Laborer Mr. Kim Reaps Sweet Rewards with Auto-Hunting - Chapter 70

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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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Episode 070

A post on Awakener’s Net about accepting manufacturing commissions.
Who wrote it?
The hottest Personnel Manager in the world right now.
Naturally, the entire global community reacted instantly.

[Russian Government Applauds Personnel Manager’s Initiative… “We respect this decision for global safety.”]
[US Government Decides to Submit Weapon Commission for James Moore, Ranked 2nd. What’s the price?]
……
…

Superpowers? Minor nations?
What did it matter.
When the Personnel Manager’s weapons were on the line.
Even the USA, already holding one, threw its hat in the ring.
Which meant certain people were extraordinarily busy—

Brring-brring-brring!

“Yes, Awakening Management Bureau speaking. Ah, yes, yes. We’re currently accepting only state-level commissions, not private individual applications, so we appreciate your understanding.”

It was Korea’s Awakening Management Bureau.

One line rang here.
Another rang there.

Phones kept ringing constantly.
Official documents pinged in from every direction.
When you checked them—

[Weapon Manufacturing Commission – France]
[Weapon Manufacturing Commission – Russia]
[Weapon Manufacturing Commission – Turkey]
……
…

All weapon manufacturing commissions.

“Wow…, I’ve never gotten this many calls before.”
“The internet’s gone crazy too. One-on-one inquiries, emails… oof.”

The workload was intense enough to border on total operational collapse.
Yet the faces of the Bureau staff remained bright.
Why?

“Everyone hang in there a little longer, because once we wrap this up, bonuses and generous vacation time are coming down the pipeline.”
“Oh! Manager, is that really true?”
“Of course. Given the volume we’re handling, the bonuses will be substantial, so all of you should look forward to it.”
“Excellent….”
“For now, I need to meet with the Director about a few things, so I’ll be back shortly. Let’s push through just a bit more, everyone.”
“Understood, sir!”

That’s right.
If they worked like this, bonuses were absolutely in order.
And besides?
Even the rumors floating around casually….

“Did you guys hear? The final amount hasn’t been set yet, but if this wraps up properly, the bonus is supposed to be massive.”
“It should be. The money flowing in and out right now is already astronomical.”
“It’s not just the money either—they’re throwing in land, materials, resource priority.”
“That’s not even the half of it. Apparently they’re giving tariff exemptions too.”

Terms you’d never heard of before, much less seen.
But the scope was global.
What was the sheer volume of money moving through something like this?
Beyond imagination.
The bonus would naturally be massive.

All this because of one person’s influence.

“The Manager is really something extraordinary, huh.”
“People all over the world are looking for him—what did you expect? It’s actually strange that he’s connected to our Bureau at all.”
“Yeah, that’s fair.”

Ring-ring-ring!

“Another rush hour.”
“Everyone, let’s give it our best.”
“Got it.”

Right.
Time to work.
For the vacation and bonus.

* * *

A hunter sought after by the entire world, the Manager.
Because of him.
The Director of the Awakening Management Bureau and Section Chief Yun Ji-hyeok were suffering far more than ordinary staff.

“Yes, yes… Yes. I’m sorry. We’ll certainly try. Yes, yes.”

The Director’s irritated expression as he spoke on the phone.
You could sense it immediately.
Another one asking about the Manager’s identity.

Click.

“Damn…”
“Who was it? What did they want?”
“Seo Mu-jin.”
“Oh, that congressman?”
“Yeah. Demanding the Manager’s contact information and going on about who knows what—these bastards are gonna wreck the country.”

As expected.
I figured it had to be about the Manager.
Why?
Because Yun Ji-hyeok was fielding calls about it constantly, without warning.
But still.

“Director, you know, right? No matter what, you can’t tell anyone.”
“Tell them what? Don’t worry.”

Absolute secrecy was mandatory.
Fail to keep it?
The relationship with the Manager would be over.
Those were the conditions from the start, after all.

“Even if a blade went to my throat, I wouldn’t talk. So you be careful too, Yun. I’m sure threats’ll come from all directions soon enough.”
“I suppose they will…?”
“Of course. How many people in this world would stop at nothing to get what they want? Think about it.”

