The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 175

“Wow, I heard someone took down Choi Gyu-hyun, that lone wolf, but it was Prosecutor Choi.”

Assemblyman Han Seung-pyo gave a thumbs up.

“I suffered at that guy’s hands, so it’s incredibly satisfying… You’re really amazing.”

“Thank you.”

Since my initial entrance, I hadn’t had a moment’s rest, surrounded by National Assembly members offering greetings.

More than anything, now that it’s known I made Sung Tae-hyun the mayor, the assembly members can’t help but be interested.

In the middle of our conversation, Assemblyman Han Seung-pyo subtly broached the subject.

“By the way, your wife has the Han surname…”

He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Is she perhaps from the Cheongju Han clan?”

He was asking as if he didn’t know, but I could tell right away.

*This guy knows, but he’s asking anyway.*

He wouldn’t be asking without knowing, because if she wasn’t from the Cheongju Han clan, it would backfire.

I felt a little sorry for him, seeing him trying so hard to create a connection with me, so I pretended not to understand his intentions and replied.

“Yes, as far as I know, she is from the Cheongju Han clan.”

Assemblyman Han Seung-pyo clapped his hands with delight.

“Wow, we’re from the same main family. If you look closely, Prosecutor Choi would be my nephew-in-law, wouldn’t he?”

“Is that so?”

“Let’s have a meal together sometime.”

“Sure.”

Behind Assemblyman Han Seung-pyo, who was wearing a satisfied smile, I noticed familiar figures looking this way with desperate expressions.

“Let’s keep in touch.”

“I will.”

After bowing lightly to Assemblyman Han Seung-pyo, I approached the men who were looking at me, and they nudged the people next to them, stood up straight, and bowed politely to me.

“Hello, Chief Choi.”

“Chief Choi, it’s been a while.”

“Long time no see.”

I gave a relaxed smile and looked at the sofa.

“My legs are a bit sore… May I sit down?”

“Of course, of course. Absolutely. Please, sit.”

The men cleared a path to the sofa as if they had been waiting for the invitation.

“Chief Prosecutor, please sit too. Everyone, sit down.”

Just as they were about to sit down, one of the Senior Prosecutors shook his head.

“Ah, no, it’s okay. We’re more comfortable standing.”

“Is that so?”

I crossed my legs and sank into the sofa.

“Then feel free to stand.”

The men who had been about to sit awkwardly stood up again.

These anxious individuals were none other than prosecutors from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

It was obvious that they belonged to Line 2 [a faction within the prosecutor’s office].

The junior prosecutors couldn’t even show their faces and were cowering, and the ones who did show their faces ranged from Deputy Chief Prosecutors to Park Kwan-hyung, the First Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

The reason they were as restless as dogs about to relieve themselves was obvious.

They had a history of using the viper Kang Joong-shik to target me and had poured all sorts of checks and balances on me.

It would be one thing if we had remained in different lines, but we were now in the same line.

Moreover, I had entered the line as the main player who had made the Seoul Mayor, so from their perspective, I was not just uncomfortable but downright terrifying.

I now had the power to kick them out of the line immediately.

I could simply give Assemblyman Jo Hyun-woong a slight nod, and they wouldn’t be seen in this VIP room again.

If that happened, the result would be obvious.

They would either be immediately demoted to a *jibang* [rural/provincial] position or take off their robes and open a private practice.

Those two options would be all that remained.

The same went for the First Deputy Chief Prosecutor, who was my senior.

Even though he was the second-in-command at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, it was nearly impossible to get promoted in Korea without a line.

“I don’t know what you all think of me…”

I picked up the wine glass on the table and swirled it around.

“Doesn’t the Bible say to put new wine into new wineskins?”

The prosecutors’ faces turned pale at those words.

In other words, I was saying that I would overturn the prosecutor structure of Line 2.

Seeing their reaction, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

*They were stabbing me in the back when they had the chance, but now they’re sweating bullets?*

“Prosecutor Choi, that’s…”

I cut off the First Deputy Chief Prosecutor, who was trying to make excuses, and continued.

“But I’m so sick of hearing religious stories after catching the Gran Church this time…”

I shook my head, and the First Deputy Chief Prosecutor showered me with praise as if he had been waiting for it.

“Yes, Chief Choi. I was so impressed when I heard that the Special Investigations Department had rounded up the Gran Church… Amazing.”

He gave a thumbs up, and the other prosecutors chimed in as if they had been waiting for the cue.

“That’s right. It was so satisfying to see Choi Gyu-hyun get covered in dirt!”

“You’re the best, Chief Choi!”

I snorted softly.

