The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 185

Opening (1)

“Do you have any proof that Do Hyun-seung met me there? I can’t be the only customer in that establishment, can I?”

I knew he would say that.

“Knowing you would say that, I’ve prepared even more.”

I smirked arrogantly.

“Your Honor, I request the adoption of an additional witness.”

“Objection!”

Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil jumped up from his seat like a ghost.

“In the Republic of Korea’s court, only witnesses who have been submitted and approved in advance are qualified to give legally valid testimony in a trial. Statements from witnesses presented during the trial cannot have legal effect, and it is unfair to adopt them as witnesses.”

I shrugged and shook my head.

“That’s the principle, but it’s not set in stone as absolutely impossible. The decision to admit an additional witness rests with the court.”

I was already sure of victory.

The judge would have no choice but to follow me.

As expected, the judge avoided Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil’s gaze and spoke to me.

“I will adopt the additional witness.”

“How could you…”

Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil protested with a bewildered expression.

“Does this make any sense?”

He kept chuckling in disbelief.

However, the mad dog’s argument was not accepted at all.

“Quiet, please.”

Despite the judge’s warning, Park Jae-pil couldn’t contain his frustration.

A trial where evidence is suddenly submitted or a witness makes a surprise appearance is only seen in dramas or movies. In the actual courts of the Republic of Korea, both the defendant and the prosecution must submit a list of evidence and witnesses in advance, and the court must approve it for it to be valid in the trial.

However, it wasn’t that it was absolutely impossible.

Basic examples include cases where decisive evidence is revealed on the day of the trial or an unscheduled witness appears.

Therefore, in these situations, the court decides whether to adopt the evidence and the witness.

However, the act of presenting evidence on the day without submitting a list of witnesses or evidence to the court in advance is very impolite and can provoke strong protests from the other party, which is the current state of the Republic of Korea’s court.

However, I wasn’t in a position to be polite to Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil.

The judge accepting my evidence was also a natural result.

Even if I’m not a public prosecutor, I’ve been a prosecutor for more than a day or two, so how could I have acted without knowing these basic rules?

No matter how high and mighty the judge is, the one above them is none other than Minister of Justice Kim Seok-won.

No judge can withstand the pressure from him.

That’s why it was the same as getting permission even before the trial started.

“Please, additional witnesses, come forward.”

About seven or eight people appeared.

These were none other than the customers who were believed to have visited Fantasia with Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil and Do Hyun-seung on the same day.

I was able to find them easily through the ledger left by Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil.

Of course, even if I didn’t have that ledger, I would have found them somehow.

As they frequented Fantasia, it was no exaggeration to say that each of them was a big shot in Busan.

Therefore, even if they actually knew Do Hyun-seung, there was no way they would want to be involved with those who were contract killers.

The special investigation team prosecutors succeeded in obtaining all of their interviews through persuasion and intimidation and even secured their promise to testify, but they hesitated to stand here, fearing that if Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil found out about this, the sparks would fly to them.

That’s why I requested surprise witnesses so that Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil couldn’t interfere in advance, and thanks to that, the mad dog had no choice but to collapse helplessly because all of his existing defense plans were disrupted.

The first time I saw such a hollow expression.

He couldn’t possibly not know how the game was being played now.

I asked the witness who had taken the oath.

“I ask the witness, have you ever met or joined Do Hyun-seung at Fantasia?”

“No, never.”

“That’s all.”

All the witnesses gave the same answer.

Do Hyun-seung entered the establishment on the day Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil visited Fantasia, but everyone except Park Jae-pil did not join Do Hyun-seung.

In other words, the conclusion is that Do Hyun-seung was revealed to be part of the mad dog’s group, and the testimony that Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil did not know Do Hyun-seung until before the incident is perjury.

“How about it, Mr. Park Jae-pil? Will you admit it now?”

His face instantly contorted beyond recognition.

But what’s the point? It’s over now.

Park Jae-pil’s career ends here.

He lost, but he fought well, mad dog.

***

Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil struggled to the end, but the result was not overturned.

He was found guilty in the first trial, and the appeal was dismissed.

As a result, he eventually took off his robe and stepped down from his position as the head of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office.

With this, all the guys who came up from the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office were wiped out.

Nine out of the ten people the mad dog picked were cut off for corruption as soon as they came to Seoul, and the one survivor, Prosecutor Hong Seok-jang, sided with me.

Chief Kang Jung-sik of the Special Investigation Department was destroyed by me, and he was contract-killed by Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-pil, to whom he had pledged his loyalty. The mad dog himself fell into the trap he had set and died in battle.

A truly glorious end.

Shin Yong-ho, who heard the series of stories, laughed heartily and slapped me on the back.

“You’ve worked hard, man.”

“I’ve come this far thanks to you.”

“Why are you being so formal all of a sudden? I just want to go out and have a cigarette.”

“Have one here.”

He widened his eyes and asked.

“Is it okay? Even if this is a special visiting room, the guards will be pissed if it smells like cigarettes.”

“Tell them to come find me if they have a problem.”

Shin Yong-ho chuckled in disbelief.

“This guy, you’ve become a real gangster.”

“I learned it all from you, you idiot.”

As I put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it, he took a deep breath and nodded repeatedly with a dazed expression.

“Hoo, yeah, this is the taste.”

“You should have prepared everything before coming in.”

“I couldn’t prepare because I had to come in a hurry because of someone.”

