The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 27

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 27

Special Investigation Department (1)

“Hello, I am Choi Seo-joon.”

As I bowed politely, Congressman Park Won-gi greeted me warmly.

“Ah, is this the hotshot prosecutor everyone’s talking about these days?”

“You flatter me.”

However, Kang Hyun-soo nudged my shoulder and appealed to Congressman Park Won-gi.

“Please take good care of him. He may be a bit extreme, but his abilities are outstanding. More than anything, working with him would be perfect for winning over the public’s favor.”

“Hahaha, winning over the public’s favor is quite tempting. Let’s have a meal together sometime.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The next person I met after Congressman Park Won-gi was Jung Baek-won, a current Supreme Court Justice.

He was rumored to be the most upright and incorruptible person in the legal profession, so seeing him here was both surprising and welcome.

I guess there’s no one in this world who’s completely clean.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Choi Seo-joon.”

“Oh, you’re the star prosecutor who’s joining the Special Investigation Department this time.”

Everyone remembered to call me a star prosecutor.

It was no surprise, since I had been reported on the news countless times, and these people are the most influenced by the media, so they couldn’t possibly not know.

Once again, Chief Kang Hyun-soo chimed in.

“This friend is very good at his job. He came to the Special Investigation Department from the Inspection Department…”

Kang Hyun-soo went around this penthouse, introducing me to people.

Thanks to him, I was able to make eye contact and leave an impression on many people.

However, I mustn’t let my guard down.

It’s true that Chief Kang Hyun-soo brought me to the Deputy Chief Prosecutor position and to this place, but it’s also true that he secretly installed hidden cameras to find my weaknesses and planned to use them to cut me off in the future.

I mustn’t forget that.

I know that the reason he’s having me make an impression on people here is to use me even better.

Of course, there’s no need to show my claws just yet.

The fact that I received an offer to join the Special Investigation Department doesn’t mean I came here simply to gain favor.

There’s no point in starting off on the wrong foot.

Even if I hold his weaknesses, Kang Hyun-soo is still my direct superior right now.

Until I gain more power, I have to pretend to assist him as the Deputy Chief Prosecutor and pretend to be satisfied.

After greeting people for a long time, Kang Hyun-soo looked around and stopped in his place.

“I think I’ve greeted most of the people here?”

However, one person was missing.

“Is the District Attorney not coming?”

“Ah, are you talking about District Attorney Lim Joo-young?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Strictly speaking, he’s not part of this line.”

Not part of this line?

He shrugged and explained.

“It’s complicated to explain, but the head of this side is different from the head of that side. However, the two heads are working together, so they proceed in a cooperative relationship unless something major happens.”

I can’t believe it.

There’s another line besides this one.

How far does the connection between the political and business world go?

“If you include those who didn’t attend today, there are more than twice the number of people here.”

If everyone who didn’t attend were to gather… I can’t even fathom the power of this line.

It’s safe to say that it’s the top 1%… no, the top 0.01% of South Korea.

Questions arose about who was in Lim Joo-young’s line and who the heads of that line were.

“Chief, then perhaps the head is…”

Before my cautious question could finish, Chief Kang Hyun-soo’s eyes widened, and he turned his gaze toward the entrance.

“He’s here, the head.”

He straightened his clothes once more.

The head?

Sure enough, everyone in this place, including Chief Kang Hyun-soo, stood up and began to look in one direction.

“Then I hope you enjoy yourself. From here on out, it’s your own time. Get to know as many faces as you can.”

Kang Hyun-soo patted my shoulder and mingled with the people at the entrance to greet them.

Soon, the main character appeared.

The core of the current regime. The true power broker.

The person who deserves the title of King of South Korea.

Prime Minister Choi Gyu-hyun.

He is called the number two man in South Korea.

Because the country is unstable, the president focuses on diplomacy and foreign affairs, while Choi Gyu-hyun is in charge of domestic economy and systems.

That means he has a firm grip on the country.

Choi Gyu-hyun was the head of this line.

What an enormous line.

And I felt it once again.

I came to the right place.

This is where the real power lies.

If I can survive here, I can rise to Choi Gyu-hyun’s position as the head, or even higher.

Choi Gyu-hyun smiled leisurely as he greeted people and came in, and then he suddenly met my eyes.

I naturally lowered my head, but he didn’t pass by and came to me.

“You’re Choi Seo-joon from the Inspection Department, right?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

Chief Kang Hyun-soo, who was nearby, seized the opportunity and immediately chimed in.

“He will be the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Special Investigation Department starting tomorrow.”

“Oh, is that so?”

He nodded, seemingly satisfied, and asked me.

“I heard you beat up Lim Sung-jin from the other line pretty badly?”

I could feel a strong interest and thorns in his words.

Was he angry?

No.

However, I couldn’t tell if it was good or bad.

