The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 219

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 219

Flood (1)

Three days after wrapping up my conversation with Choi Gyu-hyun, I received a call from Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae.

“Yes, this is Choi Seo-jun.”

-Oh, Prosecutor Choi. Is now a good time to talk?

“Yes, go ahead.”

-I’ve relayed the message to everyone in Line 2. The date is next Wednesday, as you requested.

It seemed the task I had asked for was progressing smoothly.

“Thank you for your hard work. I appreciate it.”

-Good. Is everything prepared?

“It was finished a while ago.”

-Well done. Good job.

“I’ll see you on Wednesday.”

-Alright. Take it easy.

Next Wednesday, most of the figures belonging to Line 2 would gather at the Hill Consilience Hotel.

And I would expose the moles among them right there.

The investigation into those guys was already complete.

I was surprised by how many spies there were, but that would all be sorted out by next week.

***

“Good evening, Chief Prosecutor.”

Assemblyman Jung Hyun-yong, a member of the National Assembly for Suseong District in Daegu, bowed respectfully as he approached.

“Oh, Assemblyman Jung, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Great, thanks to the Chief Prosecutor’s support, I’ve been enjoying my time as an assemblyman.”

“Haha, I didn’t do that much.”

Jung Hyun-yong was a first-term assemblyman elected in last year’s 22nd general election and one of the few young assemblymen in the MinGuk Party.

I remembered that he was probably the same age as me.

“I should have visited more often, but Seoul is so far away…”

“Isn’t it enough to see each other’s faces like this from time to time?”

He grinned slyly.

“I’ll come more often in the future.”

You should.

Thanks to whom did you become a member of the National Assembly?

Assemblyman Jung Hyun-yong cautiously asked, glancing around.

“By the way, I heard that you came with Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min last time…”

“Oh, has that already spread to Daegu?”

“I happened to hear about it.”

“That’s what I originally intended, but the older folks were too uncomfortable…”

I shook my head.

“I don’t think he’ll be showing his face here again.”

“So, he’s leaving the line?”

“It’s not so much that he’s leaving, but he’s not showing his face…”

I lowered my voice discreetly.

“I’m planning to work on a separate project with him.”

“A project?”

Assemblyman Jung Hyun-yong’s eyes widened.

“Yes. I can’t go into detail, but since he was Chief of Staff Choi Gyu-hyun’s right-hand man, he’s quite useful.”

For a moment, his nostrils flared.

This level of reaction was enough.

Assemblyman Jung Hyun-yong’s nickname was Goldfish.

Of course, it wasn’t because he had a bad memory.

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have become a member of the National Assembly.

Instead, the nickname was given to him because he would go around blabbing about what he knew.

That’s why it’s best not to have serious conversations with Assemblyman Jung Hyun-yong, but it’s good for the fact about Chief of Staff Kim to spread.

Even if I eliminate the spies here, if Assemblyman Jung Hyun-yong keeps talking, it will naturally reach Choi Gyu-hyun’s ears, and in the end, he will be too scared to easily touch me.

Even though we agreed to meet and not interfere, it’s like having double security.

Assemblyman Jung Hyun-yong nodded and then cautiously asked.

“By the way, Chief Prosecutor, do you know why we’re gathered here today? The party leader said it was important…”

“You’ll find out soon enough, won’t you?”

I smiled faintly.

“Then, have a good time.”

“Yes, you too, Chief Prosecutor.”

I turned away from him and started walking.

After some time, the spacious VIP lounge began to fill up with people.

It was so crowded that it was almost like a marketplace.

That’s because there were over 100 members of the MinGuk Party, along with figures from the political and business world.

Roughly counting, there were well over 200 people.

Except for a few who had business trips to the provinces or overseas, all the figures from Line 2 were gathered.

At that moment, a man approached me.

“Chief Prosecutor.”

He bowed respectfully and said.

“Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae asked me to inform you that everything is ready.”

“I understand. I’ll be there soon.”

I immediately found Prosecutor Sung Jin-hyun and headed to the center of the room with him.

Confirming my arrival, Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae went up on the stage and grabbed the microphone.

