The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 283

The Spy Begins to Shine (3)

“Wow, long time no see. Chief Prosecutor Choi.”

“It’s been a while, Director.”

The Legal Research and Training Institute Director greeted me with open arms.

“Did you have any trouble getting here?”

“Not at all. It took less than two hours.”

“That’s still quite a drive, though.”

He smiled like a friendly neighborhood uncle and guided me.

“Let’s go inside. Everything’s ready.”

“Yes.”

Opening the large gate, I was surprised by the unexpectedly vast scenery.

“Is the official residence this big?”

“No, this is my house.”

“Ah…….”

“If we used a place like this as an official residence, there would be an uproar about public officials living in luxury, wouldn’t there?”

“Haha, that’s right.”

A large garden, a rare sight in Seoul.

It doesn’t have a pond or an elaborate flower garden, but it’s the perfect size for a comfortable barbecue.

As proof, a grill with charcoal was already prepared in one corner.

“Even though it’s cold, I like grilling outdoors like this.”

“That’s the way to do it. A drink with a cool breeze keeps you from getting too drunk.”

“You really know your stuff, Chief Prosecutor Choi.”

He chuckled and rolled up his sleeves.

“Please, have a seat. I’ll get everything ready.”

“No, I should help too.”

“Oh, come on, you’re a guest…….”

“I’m uncomfortable just sitting still.”

“Then…….”

He reluctantly handed me the tongs.

“It looks like the charcoal is lit, so just spread it out evenly. I’ll go inside and get some drinks.”

“Yes.”

After a while, when he returned, I was stirring the charcoal, and we started a conversation.

“You have a really nice house. It seems like it would be lonely living here alone.”

“I prepared it to live here with my wife after retirement. I’ll use it as a vacation home while I’m stationed elsewhere after my term as the Legal Research and Training Institute Director ends.”

He smiled pleasantly.

“Feel free to contact me then. I’ll lend you the vacation home anytime, Chief Prosecutor Choi.”

“Haha, I appreciate the thought.”

As we chatted amiably and finished preparing to grill the meat, I casually asked.

“I wonder if the Minister is on his way.”

“Ah, he said the meeting is running long, so he’ll be a bit late. He contacted me a little while ago and said he should be here in about 30 minutes.”

“I see.”

I took a seat and naturally brought up the topic.

“By the way, I heard you’re coming to Seoul the week after next?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Director Ha Jin-il nodded.

“I think I’ll be there from Wednesday to Friday to give lectures at the five district prosecutor’s offices in Seoul.”

“So, you’ll be heading back on Friday afternoon?”

“My younger sibling in Seoul insists that I stay over the weekend, so I’ll probably come back early Monday morning.”

“Then let’s have a meal together then, too.”

“Would that be alright?”

It’s impossible to use Minister Hwang Sun-hyung as a link to the Prime Minister with just today’s meeting.

For a grand plan, we need to meet one more time in the future.

Director Ha Jin-il is the most suitable person to get Minister Hwang Sun-hyung to move.

Today’s meeting is a stage to lay the foundation for the future.

“Yes, of course. I’d be happy to see you, Director.”

“Then let’s have a meal on Friday afternoon. My schedule is free after the morning lecture that day, so I’ll go to the High Prosecutors’ Office.”

“Sounds good.”

“By the way, what will you be lecturing on? If it’s you, Director…….”

After grilling meat and talking for a long time, Minister Hwang Sun-hyung finally arrived.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Hwang Sun-hyung.”

“I’m Choi Seo-jun. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Hwang Sun-hyung greeted me affably.

“Jin-il has been praising Chief Prosecutor Choi so much.”

“Oh, really? Hahaha.”

Director Ha Jin-il chuckled and gestured to the seat.

“The meat’s freshly grilled. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“Shall we?”

The atmosphere quickly became convivial.

A shot of cool soju [Korean distilled spirit] and a bite of piping hot grilled pork belly with a generous dollop of ssamjang [thick, spicy paste].

Followed by the cold night air.

It was impossible not to feel good.

After drinking for a while, I slowly started to feel tipsy.

“You don’t need Korean beef or wine in a place like this. Pork belly and a shot of soju are all you need, that’s it.”

