My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 427

“Let’s meet once.”

Even though their relationship was strained and they belonged to opposing parties, Lee Eok-ho nodded, understanding that his child’s life was on the line and there was no room for refusal.

Lee Eok-ho immediately headed to the Future Party headquarters to speak with Kang Ju-rin, his former rival for his constituency. Although she had lost her seat in the National Assembly after the election, she still held considerable sway within the Future Party.

From the outset, the Future Party wouldn’t have dispatched just anyone to directly challenge a figure like Lee Eok-ho.

‘To contend with someone of Lee Eok-ho’s stature, there are only two viable strategies.’

‘Either sacrifice a pawn or engage in a full-blown confrontation.’ Kang Ju-rin embodied the latter, having attempted a direct challenge.

‘And she must be a skilled manipulator.’

Even if Lee Sang-won [Lee Eok-ho’s son] was a member of the Future Party, persuading him to turn against his father and work for a lawmaker from the opposing party is a completely different matter. It’s absurd to assume that someone of her caliber wouldn’t recognize that such an action would irrevocably damage the relationship between father and son.

But the fact that she succeeded suggests she’s adept at manipulating people to her will.

‘And those types usually aren’t virtuous. Though, it’s almost comical to suggest that any member of the National Assembly is truly ‘good’.’

Park Do-joon observed Kang Ju-rin and swallowed a bitter smile.

“Have you received any contact at all?”

“Is that so?”

“I’m sorry. I haven’t had any contact since he went to Taiwan.”

Watching Kang Ju-rin feign ignorance, Park Do-joon began to grasp her intentions.

‘She intends to leverage this situation for her own gain.’

The person who worked for him has gone missing, or rather, been kidnapped. Under normal circumstances, anyone would express sympathy and offer assistance. But witnessing her flat denial of any knowledge, Park Do-joon felt a surge of resentment.

“Is there absolutely no communication? Not even an email or text message?”

“None at all.”

“It would have been a phone call. There wouldn’t have been an email or text message.”

“No, I’m telling you, there’s nothing.”

Kang Ju-rin maintained her facade of ignorance.

‘I see what she’s angling for.’

Right now, Kang Ju-rin wants them to initiate negotiations. She’s willing to conduct an internal inquiry, but in exchange, they must offer a suitable price. Of course, that price isn’t monetary.

‘She likely wants Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho to concede his constituency in the upcoming election.’

While pretending to be clueless, she keeps her gaze fixed on Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho’s mouth. If her intentions were purely cooperative, she would have shown empathy and treated him as a partner, rather than scrutinizing his every word.

‘But she probably deems it too delicate to make that demand herself.’

It’s a charade, but that’s the reality of the political arena. If a secretary is caught embezzling around 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD], the member of the National Assembly claims ignorance, insisting it’s solely the secretary’s corruption.

It’s the same this time. If Kang Ju-rin makes the demand directly, she’ll be seen as shameless. But if Lee Eok-ho offers it as a condition for her cooperation, it becomes acceptable.

Knowing this, she was staring intently at Lee Eok-ho’s mouth, only saying she didn’t know.

‘And Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho seems to be aware of this as well.’

Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho, having reached a decision, slowly began to speak.

“Former Assemblywoman Kang, if you assist me this time, I will reciprocate the favor handsomely in the future.”

“Well? We’re from opposing political parties, so I doubt there’s anything you can do to help us.”

The moment Kang Ju-rin’s lips subtly curved into a smile, sensing that her objective was within reach, Park Do-joon intervened, thwarting her ambition.

‘Sorry, but I can’t allow that to happen.’

Park Do-joon holds a cynical view of the election process. He believes the saying, ‘an election is merely choosing between a criminal with five convictions and one with ten,’ rings true. But no matter how many petty offenses are accumulated, they cannot be equated to murder.

‘To bargain with the life of someone who aided him, no less?’

Moreover, that person even defied his own father and left the country to stand by his political convictions. Seeing her attempt to bargain with such a person, he thought that if such a person were to do politics, they would devour all the people.

“Former Assemblywoman Kang.”

Park Do-joon raised his hand, stopping Lee Eok-ho as he was about to speak.

“What is it?”

Kang Ju-rin, who believed her goal was imminent, responded to Park Do-joon with a smile, but her expression hardened at his next words.

“You’ve chosen the wrong negotiation target.”

“What did you say?”

“If you’re going to demand a concession from Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho, what will you offer us in return?”

“What?”

“Isn’t that right? I have no affiliation with Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho. Oh, and Mr. Yoon Tae-min here is in the same boat.”

Park Do-joon said with a smile.

“What do you mean, ‘offer’?”

“Well, hmm, I’m also interested in this constituency seat.”

“H, how dare you!”

At those words, Kang Ju-rin’s face contorted into a demonic expression, and she glared fiercely at Park Do-joon. Yoon Tae-min was startled by the sudden shift in atmosphere.

“No, wait a minute. Detective Park, calm down. Former Assemblywoman Kang, this is a misunderstanding…….”

“Oh? Am I mistaken? Is it possible that a person like Assemblywoman Kang Ju-rin would abandon someone who once helped her to die simply because she’s fixated on a political position, right?”

Park Do-joon said, scratching at her insides.

