The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 217

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 217

Kindling (6)

“It’s a strange feeling seeing you here in your prosecutor general’s office.”

Sung Jin-hyun looked around my office.

“We’ve only ever talked in other places.”

“Indeed. Is this your first time in the prosecutor general’s office?”

“Yes. I don’t often have reason to come to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office…”

He scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish.

“Ah, the office is definitely nicer than the Western District Prosecutors’ Office.”

“This was the only available spot when we urgently brought you in. Please bear with it for a little while.”

Sung Jin-hyun was assigned to the Construction and Real Estate Crime Division.

He had been a chief prosecutor in a major division of the Western District Prosecutors’ Office, but he was demoted to deputy chief prosecutor. However, given the circumstances, he was actually grateful.

“I’ll promote you to a good position as soon as one opens up.”

“Thank you.”

He bowed and cautiously brought up a topic.

“I heard that Chief Prosecutor Lee Doo-hyung is being promoted to deputy prosecutor general early next year…”

“The Special Investigations Department catches your eye, I see.”

I chuckled lightly.

Anyone else would have considered it presumptuous, but because it was Sung Jin-hyun, I could laugh it off without much concern.

Even though he was essentially on the run, he was capable and well-connected enough.

However, the Special Investigations Department was where my trusted aides were.

That was inviolable territory.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think the Special Investigations Department will be possible, no matter the other departments. That’s where my direct subordinates are…”

If Lee Doo-hyung moved up to deputy chief, then Jang Ha-young, who was under him, would become chief prosecutor. And her successor, Prosecutor Nam Min-je, would move up to deputy chief prosecutor.

I heard that Prosecutor Park Ki-won, who was Nam Min-je’s rival, had leveraged his unique political skills to survive well in the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office even after the regime change.

While I was thinking that dividing the two of them had been a stroke of genius, Sung Jin-hyun, having understood my roundabout refusal, shook his head.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Now that I think about it, the Special Investigations Department must be particularly meaningful to you. I was too greedy.”

“I’m just grateful that you understand.”

He didn’t mention any other departments or reveal any further ambition.

He knew that I would take care of him sufficiently anyway.

More than anything, even if he was in the Construction and Real Estate Crime Division, he wouldn’t be handling those cases. Instead, he would be handling the cases I instructed him to, so the department didn’t matter much.

Even though Sung Jin-hyun had secured the position of deputy chief prosecutor in the Construction and Real Estate Crime Division, everyone knew he was just passing through, so there wasn’t much talk about it.

“By the way, what happened to the Thunderbolt Gate data?”

“I smuggled it all out and brought it here without missing a single piece.”

He continued with a confident tone.

“As you instructed, I handed it over to Chief Prosecutor Lee Doo-hyung just before entering the prosecutor general’s office.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s nothing. This is just the beginning.”

“Chief Prosecutor Lee Doo-hyung is quite capable. Working with him will definitely be a great help.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Sung Jin-hyun bowed again.

“By the way, I heard from Chief Prosecutor Lee Doo-hyung when I handed over the documents that Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min informed Choi Gyu-hyun that he had sided with you. Do you have any plans regarding that?”

I smiled brightly.

“I do have a favor to ask of you regarding that, Prosecutor Sung.”

“Anything, just say the word.”

I finished the coffee left in my cup in one gulp and said to him.

“I’ll be taking Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min to the Number 2 Line soon.”

“The Line?”

I explained the plan in detail to him, who was wide-eyed.

***

“Oh, Prosecutor General Choi is here?”

Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae raised his hand and greeted me warmly.

“Yes, Assemblyman. How have you been?”

“Life’s been tough these days, you know. It’s been a real pain ever since Choi Gyu-hyun seized power.”

He burst into laughter.

Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae. The leader of the Min Guk Party who took the place of Assemblyman Jo Hyun-woong, who was pushed aside after his crushing defeat by Choi Gyu-hyun in the presidential election, and the new head of the Number 2 Line [a faction or political alliance].

The power shift in the Number 2 Line was completed while I was in the hospital, right after the last presidential election.

I knew that Assemblyman Jo Hyun-woong would be defeated and pushed back, so I didn’t intend to directly intervene in the internal changes.

So, I just treated them according to the newly established hierarchy, and the new power players, including Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae, were grateful that I wasn’t causing any backlash. Thanks to that, I was able to get close to them quickly.

He tilted the soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] bottle and asked.

“By the way, what brings you here to see me?”

“I’m planning to put on a show in the Line, and I thought I should tell you about it in advance.”

Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae tilted his head.

“A show?”

“Yes. Are you aware of the Thunderbolt Gate scandal that’s been all the rage these days?”

“Is there anyone in Korea who doesn’t know about it?”

As I filled his soju glass, he clinked glasses with me as if it were nothing and downed it in one go.

Before I put the glass to my lips, I said.

“It seems that Choi Gyu-hyun is involved in that Thunderbolt Gate.”

“Cough!”

He was so surprised that he choked, spitting out the soju he was drinking onto the floor.

“Are you alright?”

I handed him a handkerchief, and he wiped his mouth before letting out a hollow laugh.

“I guess I’m getting old. My body reacts when I get surprised.”

He put down his glass and looked straight at me.

“Really?”

“Yes. But I don’t have enough evidence to bring Choi Gyu-hyun down, so I’m going to try to make him sweat first.”

“Tell me more.”

“So, at our Line’s regular meeting…”

After hearing my plan, Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae smiled contentedly.

“That sounds very plausible.”

“Then, I’ll proceed with it right away in two days, on Thursday.”

“Alright. I’ll make sure not to tell anyone either.”

He chuckled and raised his soju glass again.

“It’s going to be a very interesting sight.”

