The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 296

Prosecutor’s Success – Episode 296

Empty House (11)

-Hello, this is a special report from PBC News. We apologize to viewers who were in the middle of watching dramas. We have just received news that President Seong Tae-hyun has passed away. The Blue House announced that President Seong Tae-hyun was found unconscious in his office at approximately 9:13 AM today. Chief of Staff Gong Jae-won discovered him collapsed and unconscious during a visit to the office for a work report. The security team urgently transported President Seong Tae-hyun to the hospital within the Blue House, but he ultimately passed away. Analysis of the contents of the stomach lavage during emergency treatment revealed that President Seong Tae-hyun had ingested powdered sleeping pills, estimated to be around 40 to 50 pills, leading to a fatal shock.

The announcer continued speaking calmly, without revealing any change in emotion.

-Kim Hak-gi has been covering this. Kim Hak-gi, can you provide us with more details on this shocking news of suicide?

The screen changed, and a man holding a microphone appeared.

-This is Kim Hak-gi reporting. Currently, we cannot definitively confirm whether it was a suicide or homicide. However, the sleeping pills found near the President’s body and at the scene were prescribed directly to President Seong Tae-hyun by the resident physician at the Blue House. Additionally, there were no signs of intrusion, and he had ordered that no one enter his office since the previous day. Considering these factors, President Seong Tae-hyun’s death is presumed to be a suicide. Many experts believe that President Seong Tae-hyun’s passing was due to being cornered and the destruction of his dignity as a human being through various humiliations…….

It was quite shocking news.

I hadn’t expected this at all.

I knew Seong Tae-hyun was in a tight spot, but I never thought he would commit suicide.

I thought he would at least try to drag me down with him, but Seong Jin-hyun preemptively cut off all his means of retaliation, eliminating any room for him to act.

To make matters worse, a series of incidents led many to view the Blue House and the President with human contempt, which he apparently couldn’t bear.

Suddenly, my vision began to blur.

This wasn’t the situation I wanted.

My head started to throb.

But only for a moment.

Yoon Seol-ha cautiously asked.

“Will you attend the funeral?”

I sighed deeply and nodded.

“……I have to.”

“I’ll apply for bereavement leave.”

“Okay.”

I grabbed my coat and stood up.

I need to do more than just attend the funeral; I need to watch over the bereaved.

After all, the family ties haven’t been severed yet.

***

We ran side by side like crazy to reach the top.

But we hated and despised each other so much that it surpassed that.

However, seeing Seong Tae-hyun smiling awkwardly in his portrait, I felt a strange emotion that I couldn’t describe.

Regret?

No, it wasn’t that.

Remorse?

Not that either.

If I had to put a name to it, it would be pity.

It was absurd to feel such an emotion, but it was actually there.

The chief mourner was Seong Jeong-min, the elder of Seong Tae-hyun’s twin sons, who was only six years old.

Perhaps the object of this pity wasn’t Seong Tae-hyun, but this nephew of mine.

I also felt a deep sense of responsibility for Seong Tae-hyun’s death, so I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

I only felt sorry for my young nephew.

Seong Tae-hyun’s siblings didn’t curse at me or chase me away.

Perhaps because Seong Tae-hyun had done so many things wrong, they were just silent and indifferent.

More than anything, they knew that causing a commotion here would be a great shock to Seong Tae-hyun’s children.

My job was simply to wear mourning clothes and greet all the politicians and businessmen.

Had half a day passed like that?

At Yoon Seol-ha’s call, I carefully slipped away.

“A suicide note has been found.”

“Is it definitely suicide?”

“Yes. It seems so.”

She took out a copy of the suicide note from her pocket and showed it to me.

-I’ll take everything with me. I offer my sincere apologies to my family and want to say I’m sorry to the people. I thought there was only one way to atone for the concerns I caused to so many people. It’s all my fault. I hope everything will be resolved with me as the end.

-President Seong Tae-hyun.

There was no blame on me.

No revelations about hidden secrets.

Not even an excuse about the truth.

The suicide note conveyed that Seong Tae-hyun had given up and let go of everything.

My head, which had finally calmed down, started throbbing again.

I pressed my temples and asked Yoon Seol-ha.

“What’s the situation like at the Blue House and in politics?”

“Everything has been suspended. Both parties have agreed to handle things after this matter is over.”

“That’s a relief.”

“The Special Investigations Unit has also asked if they can close the case that was recently opened. What should we do?”

“They should. Close all cases related to Seong Tae-hyun.”

“Understood.”

“And…….”

I took out a key from my pocket and handed it to her.

“In the first compartment of the safe in my Gangbuk [a district in Seoul] officetel [a building with residential and office units], there’s a Swiss bank account.”

