The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 181

Prosecutor Park is Climbing Up! – Episode 182 (181/341)

Black Box (3)

“Damn it.”

Prosecutor Park Gi-won’s sigh hung low, heavy in the cold air.

He’d come down to Jeon Gok Port with Prosecutor Nam Min-je, but while Nam had struck gold within a day, Park hadn’t found any significant leads after three.

The accident had occurred 90 hours ago.

The search and rescue operations for the missing were nearing completion.

Time was running out for Prosecutor Park Gi-won to make an impact.

He’d even heard from Yoon Seol-ha, Chief Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon’s right-hand woman, that Jang Ha-young’s successor would be decided by this case. He couldn’t help but feel anxious.

If he didn’t distinguish himself, he’d lose the position of Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Special Investigations Department to Prosecutor Nam Min-je.

And there was more.

Even belonging to the Choi Seo-joon faction, if Prosecutor Nam Min-je followed the elite path, Park, seen as a thorn in their side, might be pushed to another department due to Nam’s influence.

‘I can’t end up doing nothing.’

He had to find a lead.

He’d been competing with Prosecutor Nam Min-je for two years, barely holding on since meeting Chief Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon through Prosecutor Jang Ha-young. He couldn’t collapse so futilely.

Prosecutor Park Gi-won headed to the temporary shelter near Jin Gok Port, thinking he needed to hustle in times like these.

This was where politicians, including SV Group’s CEO Shin Dong-hyun, Coast Guard officials, and families of the missing, were gathered.

It was a temporary shelter and a field command center.

Prosecutor Park Gi-won slipped inside, heading for CEO Shin Dong-hyun.

He hoped to glean information from the stories being told.

CEO Shin Dong-hyun’s private rescue efforts had arguably achieved more than the Coast Guard.

Public trust in CEO Shin Dong-hyun surpassed that of the government.

However, even staying near CEO Shin Dong-hyun yielded no valuable news.

“Hoo.”

Just as he was about to leave for a cigarette, Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon of the Korea Party, sitting alone, caught Prosecutor Park Gi-won’s eye.

He hadn’t even shaved, his beard grown long to feign suffering, greeting the families of the missing in an unkempt state.

Park had seen him in Seoul, but this was completely different.

He seemed to be creating an image for the upcoming general election.

Candidate registration was complete, and the campaign season began next week. It wasn’t incomprehensible, but Prosecutor Park Gi-won found it distasteful.

A typical gangster congressman, showing no interest in the people but pretending to care when elections approached.

He’d heard Hong couldn’t eat due to the families’ pain, but his cheeks were plump. He was clearly eating where citizens couldn’t see him.

‘Tsk, tsk.’

He clicked his tongue and turned to leave.

But necessity is the mother of invention.

A desperate plan formed in Prosecutor Park Gi-won’s mind.

‘I don’t have to find the answer in this accident alone, do I?’

His eyes gleamed.

‘Even if the sky falls, there’s a way out!’

Prosecutor Park Gi-won completed the scenario in his head in minutes.

He hesitated.

‘Should I do it?’

The scenario was a gamble.

A gamble jeopardizing his position.

But he had one choice.

‘I have to do it.’

He’d rather be demoted than be pushed aside by Prosecutor Nam Min-je without trying.

Prosecutor Park Gi-won got in his car and made a call.

“Ah, yes. This is the Jin Gok shelter. Yes, yes. Don’t come in, just call me from about 100 meters away. I’ll come pick it up.”

He changed from activewear into a suit.

He wanted to look like a prosecutor from Seoul.

An investigator would be helpful, but he’d sent them to the rescuers.

If he waited, Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon might leave.

‘I don’t have time to wait for help.’

He tidied his face and hair.

Soon, Prosecutor Park Gi-won’s phone rang.

“Yes, hello?”

-Delivery is here. Where are you?

He saw a Chinese restaurant motorcycle in the distance.

Prosecutor Park Gi-won smirked.

“I’ll be right there.”

***

“Hello, Assemblyman.”

Prosecutor Park Gi-won approached Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon with a deep bow.

“Who…?”

“I’m Park Gi-won.”

He smiled and handed over a business card stating simply ‘Prosecutor,’ without a specific department.

Since his affiliation with the Special Investigations Department wasn’t mentioned, Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon couldn’t know he belonged to Choi Seo-joon’s faction.

An ordinary Korea Party assemblyman couldn’t know everyone in Choi Seo-joon’s circle.

Prosecutor Park Gi-won lied without changing his expression.

“Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun sent me.”

Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon’s pupils dilated.

For Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon, a non-key figure in the Korea Party, those words struck a chord.

“Let’s talk outside.”

“Yes.”

Outside, Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon swallowed hard and asked.

“Wh, what business did Assemblyman Choi send you for, Prosecutor?”