-Alright, everyone, please pay attention for a moment.

Actually, it was more like a stage than a platform. It was a place where people watched shows or where some of the assembly members would sing when something good happened.

At Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae’s words, the noisy VIP lounge instantly fell silent.

-I’ve asked you all to gather because there are a few important facts to 정리 [jeongni – to sort out or organize] regarding our line. Thank you for responding.

He bowed lightly and continued.

-Then, I’ll hand over the microphone right away.

Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae looked at me and called out.

-Chief Prosecutor Choi Seo-jun.

As soon as I went up on the stage and grabbed the microphone, everyone couldn’t hide their surprised expressions.

I had never stepped forward in the line before.

Everyone must have realized that this was no ordinary matter.

Many eyes began to watch me.

The reason for gathering all the people from the line like this was one.

It was to give a warning to the people in the line.

To instill the idea that if they even think about stabbing us in the back, they’re screwed.

It was also a good opportunity to smear the faces of the spies.

Perhaps those who had conversations with them would realize that their information had been leaked and quickly begin the process of damage control.

-This is Choi Seo-jun.

After bowing, I opened my mouth before the applause could even be heard.

-Thank you for taking the time. It’s not my style to sugarcoat things, so I’ll get straight to the point.

I looked straight at the spies in the distance and said.

-I’ve identified circumstances in which information is being leaked from here to Line 1.

Instantly, a look of surprise spread throughout the room, but I continued speaking without giving them a chance to murmur.

-You’ll remember that Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min came to the line a few days ago. Some of you may have heard about it.

Everyone looked doubtful.

-Ah, of course, bringing Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min wasn’t just for show. It’s true that he defected to this side. However…

The pupils of the spies in the distance began to shake.

-At that time, I asked Prosecutor Sung Jin-hyun, as well as Prosecutors Joo Min-hyuk and Im Chan-gyu, to look for suspicious individuals. As a result, five people were found to have contacted Jung Seung-min, the Chief of Staff of the Blue House [the presidential office].

Speaking to Jung Seung-min was the same as conveying information to Choi Gyu-hyun.

-To be exact, it was confirmed that three of them reported via text message, and two via phone call.

That wasn’t the end of it.

-Through that, we found out Jung Seung-min’s burner phone, and as a result of tracking the communication records of that burner phone, two more people were identified.

A cold atmosphere swept through the room.

It was possible that someone next to them had leaked information to Line 1.

Everyone was recalling their memories, wondering if they had mentioned any important information.

-If you think it’s you, come out. The list has already been secured, so don’t be dragged out in an unsightly manner.

But then, someone in the back was seen running out in a hurry.

It was just a useless struggle.

Thud!

With a dull sound, the man fell to the floor.

It was obvious that he was one of the moles.

-Security guards, please block the entrance properly. And confiscate the cell phones of everyone I call out.

I looked around the room and said.

-If you’re unhappy with the confiscation of your cell phones, report it to the police.

I added a word.

-Ah, right.

I twisted the corners of my lips with a feigned look of forgetfulness.

-The Jongno Police Chief is here, right? Please ask them not to dispatch anyone if a report is filed.

The police chief, dressed in a suit, smiled and nodded.

After making them realize that there was no way out, the spies we had identified began to come forward even before I called out their names.

Some of the assembly members who were watching this felt betrayed when they realized that someone they never thought was a mole was among them, and they even cursed while pointing fingers.

As a result, six people came forward.

Watching this, Prosecutor Sung Jin-hyun and I made eye contact and chuckled.

I had identified seven people.

We weren’t laughing because one person didn’t come out.

It was because one of these six was someone we hadn’t identified as a spy.

He came out because he was scared.

I looked around the room and said again.

-For reference, these people will have a personal interview with me, and those who didn’t come out on their own will not be given any consideration. Even if you go back to Line 1, I promise to destroy it in the name of Choi Seo-jun… no, in the name of Line 2. I’ll give you the last 10 seconds.

Only then did two more people desperately reveal their faces among the crowd.

As a result, a total of eight people came forward.

The people who were already in front made eye contact with each other and then made a face as if they had eaten dog poop [a Korean expression for feeling disgusted or betrayed].