***

Inside the elevator heading to the penthouse on the top floor of the Hill Conscious Hotel, the VIP lounge.

Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min, who was next to me, couldn’t hide his anxiety from the start.

“People will definitely criticize me if I go there…”

“It’s alright. No one will say anything if you go with me.”

“But won’t they still whisper behind my back?”

“Maybe.”

I smiled lightly and tapped him on the back.

“We’re going there to show Choi Gyu-hyun that you’ve joined hands with me anyway. You need to be confident here. If you’re nervous, will Choi Gyu-hyun be scared?”

“I suppose so.”

Kim Hak-min closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I don’t want to be swayed by President Choi Gyu-hyun again.”

He clenched his fist tightly, and in a few seconds, the anxious look disappeared from his face.

And by the time the elevator stopped, his eyes had completely changed to a relaxed gaze.

As expected, Kim Hak-min is a pro, having been in this industry for so long.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

He got out of the elevator with me.

“So, this is what the Number 2 Line feels like.”

Kim Hak-min slowly looked around and followed me into the VIP lounge.

“Oh, Prosecutor General Choi is here?”

Joo Min-hyuk, the chief prosecutor of the Public Litigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, who was the first to spot me, approached.

“It’s been a while, Chief Joo.”

“Indeed. It’s even more welcoming to see you after a long time.”

“Have you been well?”

“Of course. By the way, it looked like you came with someone from afar…”

“Ah, let me introduce you.”

I stepped aside and looked at Kim Hak-min.

“You know his face, right?”

Kim Hak-min stepped forward and extended his hand.

“I’m Kim Hak-min.”

“Huh!”

Chief Prosecutor Joo Min-hyuk swallowed hard and involuntarily made a loud noise.

“Are you the person I know?”

“Yes.”

Kim Hak-min glanced at me and said.

“Prosecutor General Choi Seo-joon introduced me, so I came.”

“I, I see.”

At Chief Prosecutor Joo Min-hyuk’s surprised voice, the gazes of those around him naturally began to focus on us.

There would be no one who didn’t know Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min, so it was only natural to be wary.

“Let’s talk again later.”

“Ah, yes.”

Leaving behind Chief Prosecutor Joo Min-hyuk, who still couldn’t hide his embarrassment, we went inside.

I briefly ran into Prosecutor Sung Jin-hyun in the middle, but we just exchanged eye contact and naturally blended in with the others.

I was slowly greeting people like that when.

“Prosecutor Choi.”

Kim Seung-chan, the new floor leader of the Min Guk Party, spotted me, raised his hand, and approached me happily.

However, the happiness was short-lived, and he also couldn’t hide his bewildered attitude when he saw Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min next to me.

“It’s been a while, Assemblyman.”

“Oh, yeah.”

He glanced at me a few times before.

“Shall we talk for a moment?”

“Yes.”

I left Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min and stepped aside with Assemblyman Kim Seung-chan.

“Is Prosecutor Choi out of his mind?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s no way you don’t know that that man was Choi Gyu-hyun’s right-hand man…”

“Yes. But I heard he’s in danger of being abandoned by Choi Gyu-hyun.”

“Did he say that himself?”

“Yes. So, I took him in.”

However, Assemblyman Kim Seung-chan couldn’t shake off his unease.

“What if he’s a spy planted by Choi Gyu-hyun?”

“That’s definitely not the case.”

“Can you be sure?”

“I have a plan. Assemblyman Park Hyung-tae will tell you the details tomorrow.”

He took a serious breath and then.

“If you say so, you must have a reason.”

“I’m sorry for not telling you in advance.”

“It’s alright. But be careful just in case. Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min is a very cunning guy.”

“I understand. Thank you for your concern, Assemblyman.”

I smiled and returned to Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min.

He was talking to a few people, but many were still wary and whispering.

Fortunately, Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min was enduring the glares of others and the burden on himself with the single-minded determination to get revenge on Choi Gyu-hyun.

But then, I noticed Prosecutor Sung Jin-hyun walking out quickly, following someone.

Nice!

The real purpose of bringing Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min is about to be realized.

I didn’t bring him here to really recruit him into our Line.

It’s to detect the moles by informing Choi Gyu-hyun that Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min has joined hands with me.

Just like I received information about the Number 2 Line through Sung Jin-hyun during my time in the Number 1 Line, it was clear that there were guys who had infiltrated the Number 2 Line as spies and were sending information to Choi Gyu-hyun.

But I brought Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min?

Then, they can naturally know that he has sided with me.

Of course, they wouldn’t accept Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min, who came empty-handed, so they would think that he brought Choi Gyu-hyun’s information.

Moreover, the fact that I openly brought Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min here is evidence that they can infer that I will now move in earnest.

The spies who have become desperate will try to convey this information to Choi Gyu-hyun faster than anyone else.

Because it’s such an urgent and important matter.

If this fact is conveyed, Choi Gyu-hyun will naturally not be able to touch me recklessly.

Not only that, but I have planted a few more reliable prosecutors in this VIP lounge, along with Sung Jin-hyun.

They will naturally blend in with the people and monitor others. If they see any signs of someone secretly moving to report the fact that I appeared with Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min to Choi Gyu-hyun or his Line, they will chase after them and secure evidence.

They will be able to ferret out the moles and kick them out at the same time.

Chief Prosecutor Joo Min-hyuk, whom I met at the beginning, is also one of the people I planted.

His acting was so excellent that I almost fell for it.

Of course, I didn’t tell this fact to Chief of Staff Kim Hak-min.

He’s just aware that I’m introducing him to the Line.

That’s why the naturalness was further emphasized.

Once today is over, the informants sent from the Daehan Party to this side will all disappear, so the Number 1 Line will not know how the Min Guk Party is doing.

Choi Gyu-hyun must be sweating bullets now?