled with it.
Since the important conversation had concluded, Kang Hyung-seok rose with Shin Jung-ah and suggested the smoking room.
Click, click, click!
The Client Manager’s lighter had run out of fuel and wouldn’t produce a flame.
So Shin Jung-ah quickly lit it for him with her own lighter, and the Client Manager responded with an apologetic gaze.
“Phew, I’m sorry. I must have startled you quite a bit.”
“Not at all. It’s fine!”
Now that the situation seemed resolved, Shin Jung-ah replied with a noticeably more relaxed tone, and the Client Manager broke into a bitter smile.
“Company work is like that, I suppose. Just when you think things have settled down, something like this pops up and drives you mad.”
“It seems that way for everyone.”
“Really? I thought it was just me.”
Shin Jung-ah lit her cigarette and handed her lighter to the Client Manager.
“You don’t have one, do you? Use this.”
“Oh? No, goodness.”
“I have another one.”
She spoke with a practiced, elegant smile that made it clear she’d rehearsed this many times, and the Client Manager accepted the lighter with an even more apologetic expression.
“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
“It’s nothing special.”
The Client Manager fiddled with the lighter, which was loaded with fluid, then tucked it into his pocket.
Then his gaze shifted to Kang Hyung-seok.
“You’ve been here before, haven’t you?”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you come with my predecessor some time ago?”
Kang Hyung-seok looked at the Client Manager with surprised eyes, then nodded and confirmed it was true.
Back then, he’d only come along with Noh Su-chul like a driver, and since he’d been made to wait in the car, he naturally assumed the man wouldn’t remember.
“That’s right. Your demeanor has changed so much I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Ah, haha.”
“Even back then I thought you had a good impression, but if I’d known it would come to this, I should have drawn up the contract with Manager Kang instead.”
Am I just making conversation here?
With that sense, the Client Manager furrowed his brow while smoking his cigarette.
“Whew—! I saw earlier that you speak well and presented the solutions very cleanly. But why were you alone in the car back then?”
“That’s how it had to be at the time.”
“Ah, I see.”
The Client Manager furrowed his brow as if he understood, then muttered as if to himself.
“It happens. There are people who won’t let you come near because they’re afraid you’ll steal and learn their techniques.”
Then he looked Kang Hyung-seok over carefully and nodded slowly.
“Things will go smoothly for you from now on. You certainly seem like the type.”
“Thank you for the kind words.”
“Well then, head on in for now. We’ll meet again when we draw up the new contract later.”
The Client Manager would need to handle pressing matters from here on.
The strong atmosphere of urging them to leave meant Kang Hyung-seok and Shin Jung-ah made their parting from the smoking room right away.
Click.
The two of us climbed into the car and exhaled heavy sighs simultaneously, as if in perfect harmony.
“Ah, we made it through.”
“It went well, didn’t it?”
“Thanks. If it weren’t for you, Manager Kang, things would’ve gotten really messy.”
Shin Jung-ah wiped her brow with the expression of someone who’d been through an ordeal, then her face contorted in frustration.
“Seriously, is that guy insane? I’ve never dealt with anything like this in my entire life.”
“Your predecessor?”
It was right after Kang Hyung-seok asked this, not even wanting to speak the man’s name.
“Yeah! Does he have no sense? How did he even think to draft duplicate contracts? Who brought that bastard in—some political appointment?”
Kang Hyung-seok frowned without realizing it, then shook his head.
“They said I was the political appointment.”
“What? You, Manager Kang?”
“I got hired on a professor’s recommendation, and people have been calling me a political appointee behind my back.”
“Wow, that’s just cruel.”
“Either way, I won’t see him again. You’ve had a rough time too, Manager.”
“Rough? You basically handled everything yourself.”
“That’s not true.”
“I mean, thanks to you, Manager Kang, I… sigh.”
Shin Jung-ah, her face full of irritation, undid the button closest to her neck.
That was when it happened.
Ding.
A text message came through to Kang Hyung-seok.
“Who is it? The department head?”
“Yes. He’s asking how things went.”
“Call him and then we’ll head out. Or should I call him?”
Shin Jung-ah asked while fastening her seatbelt, and Kang Hyung-seok answered as he started the engine.
“I’ll handle it.”
Kang Hyung-seok fastened his seatbelt, released the parking brake, and called Gwak Young-ho.
(Hey! Manager Kang! Can you hear me?)
With the engine running, Gwak Young-ho’s voice came through the vehicle’s speakers connected to Bluetooth.
