The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 174

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 175 (174/341)

A New Game (2)

“I’m home.”

“Oppa!”

As I entered the house, Han Jiyu greeted me with an excitement unlike her usual calm demeanor.

“Is something going on today? You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Yes, yes! Come and sit down quickly.”

At her gesture, I sat at the dining table without even taking off my tie.

“What’s going on?”

At my question, Han Jiyu smiled brightly.

“Oppa, you have a brother-in-law now.”

“Brother-in-law?”

“Yes.”

She nodded vigorously in response.

“Jisu got proposed to!”

As soon as I heard that, my fist clenched.

“Really?”

“Yes. She invited us over last night…”

Han Jiyu told the story as happily as if it were her own.

Sung Taehyun said he would propose as soon as he was elected Mayor of Seoul, and it seems he proposed even before the inauguration ceremony.

“So, did my sister accept?”

“Of course. She said she’s going to greet her parents tomorrow.”

Beyond just proposing, the wedding is proceeding smoothly.

I couldn’t hide the smile spreading across my face.

Because the grand plan I had when I first introduced them was finally coming to fruition.

The Mayor of Seoul’s brother-in-law.

No, he will be connected by blood to the person who will become the 22nd President.

Even though I am on solid terms with Sung Taehyun now, marriage is a different story.

In Korea, blood ties are an enormous connection that cannot be compared to school ties or regional ties.

If he is elected president, it will be natural for me to rise to the top of this ecosystem as the Prosecutor General.

“Wow, that’s really something to celebrate!”

“I know, right? I was so happy when I heard.”

“What did your parents say?”

“They were grinning from ear to ear. When they first met him, they were worried because of the age difference, even though he was a member of the National Assembly. But now that they see they get along so well and he’s even been elected Mayor of Seoul, they’re completely thrilled.”

I knew they were worried that he might treat Han Jisu lightly and hurt her, as he was a full twelve years older, so I could picture how happy they must be to hear this news.

“That’s great.”

“I heard they’re going to set a date soon.”

“They’re setting a date already after proposing yesterday?”

“Yes. Jisu is still young, but Sung Taehyun is quite old.”

“That’s right. He’s already forty-one.”

“So, even if they get married and have a child right away, he’ll be sixty when the child enters college. So, I think he wants to have children as soon as possible.”

Well.

My sister is only twenty-nine, but Sung Taehyun is quite old since he’s been married once before.

It would be better to have children before it’s too late, even for the sake of raising them.

Han Jiyu smiled slyly and said,

“I asked just in case, and it’s not a shotgun wedding, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah. It must be planned. He told me he would propose when he was elected Mayor of Seoul.”

“Oh, I see.”

“If they’re thinking of having a baby right away… does that mean we’ll be an aunt and uncle soon?”

“Oh, that’s right.”

She nodded, then gave me a sly smile and looked at me intently.

“But I’m the older sister, right?”

Han Jiyu naturally got up from her seat and approached me.

Then, she grabbed my tie, pulled me in, and winked.

“I can’t lose to my younger sister.”

I was naturally led by her into the bedroom.

***

“Congratulations.”

“Hahahaha, thank you. This is a bit embarrassing.”

Sung Taehyun awkwardly swept back his hair.

“I’m old, and it’s not my first time, so I feel a bit awkward receiving congratulations.”

“Hey, what does age matter in love? You should be proud of your abilities.”

“Is that so?”

He burst into hearty laughter.

“I’m telling you this just in case, don’t be upset if you hear it from someone else. I was going to meet you in person today to tell you…”

“No, does it matter who I hear it from? We’re going to be family now.”

Smiles bloomed on both of our faces.

“I heard you’re rushing the wedding.”

“Yes. I want to do it before I get any older. It’ll look better if I do it while I’m still young, right?”

He added with a wink.

“Jisu also wants to get married before she turns 30.”

“Anyway, congratulations. That’s really great.”

Sung Taehyun joked.

“I think it’s fortunate that this marriage will further strengthen the relationship between the Prosecutor and me.”

“It’s an honor.”

“The honor is all mine, I’m just grateful.”

Family.

Becoming part of the same household creates an absolute relationship of trust, unlike simply holding hands.

A perfect trust with unwavering faith, without worrying about being betrayed…

Wait a minute.

A thought flashed through my mind.

Sung Taehyun must be thinking the same thing as me.

An ‘absolute relationship of trust’ that doesn’t need to be worried about.

It can’t be helped.

Being family means that one person’s gains and losses are inevitably connected to each other.

In other words, Sung Taehyun has no intention of keeping me in check, but rather wants to join hands and move forward together.

In short, he’s letting his guard down.

What if I were to be greedy in this situation?

It’s not just the Prosecutor General that’s the end, but I can aim for an even bigger picture.

A position where you can enjoy the power without becoming president.

A shadow power broker.

I barely managed to stop myself from swallowing hard.

