The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 16

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 16 (16/341)

Negotiation (5)

“What the hell have you been up to?”

Song Hyun-sung asked, looking bewildered.

“How did you dig up all this information?”

“It just sort of happened while I was doing other things.”

I brushed it off and pointed to the documents I received from Yoon Seol-ha, saying,

“We need to examine these thoroughly. There’s a chance some of the information might be incorrect.”

“Is the source unreliable?”

“It’s not that it’s unreliable, it’s just that I know who it is, but I’m not sure if I can trust them yet.”

You never know until the results are in.

I felt like Yoon Seol-ha was being honest when I met her, but if I acted based on a hunch, I’d be in trouble.

I need to move with solid evidence.

Especially when taking down a big shot like Im Sung-jin.

One mistake could derail the entire investigation.

He quickly scanned Yoon Seol-ha’s documents and looked at me.

“There are a few things checked here?”

“Yeah. I checked them once, but I only marked the ones I wasn’t sure about. Focus on reviewing the marked documents.”

“Okay. I think I can get through the checked ones in half a day. I’ll double-check everything just in case.”

I also confirmed that the information Jo Won-hyung sent was accurate.

He understood what I meant and brought something quite damaging, which made the process much smoother.

All that’s left is the announcement.

Even just announcing the investigation through the media should be enough to get Im Sung-jin to resign without even going to court.

However, while a normal case might end with a resignation, this case is so significant that he might end up in court even after stepping down as a prosecutor.

Even if he tries to get away with it, I’ll grab him by the collar and drag him to court.

“How long will it take to organize everything, including the existing data?”

“About two days?”

Two days, huh.

Exactly one week from now is the date of the bar exam.

With five days in between, the case should be starting to die down by then.

It’s a good time to strike again.

“Okay, let’s do that. And get the script ready quickly.”

“Huh?”

A script?

I blinked, and Song Hyun-sung shrugged as if it were obvious.

“You have to do the press conference.”

“I have to?”

“Yeah. You’re with the Office of the Inspector General as of today. It shouldn’t be a problem for you to do it, right?”

This is the first I’m hearing of it.

I naturally assumed Song Hyun-sung or Park Seung-soo would do it.

He chuckled and patted me on the shoulder.

“I told the Deputy Chief Prosecutor today. I thought it would be better for you to do it than me. After all, you’re the one who started this case. So, you should be the star prosecutor, not me.”

Song Hyun-sung bumped my shoulder with his fist and smiled.

“I want to get ahead too, but I’m not the kind of bad guy who covets what his friend deserves.”

I was surprised.

And touched.

I thought he was trustworthy from the beginning, but I didn’t know he was this loyal.

“You’ve always been good at speaking in front of people. Show off your skills this time too.”

“Thanks.”

“Then buy me a bottle of soju [Korean distilled spirit].”

“Okay.”

***

“Hello, I’m Choi Seo-joon, a prosecutor from the Office of the Inspector General.”

With a flurry of shutter sounds, an enormous flash went off.

Not only that, but there were even ENG cameras [Electronic News Gathering cameras, used for broadcast journalism] lined up in the back.

My face will probably be the main story on the news today.

I was nervous, but strangely, the excitement wouldn’t go away.

Star prosecutor.

I haven’t reached that level yet, but today will definitely be the first step towards it.

Because that’s where I’m headed.

As the camera flashes subsided, I spoke into the microphone again and read the prepared script.

“We conducted an internal investigation into seven items that occurred in the Economic Crimes Investigation Department: bribery, third-party bribery, sexual favors, improper solicitation, cover-up investigations, abuse of authority, and obstruction of rights. And as a result…”

Once again, the sound of camera shutters rang in my ears.

“It has been revealed that seven prosecutors belonging to the Economic Crimes Investigation Department, including Chief Prosecutor Im Sung-jin and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jo Won-hyung, were involved in corruption. They started by taking hundreds of millions of won in bribes from certain companies in exchange for turning a blind eye to cases…”

The words flowed smoothly.

It was so fluent that I wondered if it was really me speaking.

Sometimes strong, sometimes gentle, sometimes pausing to emphasize Im Sung-jin’s dirty corruption.

“Chief Prosecutor Im Sung-jin, under the guise of being a star prosecutor known to the media! Extortion and exploitation were basic…”

Tomorrow’s headlines will probably be filled with things like ‘The Fall of Star Prosecutor Im Sung-jin!’ or ‘Prosecutorial Corruption, Boils and Boils Bursting!’, ‘The Dirty Reality of the Economic Crimes Investigation Department,’ and so on.

Even while reciting the prepared script, I could constantly hear the sound of keyboards as some reporters uploaded articles in real time.

After a long time, the press conference came to an end.

“The Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office’s Office of the Inspector General hereby announces once again that it will do its best for a just prosecution.”

After finishing the last showmanship line that Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won had asked for, I bowed my head.

I guess I’m just made for broadcasting.

***

“Jo Won-hyung, where is that son of a bitch!”

Chief Prosecutor Im Sung-jin slammed his desk.

The subordinate employees who were watching had already evacuated to avoid the fallout.

Im Sung-jin not only swept the things on his desk to the side but also threw his nameplate and broke a flowerpot.

“Jo Won-hyung, you son of a bitch!”

He never thought he would betray him.

Actually, it wasn’t that he didn’t know at all.

He noticed that he had a change of heart after escaping death.

But he just ignored the change.

Because there was no hope without him.

When Choi Seo-joon revealed the information at the press conference, he literally cursed out loud.

Jo Won-hyung was the only one besides himself who knew about it.

