The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 269

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 269

Taming (7)

“Special Investigations Unit?”

Sung Tae-hyun stopped the pen he was writing with.

“Why is that case being transferred to the Special Investigations Unit?”

His brow furrowed.

“Well…”

Chief Secretary Gong Jae-won answered, sweating.

“The situation is turning strange.”

“How so?”

“The prosecutor initially in charge of the case suddenly filed for leave.”

“What?”

Sung Tae-hyun finally put down the pen he was holding.

“What are you talking about?”

“According to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office report, they completely transferred the case to the Special Investigations Unit and filed for leave.”

“Did the head prosecutor or deputy head prosecutor of the Central Investigation Department just stand by while that happened?”

“The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office says that each prosecutor in the Central Investigation Department acts independently, so there’s no procedural issue even if they don’t get approval from above.”

“They just stood by? Does that make sense?”

“They handled it quickly among themselves after everyone else had left for the day. There wasn’t time for the executives to intervene…”

“What about the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office?”

“They said it could be handled at the level of the chief prosecutor there. So, all the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office director did was receive a report afterward.”

“Huh…”

Sung Tae-hyun let out a hollow laugh.

“Choi Seo-joon, that bastard, is starting to act up again.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, a dizzying thought flashed through Sung Tae-hyun’s mind.

“Could it be that he planned this from the start?”

Chief Secretary Gong Jae-won immediately denied it.

“I don’t think so.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I suspected it too when it was transferred to the Special Investigations Unit, but after analyzing the development of the case and the media coverage, it was different from Choi Seo-joon’s usual style. More than anything, the people associated with him didn’t show any significant movements.”

Only then did Sung Tae-hyun relax.

It was a relief, at least.

If he had planned it from the beginning and was using them, he wouldn’t have been able to contain his anger.

“So, is it just a coincidence?”

“No. It’s certain that a force intervened.”

“Then is it the Daehan Party again?”

“I haven’t confirmed that yet, but I’m thinking it might be a third party. I’ll report as soon as I confirm it.”

“Okay. But this time, Choi Seo-joon moved…”

“You can think of it as him simply snatching it up in the middle.”

“Huh… that guy really has amazing luck.”

The thought that it was more about his skills than luck crossed Chief Secretary Gong Jae-won’s mind, but he knew that saying that would anger Sung Tae-hyun, so he didn’t say it out loud.

“So, what about the case?”

“It seems like it will be quietly buried and appropriately concluded.”

“Okay. I heard he didn’t buy the land targeting the new city, right?”

“Yes. It wasn’t for speculative purposes; he just happened to stumble upon it.”

The fact that he received help from Choi Seo-joon bothered him, but no matter what, Sung Tae-hyun himself had chosen and promoted him to minister.

He felt sorry for trying to abandon him, and he couldn’t fire the Minister of Justice because of what people around him would think.

In fact, he couldn’t get rid of him because of this incident. He announced through the spokesperson that he would follow the prosecution’s investigation and make a fair judgment, but if Choi Seo-joon was acquitted, the picture would look strange the moment he ousted the Minister of Justice.

Therefore, although they might become a little more distant than before, he decided to keep him by his side.

After all, the president and the minister would inevitably have to keep in contact.

He had no doubt that they would recover quickly.

It was not only simpler to embrace Minister Park Chang-shik again than to dismiss him, but it would also be more effective in boosting the loyalty of other officials in the cabinet.

There was no need to show strong power at the beginning of his term.

If he just instilled trust, power would follow simply from being the president.

“Tell the Minister of Justice that it’s fortunate and to continue to do well.”

“Understood.”

“And…”

Sung Tae-hyun tapped the calendar and said,

“Have you looked into the Legal Research and Training Institute director position? It seems like quite a while has passed.”

“Yes. The big project he mentioned did exist, but it seems he deliberately created it to buy time.”

“He’s already joined hands with Choi Seo-joon, is that it?”

“That seems to be the case.”

“Tsk, being president isn’t always good.”

He mixed pride into his self-deprecating words.

“Choi Seo-joon moves quickly because he’s at the bottom, but I’m slow because I have so much national work to handle.”

Chief Secretary Gong Jae-won rubbed his hands together with sparkling eyes.

“As slow as it is, each step is magnificent and great, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

Sung Tae-hyun nodded with satisfaction.

“Find a position to send him to exile instead of the Legal Research and Training Institute director.”

“Understood. I’ll report after contacting the prosecutors and deciding.”

“Okay.”

The two began to laugh, as if they had already sent Choi Seo-joon into exile.

‘After all, I’m the president.’

No matter how hard he tries, he’s just a prosecutor.

A position far below the head of state.

Not just one step, but so far away that he would have to stand on his tiptoes to barely see him.

It was enough to deal with him leisurely.

However, they didn’t know.

Choi Seo-joon had already met and contacted the prosecutors in other positions he could go to.

He would only fail again, but no one would tell them.

Sung Tae-hyun looked at his watch and got up from his seat.

“It’s time to exercise.”

“Ah, are you going to Pilates?”

“Yeah. If I go now, I’ll have plenty of time to change and prepare.”

Chief Secretary Gong Jae-won smiled contentedly.

“I’m so proud and happy to see that you’ve been going consistently these days.”

Sung Tae-hyun, feeling embarrassed for no reason, coughed and said as if making an excuse.

“I feel refreshed in the morning after exercising. It’s different from before.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yeah. People have to exercise.”

