The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 172

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 173

The Art of Words (3)

– Na Kyung-jun, candidate for the Great Korea Party: 37%

– Seong Tae-hyun, candidate for the People’s Party: 38%

– Manse Party……

The approval ratings had narrowly flipped.

Thanks to the constant mentions of Na Kyung-jun’s name due to Jung So-min’s scandal, a negative image was spreading.

The resentment from her fans, as she was a top actress, due to the affair scandal also played a part.

Also, the broadcast where she was first mentioned was PD X-File.

As a result, the Gran Church was also constantly mentioned in the media.

Above all, thanks to PD Song Jae-hoon’s excellent editing this time, the Gran Church’s misdeeds were further highlighted. And thanks to Choi Gyu-hyun’s ambiguous handling of the Gran Church case in the past, even the police were being criticized.

Choi Gyu-hyun was so busy putting out the fire that had fallen on his own feet, the Gran Church, that he couldn’t even focus on the Seoul mayoral election.

However, with this level of support, it was still within the margin of error, and a clear victory wasn’t guaranteed.

In other words, it was time to properly shake up Na Kyung-jun’s support base.

“Lee, Deputy Head.”

“Yes, Head Prosecutor.”

I smiled at Deputy Head Prosecutor Lee Doo-hyung and said,

“The case of Jung Cheol-woong, who was in a vegetative state during Na Kyung-jun’s military service and then woke up.”

Immediately after contacting him earlier this year, I made it a hot topic in the medical community, and I had already revealed to the media the heartbreaking story of who he was and how he woke up from a vegetative state.

If I detonated it now, the media would immediately pick it up and explode it.

“Can you detonate it right now?”

Deputy Head Prosecutor Lee Doo-hyung replied with a confident expression, as if to assure me.

“If you give the order, it will explode within 30 minutes.”

“It’s 1:20 now… 2 o’clock should be enough, right?”

“More than enough.”

He grinned and stood up from his seat.

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

“Okay.”

***

– Jung Cheol-woong, who woke up after 25 years, was in fact a victim of Na Kyung-jun’s ambition during his military service….

“What is this?”

Choi Gyu-hyun couldn’t believe what he was reading.

“Is this true?”

Chief Kim nodded with a troubled expression.

“Yes. After looking into it, I think it’s true.”

“That son of a bitch!”

He crumpled the newspaper in a fit of rage.

“Did he disguise a soldier who became a vegetable due to his promotion as an accident?”

Choi Gyu-hyun was no less ruthless, if not more, but Na Kyung-jun seemed unforgivable to him, who had the strictest standards for others.

He had been pushing Na Kyung-jun for Seoul mayor, believing him to be a clean and upright soldier, without knowing this fact.

“How is this different from cutting off the tail [abandoning someone to save oneself]!”

Chief Kim, who was watching Choi Gyu-hyun’s reaction, rubbed his hands and carefully brought up the story.

“It seems like it will be difficult for Na Kyung-jun. I think we should change our course…….”

“Haa.”

Choi Gyu-hyun let out a rough sigh.

He hadn’t been able to pay attention to the election properly because he had been stabilizing the Gran Church for the past few days, and he didn’t know that such a disaster would occur.

He wanted to grab Choi Seo-jun and tear him to death, but all he could do now was defend.

‘If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have been relieved and prepared in advance!’

However, he regained his composure through several deep breaths.

Choi Gyu-hyun still had something to rely on.

“Have you received a report from God’s Hand [a secret operation or asset]?”

“Yes. It’s almost complete. You can consider it finished.”

“Hoo.”

He sighed in relief and stroked his chest.

The insurance he had taken out just in case had hit the jackpot.

It’s not the best-case scenario, but it’s a good alternative.

Even if he goes through Ko Seong-tak in the middle, the Seoul mayoral seat is still in Choi Gyu-hyun’s hands.

“What would have happened if we didn’t have God’s Hand?”

“That’s right. It’s really fortunate.”

Chief Kim agreed with him, sweating profusely.

“It seems that the assemblyman made an excellent choice.”

“That’s right. Who do you think I am?”

He quickly became conceited and smiled slyly.

“I can’t help but laugh when I think about how God’s Hand will only realize that I’m my person and get backstabbed after the election.”

Choi Gyu-hyun chuckled lightly.

“I want to see his face the moment he hears the news that Seong Tae-hyun is attached to me after the election… It’s a shame that it won’t happen.”

“That’s right. Choi Seo-jun must be full of hope that he will become an influential figure behind the scenes.”

