The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 228

Retribution (4)

The truth revealed by the future text… no, the past text, was more than just bitter; it was heartbreaking.

It didn’t justify Wolhyang’s prostitution, but it showed that it was an unavoidable choice she made to survive in this harsh world.

More than anything, Wolhyang’s eyes were filled with a desperate desire to get revenge on Hong Taemin.

I might have overlooked it if I hadn’t known her past, but now that I knew the truth, I couldn’t turn a blind eye to her.

“Wolhyang, catching that bastard won’t be easy. Are you still willing to go through with it?”

“I can do anything. If you told me to sleep with that bastard again, I would.”

There wasn’t a hint of falsehood in her voice.

“My body is already dirty anyway. I’ve been with that bastard so many times…”

Wolhyang bit her lip so hard that it tore and started to bleed.

“I don’t want you to do that.”

I slowly gathered my thoughts and stood up.

“I’ll contact you when I’m ready.”

“…”

Wolhyang nodded silently.

I turned my back on her and left the room.

***

The next day, I received Wolhyang’s pre-surgery photos through Yoon Seolha.

Whatever else, one thing was certain: her face was completely different from now.

“She said that even her parents wouldn’t recognize her.”

“I can see that. She’s become a completely new person.”

Because everything Wolhyang had revealed yesterday was true, I felt the weight of her life even more.

As I slowly put down the photos, Yoon Seolha cautiously opened her mouth.

“By the way… the pressure from the media is getting worse. It’s been a while since Director Heo Seunggeon’s DNA test results should have come out, but they’re badgering NDFC [National Digital Forensics Center] for not releasing them.”

“Then we should release them.”

“Excuse me?”

Yoon Seolha asked back with a surprised expression.

“Then the media will tear apart the prosecution, the police, and the National Forensic Service. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“I’ve already made all the plans.”

Last night, I stayed up all night thinking after returning home.

The text message wasn’t just meant to make me aware of Wolhyang’s past.

It was clearly a hint to use her to solve the case.

So, after much deliberation, I was able to come up with a decent scenario.

A scenario where Hong Taemin would bring the evidence of his crime to us himself.

“Did you get Hong Taemin’s schedule?”

“Yes.”

Yoon Seolha took out a document from her pocket and read it.

“Today, he has internal company schedules. On Wednesday, he’s scheduled to visit KM Pharmaceuticals and attend a shareholders’ meeting. On Thursday, he’ll be working in the morning, and in the afternoon, he has an overseas buyer meeting at a hotel near Incheon Airport, where he’ll be staying overnight. On Friday, he has internal company schedules again.”

“That’s enough.”

“Except for the DNA test we requested on Hong Taemin, release everything else as soon as possible today.”

“Understood.”

“Additionally, have the special investigation unit prosecutors and investigators on standby on Friday. And what’s this about the warrant-related instructions from the court?”

“Ah, this morning, the Central District Court issued one instruction regarding Thunderbolt. They said that among the people being investigated in connection with the Thunderbolt case, many are being released through habeas corpus review [a legal procedure that determines if imprisonment is lawful], so we should be more careful when applying for arrest warrants.”

In other words, if it seems likely that a suspect will be released through habeas corpus review, we should avoid applying for an arrest warrant if possible.

It also means that even if we apply, they will reject it if possible.

Since there are victim statements, there should be no problem with issuing a search and seizure warrant.

In the end, the problem is the arrest warrant.

Given that Director Heo Seunggeon is acting like that, there’s a high possibility that the arrest warrant won’t be issued.

“Still, apply for Hong Taemin’s arrest warrant and search warrants for his home and office. For reference, have the warrant application processed through Deputy Director Lee Doohyeong so that it doesn’t spread to the outside.”

“Yes, I will proceed without any issues.”

***

The media was in an uproar.

The most important piece of evidence, the suspect’s DNA, was damaged by a national institution, the National Forensic Service.

As a result, the National Forensic Service lost a great deal of credibility, and NDFC was able to make its name known to the media.