One of the accounts where political funds and laundered black money from companies are stashed.

“Yes.”

“Withdraw $2 million from there and find a large house for my sister-in-law and nephews to live in. Give the rest to them separately as a consolation.”

“Understood.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Yoon Seol-ha bowed and left.

I read the suicide note again.

Han Ji-soo doesn’t know about the suicide note yet.

There are many guests at the funeral, but the Blue House hasn’t delivered the suicide note to her yet, thinking it would be better to show it to her after she has stabilized to some extent due to the great shock.

That’s because Han Ji-soo is completely broken right now.

Since Seong Tae-hyun committed suicide right after she sent the divorce papers, she thought his death was her fault.

Han Ji-yoo was also quite shocked, which was undeniable.

Even though she had grown very distant from me, he was still her younger sister’s husband and someone she knew well, so it was inevitable.

It wasn’t just them who were shocked; the country and all the people were the same.

Above all, the suicide of a sitting president had never happened in the history of South Korea.

The public’s reaction became solemn, not because the target of ridicule had disappeared, but because they felt a sense of responsibility for driving Seong Tae-hyun to his death.

I feel the same way.

“Hoo.”

I calmed myself down again and headed to the funeral.

But on the way, I heard the voice of a man being interviewed outside where the cameras were gathered.

Looking closely, it was none other than Chief of Staff Gong Jae-won.

He said with tears in his eyes.

“The President felt extremely helpless. He often said that this whole situation would only end if he died…….”

I tried to ignore him and headed to the funeral.

***

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae became the acting president.

“We will set up memorial altars nationwide and hold a state funeral befitting the President’s status. We also advise refraining from festivals during the funeral period…….”

Although he had betrayed Seong Tae-hyun, Park Hyung-tae expressed his condolences more than anyone else.

“……will be the final step. We will do our best to ensure that former President Seong Tae-hyun can finish with honor as the 23rd President.”

And after the 5-day funeral period, Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae stood again at the podium for a national address as the acting president.

“A very heartbreaking thing has happened. But former President Seong Tae-hyun would not have wanted this chaos. That’s why we must move forward again. The living must live on. As former President Seong Tae-hyun even said that he would take everything with him, our Republic of Korea must take a step forward with all our efforts for a new day. As the acting president, I promise to provide the greatest assistance to ensure that the people regain stability and return to their daily lives…….”

Although it wasn’t the expected procedure, Park Hyung-tae succeeded in becoming the acting president, so he began to appeal to himself with all his might.

Not for Seong Tae-hyun.

For his next presidential election.

***

“Thank you, brother-in-law. Not only the house but also this large sum of money…….”

Han Ji-soo bit her lip and expressed her gratitude.

“No. I’m just really sorry.”

“Don’t say that. No one in the world will blame you, brother-in-law. Neither will I.”

That was actually the case.

Rather than blaming anyone, the people were just sending Seong Tae-hyun their pity and sympathy.

In fact, there was a growing public sentiment to re-evaluate and sympathize with Seong Tae-hyun.

Even though he was criticized, he was the president of a country, and the fact that he ended his life by suicide while in office, especially in his beloved office, made it impossible to imagine how much pain he had suffered.

“Please tell me if you need anything at any time.”

“Thank you.”

Han Ji-soo forced a smile with her haggard face.

“We should see each other often now. The twins and the youngest one like Ji-hoon so much.”

“Definitely. I’ll take Ji-yoo and my son to visit often too.”

“Then I’ll go first. Drive carefully.”

“Yes. Get some rest.”

After sending Han Ji-soo and my nephews away, I went straight to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

One week.

Everything returned to normal in just one week after Seong Tae-hyun’s death.

There was too much work ahead of us to mourn his death.

The suspended regular National Assembly resumed, and the Grand Korea Party and the People’s Party clashed again in the face of the upcoming presidential election.

As always.

As the chaotic situation gradually stabilized.

A call came from an unfamiliar number.

“Yes, this is Choi Seo-joon.”

The voice I heard over the phone was somewhat welcome.

-Hello, Prosecutor. This is Gwang Seok-gon. Do you remember me?

That People’s Party congressman from back then…….

How could I forget?

The person I persuaded to bring the last vote in the 179 vs 121 vote.

Seong Tae-hyun has passed away, but the war between the People’s Party and the Grand Korea Party is not over yet.

I vividly remember when I first met him and made the offer, Congressman Gwang Seok-gon asked if he could wait a little longer to assess the situation before making a decision.

And the fact that he’s calling now must mean…….

-I’m calling to ask if the offer you made last time is still valid.

“Of course. It’s still valid.”

I twisted my lips roughly.

“I almost forgot if you had been any later.”