Prosecutor Park Gi-won gave a short answer.

“Please follow me.”

A smile bloomed on Prosecutor Park Gi-won’s lips as he led the way.

His gamble had worked, almost certainly.

Judging by the reaction, Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun and Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon weren’t close.

If they were, he’d have been suspicious from the start.

Prosecutor Park Gi-won suppressed his excitement and walked towards the breakwater.

The sunset was setting.

The timing was perfect. The natural light was bright.

They arrived at Prosecutor Park Gi-won’s car, facing the sea.

“Get in.”

Prosecutor Park Gi-won said, getting into the driver’s seat.

As Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon got into the passenger seat, looking nervous,

Prosecutor Park Gi-won smiled and brought the jajangmyeon [black bean noodles] and sweet and sour pork from the back seat to the front, handing it over.

“Eat.”

“……Excuse me?”

“You haven’t eaten properly for days because you’ve been meeting people at the shelter, have you?”

Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon swallowed hard, checking the food.

Prosecutor Park Gi-won, seeing his suspicion, said nonchalantly.

“Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun heard that Assemblyman Hong was showing how much the Korea Party cares about the people and was suffering in Jeon Gok Port without eating, so he sent me to ensure you had a meal.”

“Really?”

“Yes. More importantly……”

Prosecutor Park Gi-won’s lips curved softly.

“Assemblyman Choi also told me to tell you that he’s watching.”

“This is truly an honor!”

Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon’s lips practically touched his ears.

But only for a moment, as he asked cautiously.

“Ah, but what is your relationship with Assemblyman Choi…?”

He seemed to think he should be careful, as suspicion remained.

But Prosecutor Park Gi-won drew a line.

“A prosecutor under Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun sent me to deliver the message. Assemblyman Choi doesn’t want to reveal who it is.”

Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon asked no more questions.

Moreover, the fact that the Korea Party powerhouse was watching him, combined with his hunger, forced him to believe it. He had to believe it.

He wanted to believe it.

When Prosecutor Park Gi-won raised his eyebrows and handed him chopsticks, Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon finally put aside his suspicion and began to gobble it down.

“I’ve been starving all day.”

His eyes were fixed on the jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork, his chopsticks never resting.

“It took me a while to bring it…… I was wondering if it got a little soggy?”

“No, it’s really delicious. I haven’t been able to digest anything because I’ve been going home at night and eating all at once for the past few days, and I’m still starving…… Thank you so much.”

To eliminate suspicion, Prosecutor Park Gi-won smiled slyly and began to eat the jajangmyeon.

Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon had no idea.

That the black box lens in this car wasn’t pointing outside, but inside.

Thanks to the sunset light, the scene of Assemblyman Hong Seung-kwon eating jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork was being recorded perfectly.

***

“You recorded him eating jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork?”

-Yes. It’s captured perfectly. I’m sending the video to Investigator Yoon Seol-ha by email.

“How did you get him to eat it?”

-It’s complicated. I’ll tell you in person.

“Okay, you did a great job. Good work, Prosecutor Park.”

-I’ll work harder, Chief.

“I’ll see you in Seoul.”

As soon as he finished the call, a smile appeared on his face.

He was pleased.

He’d been planning to confirm Prosecutor Nam Min-je as Jang Ha-young’s successor through this case.

The behind-the-scenes information he had about the control room was that impactful.

But Prosecutor Park Gi-won attempted a last-minute reversal.

He brought in a case that was not only limited to this incident but was also highly political and unexpected.

Eating Chinese food at the field command center.

It was ingenious.

Some might ask if simply eating a meal is a problem.

But in politics, judgment depends on the frame.

This Mirth Airlines plane crash was a flight from Shanghai to Incheon.

It departed from China.

He pretends to be saddened by the victims and says he can’t eat, but behind the scenes, he orders Chinese food and eats it.

Right next to the shelter, looking at the sea.

If it were just jajangmyeon, it might be seen as satisfying hunger, but sweet and sour pork couldn’t be excused as such.

It seems forced, but this is how things work in Korean politics.

Nothing is fixed.

The result depends on inciting the public.

If you suggest he’s mocking the victims who died coming from China, or ask how he can eat Chinese food, they’ll react strongly.

The Korea Party will be in trouble in the general election, less than a month away.

Yoon Seol-ha came in with a laptop.

“The video that Prosecutor Park Gi-won sent has arrived, Chief.”

“Seol-ha, you heard about the content from Prosecutor Park, right?”

“Yes. He came up with a pretty interesting idea.”

She smiled and asked.

“What should we do with the video?”

“There’s someone who will take care of it.”

He knew someone exceptionally good at creating malicious frames and tearing things down.

He called reporter Lim Yu-na of Political News No. 1.

“It’s been a while, Reporter. I’m calling to give you a scoop.”