From Sung Taehyun’s perspective, he would never think that I would extend my influence behind his back.

Because we’re not strangers, but family.

But next to me is none other than a professional in this field, no, the one-top called the Hand of God [a person with immense influence and control].

If I use him, being a shadow power broker might not be a futile dream, but a realizable one.

Above all, Sung Taehyun already knows what kind of person the Hand of God is and what role he plays, so he wouldn’t think that I would use him.

In this situation, it won’t be easy for the Hand of God either, but if I use the fact that we are open to each other, it won’t be entirely impossible for Go Seongtak.

The sharing of the Hand of God.

And family.

These two masks are enough to deceive Sung Taehyun.

Above all, the Hand of God is not ‘our’ person, but ‘my’ person.

He didn’t board the same ship as Sung Taehyun, but boarded Choi Seojun’s ship, and Sung Taehyun just happened to be on the same route.

Also, the relationship with the Hand of God was solid even until the time when Sung Taehyun was elected, according to the future text.

In other words, there’s no need to worry about him being taken away by Sung Taehyun.

The 22nd presidential election that Sung Taehyun will run in is in 2030.

It’s not just 1 or 2 years, but a whopping 8 years left.

It’s worth betting on the Hand of God.

Beyond just holding and shaking the prosecution, the apex where you can hold and shake Korea.

Not just the upper class, but the single summit.

Of course, I have no intention of acting impulsively.

It’s just a possibility.

I have to think carefully.

“Prosecutor, turn right here.”

“Ah, yes.”

I shook off my 잡념 [japnyum – stray thoughts] upon hearing Sung Taehyun’s voice.

As the car turned to the right, Sung Taehyun pointed to the large building in front and said.

“Do you see that silver building over there?”

“Yes. Is it there?”

“That’s right. That’s the Hill of Conscience Hotel where the No. 2 line people gather.”

To put it simply, it’s like the No. 2 line’s hideout.

If the Dobby Hotel’s penthouse is for the No. 1 line, then the Hill of Conscience Hotel is for the No. 2 line. The only difference is that the Hill of Conscience Hotel is located in Jongno, the center of politics, unlike the Dobby Hotel in Jamsil, but it’s the same concept.

I looked at the name written on the front of the hotel and asked.

“Hill of Conscience… is it the hill of conscience?”

“Yes. It’s a very fitting name for politicians.”

Sung Taehyun twisted his lips into a smirk.

“You’ll like the inside too.”

I entered through the VIP passage, parked the car, handed the car keys to the employee, and followed Sung Taehyun inside.

“This place has up to 45 floors?”

“Yes. It’s the tallest hotel in Jongno.”

However, Sung Taehyun pressed the VIP room on the lowest floor, B3, not the 45th floor.

It seems to be the opposite of the No. 1 line, which is located in the top-floor penthouse.

I asked cautiously.

“What’s the inside like? Does it feel like the Min Guk Party [a political party]?”

“You’ll see when you see it.”

He looked at me in the mirror and winked.

The elevator reached the third basement floor in a few seconds.

The moment the door opened, my lips twisted on their own.

The music was blasting.

The psychedelic lights were spinning wildly.

Even the politicians were playing lewdly.

Sung Taehyun smiled brightly and said to me.

“It’s more than the No. 1 line, if anything.”

Right.

Whether it’s there or here, human desires are bound to be the same, only the altitude is different.

“Oh, has Mayor Sung arrived?”

From afar, Assemblyman Jo Hyunwoong found us, smiled brightly, and approached us.

“Today, Prosecutor Choi has finally come too?”

“Hello, Assemblyman. Let’s speak comfortably now.”

“Okay, Prosecutor Choi. Please take care of me in the future.”

I firmly grasped the hand he extended.

Assemblyman Jo Hyunwoong patted my shoulder a couple of times and shouted towards the many people enjoying themselves inside.

“Okay, everyone, pay attention! Mayor Sung Taehyun and Prosecutor Choi Seojun have arrived!”

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked this way and started clapping.

The moment Sung Taehyun and I came here together, anyone involved in politics would have realized that I was behind this election of the Mayor of Seoul without needing to explain.

This was no different from proving that the person named Choi Seojun was not simply ending up as a chief prosecutor, but had more power than that.

“Welcome.”

It’s a bit embarrassing to be applauded by so many people like this, but it was quite moving in its own way.

Even when I was forced to enter the No. 1 line following Chief Kang Hyunsoo, I was just a small fry prosecutor who barely entered the line, but to rise to a position where I’m even getting applause like this.

I felt like I had taken another step closer to the top of the pyramid.

When I raised my hand to mean that this was enough, the applause soon stopped.

I picked up one of the champagne glasses that had been set up and said.

“Please take care of me in the future.”

As soon as I finished speaking and drank the champagne in one gulp, applause erupted again.

This is where I will be until I reach the top.

I like it very much.

Very much.