The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 22

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 22 (22/341)

Shrimp Get Fat in a Whale Fight (6)

“Yes, come in.”

Upon hearing the deep voice, I entered and found Chief Prosecutor Kang Hyun-soo sitting alone on the bed in the spacious hospital room, reading a book.

He noticed me, closed the book, and set it aside.

“You came quickly.”

I understood his sarcastic tone. It was past 11 PM.

I handed him the box of drinks I’d brought, and he chuckled, placing it on the table next to the bed.

“You didn’t have to bring something like this.”

“I couldn’t come empty-handed when visiting you, Chief.”

My feelings were complicated.

Kang Hyun-soo was responsible for Yoon Seol-ha’s hospitalization, but I didn’t feel pure anger.

Perhaps my emotions understood that I needed to remain calm to talk to him.

Maybe it was because Yoon Seol-ha nonchalantly said she would have done the same if she were Kang Hyun-soo, or because I saw myself joining the Special Investigations Department in the future text [referring to a message or document from the future].

However, one thing was certain: I didn’t have good feelings towards him, not only for harming my subordinate but also for knowing I’d be betrayed even after joining the Special Investigations Department.

Still, I didn’t show it openly.

In this conversation, I needed to project composure.

That way, Kang Hyun-soo would feel even more that he’s the one at a disadvantage.

“How are you feeling?”

I asked, examining him, but unlike Yoon Seol-ha, he wasn’t wearing a brace or a cast.

“I wasn’t seriously injured. You should always drive an expensive car. There’s a reason people keep singing praises for foreign cars.”

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt badly.”

“How’s Yoon Seol-ha? Did you see her?”

“She’s not doing well. She’ll have to stay in the hospital for a while.”

“Tsk, tsk, she should have driven a better car.”

“If you hadn’t been driving drowsy, Chief, she wouldn’t have been injured at all.”

I said sarcastically, but he didn’t flinch.

“That day, I was so tired. I felt like someone was watching me.”

“Who would dare to watch you, Chief?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Kang Hyun-soo looked straight into my eyes and didn’t break eye contact.

“Who could it be?”

We stared at each other for a long time, as if having a staring contest.

After a while, Chief Prosecutor Kang Hyun-soo twisted his lips.

“Let’s stop testing each other here.”

“Testing?”

I tilted my head, feigning ignorance, and he forced a smile.

“The communication records will show everything. Do we really need to confirm it that way to have a conversation?”

“I wonder. Can the communication records also show what kind of photos were sent? That’s news to me.”

“Stop beating around the bush and say what you want.”

I just smiled and kept my mouth shut.

We both know I hold the cards.

Naturally, the one in a tight spot has to make the first move.

Eventually, Chief Prosecutor Kang Hyun-soo couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth.

“Is the Office of Inspection lacking cases these days? Should I create a few? Getting rid of a few junior prosecutors should be enough, right?”

“I don’t know. With three chief prosecutors already involved, can you compare that to a few junior prosecutors?”

“Too much greed can be harmful.”

He looked at me with experienced eyes.

“You know who this is connected to, right? If you mess with it, you won’t even be able to recover the bones [meaning you’ll be completely destroyed].”

“Oh, really? Then you wouldn’t have any reason to call me here like this.”

I smiled brightly, and anger began to fill Kang Hyun-soo’s eyes.

In fact, he wasn’t wrong.

It involves a chaebol [a large South Korean business conglomerate].

Exposing this means making the eldest son of Joo-ok Group, who is about to become the chaebol chairman, an enemy.

If that happens, it’s clear that the second son, their rival, would fully support me, but this case alone can’t bring down the eldest son of Joo-ok Group.

I know that better than anyone.

The current landscape is already heavily tilted towards the eldest son.

If I fail to bring him down and he becomes the chaebol chairman, my life will be hanging by a thread.

In this situation, exposing this case is like committing suicide.

The only difference is that I’d be dragging three chief prosecutors down with me.

Kang Hyun-soo is afraid of that.

He thinks I’m the kind of guy who would fearlessly carry out such a scorched-earth tactic.

Of course, I have no intention of dying together, even if it means giving up my position.

“Prosecutor Choi.”

Kang Hyun-soo turned his palm over and subtly extended his thumb and index finger.

“Do you perhaps need this?”

He hid his anger and whispered sweetly.

“Tell me if you need it. The group can give you twice the amount I received this time.”

The money I received this time was in a 007 briefcase.

This has happened several times, but he couldn’t have received 500 million won each time.

So, the 007 briefcase must have contained 10,000 won bills, meaning he received 100 million won.

Twice that would be 200 million won.

It’s not for nothing that chaebol money is considered the safest among black money.

It doesn’t cause any problems.

They know it’s a loss for both sides if it’s exposed, so they accommodate each other and strengthen their relationship.

200 million won.

Just turn a blind eye and get 200 million won.

Moreover, it’s money that won’t cause any trouble.

Only a guy overflowing with a sense of justice would refuse it.

But as I’ve said repeatedly, I’m crazy about success.

Not knowing this, Kang Hyun-soo continued to persuade me.

“Prosecutor Choi, you don’t need to get involved. Wouldn’t it just be a case of a shrimp getting crushed in a whale fight? It’s a chance for the shrimp to fatten up in a whale fight. You have nothing to lose by not missing out on it.”

A whale fight.

That’s right.

I also don’t want to get crushed.

Anyone outside of this situation would see it as a golden opportunity to eat the scraps falling from the fight between the two big whales of Joo-ok Group and get rich.

Those scraps are worth hundreds of millions of won, making the shrimps’ eyes turn.

