The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 226

Cause and Effect (2)

I figured a guy who uses GHB [gamma-hydroxybutyrate, a central nervous system depressant sometimes used as a date rape drug] and does drugs himself would be up to something, but I never imagined he’d have such a vile hobby.

Videos, huh?

I can see how this works.

He’s been sexually assaulting women and recording them, and if a victim ever reports him to the police or threatens legal action, he threatens to release the videos online.

That would terrify any woman.

Once these kinds of videos are leaked, they keep resurfacing online no matter how many times you try to take them down.

You’re doomed to live in eternal pain, never able to forget.

In the end, the victims are too scared to report it, forced to hide in the shadows or get plastic surgery and live with a new face.

Even if they find out the videos have been leaked, it’s incredibly difficult to even file a lawsuit. Finding the leaker is a huge challenge in itself.

The webhard cartel [online file storage services known for hosting illegal content] is so well-established that it’s common knowledge the companies help leakers and uploaders avoid detection.

So, even if you report it to the police, it’s hard to find the perpetrator, and even if you do, they threaten you, leaving the victims with no choice but to accept a settlement from KM Group for a reasonable amount.

What a messed up world.

The victim becomes the underdog, and the perpetrator is on top.

That’s why Hong Tae-min doesn’t feel any remorse and keeps committing crimes and filming videos.

The only reason this case came to light this time is because the victim was someone with a certain level of recognition.

She told me that KM Group offered her a settlement.

Of course, KM Group is now denying that ever happened.

In this situation, one thing is certain.

Hong Tae-min still has the phone.

No matter how bad things get, he wouldn’t throw away a phone with so many videos on it.

He probably even has a backup.

His perverted tastes play a part, but more importantly, deleting the videos would mean losing control over the female victims he’s been blackmailing into silence.

So, Hong Tae-min is forced to hold onto a ticking time bomb.

Now it’s a self-inflicted wound.

“Do you remember the model of the phone you saw back then?”

“Hmm.”

Kim Bu-won thought hard and shook his head.

“I was so out of it, I didn’t notice things like that…”

He frowned, then.

“Ah!”

He clapped his hands as if he remembered something.

“I remember the phone was red.”

“Red?”

“Yes. It wasn’t in a case, it was just red. I thought, ‘He must be rich to use such a unique phone.'”

“How do you know it wasn’t a case?”

“Usually, a case covers the volume and power buttons, but I could see them.”

To catch that in such a short moment.

This is a great clue.

If we can get our hands on the phone, we can recover the videos even if he deleted them.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“This is a huge help.”

“I’ll contact you if I remember anything else.”

“Yes, please do.”

“Okay.”

Kim Bu-won nodded, then suddenly spoke again.

“Oh, but there’s one thing I wanted to ask…”

“What is it?”

“I mentioned it briefly, but I received some money in exchange for keeping quiet. About 50 million won…”

He asked cautiously.

“Do I have to return that? I spent it right away because I was short on money, so it’ll be hard to gather it again.”

That must have been the reason Kim Bu-won said he had something to do in Seoul during the phone call.

He must have been worried about the money.

“It’s okay.”

I smiled and replied.

“If they admit to giving you the money, they’re admitting they’re guilty, so they won’t reveal it.”

“Oh, really?”

Kim Bu-won’s face brightened instantly.

“Yes. Besides, you said Chief Secretary Heo Seung-geon delivered the money, not Hong Tae-min directly, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then we can charge Chief Secretary Heo Seung-geon and Hong Tae-min with destruction of evidence and instigating destruction of evidence, respectively. Since there’s already a charge of aggravated rape, it could lead to a heavier sentence, so they won’t be able to keep quiet either.”

“I see.”

“Instead, I hope you’ll give back to society as much as you received when you have the means to do so.”

“Of course, I will. I definitely will.”

He bowed deeply.

“Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.”

I stood up and lightly took his hand.

“I’m the one who’s grateful. I’ll contact you again.”

“Goodbye.”

I bowed to him and walked out.

***

“…So, the first priority is to recover the phone.”

As soon as I told Yoon Seol-ha what I heard from Kim Bu-won, she spoke up.

“If there’s a backup, Chief Secretary Heo Seung-geon probably has it. We should seize it at the same time we get the search warrant.”

“That’s right.”

I nodded and continued.

“The first step is crucial. If we arrest him and conduct a search at the same time, but still can’t find the videos, they’ll realize they’re in danger and delete the phone and the backup.”

If they intentionally destroy the data, it’ll be impossible for us to find it.

Even if we find the storage disk, it’ll be hard to recover.

