The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 150

Trojan Horse (2)

It was, as expected, a message from the future.

After ensuring Secretary Jo Ah-ra was focused on her work, I immediately played the video.

-I never expected things would turn out this way.

The first voice I heard was unfamiliar.

It wasn’t just that someone I knew had aged and their voice had changed; it was a tone I had never heard before.

-Yes. This is something I never imagined…

Following that was my voice.

Then, the video screen brightened, and I saw two men smoking and deep in thought.

One was me, as expected, but the person next to me was someone I had never seen before in my life.

-Haa, I really don’t know what to do about this.

I exhaled a long stream of cigarette smoke and let out a deep sigh.

My expression and voice conveyed both disappointment and anger.

It seemed like it was no ordinary matter.

-You need to keep your wits about you, especially in times like these.

-Even when the presidential election was confirmed, I thought only good things would happen… I can’t handle how to deal with this.

-What are you going to do, Seo-joon?

-I can’t just stand by after being treated like this. I’m going to crush him. How could he screw things up like this after I brought things this far?

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist tightly.

-I’m going to destroy that bastard.

The man looked at me with a pitiful expression and comforted me.

-Hang in there. I’ll help as much as I can.

I ran my hand through my hair and spoke to the man.

-It’s not just about me…

At that moment, static appeared on the screen, and the sound distorted.

After a moment, the screen skipped and another video began playing.

-Yeah, there’s a reason he was called the Hand of God.

The video’s background was a bar.

With the sound of meat sizzling, the screen focused on one table.

-He’s amazing. He didn’t just do that to one or two people; he sent them all away.

-They say the number of people that guy sent to jail could fill a truck?

-It’s inevitable. How could the higher-ups leave him alone with that kind of skill? They must have all issued directives to keep him in check, right?

-Well, that’s true. He’s been active in the National Intelligence Service [NIS; South Korea’s primary intelligence agency] since 2020, so it’s been almost 10 years… Wow, even if it’s just 100 people a year, that’s 1,000 people.

-Is that all? He must have been active in the underworld for more than just a year or two, right?

-Yeah… it’s a really scary world.

-There are so many scary things happening behind the scenes. Ordinary salarymen like us never know when or how we might be used.

One of the men, who was tilting his glass, pointed to one side with the end of his chopsticks and said.

-Oh, he’s on again. He’s a hot topic these days.

At that moment, the screen zoomed in on the direction the man was pointing.

It was the TV.

The face of the person who was with me a little while ago was on the screen.

And at that moment, the video ended.

As expected, the future message had disappeared without a trace.

What the heck is this?

This video is different from the others.

There has never been static in the middle of a future message, nor has the screen ever switched like this.

I was about to get a headache from the unexpected development, but first, it’s important to analyze the information before it’s forgotten.

If we divide it into the first and second scenes based on the static, the second scene shows ordinary citizens, judging by the location and the conversation.

Of course, I memorized their faces, just in case.

What’s important is the content of their conversation.

Looking at the screen zooming in on the TV at the end, the second scene is probably meant to give information about the person I was talking to in the first scene.

The man has been active in the National Intelligence Service since 2020 and is nicknamed ‘Hand of God.’

Based on the current year of 2021, he’s probably in his first or second year.

What’s important is the first scene.

The sender is 42, the year the 22nd presidential election is held.

Even if I don’t know anything else, seeing the story about the presidential election, it’s certain that Sung Tae-hyun, who I’m pushing, will be elected.

But the problem is that something completely unimaginable happens after that.

As a result, my plans are greatly disrupted, and I am in a state of great anger.

But there is almost no information about that matter.

All that is certain is that in the future, I will be very close to the person called the Hand of God.

Even if I don’t know anything else, judging by the conversation, that man is at least as close to me as Song Jae-hoon PD [Production Director] or Park Soo-hyung reporter.

Not just a general business relationship, but a relationship where we can trust each other.

This is the most I could gather from this video.

There will be more progress only if I find out who the person called the Hand of God is and what role he plays next to me.

First, I have to find him.

I raised my head and called Jo Ah-ra.

“Secretary.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Call Prosecutor Hong Seok-jang.”

“Understood.”

Prosecutor Hong Seok-jang, who was nearby, quickly entered the director’s office.

“You called for me, Director?”

“Prosecutor Hong.”

I lowered my voice so that Secretary Jo Ah-ra couldn’t hear.

“Find out about a person called the Hand of God in the National Intelligence Service.”

“Is his nickname the Hand of God?”

“Yeah. I don’t know exactly what field he’s in, but it’s probably related to dealing with people.”

I looked him straight in the eye and emphasized.

“You must proceed as secretly as possible so that it doesn’t catch the eyes of others. Not even Deputy Director Lee Doo-hyung or Prosecutor Hong’s investigators should know. This must be a fact that only Prosecutor Hong and I know.”

He replied with a determined expression.

“Understood.”

***

“I’m home.”

Han Ji-yu, as if she had been waiting, put on an apron and came out to the entrance.

“Come quickly. I’ve made dinner.”

“Hmm, it smells delicious.”

I threw my briefcase on the sofa and went straight to the dining table.