A feeling that I couldn’t understand his intentions.

Is this what it means to be a born politician?

Perhaps because he’s in a profession that frequently shows his face to the public, I didn’t feel the same fierce aura as Kim Seok-won.

Just looking at his face, he seemed like a friendly neighborhood uncle.

However, in his eyes, I could feel a ferocity like a beast revealing its ambition to invade the continent.

And it was overwhelming.

It wasn’t this intense even when I first met Kim Seok-won.

To be able to suppress people with just his eyes…

I barely managed to hold back from swallowing hard.

Nevertheless, I still couldn’t figure out his intentions, so I didn’t know what answer to give.

Soon, Choi Gyu-hyun’s greedy tongue popped out and licked his lips.

Just as I was choosing my options in my head, his mouth opened first.

“You did well.”

As if he had never had scary eyes, he returned to the face of a friendly uncle next door.

“There are quite a few guys who throw their weight around. I hate those guys the most. Those bastards who act up just because they trust in the power of their line. You handled it well.”

“Thank you.”

“What Choi clan are you from?”

Hearing that question, I couldn’t hide the smile spreading across my face.

“I am from the Gyeongju Choi clan.”

He also showed a delighted expression upon hearing my answer.

“Oh, really? I’m also from the Gyeongju Choi clan, so this is a pleasant surprise.”

I had known this story since he took office as Prime Minister.

Thanks to my grandfather saying it was the glory of the family every holiday, I even knew what Choi Gyu-hyun’s generation name was.

“My generation name is ‘Jun’.”

“You’re my grandson’s generation. My generation name is ‘Hyun’.”

“Yes. My grandfather’s generation name is ‘Hyun’.”

“Hahaha, I’ll keep an eye on you from now on.”

“Thank you!”

I answered energetically and bowed straight.

Blood ties.

Blood ties, regional ties, and school ties that cover South Korea, the most solid of them all.

Even if they are distant relatives who have to go back to the roots of their ancestors, people in Korean society are happy to see the same surname.

I was able to make an impression on Choi Gyu-hyun because of this, so it should be enough.

I’m not going to quit after just one day, and there’s no need to rush.

“Okay, have a good time.”

The Prime Minister patted my shoulder and moved to the other side.

While attention was focused on the Prime Minister, I snatched a cocktail from the tray that the waiters were carrying and sat on the sofa.

“Hoo.”

Only then did I take a breath and survey the scene.

They are called the core of Korea when they go outside, but here, they are busy following the Prime Minister’s tail.

I wondered if I should do that too, but there was no need.

I need to catch Choi Gyu-hyun’s eye, but I shouldn’t belong to those lackeys who follow him around like that.

There is definitely a limit to simply bowing and flattering.

Because what I want is not moderate success.

I have to make Prime Minister Choi Gyu-hyun want me. Only then can I rise to the true king.

At that time, I noticed someone sitting alone by the window with a whiskey glass in his hand, lightly swirling it.

A different appearance from the others who were trying to win the favor of Prime Minister Choi Gyu-hyun.

It was like a crane standing alone and aloof among crows.

Was he thinking the same thing as me, or was he just bored and doing that?

Curious, I sat still and watched him.

He seemed lost in thought, staring intently at his glass.

After a while, a woman approached me.

She was wearing a dress that revealed her cleavage, as well as her sides and thighs, and sat on the armrest of the sofa I was sitting on.

“Prosecutor, I’ve seen you a lot on TV.”

I put my hand on her waist and pulled her to sit on my lap.

“So you fell for me?”

“Oh my, you’re so forward.”

I asked her, pointing to the man covering her mouth.

“Do you know who that man is?”

“Prosecutor, do you like men?”

I said to the woman who was testing me with a serious face.

“You’re not in a position to joke with me.”

“…”

Only then did the woman grasp the atmosphere and open her mouth.

“Sung Tae-hyun. Congressman Sung Tae-hyun from Dobong-gu.”

Ah!

Only then did I remember.

He caused a sensation this time and was confidently elected as a member of the National Assembly in Seoul, despite his young age in his mid-30s.

The ruling party was busy promoting him, saying that he would bring innovation to the political world.

I was in the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office during the election, so I didn’t have much interest in politics, so I didn’t immediately remember his face.

At that time, Sung Tae-hyun suddenly got up from his seat.

I had a feeling that I should get to know him for some reason.

“Do you know anything about that person?”

“Well, his family is incredibly wealthy, and he’s a divorced single, that’s all?”

I pushed the woman sitting on my lap away and immediately approached Sung Tae-hyun.

“Mr. Sung Tae-hyun.”

He stopped in his place and looked back, and his eyes met mine as I followed him.

“Ah, I’m Choi Seo-joon.”

“I’m Sung Tae-hyun.”

I bowed my head and asked immediately.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Ah, yes. I’m a little tired.”