“I think it would be good to use drug use as the grounds for arrest. What do you think, Seol-ha?”

Yoon Seol-ha shook her head.

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

She lowered her hand under the table and said.

“He was fine when I met him to collect his DNA, but according to the special prosecutor, he shaved all the hair off his body the day before yesterday.”

That bastard, he’s really planning this out.

If you take drugs, you can check when you took them through your hair.

But if you wax your entire body like Hong Tae-min, there’s no way to confirm drug use after the drugs have left your system.

We have secured Hong Tae-min’s hair at the NDFC [National Digital Forensic Center] for DNA comparison, but it wasn’t obtained through official channels, so it can’t be used as evidence.

At least until this case is over, he won’t be taking any more drugs, so we can’t arrest him for drugs without clear evidence.

“So, the only answer is the phone…”

Yoon Seol-ha asked cautiously.

“Should we try to confirm his memories through hypnosis? We might be able to get an accurate picture of the phone.”

“It’s best not to do that. If he describes a different phone due to the imprinting effect, it could confuse the investigation.”

“I see.”

Yoon Seol-ha nodded carefully.

“I saw him using three phones. I don’t know if there was a red one among them.”

She recalled her memories, then.

“Ah!”

She snapped her fingers.

“Come to think of it, I was surprised that one of the phones was a Joo-ok Electronics product.”

“Joo-ok Electronics?”

“Yes. I thought it was very strange that the vice president of KM Group was using a Joo-ok Electronics phone instead of a KM Electronics phone. Two of the three were KM products, but the other one was a Joo-ok Electronics product.”

Yoon Seol-ha carefully stated her opinion.

“I think that might be the red phone Kim Bu-won was talking about.”

That’s likely.

If it was revealed that the vice president of KM Group was using a Joo-ok Electronics phone, the media would go crazy.

They would criticize it, saying that the public wouldn’t use a phone that the company executives don’t like.

That’s why executives of companies with phone manufacturing plants, not just KM, only use their own company’s products.

In fact, they even pressure employees not to use other companies’ products.

From Hong Tae-min’s perspective, it’s to create a loophole to deny ownership if he loses his phone or it leaves his hands for some reason.

I thought he was just an ordinary chaebol [Korean conglomerate] brat, but he’s more thorough than I thought.

“So, there’s a high probability it’s a red Joo-ok Electronics phone.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Yoon Seol-ha hesitated for a moment and asked me.

“Should I approach him again?”

“Absolutely not.”

I refused firmly.

“Since you already took his hair and toothbrush, they’ll remember your face. It’s too dangerous to meet him again.”

I don’t want to encourage anything that could jeopardize her safety.

I can’t lose my people.

Yoon Seol-ha nodded and opened her mouth.

“Then, I’ll check how many red phone models without cases are available on the market, including Joo-ok Electronics products.”

“Yes. I’ll talk to Director Lee and research more about how to recover the phone.”

***

I was holed up in my study at home, racking my brain, but no good ideas came to mind.

Since the DNA test results haven’t been released to the media, he’s being even more careful.

I need to find a way to draw him out…

While I was deep in thought.

Knock knock.

Han Ji-yoo came in with a knock.

“Oppa [term of endearment used by a younger woman to address an older brother or male friend], want to go for a walk?”

“Huh?”

“You seem very complicated today. You looked very focused during dinner.”

Han Ji-yoo said, holding her son Ji-hoon in her arms.

“It’s good to clear your head by getting some fresh air in times like these.”

“Ah…”

“Besides, it’s a full moon today.”

I chuckled and got up from my seat.

“Okay, let’s go.”

I quickly changed my clothes and headed to the Han River with Han Ji-yoo.

I held my son in one arm and Han Ji-yoo’s hand in the other as I strolled along the Han River with her.

“Ah, the breeze is nice.”
Han Ji-yoo stretched her arms wide and took in the refreshing night air.

Seeing my wife smile makes me feel good.

I’m glad I came out.

After walking for about 30 minutes, Han Ji-yoo suddenly stopped and looked up at the night sky.

“Look at the moon.”

“That’s right, today’s the full moon, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. It’s so big and pretty.”

I couldn’t see the stars because of the pollution, but the bright blue moon was radiating a refreshing energy.

“I love looking at the moon and smelling the Han River. Oppa, take a deep breath.”

At Han Ji-yoo’s urging, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

But then.

Buzz buzz.

Two short vibrations.

I had a strange feeling.

“Ji-yoo, wait a minute.”

I handed her my son and immediately took out my phone.

Sure enough, a future text message had arrived.

-Sender: 28

-Moonlight Scent