The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 165

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 166 (165/341)

Marionette (4)

“How did it go?”

“There’s definitely a snake in the grass.”

Choi Gyu-hyun grimaced at Chief Kim’s question.

“It’s clear his relationship with Seong Tae-hyun is more than just casual.”

“Does that mean he’s behind this whole mess?”

“No, even if they’re connected, it doesn’t seem like they’re involved in this particular incident.”

He loosened his tie, as if dismissing any worry, and took a deep breath.

“You heard about the big fight at Yojung too, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s what I was wondering about.”

“That’s impossible. Even if Yojung isn’t exactly a household name, a huge fight like that would have leaked. The fact that they were cursing each other out means they were genuinely furious.”

Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun scoffed and continued.

“Besides, Chief Kim, you reported that they haven’t contacted each other since that incident, not even a phone call, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. Han Ji-yu and Han Ji-su also seem to have caught wind of their relationship, and their contact has become infrequent.”

“Right. Choi Seo-jun and Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyun have gone their separate ways. Even if they become in-laws later through their wives and try to join forces, it won’t happen before the Seoul mayoral election.”

“The Seoul mayoral election?”

Chief Kim asked, his eyes widening slightly.

“Are you saying Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyun is running for Seoul mayor?”

“That’s right. Choi Seo-jun just revealed that Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyun moved to the MinGuk Party specifically to run for Seoul mayor.”

“Hmm…”

This was completely new information to Chief Kim.

He hadn’t heard a word about Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyun’s mayoral ambitions.

But since the information came directly from Choi Seo-jun, Chief Kim, who had been on high alert, couldn’t help but relax a little.

In fact, Chief Kim’s job wasn’t just to carry out Choi Gyu-hyun’s orders; it was also to maintain a healthy level of suspicion.

Because Choi Gyu-hyun was so sharp and decisive, Chief Kim was there to cover his blind spots, meticulously checking every detail.

That’s how Chief Kim had outmaneuvered his rivals and remained at Choi Gyu-hyun’s side for over 20 years.

But with information like this, he couldn’t help but trust Choi Seo-jun.

No, he *had* to trust him.

A reasonable level of suspicion kept him sharp and thorough, but crossing the line would only breed fatigue and distrust, hindering their work.

At this point, there was no room for further doubt.

“The fact that he handed over that information means we can consider him firmly on our side.”

“That’s right. Choi Seo-jun even said he would stick with me today.”

He scoffed and added.

“Well, if his relationship with Seong Tae-hyun is fractured, what choice does he have?”

“That’s true.”

“He said he’d do his best to get Na Kyung-jun elected, so let’s work together.”

“Yes. Then I’ll share information with Choi Seo-jun and try to find a way to take down Seong Tae-hyun.”

“Okay, do that. Even if that guy is a snake at heart, in the current situation, Choi Seo-jun could be helpful in catching him. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?”

“That’s right. Choi Seo-jun was so close to Seong Tae-hyun, he’ll be a great asset.”

“Proceed like that for now.”

“Understood.”

He bowed and was about to leave when he paused and asked again.

“Then, Assemblyman, can we assume we’ll continue working with Choi Seo-jun?”

“No, is there really a need for that?”

Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun’s lips twisted disdainfully.

“He’s a guy whose true intentions are impossible to read. It’s not wise to keep a bomb that could explode at any moment close by.”

“Does that mean…”

“We should get rid of him after this mayoral election is over. He’d definitely be helpful by my side, but…”

He frowned involuntarily at the thought of Choi Seo-jun’s face.

“Something about him is dangerous. We need to eliminate him before he makes a move. Let’s suck out all the juice and then kick him to the curb.”

“Understood.”

“First, keep the people we’ve assigned to watch him for another month. We don’t know what might happen, so report any unusual activity immediately. If there are no problems, disband them in a month. We’ll be short on manpower then because of the election preparations.”

“I will do so.”

Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun lifted his chin arrogantly and gestured to Chief Kim.

“Chief Kim.”

“Yes, Assemblyman.”

“What do you think is the probability of Na Kyung-jun being re-elected as Seoul mayor this time?”

“Assuming there are no major shifts in the current landscape…”

Chief Kim considered carefully before speaking.

“I’d say about 90%.”

“What accounts for the remaining 10%?”

“You never know what might happen in an election, do you? Even in past presidential elections, there have been cases where things changed with a last-minute upset.”

“That’s right. That 10% is what makes things dangerous. The Incheon mayor and Gyeonggi governor are already likely to go to the MinGuk Party, and if the Seoul mayor goes too, even if the DaeHan Party holds the majority in the National Assembly, it won’t be able to wield its power effectively.”

“That’s correct.”

“Let’s prepare for that 10% possibility.”

Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun smiled confidently.

“Have you heard of ‘Hand of God’?”

“‘Hand of God’?”

Chief Kim shook his head.

