The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 223

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 223 (223/341)

Flooding (5)

I spent two days agonizing over it, but I was still going around in circles, unable to reach a conclusion.

Why?

Why did the DNA test results conclude that they matched?

I couldn’t understand it at all.

It’s not that I didn’t consider the possibility of a switch at the Western District Prosecutor’s Office.

If they had disguised Chairman Hong Tae-min’s DNA as Director Heo Seung-geon’s DNA and sent it, this result would be natural.

However, they are not dealing with a mere junior prosecutor, but with Choi Seo-joon and the entire Central District Prosecutor’s Office.

If this result came out, it was obvious that the National Forensic Service [a government agency responsible for forensic analysis] would transfer the DNA to the NDFC [National DNA Forensic Center] for re-examination.

Since the Western District Prosecutor’s Office sent Director Heo Seung-geon’s DNA to the National Forensic Service, they must know that this time we would directly collect Heo Seung-geon’s DNA and send it to the NDFC.

I actually gave that order.

Furthermore, the NDFC is staffed by researchers, not actual prosecutors, and is affiliated with the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

This means that it is not easy for the Western District Prosecutor’s Office to exert influence there.

The NDFC also knows that the Central District Prosecutor’s Office, which is geographically and psychologically closer, can exert much greater power.

In other words, it would be impossible to manipulate the results when the NDFC conducts a secondary investigation.

Then, the case would eventually be overturned, and the only result of the Western District Prosecutor’s Office’s actions would be to buy time.

However, this case is not one where something hidden will be revealed or the culprit can escape by delaying.

Hong Tae-min is from a chaebol [a large family-owned conglomerate] family.

For him to flee overseas would mean giving up KM Group, which is everything to him.

That’s impossible.

That’s why the current situation is even more incomprehensible.

This isn’t just a problem for a junior prosecutor; it’s a matter of life and death for the entire Western District Prosecutor’s Office, so they wouldn’t have acted so carelessly just to put out the immediate fire.

What did the Western District Prosecutor’s Office do, for what purpose, and by what method did they produce these results?

I need to find that out first.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, a knock broke through my thoughts.

“Come in.”

I pushed my thoughts aside and looked up.

“Good morning, Chief Prosecutor.”

Deputy Chief Lee Doo-hyung bowed respectfully and came inside.

“I came to report on the NDFC.”

“Speak.”

“We have collected both epithelial cell DNA and hair DNA from Director Heo Seung-geon, and we are ready to deliver it to the NDFC as soon as you instruct us to do so.”

“Okay. But instead of sending an investigator, I want you to deliver it yourself.”

“Me?”

“There’s a possibility that it could be lost or cause problems along the way, so someone trustworthy needs to go.”

A smile spread across his face at the words ‘trustworthy person.’

“Understood.”

“After delivering the DNA, meet with the NDFC Center Director and tell them to put this case under 24-hour surveillance. Also, ask them to assign a researcher we can trust. They’ll understand if you say I told you to.”

“I will do that.”

“And…”

I gestured for him to come closer.

“Tomorrow, Administrative Officer Yoon Seol-ha will obtain another DNA sample. I’ll receive it directly, so tell the NDFC in advance to have a researcher available even in the early morning and immediately test it to see if it matches the suspect’s DNA.”

Deputy Chief Lee Doo-hyung’s eyes flashed as he asked,

“Is that sample Chairman Hong Tae-min’s DNA?”

“That’s right.”

“Understood. I will instruct them to verify that sample unofficially.”

“Okay. It’s important to make sure the Western District Prosecutor’s Office doesn’t find out.”

“I will handle the concerns you have raised.”

I nodded and continued.

“And have Senior Prosecutor Jang Ha-young come in.”

“Understood.”

***

“You called for me?”

Prosecutor Jang Ha-young entered the Chief Prosecutor’s office with her greasy hair tied up.

“Senior Prosecutor Jang, did you stay up all night again yesterday?”

“Yes.”

I let out a faint sigh of pity.