“I wasn’t looking for this kind of sweet talk.”

I took a sip of wine and smiled.

“Let’s just let bygones be bygones.”

I looked at the prosecutors and said, “It’s not like you all hated me, right? You were just doing what you were told, weren’t you?”

Only then did the prosecutors’ faces light up.

“That’s right.”

“We wanted to work with Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon, but we were too afraid of being noticed…”

“If we were in the same line, we would have visited you a long time ago. But there’s this line thing… You know how it is? We have to do what we’re told from above. In our hearts, we really respected Chief Choi.”

*You little weasels.*

I was dying to burst out laughing, seeing these guys who had been trying to bring me down now flattering me like this.

But I swallowed my laughter and slowly looked at the prosecutors.

*There are quite a few guys here who could be useful as swordsmen.*

“Just so you know, even if I get promoted to Chief Prosecutor due to the seniority system in the prosecution, there’s no need for the current Chief Prosecutors to take off their robes.”

I eased the worries of the remaining Chief Prosecutors and, at the same time, warned them not to interfere.

“You’re really something, Chief Choi. You have a heart as big as the Pacific Ocean.”

The First Deputy Chief Prosecutor was smiling so hard that his mouth was cramping.

He was almost pitiful to look at.

He nodded repeatedly and grabbed my hand.

“Let’s work well together.”

“I don’t like sweaty hands.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

He quickly let go of my hand.

“Then everyone, go take care of your business. If you have any complaints or anything to say to me, feel free to stay and tell me.”

As if they had been waiting for the opportunity, they all left, saying they would be in my care.

In this situation where I had shown leniency, getting on my bad side would be the same as declaring that they were leaving the line, so it was only natural.

Sighs of relief escaped from the figures leaving behind me.

At least they had received a promise that I wouldn’t retaliate for badmouthing me in the past.

I twisted my lips slightly and closed my eyes.

In fact, I had no intention of replacing everyone from the start.

I was planning to completely swallow the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

I could have declared that I would kick out those who had opposed me, or I could have threatened them. But if I had done that, they would have struggled and fought back like an earthworm wriggling when stepped on.

Of course, I would have survived in the end, but the process would have been annoying.

It was easier to bring them under my control so they couldn’t think of anything else.

I had given them ‘stability’.

In other words, I had eliminated any room for them to resist.

It was just that the person above them had changed, but they could still maintain their vested interests in the line.

On top of that, Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-min of Line 1 had taken my side, and before I came to this line, I had firmly controlled the prosecutors of Line 1 so they couldn’t have any other ideas.

In this situation, I would be reigning over the people of Line 2?

In short, I would be able to control the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at will.

The stragglers who didn’t belong to the line weren’t even worth considering.

From the outside, I would be just a Chief Prosecutor, but in reality, I would be standing at the top of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

And now that the prosecutors of Line 2 had bowed their heads to me, all of this was confirmed.

Having the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in my hands was the same as being able to arrest any politician.

Even Choi Gyu-hyun was no exception.

However, we were simply in a cold war because we would inevitably bleed each other if we did that.

To have the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in my hands at the young age of thirty-four.

*It’s delightful.*

*It’s as delightful as it could be.*

I never knew power could be so sweet.

It’s even more beautiful in my hands than when I was just looking at it.

I closed my eyes and savored the aroma of the wine for a moment, and then someone approached.

“Chief?”

When I opened my eyes, a welcome face was waiting for me.

“Oh, Deputy Chief Sung.”

Sung Jin-hyun, Sung Tae-hyun’s cousin and Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

He was still expanding his power in the Western District Prosecutors’ Office, and he smiled happily and bowed.

“We already exchanged greetings earlier… What’s up?”

“It’s nothing, but there’s someone who really wanted to say hello to you, so I brought him here.”

“Who is it?”

At those words, Sung Jin-hyun turned around, and a man dressed neatly in a suit approached as if he had been waiting for the cue.

Judging by his appearance, he was in his early to mid-50s.

*I’ve seen that face somewhere.*

“Hello, Prosecutor. My name is Shin Dong-hyun.”

“Ah, you’re CEO Shin!”

I smiled happily and stood up from my seat.

CEO Shin Dong-hyun.

The head of SV Group, one of the two leading companies driving Korea’s economy.

If Joo-ok Group is in the electronics business, SV Group is in the automobile business.

As a conglomerate, it has the financial power to be among the top ten in Korea, like Joo-ok Group.

Such a person had come to greet me in person.

“Please, sit down.”

“Yes.”

As Shin Dong-hyun sat on the sofa, Sung Jin-hyun took two glasses of wine from a tray held by a passing waiter and placed them on the table before leaving.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met CEO Shin in person before?”