The case itself had become very bleak, but NDFC was in a festive mood because it had succeeded in raising its profile after being overshadowed by the National Forensic Service for so long.

The fact that the NDFC center director came to greet me with a bright face says it all.

As expected, the National Forensic Service’s 담당 [in charge] researchers admitted their mistake and submitted their resignations.

They cut off the seeds of suspicion to prevent the tracing of the line connecting to the Western District Prosecutor’s Office.

They probably received sufficient compensation from KM Group or the Western District Prosecutor’s Office, but there was no time to uncover that.

We had to catch the monster named Hong Taemin.

As the investigation returned to square one, the happiest person was, of course, Hong Taemin.

His biggest weakness and clear physical evidence, the DNA, had been damaged, so there was almost no room for suspicion.

Director Heo Seunggeon, who was at the scene of the sexual assault, continued to claim that he was the real culprit, so even though the special investigation unit had revealed the truth of the genetic manipulation, it still seemed as if the situation was leaning towards the Western District Prosecutor’s Office.

In fact, we were leading them to believe that. The very act of publishing the article was for that purpose.

However, the Western District Prosecutor’s Office naturally didn’t know this. They were intoxicated with the idea that they were still overwhelming the special investigation unit.

Hong Taemin was also on a roll, and from the evening of the day the news was reported, he was caught taking drugs again, which he had stopped taking for a while.

In short, everything was going according to plan.

Hong Taemin visited a hotel in Incheon today, according to his schedule.

He was staying in the top-floor suite.

Wolhyang was sitting alone at the lounge bar there, sipping a drink.

Of course, only to the point where she wouldn’t get drunk.

How long had it been?

Vice Chairman Hong Taemin appeared.

Yoon Seolha’s report that he always stopped by the lounge bar for a drink before going to bed when he stayed at the hotel was accurate.

Of course, I was also sitting far away, wearing a hat pulled down low, watching him.

Hong Taemin naturally sat down and started drinking whiskey on the rocks.

As I had instructed, Wolhyang stared intently at Hong Taemin.

Feeling her gaze, he turned his head towards Wolhyang, but she didn’t look away.

Wolhyang must have been cursing inwardly, but she smiled outwardly and then averted her gaze.

After drinking a few glasses and exchanging glances, both of them slowly began to feel the effects of the alcohol.

Just as their faces began to turn red, Wolhyang got up from her seat and approached Hong Taemin.

“I don’t like it when it’s diluted with ice.”

As expected, Hong Taemin didn’t recognize Wolhyang at all.

Even the pre-surgery Wolhyang was just another woman who had passed him by.

“I don’t know.”

He replied with a slight lift of his lips.

“I don’t like it straight because it’s lukewarm.”

“Isn’t drinking on the rocks for cowards?”

Wolhyang threw out a provocative line and downed the glass of straight whiskey in one gulp.

“They say that people who dilute their alcohol are often cowards at night too.”

“Night?”

“Like in bed, for example?”

Wolhyang threw out a direct pickup line without hesitation.

“You seem like quite the coward too.”

Hong Taemin chuckled.

“Is that so?”

“My predictions are mostly accurate.”

Wolhyang naturally placed her hand on Hong Taemin’s thigh.

Then, she slowly stroked it before stopping and staring intently into his eyes.

In the sticky gaze, Wolhyang’s hand stroked his leg before stopping.

“Prove it if you’re so confident.”

Wolhyang placed one of her card keys on the table and got up from her seat.

Then, without looking back, she returned to her room.

***

How many minutes had it been since Wolhyang had gone up to her room?

The sound of a card key opening the door was heard.

Wolhyang closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Unlike in the lounge bar, she was alone here.

Choi Seojun was waiting in the next room just in case, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Soon after, the door opened, and Vice Chairman Hong Taemin entered the room, and without saying a word, they roughly explored each other and headed to the bed.

And the moment Hong Taemin’s greed was revealed and his hand reached for Wolhyang’s buttons.

“That’s enough.”

Wolhyang pushed him away.

“What?”

“If I give you everything on the first day, I’ll look like an easy woman. I don’t like that.”