“That’s right.”

“Did Chief Prosecutor Choi grill this?”

“Yes. Does it suit your taste?”

“Needless to say.”

He gave a thumbs up.

“Thank you. Oh, and please speak casually. I’m much junior to you.”

“Oh, did Chief Prosecutor Choi also graduate from Korea University?”

“Yes. Class of ’08.”

“Then I won’t hesitate to drop the formalities.”

“Yes. Please feel free to speak comfortably as well, Director.”

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

They burst into hearty laughter.

The question about the child’s education, which I said was the original purpose, was brought up at the right time and wrapped up appropriately.

After all, that wasn’t the main point.

Basically, Han Ji-yu takes care of the child’s education herself, so I haven’t been paying much attention to it on purpose.

“By the way, it would be nice to meet up for a drink sometimes when I’m in Seoul?”

“That would be great.”

I naturally accepted the words of Minister of Education Hwang Sun-hyung.

“Then, Minister, do you happen to play golf?”

The golf course was one of the Prime Minister’s routine courses.

If he’s good at it, I’ll pretend I can’t play and learn from him.

If he’s not good at it, I’ll pretend to teach him.

But.

“Does our Chief Prosecutor Choi play golf?”

Minister Hwang Sun-hyung’s eyes sparkled.

Not only that, but seeing his tongue dart out and lick his lips as if he was intrigued, it’s certain.

This guy doesn’t just have a hobby of playing golf; he loves it immensely.

Not just at a normal level, but at a level where he’s completely crazy about it.

I opened my mouth smoothly.

“Ah, I recently started learning golf, and I’m really getting into it.”

“How long have you been playing?”

“It’s been a little over a year now.”

“Wow, now is the perfect time to get hooked. That’s how it is in the first year or two.”

As soon as those words came out, Director Ha Jin-il pointed to Minister Hwang Sun-hyung as if he couldn’t win.

“As if you’re not a golf fanatic…… this guy can’t live without golf. You have a lot of memberships, don’t you?”

“That’s a given.”

“I heard he recently bought a platinum golf club?”

“Platinum?”

When I widened my eyes, he waved his hand.

“I didn’t buy it; I received it as a gift. My son-in-law bought it as a gift when he went on a business trip overseas a while ago.”

Platinum must be incredibly expensive.

Even if I don’t know anything else, it’s clear that he’s obsessed with golf.

“Then, Minister, are you free next weekend?”

“Is there a good course somewhere?”

“Yes. I happened to get a membership, and I wanted to give it as a gift to someone who likes golf. It’s a newly opened place in Seongnam that’s themed around a winter golf course, and I heard the facilities are quite good.”

“Really?”

Hwang Sun-hyung’s eyes widened.

Sometimes people go on expeditions to Southeast Asia to play golf in the winter because it’s hard to play locally, but as the Minister of Education, he couldn’t do that, so he must have been itching to play.

But a newly opened golf course themed around a winter golf course…

It’s impossible for him not to be tempted.

“I don’t know if I’ll be free on the weekend…….”

He pondered seriously, then nodded before long.

“I’ll make sure to clear my schedule.”

“I understand.”

“Am I receiving an unexpected gift here in Jincheon?”

“Hahaha, not at all. Let’s have a toast.”

“Sounds good!”

***

“Wow, is this the platinum one you were talking about then…….”

“Hehehe, it’s embarrassing, but yes.”

Hwang Sun-hyung chuckled and showed me the golf club.

To be honest, I don’t know anything about golf.

“Wow, even the appearance is different.”

I showered him with compliments.

In reality, I’ve been learning golf for about three years.

However, I learned it not because it looked really fun, but for business purposes.

I only occasionally meet up with politicians to play.

“Right?”

He smiled contentedly and nodded.

“By the way, there are quite a few cars in the parking lot?”

He was worried about running into other people.

I waved my hand as if to say not to worry.

“The fields themselves are all independent, so once you go inside, there’s no need to worry about running into other teams. Besides, it’s a membership system, so ordinary people can’t enter easily.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Hwang Sun-hyung stretched his shoulders and warmed up.

“Shall we slowly start playing now?”

“Sounds good.”