“That’s right. Since we’re in different lines, there are too many eyes watching, even if I wanted to meet you…”

He gave a benevolent smile and looked at Prosecutor Sung Jin-hyun’s back.

“I really wanted to say hello, and I’m glad that Prosecutor Sung connected us.”

“What’s your relationship with Deputy Chief Sung?”

“Ah, we’ve exchanged greetings a few times within the line.”

“I see.”

*That explains it.*

It doesn’t seem like he has any special relationship or secret dealings with Sung Jin-hyun.

If he did, he would have a direct connection with Sung Tae-hyun as well, but the fact that he came to greet me through Sung Jin-hyun rather than him means that he has no connection with him.

I nodded and looked at him.

“Anyway, what brings you here?”

“It’s nothing, I just came to make an impression on you, Prosecutor.”

CEO Shin Dong-hyun gave a sly smile.

His face was etched with the wrinkles of age.

I could feel that he was much more experienced than the young Chairman Lee Cheol-yong.

However, I had no intention of being swayed by him, so I asked directly.

“What do you want? I hate beating around the bush.”

“Hahaha, you’re very straightforward, Prosecutor.”

He burst into laughter and leaned his upper body towards me.

“I heard you’re close to Chairman Lee Cheol-yong of Joo-ok Group.”

“Then this will be a quick conversation.”

I looked at him and said without a moment’s hesitation.

“There will be nothing I need help with from you, CEO.”

That was the truth.

I couldn’t expect anything from a conglomerate other than financial assistance.

“Hey, Prosecutor. It’s too early to jump to conclusions.”

He gave a sly smile and lowered his voice.

“Choi Gyu-hyun will be elected in the next presidential election.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Who knows?”

CEO Shin Dong-hyun smiled warmly and pointed to the wrinkles on his face.

“Let’s just say it’s a feeling that comes from these age rings?”

“I’m not sure if that’s reliable.”

In an instant, he erased his smile and opened his mouth seriously.

“Even if nothing else, I know that you will be in quite a difficult situation if Choi Gyu-hyun is elected.”

“There’s no problem if he’s not elected.”

“There’s no way he won’t be elected. As you know, Prosecutor, the Min-guk Party doesn’t have a presidential candidate worth mentioning.”

That was true.

However, just because there isn’t a presidential candidate right now doesn’t mean there won’t be one by the time the actual election comes.

“So, what are you trying to say?”

His eyes flashed.

“My daughter attends the same university and the same department as Choi Gyu-hyun’s grandson.”

*That’s a more interesting story than I thought.*

“And Choi Gyu-hyun’s grandson likes my daughter.”

I listened intently.

“Choi Gyu-hyun’s younger brother, Choi Gyu-sung, is said to be an elder or something in the Gran Church and has no descendants, while Choi Gyu-hyun has one son and four daughters. That only son has only one grandson. He’s an only child. It’s obvious that he monopolizes Choi Gyu-hyun’s love. No, that’s what’s known. That grandson of his is head over heels for my daughter.”

“They’re young people in their early twenties. It wouldn’t be strange if their hearts changed at any moment.”

However, his voice was filled with conviction.

“Last week.”

The corners of his lips twisted into a smirk.

“I received a proposal for a political marriage.”

It seems that Choi Gyu-hyun’s grandson was acting spoiled with his grandfather.

However, a political marriage is a completely different story from simple romantic feelings.

Especially a political marriage between the political and business worlds.

CEO Shin Dong-hyun raised his eyebrows.

“I’m planning to accept it.”

“So, what do you want from me, CEO?”

He pretended to be humble.

“All I do is play with money. Other countries may be different, but in Korea, power is above money.”

“You want to enter the political world?”

“It would be great if my first partner in that endeavor was Prosecutor Choi, that’s what I’m saying.”

CEO Shin Dong-hyun’s face was full of a gummy smile reminiscent of a Hahoe mask [traditional Korean mask].

An insurance policy in case Choi Gyu-hyun is elected.

It was a very tempting offer.

Literally an insurance policy.

Best of all, there was no risk for me to bear.

*Yes, you have to bring this kind of card to have a conversation.*

*Trying to connect through surnames like Assemblyman Han Seung-pyo is too cliché and boring, isn’t it?*

I silently curled my lips and lifted my wine glass, clinking it against the glass he was holding.

Clink-.

The sound of the glass clinking was clear and tickled my ears at that moment.

As if waiting for it, my cell phone vibrated.

Two short vibrations.

The unique vibration that signals the arrival of a text message.

-Sender: 36

-Video