“Who would think of you that way?”

Hong Taemin had a dumbfounded expression, but.

“I would.”

Wolhyang said firmly and buttoned up her clothes.

Hong Taemin considered forcing himself on her, but he stopped when he realized that Director Heo Seunggeon, who would take care of the problem, wasn’t here now.

All he could do was provoke her.

“You seem like the coward.”

Wolhyang didn’t stop him at all and said what she had to say.

“Maybe not if we meet a couple more times.”

She grabbed her coat and got up from her seat.

“If you’re so confident, come to the Hill Consierge Hotel tomorrow evening. Ask for Jennifer Kim at the lobby, and they’ll let you know.”

Wolhyang left some room for him and left the room as it was, got into a taxi, and left the hotel.

***

“Will this work?”

Wolhyang asked worriedly, but I smiled and replied.

“It will work.”

He had been holding back because of the Thunderbolt Gate incident, but he would be blinded by lust.

The reason why he did that at the hotel yesterday was to stimulate him even more.

The reason for luring Hong Taemin here was one thing.

To give him time to bring the only remaining evidence, the cell phone on which the video was filmed.

If things progressed suddenly like last night, there was a possibility that he wouldn’t bring his cell phone to the scene, so I wanted to rule that out.

If he knew in advance that he was going to have sex, Hong Taemin would definitely bring his cell phone.

To secretly film her for blackmail, distribution, or to satisfy his twisted sexual desire.

I was inducing him to bring the evidence himself and walk into the tiger’s den.

Wolhyang was a charming person enough for that.

At that time, a report from an investigator was transmitted through the walkie-talkie.

-The target is now entering the hotel. He took a total of two cell phones when he got out of the car, but it has not been confirmed whether they are evidence.

I got up from my seat.

“Just do as planned. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“…Yes.”

I turned my back on Wolhyang, came out, and entered the next room.

The inside of Wolhyang’s room was clearly visible from that room.

More than 10 surveillance cameras were installed in the room where Wolhyang was staying, so there were no blind spots even in the bathroom.

About 10 prosecutors and investigators were watching this through CCTV, and the remaining special investigation unit personnel were waiting for orders at Hong Taemin and Heo Seunggeon’s homes and offices.

To recover the cell phone containing the evidence, we had to move at once before he noticed.

The only regret was that the search and seizure warrant had been issued, but the arrest warrant had not been issued.

Even though it was a special investigation unit, the court seemed to be playing it safe because the media’s attention was so focused.

However, that didn’t mean it was impossible to arrest him.

The law is up to how you use it.

Not long after, Hong Taemin’s appearance entering Wolhyang’s room was caught on CCTV.

As soon as Hong Taemin came, Wolhyang fearlessly covered his lips.

And just as things were starting to heat up.

She took off her gown, revealing her revealing figure.

“I’ll go wash up.”

Wolhyang went into the shower room and turned on the water.

Hong Taemin sat on the bed and seemed to be waiting for Wolhyang.

Suddenly, he began to look around the inside of the hotel room.

After a while, he suddenly began to approach the camera installed by the window.

“Chief Prosecutor, do you think Hong Taemin noticed?”

One of the investigators asked worriedly, but I crossed my arms and watched.

“Wait.”

But then, Hong Taemin took out his cell phone from his pocket.

The red model that I had heard from Kim Buwon, a product of Juok Electronics that I had heard from Yoon Seolha.

The prosecutors and investigators stretched their necks and began to watch the CCTV footage, and Hong Taemin lowered the blinds, hid and fixed the cell phone between the window and the curtain, and started filming the video.

At the same time, the corners of my lips twisted roughly.

“Chief Prosecutor, what should we do?”

At the prosecutor’s question, I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“There may be a backup copy, so start searching and seizing his home and office. And Hong Taemin… can be arrested as a flagrant offender [caught in the act of committing a crime] on charges of illegally filming videos in accordance with the Special Act on Sexual Violence Crimes. So.”

I hardened my expression and roughly instructed the special investigation unit prosecutors.

“Bring that criminal bastard right now.”