The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 76

Aftermath (1)

“This is the video.”

Department Head Kang Hyun-soo looked more excited than vengeful.

“May I watch it now?”

“Go ahead.”

Reporter Park Joo-won’s eyes sparkled as the video played on his laptop.

He’d seriously considered not answering Kang Hyun-soo’s call.

Being associated with a man in such a desperate situation wouldn’t benefit him.

However, he owed Kang Hyun-soo favors from the past, so he reluctantly answered, only to be offered a sex bribe video of star prosecutor Choi Seo-joon.

It felt like a stroke of luck.

He suppressed his excitement and watched.

The file Kang Hyun-soo provided was indeed an explicit video, definitely deserving of an 19+ rating [adults only rating].

Gulp.

At the sound of Reporter Park Joo-won swallowing, Department Head Kang Hyun-soo smirked and asked,

“Do you know who the woman in this is?”

“Isn’t she a hostess?”

“No.”

Kang Hyun-soo sneered, as if he’d been waiting for this.

“Did you think I’d call you over for mere sexual favors?”

“Then…”

“A celebrity.”

At the word ‘celebrity,’ Reporter Park Joo-won’s gaze locked onto Department Head Kang Hyun-soo.

“Are you saying he met her when she was an aspiring star?”

“Come on, Reporter Park. We’re professionals. That’s not enough to be a scoop.”

Kang Hyun-soo beckoned, and Reporter Park Joo-won leaned in.

“An active actress.”

“An actress, you say…”

“Han Ji-yoo.”

Reporter Park Joo-won clenched his fist.

Jackpot.

Not just any jackpot, but a super jackpot.

This wasn’t a fleeting scandal; it was an achievement he could boast about for the rest of his career.

Perhaps because the video featured Han Ji-yoo, Reporter Park Joo-won couldn’t take his eyes off the screen.

Han Ji-yoo’s naked body.

He was seeing flesh that money couldn’t usually buy, so vividly.

Department Head Kang Hyun-soo watched Reporter Park Joo-won’s reaction with satisfaction.

But it was fleeting. As soon as the video ended, Reporter Park Joo-won had a question.

“But her face isn’t showing?”

Department Head Kang Hyun-soo nodded nonchalantly.

“Of course. If it had Han Ji-yoo and Choi Seo-joon’s faces, the repercussions would be too great, wouldn’t they?”

It was as if the video had been intentionally filmed this way.

“But there’s an exact date.”

“A date?”

“Yeah.”

Kang Hyun-soo twisted his lips and pulled out a notepad.

“September 19, 2018.”

Reporter Park Joo-won, writing down the date, quickly thought it over.

A sex tape of Han Ji-yoo and Choi Seo-joon.

Even though the video didn’t show their faces, Department Head Kang Hyun-soo’s confidence suggested it was genuine.

Besides, the mole on the woman’s shoulder matched the one known to be on Han Ji-yoo’s left collarbone.

Undeniable proof that the woman in the video was Han Ji-yoo.

Perhaps because the video was so explicit, Reporter Park Joo-won was already excited by the thought of the headline alone causing a sensation.

He carefully put the USB in his pocket and asked,

“How much are you expecting in return…”

“In return?”

Department Head Kang Hyun-soo’s eyes flashed.

It wasn’t about money but revenge, but he had to take what he could get, even now.

Once he lost his prosecutor’s position, he’d need even more money.

“Five times our usual rate.”

“Five times?”

“Isn’t it worth that much?”

Reporter Park Joo-won hesitated briefly, but not for long.

Sex between Han Ji-yoo and Choi Seo-joon.

If it was a sex bribe, not just ordinary sex, then five times the usual rate was a bargain.

“Alright.”

Department Head Kang Hyun-soo narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.

“Since I gave it to you, you have to use it to take down Choi Seo-joon for sure.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Make sure to expose those bastards with the exact date in the article so they can’t deny it.”

“Understood.”

The two shook hands, making intense eye contact.

Unaware of the storms brewing in the future.

***

-Exclusive! Star Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon, Sex Bribe Video Obtained! But the Bribe Taker is Han Ji-yoo?

-TA Daily has exclusively obtained a video after receiving a tip that Choi Seo-joon, a prosecutor in the Special Investigation Department of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office, received sexual favors in connection with his work. The shocking fact is that the bribe taker is none other than Han Ji-yoo. The filming date of the video is exactly September 19, 2018. According to an anonymous informant, Han Ji-yoo gave Choi Seo-joon a total of five sexual favors, and the video obtained by TA Daily is presumed to be the fifth and final one. Currently, Choi Seo-joon is known to be investigating bribery and sexual favors between a senior prosecutor and SL Group. It is questionable whether he, who has received sexual favors, is qualified to investigate such a case. Han Ji-yoo is known to have taken a break after filming the movie [movie title]. But what’s surprising is that Choi Seo-joon worked with her as an advisor for this movie. It is filled with pity and sorrow to think about how scared Han Ji-yoo must have been throughout the filming of the movie. ……(omitted)……

-Photo

-This photo is a capture of a portion of the obtained video.

-TA Daily Reporter Park Joo-won

The photo was mosaic-covered, but it was all flesh-colored.

Judging from the looks of it, the video that was passed to Department Head Kang Hyun-soo through Han Ji-yoo must have gone to TA Daily.

I knew it.

Given Department Head Kang Hyun-soo’s personality, when cornered, he doesn’t beg for his life but tries to drag others down with him.

Tsk tsk.

How simplistic.

He’s practically desperate to hand over the chief prosecutor position to me.

