The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 190

Scheming (1)

Before heading back to see Chairman Kim Byung-ho and Executive Director Kim Yoon-geun, father and son, I meticulously planned everything in my head.

If it weren’t for the message, I wouldn’t have known Choi Gyu-hyun was plotting such a scheme.

As expected, his years in politics had honed his skills in devising schemes.

The fact that he was looking so far ahead and acting on it was quite impressive.

Putting that aside, the more I thought about Choi Gyu-hyun, the more cunning he seemed.

Using Chairman Kim Byung-ho to eliminate me was like trying to pick your nose without using your hands [an idiom meaning attempting something indirectly or clumsily].

However, it’s not like Chairman Kim Byung-ho is so foolish that he’s just being manipulated by Choi Gyu-hyun.

Assemblyman Choi Gyu-hyun has that much power.

In fact, as he said in the future message… no, the past message, Choi Gyu-hyun is very likely to be the main character who seizes the presidency.

I, who desperately hope he doesn’t, even joined hands with CEO Shin Dong-hyun out of concern for his election, and even aimed to weaken him rather than have Choi Gyu-hyun lose in the next presidential election.

Returning to the starting point, there are currently two options.

The first is to simply reject the bribery offer and ruin the plan itself.

The second is to pretend to be fooled by their proposal and then crush them at the end.

The first method is the cleanest, but Choi Gyu-hyun never loses.

That’s because he’s not actually involved in the Mirus Airlines crash.

The second method carries risk.

They can always change their tactics and throw curveballs.

However, it’s better to restrict Choi Gyu-hyun’s actions in reverse.

If he thinks his method is working, he won’t throw other curveballs.

But if I reject him outright like the first method, he will definitely come up with another plan.

In this situation, my choice was obvious.

Of course, the second method.

It’s obvious that this method is better for screwing over Choi Gyu-hyun.

Then, first, I have to accept Chairman Kim Byung-ho’s offer.

However, I should put some safety measures in place before that.

I stopped the recording I had made earlier and started a new one.

After making sure no one was around, I lowered my voice and spoke into my phone.

“Chairman Kim Byung-ho has offered me, Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon, a bribe. But since it seems Chairman Kim Byung-ho is not acting alone, I will pretend to accept the offer in order to catch them all.”

A kind of insurance.

If Choi Gyu-hyun attacks in an unexpected way after I take the bribe and I can’t respond properly, this recording will protect me.

“For reference, this recording is being recorded from 3:15 PM on November 11, 2024, and I will release this recording file before the next presidential election to prove that I have no intention of taking a bribe. If it is released after that, you can assume that I took the bribe and am trying to wipe my mouth clean.”

I even set a date limit.

This was to be fully prepared in case the media or public opinion claimed, ‘He only made the recording as a safety net and prepared to release it if he got caught.’

Even if I can’t solve it right now, there’s no need to worry at all since I’ll release it before Choi Gyu-hyun runs for president.

This was a thought I could have because I truly had no intention of taking a bribe from Mirus Airlines.

“I’m going to meet Mirus Airlines Chairman Kim Byung-ho and his son with the recorder on.”

With those words, I left the restroom.

When I entered the reception room, Chairman Kim Byung-ho greeted me with sparkling eyes.

“You’ve arrived?”

“Yes.”

I sat down calmly and said,

“Continue what you were saying earlier.”

The phone was in my pocket, but it was still recording.

Chairman Kim Byung-ho, unaware of the situation, continued in a serious voice.

“Since you said you don’t like beating around the bush, Prosecutor, I’ll be direct. I want to be financially helpful to you.”

“As I said before, I don’t take bribes. And I certainly have no intention of forgiving you people.”

“Prosecutor, this is not a normal offer.”

He opened his mouth confidently.

“We can provide you with an amount you’ve never handled before, as well as complete support for your family.”

I leaned back in my chair leisurely.

“Let’s hear it.”

Only then did Chairman Kim Byung-ho, who had been given the opportunity, brighten up and spread his fingers wide.

“50 billion [Korean Won, approximately $37 million USD].”

Executive Director Kim Yoon-geun, who had not been informed of this in advance, widened his eyes.

“Father!”

Nevertheless, Chairman Kim Byung-ho continued without paying attention.

“I’ll give you 50 billion. 10 billion as a down payment and the remaining 40 billion immediately upon completion of the case. Isn’t that good enough?”

“The amount is large, but…”

I scoffed.

“That’s not enough to escape the ordinary.”

“Of course.”

Chairman Kim Byung-ho continued confidently.

“We will also ensure support for your family.”

“My family?”

“Yes. First of all, your wife. I hear she’s preparing to return to broadcasting soon.”

It’s true that she’s gradually preparing, even if not right now.

“We have several productions that we sponsor. We also place enough advertisements on terrestrial channels [major public broadcast networks]. We can talk to them and get her cast in a blockbuster-level film right away. Of course, if she wants to return to the screen, that’s also possible. We can start sponsoring various film companies and distributors right now, so if there’s a work you want, we can make sure it’s 100% confirmed.”