However, I’m not satisfied with just eating these scraps.

Fools.

If you have higher power, this mere 200 million won will feel like pocket change.

You need to look at the bigger picture.

Why can’t they see the flesh falling off the whales as they fight, instead of the scraps?

It’s truly frustrating.

At least if you’re going to covet the handouts, shouldn’t you covet the flesh of the whales, not the scraps?

“I want to speak directly with Vice Chairman Lee Cheol-yong.”

Vice Chairman Lee Cheol-yong.

The vice chairman of Joo-ok Electronics and the eldest son of Joo-ok Group Chairman Lee Jong-joo.

“What?”

As soon as I finished speaking, his eyebrows arched sharply.

“Prosecutor Choi, are you crazy?”

“That’s all I want.”

I smiled brightly and stood up.

“I’ll be waiting.”

I left the hospital room, leaving Chief Prosecutor Kang Hyun-soo speechless.

***

Immediately after meeting Kang Hyun-soo at the hospital, I prepared for the announcement of this case.

Very systematically and meticulously.

Did I hide it so that no one outside could know about it?

No, I leaked it on purpose.

I didn’t leak the evidence, but I made sure the news reached the ears of the eldest and second sons of Joo-ok Group.

Of course, I had no intention of announcing it.

It’s a show. Just a performance.

Because I’ve been solving such significant cases and have the support of the public, everyone in this field knows that even the High Prosecutor doesn’t interfere with the cases I handle.

So, there were no contacts through the higher-ups.

Instead, exactly two days after leaking the information, the second son contacted me first, as expected.

“This is Jung Won-seok.”

Jung Won-seok.

The chief of staff to Lee Cheol-gi, the second son of Joo-ok Group Chairman Lee Jong-joo.

The structure of Joo-ok Group was quite simple.

The eldest son, Lee Cheol-yong, is the vice chairman of Joo-ok Electronics, the main entity of the group, and Lee Cheol-gi is the vice chairman of Joo-ok Motors, the sub-entity of Joo-ok Group.

Their father, Lee Jong-joo, holds the chairman position in both Joo-ok Electronics and Joo-ok Motors.

“This is Choi Seo-joon.”

Seeing that he came to me just two days after confirming the information leak, the second son’s position must be quite unfavorable.

Chief of Staff Jung Won-seok started with a pleasant comment.

“I’ve heard that you work tirelessly day and night to uphold justice in Korea.”

Justice.

It’s sweet, but I’ve given that to the dogs a long time ago [meaning I abandoned the concept of justice].

I’m just using the name of justice for my own success.

But there’s no need to reveal my true feelings.

“I’m just doing what I have to do.”

“It’s nothing much, but I heard about the case you’re investigating.”

I frowned.

“Those bastards, I told them never to leak information… Those trash, I should overturn everything!”

Bang!

After even acting like I was slamming the table, Jung Won-seok couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Please calm down.”

He carefully opened his mouth, watching my reaction.

“We just happened to hear about it by luck.”

It wasn’t luck, I intentionally leaked it to you.

“Hoo.”

I took a deep breath as if trying to calm my chest and gulped down the water on the table.

“Rotten bastards.”

Thang!

I put the finishing touch by slamming the glass down hard.

“So, what do you want?”

I asked in an indignant voice, pretending not to know anything about Joo-ok Group’s situation.

“Do you want me to bury it?”

“No.”

The chief of staff shook his hand in denial.

“How could we? You’re revealing the truth and upholding justice, so how could we possibly hinder you?”

Chief of Staff Jung Won-seok whispered sweet words with a sly look in his eyes.

“We will help you.”

“From Joo-ok Group?”

“No. Vice Chairman Lee Cheol-gi will.”

His eyes sparkled.

“Are you aware that the Joo-ok Medical case was buried?”

“I know.”

“I’ll give you all that information.”

“And?”

“That’s it. We don’t want any conditions. Just expose it, and we’ll push you from behind. We’ll give you enough fuel, so just light the fire.”

So, in short, they want to borrow the power of a star prosecutor to gather public attention and shake the masses to create a stepping stone for a comeback?

Not a bad judgment.

No one can predict what kind of power can be drawn when the public gathers.

If that happens, they might be able to overturn the existing landscape and create a new situation.

However, there is no possibility of the landscape being overturned.

Because I have no intention of making it happen.

Unfortunately, Jung Won-seok thinks I will thoroughly side with them.

This is the power of the image created by the media.

Sorry, but this is just bait.

He smiled and said with emphasis.

“I’ll put a box in your trunk, Prosecutor.”

A box.

Not a bag, but a box.

It must be an apple box.

With 50,000 won bills, it can hold 1 billion to 1.2 billion won.

They wouldn’t put 10,000 won bills in for a case of this magnitude.

If it’s not money that I urgently need, there’s no need to be greedy.

However, unlike when Kang Hyun-soo proposed, there’s a reason to accept this time.

I also came up with a way to see very effective results if I join hands with the eldest son, and if I don’t join hands with the eldest son, I’ll be checked by them, so I’m getting at least the value of my life.

I stood up without answering that I would refuse the money.

We both know that not refusing means yes.

“I’ll be going.”

“I wish you good luck. Please contact me anytime if you need anything.”

He politely handed me his business card with both hands.

“See you again.”

I left the secret space, leaving room for further contact.

On the way home after the meeting, a black sedan steadily followed me.

It’s probably someone from the eldest son’s side.

I already knew I was being followed.

By now, the eldest son has probably been informed that I met with Chief of Staff Jung Won-seok.

Now, all I have to do is wait, and good fortune will come rolling in on its own.