There were quite a few nasty comments on the article, but because my image was generally positive, many people were still skeptical.

A wave of comments urged caution, saying to wait and see since nothing concrete had been revealed.

However, the specific date of September 19, 2018, lent credibility to the story, meaning I had to move faster than expected.

Of course, I wasn’t worried.

In just a few days, the criticisms would turn into praise.

Revealing the exact date would backfire on them.

“Prosecutor!”

Yoon Seol-ha rushed into the office.

“Did you see the article?”

Her pupils were dilated.

Her usually neat hairstyle was a mess, as if she’d run here with her baby hairs flying.

She must have come straight here after seeing the article about my alleged sex bribe.

“Yes, I saw it.”

When I answered calmly, she widened her eyes and asked.

“How can you be so calm in this situation?”

“Because I expected it.”

“Yes?”

Yoon Seol-ha asked in surprise.

“Prosecutor, could this really have happened?”

“Hey, would I really do that?”

I chuckled and took a leisurely sip of coffee.

“It’s a card I gave them to reel in those bastards.”

“Ah…”

She placed a hand on her chest and sighed in relief.

“You really surprised me.”

“Do you see me as that kind of guy, Seol-ha?”

“No.”

She shook her head hastily.

“It’s not that, it’s just that this was reported in the article… And the person who reported the article is the actress Han Ji-yoo.”

“Ji-yoo would be a hot topic.”

“Ji-yoo?”

She blinked at my casual way of addressing her.

“Ah, Seol-ha told me before, right?”

“Told you what?”

“To tell you who my girlfriend is when this case is over.”

“You did.”

“It’s going to be a while before the case is over, so I’ll tell you in advance.”

“W-w-wait a minute.”

Even the usually composed Yoon Seol-ha stuttered, flustered.

I spoke quickly, not giving her a chance to recover.

“It’s Han Ji-yoo.”

“Yes?”

Yoon Seol-ha’s eyes widened.

“You’re dating Han Ji-yoo?”

“Yes.”

She covered her mouth with both hands, as if in disbelief.

“No, the video that TA Daily obtained…”

“That’s fabricated. It’s not that it’s not a sex bribe, but the people in it aren’t me and Han Ji-yoo in the first place.”

Vibration.

Just then, my phone vibrated.

It was Kang Hyun-soo.

I gestured for Yoon Seol-ha to be quiet and answered the phone.

“Yes, this is Choi Seo-joon.”

-Oh, did you get the gift?-

A voice full of arrogance.

He must think he’d landed a counterpunch.

“Yes. I received it. You held onto it longer than I did, didn’t you?”

-Hahahahahahahahat!-

A hearty laugh came from the other end.

-Yeah, if we’re going down, we’re going down together.-

“But you kept it too long, it seems rotten.”

When I challenged him, he scoffed, thinking it was a bluff.

-Do you still think you have public opinion on your side?

“Of course. Even if they waver for a while, they’ll come back to me.”

-The bluff until the end. Haven’t you noticed your image is crumbling in real time?

He clicked his tongue and continued.

-You’re finished too, you rat bastard.”

“Hey, don’t call me a rat bastard. You’re the rat. You clung to the Joo-ok Group like a bat and then to the SL Group. Let’s be honest.”

I smiled and added.

“And I’m not a rat bastard, I’m a tiger cub. A tiger who doesn’t even want to talk to a bat. Didn’t you know that?”

-Khahahahat!-

To him, unaware of the video’s secret, my words seemed ridiculous.

-You didn’t know it would be like this when you were happily taking it, did you? You should have looked ahead and moved carefully. If you move recklessly with such greed, you’ll go to hell. Understand?-

I could feel the malice in his voice.

-Fall into the abyss and think about it. You got a good life lesson from me, so come and say thank you later.-

“I’ll see you later.”

Of course, not as teacher and student, but as prosecutor and suspect.

-Yeah, try your best.-

He let out an evil laugh and hung up.

No sooner had I put down my phone than Yoon Seol-ha approached, eyes wide with surprise.

“Prosecutor, what is this…”

Vibration.

The vibration rang again.

This time it was Kim Seok-won, the chief prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office.

I held up a hand to stop Yoon Seol-ha and said.

“It’s the Chief Prosecutor.”

After Yoon Seol-ha closed her mouth, I answered the phone.

“Yes, this is Choi Seo-joon.”

-Prosecutor Choi, what’s going on?-

I could hear the embarrassment in Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won’s voice.

“Ah, don’t worry. It’s nothing.”

-It’s nothing?-

“Yes. The person in that video isn’t me.”

-Huh?-

“It’s not me, and it’s not Han Ji-yoo either. They’re ordinary people.”

-You did receive sexual favors, right?-

“Would I really do that?”

I could sense his confusion.

-Then what is this article? Is it just a bluff?-

“It’s intentional.”

-Heo [expression of disbelief].

Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won took a breath, dumbfounded, and then.

-You set a trap?-

“Yes, that’s right.”

-Don’t tell me, you planned this before you even tried to catch these guys?-

“That’s right.”

-……Scary guy.-

I smiled and continued.

“Announce that the High Prosecutors’ Office will deploy the Inspection Department to investigate transparently. That way, the credibility of the Inspection Department will increase, and you can say there’s no such thing as a lenient investigation.”

-Okay. I’ll proceed that way if you say so, but there’s no problem, right?-

“Yes. The suspicions will be cleared up before the Inspection Department even properly investigates.”

Thanks to that, Department Head Kang Hyun-soo will be even more devastated.

Everything is going very smoothly as planned.