He betrayed him to survive and crawled under Choi Seo-joon.

Im Sung-jin, panting, opened the bottom drawer, which was locked, and took out a yellow envelope.

Jo Won-hyung’s wife, her investigation records.

Even though he threatened to reveal this, Jo Won-hyung stabbed him in the back.

He needs to feel how great the price of betraying him is.

The kid will be so happy when his mom and dad go to jail together!

The moment he picked up the yellow envelope, the door opened, and someone came in.

“What bastard dares to come in without knocking…”

The moment he turned around to get angry, he was speechless.

“Chief Prosecutor!”

“Tsk.”

Chief Prosecutor Im Joo-young shook his head, looking at the chaotic office.

“You’ve made a mess, a mess.”

He saw the yellow envelope in Im Sung-jin’s hand and asked.

“Why, are you going to take revenge on Jo Won-hyung?”

“You saw how that bastard came out, didn’t you?”

The Chief Prosecutor snatched the envelope from Im Sung-jin, who was biting his lip.

“Chief Prosecutor, those guys should be taught a lesson…”

Before he could finish speaking, Chief Prosecutor Im Joo-young grabbed Im Sung-jin’s shoulder tightly and said.

“Quietly take off your clothes [resign]. That’s the best thing to do.”

“But…”

“Don’t do anything. Don’t even try to. Just quietly take off your clothes and leave. You’ll go to jail if you mess up.”

Im Sung-jin couldn’t contain his anger and trembled.

“If I leave like this, I won’t even be able to work as a lawyer.”

“Take a year off. Travel overseas for a year and spend some of the money you’ve earned, and it’ll calm down. I’ll put you in the legal team of a suitable company.”

Im Sung-jin felt a ray of light.

If it’s a ‘suitable place,’ it’s at least the legal team of a large company!

Chief Prosecutor Im Joo-young didn’t abandon him.

Same surname. Same blood.

As expected, blood was his only hope.

“Thank you!”

Im Sung-jin bowed at an angle exceeding 90 degrees.

“Jo Won-hyung is going to the provinces too, so leave him alone. Is this all the information related to that guy?”

“But that guy…”

Im Joo-young glared at Im Sung-jin fiercely.

Im Sung-jin, who was intimidated by the look in his eyes, swallowed the words he was about to say and answered the Chief Prosecutor’s words.

“That’s all.”

“Jo Won-hyung will have to live in the provinces forever, spinning around. A man should look at the big picture, don’t you know it’s a headache if you try to take revenge on such trivial matters?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Trust me. Trust me and submit your resignation. If you accept it right now, you can finish it before the fire spreads further. You have to get a high salary in the legal team of a large company. Isn’t that right?”

“Thank you!”

Once again, Im Sung-jin greeted him vigorously and bowed his head.

Chief Prosecutor Im Joo-young’s heart was now filled with pity as he looked at him.

He couldn’t bring himself to tell him the truth.

Once his resignation is accepted, he will have no place to stand.

The aftermath of the bar exam corruption will engulf Im Sung-jin.

In a year, he will be in prison, not in the legal team of a large company.

***

Im Sung-jin took off his clothes [resigned].

There was also no retaliation against Jo Won-hyung.

It seems that Chief Prosecutor Im Joo-young handled it well.

But I had no intention of ending it here.

He has to stand trial.

That’s the least I can do for Shin Yong-ho.

“Bar exam?”

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won showed a surprised expression in front of me for the first time.

“Prosecutor Choi, you have the bar exam corruption?”

“Yes. It’s evidence of the exam leak.”

“Heo [a Korean exclamation of surprise].”

He chuckled and began to tap the armrest of the sofa.

“A back-to-back home run.”

“It’s not exactly a back-to-back, it’s related to Im Sung-jin.”

“Im Sung-jin?”

His hand, which had been tapping the armrest, stopped.

“That bastard even leaked the bar exam questions?”

“Yes. It seems that he contacted several people and sold them or handed them over for a price. A current professor is also involved.”

“Who is it?”

“Professor Jung Jae-won of Korea University.”

“Hehehe.”

He was laughing, but the smile had disappeared from his lips.

“I wonder if I brought in a tiger cub [a promising but potentially dangerous newcomer].”

“Don’t worry. This is the end.”

“It has to be. If any more comes out, it seems that you, not me, will have to go up to the High Prosecutor General.”

After a light joke, he looked at me again and said.

“Should I arrange a press conference?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the date?”

“Please make it the day after the bar exam.”

“The hottest time.”

“Yes. I hope it explodes in the morning.”

“Okay, that’s not difficult. You’ve become quite well-known with this case, so if you say Choi Seo-joon, the reporters will rush over.”

“It’s thanks to you, Deputy Chief.”

“What thanks to me? Be grateful to that friend Shin Yong-ho.”

As expected, as time passed, public interest slowly began to disappear.

In short, they saw the highlights, so interest decreased.

It subsided like a ghost in just a few days.

And in its place, the last bar exam began to emerge [as the main focus of public attention].

***

On the day of the bar exam, all the news selected the last bar exam as the main topic.

And the next day, I stood at the press conference again.

With a bombshell about the bar exam, which is a hot topic, and an incident that would rekindle the embers of Im Sung-jin and the Economic Crimes Investigation Department.

“Hello, I’m Choi Seo-joon, a prosecutor from the Office of the Inspector General. Today, I am here to reveal the bar exam corruption. It’s embarrassing, but it’s a test paper leak case involving a current professor and a former chief prosecutor from my alma mater, Korea University. I will reveal the truth about it in detail at this place.”