Fair point.
Journalists are the least of it, really.
At least they don’t threaten outright.
Blackmail, maybe.
The real problem is the other types.
Like.
Foreigners, for instance….
Or politicians who’ve been pocketing bribes from them.

“That’s why I’m planning to stay at the office for a while. Not going home.”
“Good thinking.”
“Will you be staying with me, Director?”
“Of course. I’ve already set up a cot in here.”
“Hah….”

Inconvenient or not, what can we do about it?
I made a promise. I keep my promises.
If I crack under pressure and spill everything, what do you think the Manager of the Personnel Management Office would do?
Nothing good.
He’d cut ties immediately.
He has nothing to lose from that anyway.

“But why did the Manager contact us in the first place?”
“The Manager of the Personnel Management Office?”
“Yes. There’s nothing he’d gain from us….”

Money?
He could sweep that up whenever he pleased.
Prestige?
The Manager of the Personnel Management Office?
No matter how I thought about it, there was no advantage in it for him—

“There is an advantage, though.”
“Huh? What could that be?”
“World peace.”
“What?”

What kind of answer was that?
Like something out of a fairy tale….

“If he did nothing, other nations would shatter the situation within three months. That’s why he stepped in. It’s always been that way.”

Is it?
Now that he mentioned it, it did seem to fit….

“You’re right. It was the same with India and Egypt. And North Korea this time too…. Definitely….”
“Exactly. There’s no other reason a man who’s kept a secret this long would suddenly reach out to us.”
“Mm….”
“He approached us with good intentions. We can’t betray that trust.”

The Manager approached us before, it seemed….
But looking at his eyes, he’s already made up his mind.
So, well.
Might as well go along with it.
I was always going to keep the secret anyway.
And if I don’t keep it?
Sheesh.
Who knows.
Maybe I’ll run into some subordinate of the Personnel Management Office director in the middle of the night again.

“Besides, it’s standing policy that information protection for Hunters who desire secrecy is something even the President can’t access.”
“Understood.”

Right.
Confidentiality is a basic right to begin with.
Especially for Hunters climbing the higher tiers.
The Personnel Management Office director too?
Of course.
No.
To be precise, he’s the number-one protected individual among all Hunters.

“Listen well, Yun. The Awakening Management Bureau prioritizes protecting the Personnel Management Office director over even the President—that’s how it has to be.”
“I understand.”

The President?
Of course he matters.
But…
The President changes with every election.
The Personnel Management Office director, on the other hand?
Irreplaceable.
If a Hunter of that caliber fell into another nation’s hands, the country would collapse in an instant.
So we have to guard the secret no matter what.

“But… isn’t this an awful lot of commissions?”
“We’ve already filtered it down as much as we could…”

Subcontracts from the Personnel Management Office director.
Commission requests to send to Truth’s Eye.
Even after rigorous screening, there are quite a few.
At a glance, over seventy?

“Can these actually be made?”
“Right. Ordinary craftsmen probably couldn’t pull it off, but the Personnel Management Office director—maybe he could?”

The magic word: Personnel Management Office director.
Same story this time.
If these were ordinary craftsmen?
They’d have no shot.
Those people.
Even making items from 30th-tier materials takes over two weeks.
The 40th to 50th tiers?
Ugh.
At least six months to a year.
The 60th tier and above—there’s hardly anyone who can even handle it.
And the Personnel Management Office director?
Three days, max.
The problem is.

“Seventy isn’t the end of it.”
“Well, considering requests keep pouring in from all over the world, there’s not much we can do about it, right? The Personnel Management Office director will understand.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and we’ll gain a lot of national benefit from it too.”

This really is something huge.
Money, gems, magical stones?
That matters too.
But what’s more important is.

“Tariff benefits, preferential resource trading…. If this hits the news, the whole country’s going to flip again.”

Of course, in a good way.
But in the meantime.

“What the hell are North Korea thinking?”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“Look at this.”

What’s going on?
I took a quick look.

[Weapon Manufacturing Commission Request – North Korea]

A commission request.
No.
Can you even call this a commission?