Kang Ju-rin’s face flushed red at those words.

‘She would.’

If they hadn’t brought it up, a tacit agreement could have been established, but now that Park Do-joon had spoken, a tacit agreement could no longer be established.

Rather, this becomes a matter of her life.

“Well, of course not. If this leaks out, Former Assemblywoman Kang’s political career will be over. It will be a fatal blow to the Future Party as well.”

An assemblyman threatens a father trying to save his child by demanding he give up his seat? If that leaks out, can he win the election? No, can he even protect his political life?

“You, you……!”

Kang Ju-rin felt extreme anger towards Park Do-joon, who was ruining her almost-done meal. But Park Do-joon didn’t stop provoking her.

“If you haven’t received any contact, you can simply call the people who would have been contacted. That’s not difficult, right? Surely, you wouldn’t refuse to cooperate to that extent for someone who once helped you. Former Assemblywoman Kang is a person who knows loyalty.”

At those words, Kang Ju-rin clenched her fist so tightly that her hand turned white with anger. But Park Do-joon’s words were correct. Now that it’s out in the open, her political career is over if she refuses.

“I have to cooperate.”

“Then thank you. First, I’d like to meet the party officials who worked here.”

“I will.”

She jumped up from her seat. And said in a very cold voice.

“Wait here. I’ll tell you when to come in.”

Watching Kang Ju-rin leave after speaking in a cold voice, Park Do-joon chuckled, and Yoon Tae-min was horrified.

“No, even though we’re asking for help, why are you provoking her?”

“Those types will never help if you ask for help and bow down first.”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t there a vested interest involved? So, she’ll try to drag out the time as much as possible and extract something more.”

Park Do-joon said, shaking his head.

‘It’s not like I prefer this method either.’

But sometimes there are timings when it can’t be helped.

“What we lack is time. But negotiating with Kang Ju-rin will require time.”

“Why?”

“Kang Ju-rin will ask for Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho’s weaknesses.”

“Weaknesses?”

“Yes.”

Kang Ju-rin doesn’t trust Lee Eok-ho. Even if Lee Eok-ho doesn’t run in the next election, she can’t ignore the possibility of him setting up a strong rival in that position.

“We can’t reveal this either.”

Lee Eok-ho cannot run for election again and then reveal this incident, saying, ‘Why aren’t you keeping your promise even though you promised.’ Because then she will take the blame.

“So, she’ll ask for some weaknesses. And that will be a card that can destroy Lee Eok-ho’s future.”

In other words, she wants to occupy her position here forever, not just this National Assembly seat.

“I don’t care.”

“Assemblyman Lee Eok-ho, you don’t care because your son is involved.”

Lee Eok-ho said calmly. How many parents would care about a National Assembly seat if they could save their son?

“But the problem is that Kang Ju-rin cares.”

“What?”

“How do we know if that weakness is real or not? We need time to verify it.”

If they present a fake weakness… For example, if they falsely present evidence of a mistress or a hidden child, and it is revealed as fake in the election, Kang Ju-rin will lose.

“So, Kang Ju-rin will try to verify it. Since it’s not something that can be done officially, it will take at least a week.”

At those words, Lee Eok-ho and Yoon Tae-min’s faces hardened.

“Cooperation is only established when mutual interests align. If they don’t align, it’s impossible.”

In this situation, a week is a time when Lee Sang-won’s life is truly uncertain.

“But if this happens, she’ll try to retaliate against Mr. Park Do-joon, right?”

Yoon Tae-min asked worriedly. Kang Ju-rin can’t retaliate against Lee Eok-ho. Park Do-joon is the one who tackled her now. Moreover, even if she wanted to retaliate against Lee Eok-ho, she would have to wage a full-scale war between the New People’s Party and the Future Party, and Kang Ju-rin is not at that level.

“Let her do it.”

Park Do-joon shrugged and said.

“Then I’ll start blabbing. And Assemblyman Lee won’t just stand by and watch that, right?”

If Park Do-joon opens his mouth, people’s attention will be focused on Lee Eok-ho. If Lee Eok-ho tells the truth at that time, Kang Ju-rin will be kicked out of the political world.

“And you both know who’s behind me, right?”

If Kang Ju-rin finds out about that, she will have no choice but to back down.

“However, it’s not without its problems.”

“What is it?”

“Kang Ju-rin will be skilled at gaslighting.”

“Skilled?”

“She has the gaslighting skills to make a son turn against his father. Wouldn’t she have done that to her subordinates?”

“Are you saying that my son didn’t leave me voluntarily?”

Lee Eok-ho asked in disbelief. He even cut off ties with his son because of that. But it wasn’t voluntary?

“I thought so at first, but after seeing Kang Ju-rin, I don’t think that’s the case.”

“It’s not?”

“Yes, of course, there are many cases where political opinions differ between parents and children.”

There are many cases where children belong to different parties or work for members of the National Assembly of that party.

“But it’s different in the case of the same constituency as the father. Usually, in such cases, they are active in different constituencies. Furthermore, after checking Lee Sang-won’s address, I think so even more.”

Lee Eok-ho and Lee Sang-won have different addresses. Because there were so many political conflicts, Lee Sang-won separated and moved out.