Not only Jang Ha-young, but the entire Special Investigations Department was in the same situation as her.

Even the junior prosecutors and investigators were all working through the night.

No, they were volunteering.

From the moment Heo Seung-geon, the suspect identified by the Western District Prosecutor’s Office, was found to have a matching DNA result with the actual perpetrator, they were in a desperate situation.

If the case were to be closed as is, the Special Investigations Department, the flower of the Central District Prosecutor’s Office, would be defeated by a mere local prosecutor’s office.

The prestige of the Special Investigations Department would collapse, and they wouldn’t be able to hold their heads up in shame for years to come.

Moreover, the Choi Gyu-hyun line has now taken over the four district prosecutor’s offices in Seoul.

If they were to be pushed back by the Western District Prosecutor’s Office this time, it was obvious that the Central District Prosecutor’s Office would lose significant power and falter.

That’s why the Special Investigations Department prosecutors didn’t want to lose this case to the Western District Prosecutor’s Office at any cost, and I was also desperate.

So, I couldn’t bring myself to tell them to take a break and work.

“How is the case investigation going?”

“First, Prosecutor Ha and Prosecutor Jin are investigating whether the researchers at the National Forensic Service who examined this DNA sample have any connections with the Western District Prosecutor’s Office. And the other prosecutors are looking for employees and witnesses from the Thunderbolt incident.”

“I thought all the Thunderbolt employees testified that they didn’t see the scene?”

“Yes. Whether they were paid to do so or they genuinely didn’t see it, they all say that they were told not to approach by the security guard in that VIP room, so they didn’t go there.”

“Then, is it difficult to find meaningful evidence there?”

“No. Prosecutor Nam Min-je found someone in Geoje Island after persistent efforts.”

“Who is it?”

“It’s the ghost MD [medical doctor who provides services at the club] I mentioned last time.”

I remember.

A man whose existence was known to the club’s guests, but who was removed from the employee list, and all the employees claimed they had never seen him.

“When did you find him?”

“We found him this morning. Prosecutor Nam Min-je persistently followed a mid-level MD and copied his phone contact list, and this MD’s contact information was among them.”

“That’s Prosecutor Nam Min-je for you.”

Prosecutor Nam Min-je is the person who discovered the key to the case through persistent investigation in the Mirths Aviation case as well.

As the next senior prosecutor of the Special Investigations Department, following Jang Ha-young, he is definitely sharper than other junior prosecutors.

“Yes. So, he left for Geoje Island this morning, and he said he would report as soon as he makes contact, so I will report to you as soon as there are results.”

“Okay. Let’s try a little harder.”

“I will do my best.”

Senior Prosecutor Jang Ha-young bowed her head and left the Chief Prosecutor’s office.

I was left alone in the Chief Prosecutor’s office again, lost in thought.

All the other MDs in the club are feigning ignorance, but strangely, this person went into hiding.

Moreover, he was subtly removed from the employee list.

Something smells fishy.

It smells like it could be the key to the case.

***

My personal officetel [a studio apartment used as an office].

The place where I promised to meet Yoon Seol-ha, who had gone to get Chairman Hong Tae-min’s DNA under the guise of a vacation.

The reason I didn’t call her directly to the Prosecutor’s Office was to prevent Hong Tae-min’s side from attaching someone to her and finding out that she was on our side, which could lead them to do something.

The time Yoon Seol-ha promised to arrive was 10 PM tonight.

However, she didn’t show up until after 2 AM.

Her phone was also turned off.

Just as I was starting to worry that something might have gone wrong,

someone started entering the password to the officetel.

Hoping against hope, I opened the door, and sure enough.

“Oh, Chief Prosecutor?”

Yoon Seol-ha, with her tongue half-twisted, was tapping on the password pad with unfocused eyes.

Her cheeks were flushed red.

My first thought was worry.

“Did that bastard drug Seol-ha…?”

“No, no.”

She shook her head and hands at the same time.

“I’m okay, it’s just because I drank.”

Yoon Seol-ha looked up at me and smiled sheepishly.