“If the Gran Church is cleaned up this time, I’ll completely pressure him and make it impossible for him to even hold out at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office.”

Chief Kim nodded, but he couldn’t help but feel an uneasy feeling creeping down his spine.

“Assemblyman, what if God’s Hand suddenly changes his mind…….”

“Chief Kim!”

Choi Gyu-hyun screamed.

“Are you going to keep talking about bad omens?”

“I’m sorry. I’m just saying that we should be careful even when crossing a stone bridge [being overly cautious]…….”

“That’s enough. Don’t even say that kind of thing at times like this. I can’t even handle Choi Seo-jun’s rampage right now, and if you do that, I might collapse from a headache.”

“I’ll be careful.”

***

June 11th.

Four days before the election, the gap in approval ratings eventually deviated significantly from the margin of error.

Seong Tae-hyun began to exceed 40%, and Na Kyung-jun fell to the low 20% range.

The remaining parties, including the Manse Party, shared the approval ratings, but they were only around 10% at best and were not threatening at all.

Unless there was a major upset for Seong Tae-hyun, it was safe to say that his election was confirmed.

If he had any flaws, I would have been the first to know.

In other words, there is no such upset.

In summary, the Seoul mayoral election was confirmed.

But it would be a shame to end here.

I had no intention of just watching Choi Gyu-hyun try to turn his attention back to the election after wrapping up the Gran Church.

I picked up my cell phone and made a call.

– Yes, Prosecutor.

“Reporter Im Yu-na, is it a good time to talk?”

– Please speak.

“Can you upload the article about the suspicions I mentioned last time right away?”

– Yes. I can.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

– I understand.

Less than five minutes after finishing the call with her, a link to an article was sent to me via text message.

– Na Kyung-jun, candidate for the Great Korea Party for Seoul Mayor, is from the controversial pseudo-religion Gran Church?

– This reporter received information from an anonymous informant that Na Kyung-jun, a candidate for Seoul Mayor, is from the Gran Church. Currently, Mayor Na Kyung-jun is disguising himself as a Christian, but he was a deacon in the Gran Church for nearly 10 years in the past……. Meanwhile, it is known that the police investigation was hastily concluded because Na Kyung-jun put pressure on them as the Mayor of Seoul.

– Reporter Im Yu-na, Political District 1

“Keuheuheuh.”

A burst of laughter erupted without me realizing it.

It’s literally an article of suspicion.

An article with zero nutritional value and no evidence at all.

But this was bound to be a hot reaction.

Na Kyung-jun has already had several dirty scandal articles break out.

Na Kyung-jun, who has already become a mass of suspicion and distrust, has rock-bottom credibility except for his supporters, so even without evidence, citizens will accept it as the truth.

It’s even said that ‘the more you dig into Na Kyung-jun, the more bizarre stories come out.’

Isn’t this the true art of words (話術) [the skill of persuasive speaking]?

***

“Throw it away.”

“Yes?”

“I said throw it away!”

Choi Gyu-hyun’s office was filled with shouts for days.

“Throw it away. I can’t save it at this point. How can I hold out when they’re determined to attack? I already have a headache because I finished the police investigation appropriately… Since it’s come to this, put all the blame on Gyu-sung [Choi Gyu-hyun’s younger brother]. If I cut ties, they can’t hold me accountable, right?”

Chief Kim couldn’t help but be flustered.

To throw it away now means to cut ties with the Gran Church.

Even the connection with his younger brother, Choi Gyu-sung, who is a deacon there.

He was telling him to abandon his own younger brother as a tail-cutting exercise, no less.

He was speechless, but Chief Kim couldn’t refuse.

He couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the anxiety that he himself would be abandoned like Choi Gyu-hyun’s younger brother if he did.

Still unable to relieve his anger, Choi Gyu-hyun gritted his teeth and trembled.

“We’re going to backstab Choi Seo-jun with Seong Tae-hyun. That’s the only way to give that bastard a complete sense of despair.”

He gritted his teeth.

“Get Seong Tae-hyun elected. Push the public sentiment towards him and bring Seong Tae-hyun in properly. Tell God’s Hand that.”

“I understand.”

***

– People’s Party candidate Seong Tae-hyun confirmed to be elected as Seoul Mayor!

Bang!

Fireworks and champagne exploded at Seong Tae-hyun’s election camp.

Not only did he achieve a whopping 50% of the vote in the exit poll, but his election was confirmed just three hours after the vote count began.

