The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 19

Benefiting from a Whale Fight (3)

“So, you’re saying that Chief Kang Hyun-soo of the Special Investigation Department and Chief Nam Woo-hyun of the Financial Crime Division are meeting in Jiandong to make a secret deal?”

“Yes. Rather than a deal, it’s more like a one-sided transfer of money. It could be apple boxes or bags filled with money, or something else entirely.”

I deliberately omitted the term ‘money bag’.

Knowing too much might arouse Yoon Seol-ha’s suspicion.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t pinpoint the exact date.”

“So, only the location is confirmed.”

“Yes. It’s definitely after sunset, in the evening. Since the days are getting longer, it’ll probably be after 8 PM. It’s definitely a dark night, but I don’t know the exact time.”

“We’ll have to set up a stakeout in a suitable spot.”

“Yes, I think so. In a location where filming is possible without being detected.”

I didn’t need to specify the location; she would handle it well on her own.

This field is Yoon Seol-ha’s expertise.

“It’ll probably be as early as tonight, or within the next few days at the latest. Things are quite turbulent these days.”

Yoon Seol-ha nodded and then suddenly asked a question.

“I’m just mentioning this in case, but what if I tail them?”

“That won’t work. If they notice they’re being followed, they might shake you off, and there aren’t many cars in the Jiandong area because it’s a redevelopment zone. It’s easy to arouse suspicion. It’s dangerous.”

However, she didn’t hide her worried expression.

“Yes, but what if the location changes…….”

“That won’t happen. I’d say this is 100% reliable information.”

“100%?”

Yoon Seol-ha couldn’t hide her admiration.

“Your source is very reliable, I see.”

Even though I said I couldn’t reveal the source during the call earlier, she’s showing this much curiosity, so Yoon Seol-ha must be quite curious.

Well, even if I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t be able to say with 100% certainty that the other party wouldn’t change their plans.

I answered with a smile, and she didn’t ask any further.

“Understood. Then I’ll start the stakeout right away, starting tonight.”

I stopped her as she was about to leave.

“At least have dinner before you go. I’ll treat you.”

“No. I need to go early to scout the location.”

She smiled brightly and shook her head.

I tried to give her some money for food, but she waved her hand.

“Sandwiches are enough for a stakeout.”

I feel even more sorry now.

“While you’re waiting during the stakeout, I’ll adjust your commuting hours so you don’t have to force yourself to come to the High Prosecutors’ Office in the morning.”

“Yes, thank you.”

As she was about to open the car door and leave, she suddenly seemed to remember something, stopped holding the handle, and turned back to me.

“Oh, I found out something while investigating today.”

Yoon Seol-ha lowered her voice and said.

“Do you know Han Ji-yoo? The actress who played the lead role in the drama a while ago.”

“I don’t know that drama well, but I know who Han Ji-yoo is.”

I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to watch dramas, but I couldn’t *not* know Han Ji-yoo, since she’s the background on my phone.

“It seems Han Ji-yoo is related to Kang Hyun-soo.”

Buzz, buzz.

My phone vibrated.

“I don’t know if it’s a sponsor relationship [a relationship where a wealthy individual provides financial support to a celebrity in exchange for companionship or other favors] or an actual dating relationship, but Kang Hyun-soo met her secretly several times.”

Not just any actress, but Han Ji-yoo.

“They met at a hotel, but the meetings were very short. It took about 10 minutes to go in and out? Unless he has premature ejaculation…… no, even if he does, I don’t think that’s possible. You can’t do it with your clothes on. If we dig deeper, we can find out for sure, but it’s definitely not a normal relationship.”

Han Ji-yoo is recognized as one of the top stars in Korea.

She became famous from her debut and rose to the ranks of top stars, with over 10 years of experience.

There’s no way she would have a sponsor relationship when she’s already at her peak.

If she had a sponsor from the beginning, maybe, but 10 years ago, Kang Hyun-soo was a junior prosecutor.

It’s impossible for him to get her cast in movies or dramas.

And there’s no reason for her to get a sponsor after becoming a top star.

If it’s not a sponsor relationship but she’s meeting Kang Hyun-soo, there are two possible scenarios we can speculate.

An affair or blackmail.

It’s less likely to be the former, but I can’t be sure.

“You found that out in half a day?”

“It’s my ability.”

She shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll look into Han Ji-yoo later.”

“No. I’ll look into Han Ji-yoo myself.”

Yoon Seol-ha smiled and replied.

“If I find anything related while investigating further, I’ll let you know.”

“Yes. And just in case, I’ll rent a car for the stakeout. Just in case any problems arise.”

“Yes, please do.”

She bowed her head, opened the passenger seat door, and left.

After watching Yoon Seol-ha drive her car out of the parking lot, I took out my phone.

-From: 34

-Video

Wait a minute.

The sender went up to 34.