“That bastard kept drinking whiskey… I almost got drunk first.”

A slightly different tone than usual.

As I approached to support her to move her to the sofa, a strong smell of alcohol wafted over.

Fortunately, she wasn’t drugged, but as she said, she seemed to be drunk.

As I was moving Yoon Seol-ha to the sofa, she giggled and took out two ziplock bags from her inside pocket and waved them.

“A gift, Chief Prosecutor.”

One ziplock bag she was holding contained hair, and the other contained a blue toothbrush.

“You succeeded.”

“Of course. Who do you think I am?”

Her cheeks were still flushed red.

“You worked hard.”

I took the two ziplock bags from Yoon Seol-ha and laid her down on the sofa.

When I checked the ziplock bags, they were in perfect condition, with no problems for use as evidence.

Even though she’s dead drunk, she’s still this good, as expected of Yoon Seol-ha.

“Should I take you home, or would you rather just sleep here?”

I asked her, but there was no answer.

When I turned my head, Yoon Seol-ha was already fast asleep.

A hollow laugh burst out.

It seems like this is the first time I’ve seen Yoon Seol-ha looking so disheveled.

I put a blanket over her and went straight down to the parking lot.

Then, I picked up my phone and called Lee Doo-hyung.

-Yes, Chief Prosecutor.

A clear voice even at 2 AM.

Judging from the sound of papers being passed around, he hadn’t left the Central District Prosecutor’s Office either.

“I’ve secured the sample. I’m going to the NDFC now, so let them know.”

-Understood.

***

About ten days later, a phone call came into the office.

“Yes, this is Choi Seo-joon.”

-Good morning, Chief Prosecutor. This is Park Yoon-gyu.”

My ears perked up at the name Park Yoon-gyu.

He was none other than the Director of the NDFC.

“Ah, yes. Director.”

I adjusted my posture and said,

“What’s the matter?”

-The test results requested by the Special Investigations Department are out, and I thought I should let you know first since it’s something you’re concerned about.”

“What were the results?”

-Well…

He hesitated for a moment and said,

-I think I should meet you in person to discuss it.”

“I’ll go to the NDFC. It’ll take me 5 minutes.”

-Yes. I’ll be waiting.

I immediately drove to the NDFC.

It was only a road crossing away, but it had been a long time since I felt so nervous that my hands were sweating.

One thing that bothered me was that Director Park Yoon-gyu said he would meet me in person to discuss it.

If it was simply that Director Heo Seung-geon’s DNA didn’t match the perpetrator’s, there would be no reason not to say it over the phone…

With an uneasy feeling, I entered Director Park Yoon-gyu’s office at the NDFC.

“Ah, Chief Prosecutor.”

Park Yoon-gyu stood up from his seat with a surprised expression.

“You really came right away.”

“Yes.”

I looked at him and said,

“Let’s get straight to the point.”

“Yes, I understand.”

He picked up the documents he had prepared in advance and sat down.

“First of all, to tell you the results…”

Director Park Yoon-gyu took out a result sheet and handed it to me, saying,

“As a result of the DNA sample test, Director Heo Seung-geon and the suspect were identified as the same person.”

It felt like I had been hit in the head with a hammer.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

I clenched my teeth involuntarily.

Damn it.

What the hell is going on?

According to the Special Investigations Department’s investigation, the real culprit was definitely Chairman Hong Tae-min.

Did I make a mistake?

No.

If that were the case, it would mean that the future text was also wrong.

My head throbbed with unexpected confusion, to the point of becoming dizzy.

“However, that’s not the end of it.”

Director Park Yoon-gyu took out another result sheet from the documents and said,

“And you gave us another sample, Chief Prosecutor, right?”

Hong Tae-min’s DNA that Yoon Seol-ha brought.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But the results were strangely…”

He frowned and said,

“This person also came back as the same person as the suspect.”

Wait a minute.

What the hell is this?

“In this case, there is only one conclusion we can draw.”

Park Yoon-gyu adjusted his glasses and continued cautiously,

“So…”