In fact, he thought he would finish the election with the late 40%, but thanks to Choi Gyu-hyun suddenly pushing Seong Tae-hyun at the last minute, he was able to be elected for sure.

Seong Tae-hyun couldn’t hide his joy and began to give interviews to the media and his thoughts on being elected as Seoul Mayor with a broad smile on his face.

Watching this on the screen, Ko Seong-tak and I firmly held each other’s hands.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“Prosecutor, you’re the one who’s worked hard.”

Due to Seong Tae-hyun’s election, Ko Seong-tak, who had been weighing his options, decided to firmly grab my line, and I realized that he was capable and trustworthy enough.

“I wish Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyun… no, I should call him Mayor Seong Tae-hyun now. I wish Mayor Seong would come soon, too.”

“Isn’t he the main character today? We should give him a break.”

We looked down at the countless buildings outside the window and drank beer coolly.

“Let’s pop the champagne when Assemblyman Seong comes.”

“Mayor Seong, you mean.”

“Ah, I keep calling him Assemblyman… Hahaha.”

After waiting for about an hour, Seong Tae-hyun, who had quickly cleaned up the election camp, walked in triumphantly, just like a son who had passed the civil service examination with honors and returned home.

“Has the Mayor of Seoul arrived?”

“Yes, Prosecutor.”

He looked back and forth between me and Ko Seong-tak and bowed politely.

“Thank you so much. I was elected thanks to you two.”

“Hey, Mayor, you’re the one who worked the hardest.”

“It’s finally a success. It’s like a dream.”

“The real fight is yet to come. You’ve really stepped onto a bloody battlefield now.”

“That’s right. Choi Gyu-hyun will probably come at you like he’s dying. He’s a vicious guy who cut off his own younger brother as a tail. You really have to be careful.”

Seong Tae-hyun did not lose his confidence even with Ko Seong-tak’s agreement.

“Fighting is my thing. Didn’t you see the Seoul mayoral debate?”

“Hahaha, you were perfect then.”

“By the way, I was so happy that I forgot. Shall we pop the champagne?”

“Ah, before that!”

God’s Hand hurriedly raised his hand and stopped me from popping the champagne.

“Let’s say hello to Choi Gyu-hyun. I wonder what kind of expression Choi Gyu-hyun will make when he sees the three of us together.”

“That’s a good idea!”

“I’ll prepare the champagne.”

I called Choi Gyu-hyun.

After a few rings, he answered the phone with a half-excited voice.

– Oh, Prosecutor Choi. I was just about to call you, and you called me?!

He still doesn’t seem to understand the situation.

“Ah, Assemblyman. This is a video call. Turn on your camera…….”

After a few seconds, his face appeared on the screen.

– Wh, what is this?

When Ko Seong-tak, Seong Tae-hyun, and I appeared on the screen at once, Choi Gyu-hyun’s face began to distort in panic.

– Why is Director Ko there?

“I wonder why Director Ko is here?”

Ko Seong-tak answered my question instead.

“Why else would I be here? I’m here because I backstabbed Choi Gyu-hyun!”

As soon as he said that, he popped the champagne and shook it wildly from side to side.

Choi Gyu-hyun’s face began to turn red and blue, and his nostrils flared more and more.

However, Seong Tae-hyun, as if he couldn’t lose, raised the glass of beer I was drinking next to him.

“Thanks to you, I became the Mayor of Seoul comfortably.”

He wiggled his eyebrows and mocked.

“I enjoyed the meal you prepared for me very much.”

He gave a thumbs up and let out a refreshing burp as if relieving years of indigestion.

“Kkeoeok!”

It was as if Choi Gyu-hyun was trembling with anger from beyond the screen.

I opened my mouth with the intention of decorating the final finale.

“Assemblyman.”

I twisted the corners of my mouth very roughly.

“You played very well in my hands. It was fun.”

– Yo, you, you sons of bitches!

Choi Gyu-hyun grabbed the back of his neck as if his blood pressure was out of control.

“Then goodbye.”

I hung up the phone unilaterally.

Our laughter echoed in the room, with no one knowing who started first.

How long did we laugh?

Seong Tae-hyun, who was holding his stomach and laughing, clapped his hands very satisfactorily.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen Choi Gyu-hyun so angry.”

“I think it’s my first time too.”

In the meantime, Ko Seong-tak filled the champagne into glasses and handed them to us.

“Okay, okay, let’s have a drink and do it.”

“Then shall we have our Mayor give the toast?”

“Sounds good.”

Seong Tae-hyun raised his glass high and shouted.

“For our brilliant future.”

“Cheers!”