As the caddies finished the basic setup, Minister Hwang gestured to me first.

“You go first.”

“Yes.”

I went straight ahead.

Then, I deliberately hit it slightly to the side.

So that it would head towards the boundary of the field.

“Oh no…….”

As I made a sound of regret, Minister Hwang burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! It can happen. Everyone makes mistakes when they’re a beginner.”

“I don’t know if it’s because I’m nervous today, but my shots aren’t going the way I want.”

He tilted his head and asked.

“Why are you nervous?”

“I heard that the Minister is very good…….”

“Hey, there’s no need to be. I just like it.”

“Haha, I’ll relax.”

I smiled and subtly turned my gaze towards where the golf ball had gone.

“The one I hit is up there…….”

“You still have to go hit it. You can hit it as long as it doesn’t go over. Don’t you know that Park Se-ri [famous South Korean golfer] took off her shoes and went into a well to hit it?”

I knew it.

“Ah, I remember.”

I smiled and nodded.

“I have to go then.”

“Yes.”

I naturally headed towards where I had hit it with the caddies.

After chatting with Minister Hwang Sun-hyung for a long time, pretending to be good and making mistakes, I moved up the hill a few more times.

Finally, I arrived at the boundary line with the field next to us.

Hwang Sun-hyung was already laughing, having secured an overwhelming victory.

“Try to hit it well this time.”

“I understand.”

I took a deep breath as if to steel myself.

But then.

A familiar face came into view from the field right next to us.

“Oh, isn’t that the Prime Minister over there?”

As I pointed with a sly look, Minister Hwang Sun-hyung widened his eyes and turned his gaze.

“Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae?”

“Yes. I think that’s him?”

I couldn’t see clearly, but it must be the Prime Minister.

According to his routine that the Hand of God had told me, he was playing on that field at this exact time.

That’s why I deliberately hit the ball to the side and approached this boundary line.

Perhaps feeling that we were pointing and talking about him, the Prime Minister’s group also fixed their gaze on us.

Sure enough, one of the caddies clapped and said.

“I heard that a VIP was coming to the next field today; I guess it was the Prime Minister.”

Nice shot, caddie.

“Ah, should we say hello then?”

“Hmm…….”

It would be awkward for them, who are in the midst of pushing and pulling over important issues, but if we noticed, the Prime Minister’s side would feel the same.

Because of his position as a minister, he wouldn’t be able to pretend not to know even if he wanted to.

“Should we just say a simple hello?”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

While we were contemplating, the Prime Minister’s group had already started coming towards us with the caddies in golf carts.

Even if they are higher up, the one who needs something comes.

In any case, the Prime Minister needed the power of the Minister of Education.

Soon, the Prime Minister approached me in a friendly manner and greeted me.

“I saw you from afar and wondered if it was you, but it’s indeed our Chief Prosecutor Choi and the Minister.”

“It’s been a while.”

“Hello.”

We exchanged brief greetings, but.

“It’s nice to see you in a place like this.”

The Prime Minister continued in a friendly tone.

“If I had known it was the same golf course, I would have come to see you sooner.”

“Um, yes.”

However, Minister Hwang Sun-hyung was still keeping his distance.

Before he could say a few words, he opened his mouth first.

“We’re in the middle of a betting golf game, so we need to concentrate.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Then have a good time.”

Hwang Sun-hyung bowed and turned around.

A deep regret was revealed on the Prime Minister’s face.

I gave a brief greeting and turned my body.

I had casually exchanged words with him in the past, but there was no need to have a long conversation in the current situation.

But instead.

I approached Minister Hwang Sun-hyung and pretended to be even closer.

“Ah, Minister. My shots aren’t going as well as I thought today; could you teach me separately?”

Raising my eyebrows.

“I’ll buy you a drink.”

Hwang Sun-hyung readily agreed.

“I’d teach you even if you didn’t buy me one. First of all, your posture, from what I saw a little while ago, you…….”

As he began to explain in detail, I subtly glanced at the Prime Minister’s side.

As expected.

The Prime Minister’s eyes sparkled.

Then, he quickly called his subordinate and began to instruct him to do something.

It seems like things are going to get interesting?