“Hmm…”

As I made a troubled expression, he added appealingly.

“In South Korea, it’s not easy for actors to return after marriage. Especially actresses. I will help her make that comeback successfully.”

“Not bad.”

Only then did a smile appear on Chairman Kim Byung-ho’s face.

I raised my chin and looked down at him.

“What about my son?”

“Our nephew…”

Chairman Kim Byung-ho said with a glint in his eye.

“We will provide full tuition support, as well as perfect entrance exam coordination so that he can enter Korea University’s law school.”

“Well…”

I shrugged indifferently.

“I’m thinking of letting my son do what he wants to do rather than study.”

“Ah…”

He showed a moment of embarrassment before continuing.

“Even if that’s not the case, we can support anything he wants to do. Our Mirus Foundation operates schools from elementary to high school.”

For some reason, Choi Gyu-hyun’s image overlapped with Kim Byung-ho’s face.

It felt like I was talking to Choi Gyu-hyun wearing Kim Byung-ho’s mask.

I slowly nodded and asked,

“What are your conditions?”

“My son…”

He put his hand on Executive Director Kim Yoon-geun’s shoulder.

“He’s a really incompetent guy, and he’s done a lot wrong to the prosecutor.”

Chairman Kim Byung-ho glared at him and said,

“Aren’t you going to apologize?”

Executive Director Kim Yoon-geun, who belatedly grasped the situation, bit his lip.

“I, I’m sorry.”

“I sincerely apologize as well.”

Both of their heads hit the table hard enough to make a thud.

Chairman Kim Byung-ho said with his head bowed.

“Although he’s an inadequate son, he will live without causing trouble in the future.”

Only then did he carefully raise his head slightly and say,

“Please, just let him avoid a life sentence.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“I think I can get out of it with the 3-5 formula in the second and third trials, as long as the public’s anger subsides [a legal strategy where powerful individuals use their influence to receive lenient sentences].”

That damn chaebol’s [family-owned conglomerate] unbeatable 3-5 formula. He’s saying he’ll get probation again.

“You’ll have an enormous team of lawyers.”

“I think we’ll be setting it up with former chief judges and former prosecutors general.”

By the time the second and third trials are held through appeals and appeals to the Supreme Court, the presidency will have changed.

In that case, Kim Byung-ho will not only avoid a prison sentence, but Kim Yoon-geun, who was sentenced to a term less than life imprisonment, will be able to see the light of day in a roundabout way through a presidential special pardon.

And when the attention is focused on them, they plan to detonate the bribery case and send me to hell.

I slowly closed my eyes.

I’m going to accept it anyway, but I’m pretending to think about it.

Even without looking, I could tell that Chairman Kim Byung-ho and Executive Director Kim Yoon-geun were waiting for my answer with tension.

I could even hear the sound of them swallowing hard.

I deliberately dragged out the time.

To make his nerves even more frayed.

All of this is being recorded.

When should I release this recording?

I’ve insured the recording file, but it’s obvious that Choi Gyu-hyun’s style will be to try to break even the insurance.

Then there’s only one way I can avoid responsibility and break their scheme.

Report to someone higher up than me.

Then I can perfectly extract only the core of the case and escape Choi Gyu-hyun’s threat.

However, I can’t easily trust the current Prosecutor General, Attorney General, or Minister of Justice.

There’s no need to exclude people belonging to Line 1 [a specific political faction or allegiance].

Even if Kyung Dong-soo appointed them, it’s an undeniable fact that they are likely to side with Choi Gyu-hyun as his term comes to an end.

Anything above the Deputy Prosecutor is completely political.

If I say that Kyung Dong-soo ordered me to strike Mirus Airlines for the first time, I wouldn’t have to worry about siding with Line 2 like the prosecutor-general level guys….

Wait a minute, there’s no reason not to use Kyung Dong-soo this time, is there?

It’s a game set up to save him anyway.

Yes, Kyung Dong-soo.

Now that I’ve revealed to the president that I’ve even received direct orders to strike Mirus Airlines, there’s no reason not to report directly to him and move forward, is there?

If he knows that I have him behind me, no matter how much Choi Gyu-hyun is, he won’t be able to blame the current president.

He won’t have the guts to risk turning Kyung Dong-soo’s supporters into enemies before the election.

Only then did I open my eyes and look at them.

“Will you be able to recover even after this incident breaks out?”

Chairman Kim Byung-ho immediately said with a bright expression.

“65% of Mirus Airlines’ customers are foreigners. Even if Koreans boycott, it’s only temporary. Besides, the customers who use our airline don’t turn away. After all, isn’t it the commoners who use low-cost airlines who are barking?”

Seeing him speak carelessly as he slowly showed signs of giving in, this human is also hopeless.

But I calmly continued acting.

“It would be a great loss to the country if a leading airline that earns foreign currency for the country were to collapse.”

I twisted the corners of my mouth lightly as I looked at him.

“I’ll make sure to use only Mirus Airlines from now on.”

“As expected of the prosecutor. You are very wise and have made an excellent choice.”