It jumped up four spaces from 30 at once.

Has something changed?

There must be some meaning in the sender’s number.

Otherwise, there’s no way the sender would fluctuate like that.

To confirm, I immediately played the video.

-Aaaaaah!

What a surprise.

As soon as I played the video, a woman’s moan hit my ears.

Startled, I looked around without realizing it, even though I knew there was no one else around.

Could it be a spam message with the sender’s number changed?

I put down my phone and played the recording from the car’s internal black box to check, but there was no sound.

It’s definitely a future text.

I calmed my heart and played the video in the text again.

The background of the video is a luxury hotel in Seoul.

I’m sure because I can see Namsan Tower [a prominent landmark in Seoul] out the window.

The video shows two men and women naked and intertwined on the bed.

A scene that couldn’t be viewed without an R rating.

I was wondering why I received such a text when the screen slowly zoomed in and the faces of the men and women came into view.

I bit my lip to barely hold back a gasp.

It’s me.

The protagonist of the video is definitely me, Choi Seo-joon.

I wouldn’t have been so surprised if it was just that.

It’s not that surprising for me, who’s entering my thirties this year, to be intimate with a woman.

The reason I was horrified was because of the identity of the woman in the video.

It was none other than Han Ji-yoo.

What the hell?

It’s not that I don’t like it.

The problem is why that situation happened.

Am I receiving sexual favors from Han Ji-yoo?

I want to succeed, but I’ve never wanted such forced sexual favors.

I can swear on my heart.

To think positively, there’s a possibility that I could cut off the connection between Kang Hyun-soo and Han Ji-yoo while proceeding with this case and fall in love with her…… but that’s a very slim chance.

My head is complicated.

I can’t make a normal judgment because it’s a completely unexpected sight.

Why? What caused that situation to unfold?

Let’s get a grip.

Then, the angle in the screen moved away.

As a result, I could see that the scene I was watching was being played on a cell phone someone was holding.

As the screen continued to zoom out, the angle was adjusted to the man holding the cell phone and the man across from him.

The person holding the cell phone was Chief Prosecutor Kang Hyun-soo of the Special Investigation Department, and the person across from him was me.

What the hell is going on?

Chief Prosecutor Kang Hyun-soo, who stopped the explicit video, spoke first.

-This is a video I took when you joined the Special Investigation Department four years ago. Do you remember? You were probably thirty at this time, right?

Four years ago?

No, wait a minute.

When I joined the Special Investigation Department?

Does that mean I’m moving to the Special Investigation Department?

The me across from him answered with a stiff expression.

-Were you aiming for this from the beginning?

-Aiming? Why do you say such a disappointing thing? We’re all just trying to make a living. I just took out an insurance policy.

Chief Kang Hyun-soo continued speaking with a brazen expression.

-You know how dirty and petty this world is.

-I know. Thanks to you, I know it too well.

-Then we can talk fast. You know to some extent what I’m going to say, right?

He put his clasped hands on the table.

-Go to the provinces. But I won’t send you too far because we have a relationship. I’ve received a lot of help from you, so what’s wrong with resting in the provinces instead of taking off your clothes? There are positions not only in Seoul. There are district prosecutors and high prosecutors in the provinces as well. You’re good enough to do it.

-Do you think I’ll leave this easily?

-What are you going to do if you don’t leave?

He snorted.

-Are you going to fight me? You know who’s behind us the best. We even carried the president in this election. It’s DS, DS.

DS?

Is it an abbreviation for something? No, is it initials?

-Do you think a mere prosecutor can be a match?

-We’ll have to see if we can be a match.

-You’re not thinking you’re full of spirit right now, are you?

The me in the screen stared fiercely at Kang Hyun-soo, but he didn’t back down at all.

-You’re saying that knowing what cards you have in your hand? If you’re not sure, it’s not spirit, it’s bravado, you fool.

As I couldn’t say anything and only clenched my fist tightly, Kang Hyun-soo leaned his body towards me and said softly.

-Chief Deputy Choi. No, Choi Seo-joon.

He whispered sweetly…… no, words disguised as sweetness.

-I won’t send you far away. I’ll send you to Daejeon [a major city in South Korea]. That’s not a backwater. It’s a city, so it’ll be livable. It’s not far from here either. You know I’m taking care of you a lot, right?

Kang Hyun-soo revealed a bitter smile.

-Let’s end this well. There’s no point in fighting each other.

With that scene, the video ended.

My head is too confused.

There’s too much information.

I tried to play the video again to watch it one more time and organize it in my head, but the video, no, the text itself had disappeared without a trace.

Can I only see it once?

I should have looked more closely.

Damn it.

Even in the flood of information, the first thing that comes to mind is one thing.

It’s not certain yet, but I’m starting to get a rough idea of what the sender’s number means.

I need to organize the other information before I get more confused.