As Shin Yong-ho finished speaking, we looked at each other and laughed.

“I’ll have the guard put in an electronic cigarette for you later. Smoke that inside.”

“You’re talking like someone who’s never been to prison. Didn’t you stay in the detention center for quite a while? They inspect the items here.”

“I’m going to meet the warden later.”

He stopped smoking the cigarette he was holding, as if he was dumbfounded.

“If you want to smoke regular cigarettes, you can tell the warden, and he’ll buy you a carton.”

“Anyone would think you’re the president.”

I chuckled and took out an envelope from my briefcase and handed it to him.

However, Shin Yong-ho waved his hand, refusing without even looking at it properly.

“Hey, why are you giving me this between us?”

“Open your eyes and look properly.”

“Huh?”

Only then did Shin Yong-ho accept the envelope I handed him and smiled brightly.

“Wow, this guy, I thought you were giving me money, but you’re telling me to come to the wedding and pay [give a congratulatory gift]?”

“Hahahaha, I’m getting married on August 14th.”

“Congratulations!”

What was in the envelope was none other than a wedding invitation.

He smiled and rejoiced as if it were his own business.

Shin Yong-ho smiled contentedly after checking the wedding invitation.

“Your wife must be happy that you’re getting married after everything is settled neatly this time.”

“Yeah. I’m glad I was able to relax and send out the invitations.”

“Congratulations again from the bottom of my heart, man. Live well.”

“Why are you saying that like you’re not coming to the wedding?”

“Are you teasing me?”

He glared at me.

“Do I have to break out of prison to go and clap for you?”

I grinned and handed him another cigarette.

“You changed your name, right?”

“Yeah. You told me to. Legally, my name is Shin Seong-ho now.”

“There’s a reason why there’s a Liberation Day amnesty [a special pardon granted on Korean Liberation Day, August 15th].”

“You don’t mean…”

He trailed off, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, man. You’re getting out then.”

Shin Yong-ho said in disbelief.

“I didn’t even know why you were telling me to change my name, so I thought you were going to open an account and give me money…”

“If you’re released on a special Liberation Day amnesty, the entire list will be released. Your sentence is so high that it’s hard to get you out with my power, so the only way was a special amnesty.”

There are quite a few reporters who report on how big shots got out by looking at the special amnesty list.

If Shin Yong-ho’s name is on it, they will naturally realize that he was released by my power, and the issue could resurface with public attention.

To prevent that from happening, I had him change his name. That way, even if reporters look at the special amnesty list, they won’t know that Shin Yong-ho has been released.

Shin Yong-ho chuckled.

“You even have connections with the president.”

Instead of answering, I just shrugged.

“This guy is really becoming a monster.”

“I’ve said it many times, but my first step to Seoul was thanks to you.”

“That’s enough, man.”

He was already happy at the thought of going outside, and his tension rose instantly.

“When I get out, I’m going to… Ugh, everyone’s dead.”

Shin Yong-ho clenched his fists and trembled as if he was excited, but suddenly stopped.

“Hey, but even if it’s a Liberation Day amnesty, I can’t attend. Aren’t I being released on August 15th?”

“It’s not like that. I checked, and if it’s a Liberation Day amnesty, you’ll be released exactly at 0:00 on August 14th. At midnight from the 13th to the 14th.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. So, get out, get some sleep, and come to the wedding.”

“I’ll have to work as a wedding guest as soon as I get out.”

“The buffet is delicious, so you can look forward to it.”

“Okay, man. I’ll definitely go.”

***

1 AM on August 14th.

Twelve hours before the wedding, I received a call from a familiar number.

“Yes, this is Choi Seo-jun.”

-Seo-jun, I’ve arrived home.

A smile naturally bloomed at Shin Yong-ho’s voice coming from the phone.

-You even prepared a new phone for me?

“If your old number comes back to life, you’ll be suspected for no reason. Live completely new.”

-Yeah, your consideration is soaring through the sky.

“What consideration? I’m sorry I can’t go to your release.”

-No, it’s okay. It’s natural since it’s your wedding.

In fact, it wasn’t so much because it was the wedding, but because there would definitely be a problem if Shin Yong-ho was seen with me when he was released.

Even if Shin Yong-ho didn’t know, there would definitely be reporters waiting to film others who were receiving special amnesty.

That’s why, instead of going in person, I rented a car so that he could use it as soon as he came out, parked it in front of the prison, and left the key with the warden.

-But why is there so much stuff in the car? There’s even a bankbook.

“Use that.”

-The deposit amount is not ordinary for a release gift?

“Use it to pay off the additional charges and live comfortably. It’s not a small amount of fine for bribery because of me, so I have to pay it back.”

-No, there’s more than enough left over after paying it back. And since I can use someone else’s name anyway, I can live comfortably without paying the money…

“Yong-ho.”

I said firmly.

“It’s something that happened because of me. I have to take responsibility. Live comfortably with what’s left.”

He was touched, and after a moment of silence, he opened his mouth.

-It’s the first time I’ve been touched by a friend.

“Enjoy what you want, and tell me later when you’re settled down. I’ll introduce you to the Hanwool Group’s legal team.”

-No, man. If I have this much money, I shouldn’t go to the legal team, I should start a business.”

“Hahaha, do whatever you want with it.”

-Okay. Thank you so much.

“See you at the wedding later.”