When I saw the menu, I couldn’t hide my admiration.

“It’s a real feast today?”

“Yeah. I figured you’d be tired from staying up all night, so you should eat well.”

She brought the finishing touch to the lavish table, grilled eel, and sat down.

“Didn’t you sleep at all?”

“No. I took a nap during the day.”

“That’s a relief.”

Thanks to the lavish table, I was able to finish a hearty meal.

I patted my full stomach and got up from my seat, taking out a bottle of wine that I hadn’t had in a while.

Seeing the bottle of wine in my hand, Han Ji-yu looked at me worriedly and asked.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay without sleep?”

“Yeah. I’m not that tired.”

Han Ji-yu smiled brightly and sat across from me.

After lightly clinking glasses, she carefully opened her mouth.

“What made you go out yesterday?”

“Ah, I had something to prepare for the Grand Gyo case I mentioned before. The urgent stuff is finished, so I think I just need to prepare for Prosecutor General Seo Gi-woong’s case now.”

“I see.”

Han Ji-yu nodded slowly.

I used to tell her everything I was doing openly.

Since I had decided to go all the way to the end in this field, I couldn’t always show her only good things.

I was able to make this decision because she is the only person who knows me best and can understand me.

More than anything, in order to climb high, the help of a spouse is necessary, and because she is such a wise person, she sometimes gives me advice and broadens my narrow views.

Han Ji-yu fiddled with her wine glass and looked at me intently.

“Oppa [term of endearment used by a younger woman to an older man], don’t misunderstand what I’m saying.”

She opened her mouth carefully.

“I’m not going to stop you from doing what you’re doing, and I don’t think it’s bad either. Of course, it’s what I want to see you succeed, and I’ll be happy when you achieve what you want.”

“Speak comfortably.”

“But you said before that Prosecutor General Seo Gi-woong is the most incorruptible prosecutor in the world. Of course, if he becomes an obstacle in your path, it can’t be helped, but if that’s not the case, wouldn’t it be better to watch a little longer?”

I understood what Han Ji-yu was saying.

It’s Prosecutor General Seo Gi-woong, of all people.

It’s also because she became close to his wife while volunteering at Somangwon [likely a charity or organization], but it’s probably because Han Ji-yu also knows about his integrity.

I also considered what she was saying.

In fact, if I don’t touch Seo Gi-woong first, he won’t try to drive me out, even if he doesn’t like me.

In fact, removing Prosecutor General Seo Gi-woong is a slightly different story from cutting down many people to get to this position.

Except for actual criminals, I destroyed others to survive.

If I didn’t kill them, they would have killed me.

But targeting Prosecutor General Seo Gi-woong is not for my survival, but purely for my success.

If I leave him alone, my promotion to chief prosecutor will be delayed, but when his term ends, I can somehow squeeze my way up.

However, the position of king that I have dreamed of will inevitably become distant.

In the end, my choice was not to wait, but to drive out Prosecutor General Seo Gi-woong and climb high, and I am still running towards the summit.

A decision for success, not justice.

I wanted to become a prosecutor since I was young to succeed, and I came to Seoul to succeed.

It is no exaggeration to say that I was able to meet Han Ji-yu, marry her as a result of protecting her from Director Kang Joong-sik, and that the power of this chief prosecutor that I am enjoying now is also something I can have because I have succeeded.

Therefore, my choice is inevitable.

Not only that.

If I hadn’t chosen to succeed, if I had been pushed back by someone, it wouldn’t just be one human being, Choi Seo-joon, who would be defeated.

My family, Han Ji-yu whom I love, and all the prosecutors in the special division who follow me and their families would all collapse.

I felt it deeply while dealing with High Prosecutor Park Jae-pil.

I must have power. A power so strong that no one can touch me.

To protect those who trust me, to protect my people.

I must become a monster.

As I told her my thoughts step by step, Han Ji-yu nodded slowly.

“Okay. I respect and support what you have chosen.”

“Thank you.”

“But if it’s too hard, you can lean on me. You don’t have to overdo it.”

She gave a smile that was nothing short of radiant.

“I’m happy that my husband is the face of the Republic of Korea’s prosecution.”

“Yeah.”

She whispered that she loved me and kissed me.

“I’ll go wash up first.”

Han Ji-yu stroked my cheek and went into the shower room.

Left alone, I twirled my wine glass and got up from my seat, heading to the window.

I slowly closed my eyes as I looked at the Seoul night view spread out in the distance.

As I talked to Han Ji-yu, my thoughts became even more firm.

As she said, I am the face of the Republic of Korea’s prosecution and the representative of prosecutors.

In other words, anyone who steps on me is guaranteed to become a star prosecutor and get promoted.

It’s the same principle as when I stepped on Im Seong-jin and made my name known in the prosecution at once.

To avoid being eaten by those who are after me, I must eat them or someone stronger than them to show an overwhelming advantage in power.

All I have to protect is my conviction and my people.

That damn justice has been dead for a long time in the Republic of Korea.

In the Republic of Korea, resigning for justice is just the lament of losers.

It’s better to be a surviving devil than to be a loser.

I have to go higher.

Because this is a place where you get stepped on if you don’t step on others.