Vroom.
As Kang Hyung-seok quickly moved the vehicle, he opened his mouth toward the phone.
“Yes. It went well. Fortunately, they understood completely. We’ll need to come back once more later to renew the contract.”
(Phew, thank goodness.)
“You don’t need to worry too much. This quarter we’ll proceed within reasonable terms, and we only need to extend it until the next quarter’s delivery.”
(Really. Oh! Shin Manager is there with you, right?)
“Yes. She’s right here.”
(Good work. See, when our team’s aces come together, even impossible situations get resolved.)
“Well then, take care of him. Manager Kang really went through a lot this time.”
(Just come back! Then I’ll make you a really good mix coffee.)
“Uh….”
Gwak Young-ho’s voice had become more relaxed, suggesting he’d been under considerable stress.
Kang Hyung-seok’s lips curved upward silently, and Shin Jung-ah looked at the phone mounted on the dashboard with an expression that seemed to ask, “This guy?”
(Just kidding, just kidding!)
“That’s not funny, Manager.”
(Hey, Shin Manager. Ah, and this isn’t something I’m handling myself, but…)
“Yes?”
Shin Jung-ah raised one eyebrow, and Kang Hyung-seok’s gaze shifted toward the phone.
(Shinjin Construction was looking for two people? You know that director from before?)
“Yes? What? Me too?”
(That’s what they said. I was surprised too. Did you have something going on with that director at Shinjin Construction?)
“No, nothing in particular.”
(Is that so…? Anyway, they asked to borrow both of you for a few days. From what I heard, it sounds like they want you to survey a site and list up necessary materials or something like that.)
“Ah…”
This could lead to significant results.
Yet the expressions on Shin Jung-ah and Kang Hyung-seok’s faces weren’t joyful—I could sense they knew what hidden truth lay beneath.
(There are a lot of necessary materials, and if the quote is decent, they’ll probably approve it right away? You two should go this time. A long-term business trip isn’t so bad, is it?)
“Ah, yes.”
(Why does your voice sound like that for good news? Why isn’t Kang Manager saying anything?)
Shin Jung-ah shifted her gaze to Kang Hyung-seok and pointed at the phone.
“No, I was just surprised.”
(Really? Want me to surprise you even more?)
“Yes?”
(Leave work on-site!)
I was certainly surprised.
“Manager, but I have work that needs to be processed?”
Having left in a hurry, there was no shortage of paperwork that needed handling.
If I left work early at those words, tomorrow would bring such a backlog of tasks that I’d be crying “Help me.”
(I’ve already taken care of everything, Kang Manager.)
“Ah…”
(Did you think I’d sit around twiddling my thumbs while you two managers are out in the field? I’ve cleaned up all the follow-up work, so leave with peace of mind. Everyone deserves a day like this.)
Kang Hyung-seok smiled bitterly with a sense of apology and nodded firmly.
“Understood. Thank you.”
(Then tomorrow, both of you come to the office, do a simple handover, and head straight to Shinjin Construction. That’ll work.)
Kang Hyung-seok nodded heavily.
“Yes, understood.”
(You really worked hard today, and I’m truly grateful!)
“Buy us dinner sometime.”
Shin Jung-ah threw out the words casually, and Gwak Young-ho jumped up.
(Hey! That’s something my predecessor caused—why should I buy dinner!)
“It’s our department’s work! Manager.”
(Ugh! Then just do well on the business trip. If you bring back nice results, I’ll get the corporate card approved right away.)
“Really? Then can we eat something expensive?”
(Wouldn’t that depend on the scale of the deal?)
Shin Jung-ah laughed and said she understood.
With that, she ended the call with a promise to see me tomorrow, and I glanced back through the rear window at the client growing distant.
“Tomorrow onwards, things will get hectic again.”
I had decided to move forward with Kang Hyung-seok this time.
I had completely overcome the trauma from the Goblin incident, and I wanted to repay him for the help he had given me in this company work.
However, when Kang Hyung-seok said nothing, Shin Jung-ah’s puzzled gaze turned toward him.
“Manager Kang?”
“I’m thinking about something.”
Shin Jung-ah, who had been about to ask what he was thinking about, turned her gaze forward without any response.
It was because Kang Hyung-seok’s eyes were too heavy to ask him about it.
A cult, Baekbaek Church.
Shin Jung-ah from the revelation, tears of blood streaming down her face.
A premonition that she shouldn’t be part of this gripped the steering wheel, and sweat began to seep from my palms.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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