“I’ve never heard of him.”

“Well, you might not. He operates very discreetly.”

He raised his eyebrows and added.

“However, his abilities are disproportionately impressive compared to his low profile, which is precisely the problem.”

“What kind of person is he…”

“He’s a specialist in manipulating people.”

Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun twisted his lips and continued.

“I’ll give you his contact information, so get in touch with him. And…”

***

“I found him!”

Prosecutor Hong Seok-jang announced, his voice brimming with excitement.

“That… that person the chief prosecutor mentioned…”

He started to speak, then glanced at Clerk Jo Ah-ra.

Realizing the information was confidential, she discreetly closed the door.

“Speak.”

“Yes. I found the Hand of God.”

“Really?”

His excited and joyful tone made me smile as well.

The way he was talking suggested he had not only discovered the identity of the Hand of God but also uncovered something extra.

“We have plenty of time, so take your time and explain everything.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was so excited that I rushed things.”

Prosecutor Hong Seok-jang scratched his head sheepishly.

While he calmed down, I moved to the sofa, and only after he took a moment to compose himself did we begin the conversation in earnest.

“You’ve identified the Hand of God?”

“Yes. I’ll start by giving you his profile.”

He handed me the documents he was holding and began to brief me.

“First, his name is Go Seong-tak. He works for the National Intelligence Service, commonly known as the NIS, specifically in the National Cyber Security Center. He’s thirty-nine years old this year. He’s married, but his two children and wife have all been sent to the United States for their education, and he’s living as a ‘goose dad’ [a Korean term for a father who works in Korea while his wife and children live abroad for educational purposes].”

He’s older than I expected.

His appearance in the future text didn’t seem much different from mine, so I assumed he was a similar age.

“How long has he been living as a ‘goose dad’?”

“It’s been about 10 years now. He got married young, so both of his children are in middle school, and they seem to have moved to the United States before starting elementary school.”

“Okay. Continue with the report.”

“Yes. If you look at the back page, you’ll see it’s divided into two main categories.”

I flipped the report over and saw the two sections.

“There are two main reasons why he’s called the Hand of God. The first stems from his time before joining the NIS, when he was involved in the underworld. This is…”

After listening to his explanation, the first point could be summarized in one word: he’s good at sending people to hell.

He was incredibly skilled at taking requests from high-ranking or wealthy individuals and framing specific people for crimes.

Whether it was robbery, sexual assault, or even murder, he would frame targeted individuals, making their lives miserable, and even manipulate situations to ensure they were found guilty in court.

In short, he was a master of framing people.

“It seems that powerful people find it cleaner and more discreet to deal with those they dislike in this way, rather than hiring gangsters or hitmen.”

“Whether you use force or frame them, the result is the same. What’s the difference between a dog covered in poop and a dog covered in chaff?”

“That’s true. But the NIS seems to see it differently.”

He handed me an additional list of NIS employees and continued.

“It’s definitely illegal, but he handles things very cleanly without leaving any traces. Moreover, if someone with these talents operated in the underworld, the country would inevitably suffer. So, they decided to recruit him into the government instead. In short, he’s a special recruit for the NIS.”

“Does the NIS also frame people?”

“No. I’ve heard he only does the second thing here.”

He added, his eyes gleaming.

“In fact, this second thing is the real reason he’s called the Hand of God. This is where his true talent lies.”

He asked me cautiously.

“Have you ever heard of a marionette?”

Marionette.

A French word for a puppet, or the puppet show in which the puppet appears.

“I know what it is, why?”

“This guy is incredibly skilled at manipulating people. He essentially steals their hearts. He can even control specific individuals to act as he wishes. I’ve heard that the NIS recruited the Hand of God specifically because of this ability.”

“So that’s where the marionette story comes in.”

“That’s right. In short, if you designate a specific person, that person becomes a puppet, a marionette, and Go Seong-tak becomes the puppeteer, pulling the strings.”

Hearing this, the future where I became close to the Hand of God suddenly made perfect sense.

If it was just about framing people for crimes, he wouldn’t have been particularly useful to me as a prosecutor.

But if he can manipulate people’s hearts and control their actions, that’s a completely different story.

No, he’s absolutely essential.

His value is immeasurable.

That’s why the NIS recognized his potential and recruited him.

“But there’s a problem.”

“A problem?”

“Yes.”

He checked once more to ensure the door was closed, his expression serious, and lowered his voice.

“It seems to be related to Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyun.”

I frowned involuntarily.

“What are you talking about?”

“After finding reliable information about the Hand of God a few days ago and tracking him, I discovered that he was intentionally approaching Seong Tae-hyun. As of yesterday, he was confirmed to have contacted Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyun’s secretary, Chief Jo.”

I don’t understand what’s going on.

The Hand of God contacted Seong Tae-hyun?

“Tell me everything in detail.”

“Yes, so…”