The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 110

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 110

Checks and Balances (6)

“How the hell did Choi Seo-jun sweet-talk that bastard So Hyung-seop? I poured a whopping 500 million won into that guy, 500 million!”

Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil slammed the table, venting his frustration.

“I apologize, Chief Prosecutor.”

Chief Kang Joong-shik had no choice but to bow his head.

“Chief Kang, I didn’t bring you to Seoul to play a shadow role next to Choi Seo-jun.”

“I know. I’m truly sorry.”

“You know, but you handle things like that?”

Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil roared.

“Do you know how many times I met with BH Construction to get that money?”

“I will make sure this never happens again.”

Chief Kang Joong-shik continued, his head bowed.

“I will definitely rectify the situation. Please give me a little more time.”

“Can’t you get in touch with So Hyung-seop?”

“Yes. I tried to contact him through Inspector Kim Byung-tae, but he’s been arrested…”

“Damn it!”

Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil cursed and ran his hand through his hair.

“Find out exactly how this happened, from A to Z.”

“Understood.”

“If our story leaks from the police, we’re screwed.”

Chief Kang Joong-shik’s eyes flashed as he raised his head.

“Don’t worry. I made sure to pay for their silence before anything started, so our names won’t come out.”

“How do you explain So Hyung-seop siding with Choi Seo-jun when you gave him that money?”

“…I apologize.”

He ended up bowing his head again.

“Do it right, Chief Kang. If this happens, it’s over for both me and you.”

“Understood.”

Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil sighed, calmed down as much as possible, and then opened his mouth.

“How much is left from what we received from BH Construction?”

“After giving 500 million to So Hyung-seop and 1 billion to the police, there’s exactly 1.5 billion left.”

“Use 500 million of that. But if you fail this time, I can’t see you anymore.”

“I will keep that in mind. Next time, I will bring you Choi Seo-jun’s head.”

Chief Kang Joong-shik replied, his eyes blazing, but Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil waved his hand.

“Go.”

Chief Kang Joong-shik had no choice but to grind his teeth as he left the Chief Prosecutor’s office at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office.

He had trusted and relied on him so much in Busan, and he had risen to the position of right-hand man, but after being undermined by Choi Seo-jun, his credibility plummeted.

There was only one way to overcome this situation.

It was to drive Choi Seo-jun into a pit.

‘I’ll get revenge no matter what.’

He called someone on his cell phone, his eyes burning.

-Yes, Chief.

“Oh, Prosecutor Park.”

Prosecutor Park Min-woo.

One of the few prosecutors in the Special Investigation Department on the number two line [referring to a specific faction or allegiance within the prosecutor’s office], and one of the prosecutors who had grabbed his line [became loyal to him].

“Couldn’t you find a way to contact So Hyung-seop?”

-I’m sorry. Choi Seo-jun is only taking care of his people and proceeding with this case from the beginning, so it’s not easy to approach him.

“Damn it.”

Prosecutor Park Min-woo was embarrassed by the unexpected harsh words, but he continued.

-But I did dig up one thing.

“Tell me.”

-Listening to other prosecutors talking, it seems that Choi Seo-jun negotiated with So Hyung-seop.

“Negotiated?”

Chief Kang Joong-shik’s eyes flashed at the word.

-Yes. I heard that he gave him money…

“Wait a minute.”

His voice regained its vitality.

“Are you saying that Choi Seo-jun gave money to So Hyung-seop and told him to tell the truth?”

-That’s right. I heard that he gave him 2.5 billion won, but I think this is an exaggeration. Anyway, it seems he gave him something.”

“Okay.”

A bitter smile spread across Chief Kang Joong-shik’s lips.

‘That’s right. There’s no way he would have taken 500 million won from me and then wiped his mouth for no reason [betrayed him without getting anything in return].’

If he took money from both himself and Choi Seo-jun, there would be plenty of reason to betray him.

In addition, as a result of digging into Choi Seo-jun’s private life, he had definitely spent a lot of money. No matter how much he earned, his spending was not normal, and even then, he mostly used cash.

However, it was only suspicion, and there was no certainty, so he was putting it on hold. But the fact that he spent money on a criminal, no matter how much, must have been black money [illegally obtained funds], not his own.

It is impossible to explain unless it is money he received as a bribe or money he embezzled from a company.

‘Okay, let’s go at it again. That speck of dust you mentioned will threaten your life.’

Chief Kang Joong-shik, thinking of Choi Seo-jun, smiled contentedly and instructed Prosecutor Park Min-woo.

“Investigate that amount again and find out exactly.”

-Understood.

***

“Prosecutor Park Min-woo is said to be very interested in this case. This time, he approached Prosecutor Jang Ha-young privately…”

I didn’t feel good about Yoon Seol-ha’s report.

Prosecutor Park Min-woo.

A guy who belongs to the number two line and openly acts as Chief Kang Joong-shik’s eyes and ears.

“Isn’t this going against professional ethics?”

“You are right.”

“Did any information leak to that side?”

“Prosecutor Park Tae-seok, who joined this time, accidentally said that he gave 2.5 billion won, but since the amount is so large, I don’t think they believe it.”

Prosecutor Park Tae-seok is the son of Park Seong-hyun, the Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, whom I drove out.

So many police officers were arrested in this case that additional prosecutors were brought in to intervene.

“I felt sorry for him because I only gave him difficult tasks every time, so I brought him in, but he immediately caused trouble. Give him a subtle hint to get him to quit.”