“Desired item: spear. No materials provided. No compensation offered. They’re requesting cooperation ‘for the sake of peace on the Korean peninsula’…. These guys have to be insane, right?”

Wow….
You’ve got to be seriously, seriously insane.
What about the other countries?
No self-respect, just groveling.
Look at that.
What about France?
They even set the return of cultural artifacts as a condition.
But these guys?
They won’t even provide the materials?

“Anyone who saw this would think we’re just handing over entrusted goods for free.”
“Refuse immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”

This kind of request?
We shouldn’t have to entertain it under normal circumstances.
Especially not now.
If we accept, the Manager is going to have a lot to say about it.
We have to refuse, no exceptions.

“There are a few other countries testing the waters, of course. But nothing quite like North Korea.”
“Refuse them all. They’ll probably come to their senses next month and adjust their terms.”

Fair point.
Over two months left on the deadline.
They’re probably betting they can crack under that timeframe.
But will that actually happen?
Well….
If they fail, they’ll just approach us again next month.
The system itself is set up that way.
If you’ve got the will, you can break through somehow?
This isn’t some shounen manga protagonist.
It’s impossible in reality.
So, we’ll see you next month.
Though the price list will be different then, of course.

“We need to extract the best terms possible and send them to the Manager so they’re satisfied too.”
“Of course.”
“Let’s use this opportunity to build a proper relationship.”

Yun Ji-hyeok and the Director.
They knew it well.
Patriotism in this day and age?
What good did that do anyone.
In the end, it only meant something if it benefited you.

“Well, with terms like these, even the Manager should be satisfied.”

Even after culling once more, sixty-five remained.
Still….
As long as we secure proper compensation, there shouldn’t be complaints.
So.
Look kindly on us, Manager.

* * *

A commission received through the Awakening Management Bureau.
A masterstroke.
Really.
They sent seventy in the first batch alone?

Seventy.
Quite a lot, but….
Actually, it’s perfect.
How could I pass up a Point Duplication opportunity.

“Ta-da! One more completed!”
“Okay.”

Rani got excited and worked away too.
I hummed along, equally thrilled.
The only downside was….

“It’s too bad Rani doesn’t have an Inventory.”

If she had one, we’d really be knocking these out in no time flat.
But stacking them in the Training Ground?
Hmm.
That’s physically impossible.

“Yeo-hae? And you orc fellows! Following along with Washer — one, two, three!”
“Confirmed!”
“Workers understood! Chatter-chatter!”

The Training Ground was, well, the Training Ground.
Other Workers were busy conducting fitness training there even now.
It seemed spacious at first….
Was it because there were more people?
It felt cramped now.

“Come to think of it…. How many people are in this tight space right now.”

Me, Rani, Arthur, Yeo-hae, and the orc fellows.
Nine of us.
Geez.
No wonder it feels cramped.
And originally there’d be three more on top of that.

“Where are Robin and Todd? And Unjang…?”

Ah, there they are.
Once I stepped outside, I could see them.
Robin’s in her usual spot on the Veranda.
She’s leaning back in the rocking chair, staring blankly out the window.
She really does hate crowds.
Just moments after being called in, she was doing physical training, but now that there are more people around, she’s gone outside to rest.

As for Komori, Todd….
Tap, tap.
He’s at the computer we set up in the Living Room, typing away frantically.
Figured.
Busy again today.
He’s been swamped lately.
More than Rani, even, it seems.

“Well, that makes sense.”

Coordinating with the Awakening Management Bureau.
Managing the subcontractor Truth’s Eye.
He’s taking it all on himself.
But what’s he looking at?
I took a quick peek out of curiosity, then gave up.
Ugh, my head hurts.
Something about the international situation, something about conditions inside North Korea….
I should just watch TV with Unjang instead.

“What are you watching?”
“Ah, just checking how the world’s turning, you see.”

Sigh.
News here too.

“Would you like to watch with me?”
“Yes, I will.”

There’s nothing else to do anyway.
I nodded and turned my attention to the screen—

[Breaking news. North Korea has just launched a ballistic missile into the East Sea—]

Huh?
What in the world is that about….

—————
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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