It was only then that they realized that one of the eight people was not on the list I had mentioned.

I chuckled and said.

“Prosecutor Sung, bring them inside one by one.”

“Understood.”

***

“Nice to meet you, CEO Lee.”

“Yes…”

The man sat down with a gloomy face.

His identity was CEO Lee Joong-ho.

Among the eight spies identified today, he was the only one who was not in politics and ran JH Entertainment, one of the top three entertainment agencies in Korea.

“Cheer up. I’m not going to eat you.”

I knew that saying this wouldn’t make him feel any better.

I was leaning back in my chair arrogantly with my legs crossed, and CEO Lee Joong-ho was shrinking his shoulders and nervously shaking his legs.

It was just an act to make him realize that I was the boss.

“CEO Lee Joong-ho, you’ve met me a few times, right?”

“Ah, yes. I went to your wedding before.”

I didn’t have much contact with him, and I remembered inviting him because he was an acquaintance of Han Ji-yu, who was in the entertainment industry.

“Don’t be 冤枉 [wrongfully accused] and think that you came even though you weren’t identified. After all, CEO Lee, you were on the list of the seven people I identified.”

I was telling this story to all eight people.

In a desperate situation, the hope that they might have is to be trampled on mercilessly.

And I asked the same question.

“Let me ask you one thing. The outcome of today’s interview will depend on what answer you give to this question.”

“What is it?”

He cautiously raised his head.

I leaned my upper body towards CEO Lee Joong-ho and asked.

“Who is the real culprit behind the Thunderbolt Gate incident?”

“Yes?”

His pupils shook greatly.

A different attitude from the seven people so far.

That level of panic was proof that he knew.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

I cornered him.

“However, you’ll have to accept that JH Entertainment will collapse.”

CEO Lee Joong-ho’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he tightly closed his eyes.

He seemed to be imagining JH Entertainment, which he had struggled to build for 20 years, collapsing in an instant.

Above all, CEO Lee Joong-ho himself knew better than anyone that it was possible for me to destroy JH Entertainment if I made up my mind and moved.

The very fact that he was active in the line was proof that he had something shady about him.

Of course, I gave a carrot after the stick.

“If you tell me honestly, I’ll let JH Entertainment survive. No, if you want, I’ll even let you join hands with me.”

The reason for making such a generous offer was one.

All seven people in front of me couldn’t answer.

They didn’t close their mouths knowing, they didn’t know at all.

In short, they were small fry.

They were just the underlings who went to Line 2 as moles and stole information.

But if he knew this, the story was different.

At least in terms of intelligence, he was considered top-notch even in Line 1.

If not, it meant he was close to Choi Gyu-hyun.

It didn’t matter whether it was the former or the latter. It was certain that it would be helpful to me anyway.

Lee Joong-ho stopped shaking his legs and asked me.

“Does that mean I can continue to work with the Chief Prosecutor in the future?”

I nodded with a very trustworthy smile.

“That’s right.”

Turning a spy back into a spy. In short, it meant playing the role of a double spy.

It was also a method that I didn’t use often.

Rehabilitating and utilizing someone who had betrayed once meant taking the risk of betraying again.

However, if used properly, it meant that Line 1 couldn’t easily notice.

Of course, all of this was the story when Lee Joong-ho cooperated.

If he rejected my offer and remained loyal to Choi Gyu-hyun, I wouldn’t be able to plant a spy again, but looking at Lee Joong-ho’s eyes, it didn’t seem like that would happen.

He couldn’t possibly not know that he wouldn’t be well-received if he was caught spying and went back to Line 1.

Lee Joong-ho cautiously asked.

“Did you make the same offer to the seven people in front of me?”

“Well.”

I gathered my fingertips and looked down at him leisurely.

“I don’t think you’re in a position to pick and choose right now.”

He couldn’t say anything.

It was true.

In this situation, I was the absolute boss.

After a moment of silence, Lee Joong-ho looked at me with a firm expression as if he had made up his mind.

“I’ll tell you, the real culprit of the Thunderbolt incident.”

Lee Joong-ho took a deep breath and opened his mouth.