“Understood.”

“And Prosecutor Park Min-woo…”

I was worried.

It’s November now.

If I just waited two more months, I could naturally drive him out with a new appointment, but if I drove him out in this situation, I would have to use force separately.

Clearly, other prosecutors on the number two line would resist.

But I couldn’t just leave it like this.

“Is there anything that could get that guy disciplined?”

Yoon Seol-ha pondered for a moment and then cautiously said.

“If we were to squeeze it out, there was something that he got blamed for when he was working on the Eunpyeong-gu Office chief case last time.”

It was a case where the Eunpyeong-gu Office chief was caught by the prosecution while trying to hide his hidden funds and was investigated.

During the investigation, Prosecutor Park Min-woo made a mistake, but it was not questioned and was safely handled, and if he was a normal prosecutor, he would naturally turn a blind eye to that level of mistake.

Even though he was on the number two line, I, as the head of the Special Investigation Department, quietly overlooked it.

But in this situation, the story is different.

“Discipline him for that case and send him to the provinces.”

“Understood.”

Perhaps Chief Kang Joong-shik or the number two line will use their power, so he won’t be able to get out of the metropolitan area.

However, just driving him out of the Special Investigation Department will make the few remaining prosecutors on the number two line nervous.

It’s a kind of warning.

You could say it’s an example.

“Then let’s proceed with that… Is Inspector Kim Byung-tae still sticking to his answer?”

“Ah, he finally confessed this morning. He confessed that he ordered it.”

“What about the source of the 500 million won?”

“He keeps his mouth shut about this, as if he’s trying to keep it a secret.”

“He probably won’t say it even if he dies. Because of the crime of being hateful [being seen as uncooperative and defiant], public opinion will be more heated, so prepare to pass it on to the Public Affairs Department while leaking the truth to the media.”

“Understood.”

Now that the story about 2.5 billion won has been passed on, Chief Kang Joong-shik’s side will try to bite it again with this somehow.

I expected it from the beginning.

I thought that the truth would be conveyed to his ears through So Hyung-seop himself, even after the situation was over.

Rather, it was better for me that it came out before this case was settled.

If a viper digs into this situation, I have a very perfect plan to escape.

The ball he throws will only be a check ball [a slow, cautious pitch in baseball, used to gauge the batter’s reaction].

***

-Star Prosecutor Choi Seo-jun, Suspected of Involvement in Black Money!

-Choi Seo-jun, the chief prosecutor of the Special Investigation Department of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, is suspected of receiving black money. The reason why suspect So Hyung-seop, who made a false confession after receiving 500 million won, told the truth is because he received black money from Choi Seo-jun. According to a prosecution official, it was confirmed that a huge sum of 1 billion won was deposited into his parents’ bank account just one day before So Hyung-seop actually confessed. ……(Omitted)……. Some even say that So Hyung-seop’s confession was forced by this money. Prosecutor Choi Seo-jun should hurry to reveal the truth about this and resolve the public’s suspicions.

-True Media Reporter Kim Min-gun

As expected, everything is as expected.

As soon as I saw the article, I smiled involuntarily.

Why doesn’t it deviate from the scenario I drew at all?

I think I heard in some lyrics that it’s boring to live an easy life, but I don’t know why my life is so interesting.

Yoon Seol-ha contacted me saying that she had also seen the article, but she didn’t rush to find me or move busily because I had told her how I would handle it.

I think it would be perfect to hold a press conference tomorrow when it’s ripe enough [when the situation is at its peak].

At that time, the office door suddenly opened.

Bang.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to the Special Investigation Department.”

Chief Kang Joong-shik brazenly showed his face without even knocking.

I guess he came to take revenge for the time I went and mocked him.

But what should I do?

I have no intention of being defeated.

Chief Kang Joong-shik, who doesn’t know that fact, approached the desk where I was sitting with a relaxed face.

“I told you, that dust you covered up will threaten you.”

“Chief Kang.”

I smiled and leaned back in my chair.

“Did you say you’re forty-seven this year?”

He’s more than a decade older than me, three years older.

“I guess your eyesight is getting bad and you can’t see properly. This isn’t dust, it’s like my tattoo.”

“I don’t know if it’s because the puppy is still young, but excessive bluffing only makes him look pathetic.”

“Is that so?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“I think it’s more ridiculous that you came all the way here after throwing just a check ball.”

I deliberately raised only one corner of my mouth and showed him a mocking smile.

“What the chief threw was just a check ball.”

His brow furrowed.

“I don’t know why you keep throwing check balls. Are you afraid that I’ll hit a home run?”

“I don’t think you’re in a situation where you can afford to be so relaxed right now.”

“Do you know when a check ball is most meaningless?”

I picked my ear and made a nonchalant expression.

“It’s when you know you’re going to throw a check ball.”

Chief Kang Joong-shik’s eyebrows twitched.

In a nutshell, my words meant that I was aware of all his intentions.

“If you keep doing that, the pitcher will only lose strength. He’ll get tired of it on his own.”

“It’s 2.5 billion won. Do you think you can explain the 1 billion won you paid in advance?”

Even with his determined expression, I answered without any hesitation.

“Yes.”

I smiled brightly and continued.

“I think it will be explained very perfectly? No, I think it will actually help my image.”

I had a more confident expression than ever before.

“Look forward to the next news.”