He said it casually, but so that the chief secretary would definitely hear it.

“Give the instructor a bonus. I feel much healthier.”

“Understood.”

Chief Secretary Gong Jae-won remembered the president’s words and continued.

“When you come back from exercising, your face is radiant, and I feel refreshed too.”

“Hahaha, really?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Chief Secretary Gong Jae-won clapped his hands as if he had thought of something.

“Ah, should I schedule a time for you to exercise with the First Lady next time? It would be more energizing if a couple did it together…”

Sung Tae-hyun interrupted him.

“Hey, our Chief Gong doesn’t know much.”

“…Yes?”

“You have to learn one-on-one to improve for sure. My wife wants that too. It’s no good to do it together; you just get compared and it’s not good.”

“Ah, I see. I’m terrible at exercising, so I didn’t know. Haha.”

He smiled awkwardly and opened the door to the office himself.

“Then have a pleasant Pilates session today!”

***

-A religious group insisted on leaving for Libya, one of the countries designated as a travel-restricted nation. This group, known as the ‘Aria Church,’ is a new religious group that stated they would be engaging in missionary work in Africa and the Middle East for about two years before returning…

It was a trending news story, but he didn’t hear it.

A new worry had taken root in his mind.

One of the future texts he had received in the past was the problem.

The sender was 39, and the content was ‘Park Chang-shik. November 29, Namyangju Star Rock Golf Course,’ which remained vividly in his memory.

It was the only one of the three future texts that arrived at once that pointed to this year.

Considering the situation when the text arrived and my purpose, it must contain information needed to recruit the three people needed for the empty house raid.

But my plan for Park Chang-shik has already been successfully implemented.

At first, I was quite nervous that this operation would fall through, thinking it was a future text in case of failure, but now there was no longer any chance of the incident becoming a problem.

The possibility of the incident resurfacing was close to zero.

Then I couldn’t help but wonder why the text came at all.

Perhaps Minister Park Chang-shik hasn’t opened his heart to me 100% yet, but judging from the current situation, that was definitely not the case.

Not only do we exchange calls and texts every day, but rumors that he praises my character are constantly circulating in the Ministry of Justice.

If that’s not the case, does that mean something else will happen?

But in the current situation, I couldn’t know at all.

If it’s not wrong, it could just be a simple worry.

The future text told me how to help him in the incident that would occur on November 29, but that’s not the only answer.

I have enough ability to create the answer myself, even without the future text.

There’s no need to move only according to the text.

The texts are just a bonus, and the important thing is always my choice.

Even so, there was no need to erase the contents of the text from my mind.

It’s enough now, but November 29 might be an opportunity to drive a wedge.

I just need to remember it in my mind without forgetting it.

There’s no need to worry unnecessarily when things are going well.

Beep, beep.

A text arrived just in time.

-Sender: Park Chang-shik.

-How about some brisket and soju [Korean distilled spirit] after work today? I’ll pay.

He even contacts me first like this.

Park Chang-shik’s heart is already in my hands.

How many seconds had passed since I replied that I would see him in the evening?

The vibration rang again.

I thought it would be Park Chang-shik again, but the sender was someone I didn’t expect at all.

-Sender: Prosecutor Gong Sang-wook.

-Prosecutor General, is it okay to talk for a moment?

The hitman?

My head tilted on its own.

Did something happen?

It’s only been a week since I gave him the job.

I immediately called him.

-Hello, Prosecutor General!

Prosecutor Gong Sang-wook answered the phone with a strong voice.

This guy, could it be….

“Oh, Prosecutor Gong. What’s going on?”

-I’ve found a clue in the case you entrusted to me last time!

It seems like what I thought would happen actually did.

“…Already?”

I became a little uneasy.

The fact that he found the yacht rental business, which I thought I had hidden so perfectly, so quickly could mean that there was a mistake in the process I took.

-Yes. It’s a scandal involving politicians and the Olympics.

“Tell me who it is.”

But what came out of his mouth was enough to dispel my worries.

-It’s a member of the Daehan Party.

Hmm?

“A member?”

-Yes. A member of the National Assembly.

Governor Min Hyung-taek of Gyeonggi Province is affiliated with the Daehan Party, but he is not a member.

At that moment, I swallowed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, there were no flaws in the work I did.

Yes, of course.

Who am I?

I couldn’t have made a mistake.

“Who in the Daehan Party is it?”

-It’s Assemblyman Kim Kang-jin.

“Kim Kang-jin is the leader of the Daehan Party, isn’t he?”

-Yes, that’s right.

Hitman Prosecutor Gong Sang-wook said with a confident voice.

-Assemblyman Kim Kang-jin’s son was selected as a national representative through refereeing corruption in judo. The guy who was supposed to go became a member of the reserve forces.”

“Are you sure?”

-I’ve already found half of the evidence. I guarantee that I’ll find the rest with my name on the line.”

If he says this much, it means he’s definitely caught the tail.

I gave him a fishing rod with a lugworm [type of bait] to catch some farmed flounder [type of fish].

He caught a whale.

A very big whale.

“As a citizen of the Republic of Korea, I don’t think there should be any corruption in the national representative selection process representing the country. What about you?”

-I feel the same way. This is wrong. We must uphold justice. That’s what prosecutors are.”

The corners of my mouth twisted very brightly and roughly.

“Prosecutor Gong.”

-Yes, Prosecutor General.

“Bring it, the evidence.”

-Understood!