The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 289

Empty House Robbery (4)

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae’s lips were tightly sealed.

“Should I take your silence as a yes?”

“Ahem…”

He made a low cough, but still couldn’t open his mouth.

I smiled and turned away.

“Let’s move the location first. Someone else might be listening here.”

***

After a few steps, we arrived at my car parked by the roadside.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae was still mentally out of it, staring at the floor with hollow eyes.

All sorts of thoughts must be running through his head.

I turned off the parking lights and opened my mouth.

“Don’t be too nervous.”

“I don’t know what you think, but I…”

“I won’t misunderstand.”

I eased his tension for the moment.

“I’ll believe what you say. But please, be honest.”

“…….”

I looked straight at his face and said,

“Prime Minister.”

“Yes, Prosecutor Choi.”

“Do you want to seize the presidency?”

“…….”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae’s fists clenched tightly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t spread today’s conversation or use it to threaten you.”

After a long deliberation, he answered.

“If you’ve heard everything, you must have noticed to some extent.”

Knowing that he wouldn’t be believed if he denied it, he slowly nodded.

“Yes, I do. I don’t know what Prosecutor Choi thinks.”

“I understand.”

I continued as if it were obvious.

“What politician doesn’t want to climb to the top? It’s just that the methods and means of getting there are slightly different.”

“……Thank you.”

“That’s why I’m saying this.”

I took a deep breath and lowered my voice.

“Why don’t you join hands with me?”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae, who had been looking at the floor, finally raised his head and looked into my eyes.

“……What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

I opened my mouth, pretending to be honest.

“Like everyone else, I also want to climb to the top. It’s about helping each other out.”

“I can’t imagine how we would work together…”

“You have what I need to seize the presidency, and I have what you need, don’t I?”

His eyes began to gleam.

“Your popularity and my power.”

“That’s right.”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae’s position in the political world, especially in the People’s Party, is unique.

He is considered second only to Sung Tae-hyun.

However, what he needs to seize the presidency is not political standing, but the popularity of the people.

I have that, and I proved that I can push that popularity to someone else through Lee Doo-hyung’s election.

In other words, it’s an ability that Park Hyung-tae can’t help but covet.

And the power he holds is what I need for the empty house robbery.

“I confirmed that the revised college entrance exam bill was passed recently.”

“……Thank you. That’s entirely thanks to you.”

“I felt quite a lot while watching that.”

I continued, pretending to be genuinely impressed.

“To be honest, I was impressed by the bill. You really put your heart and soul into making each and every clause so that students can be free from the pressure of studying.”

A look of pride flashed across his face.

“I did a lot of research.”

“I thought that if someone like you led Korea, the future of young people would be brighter.”

I continued to stimulate Park Hyung-tae’s ambition.

“That’s why I think you are the right person to lead this country.”

His shoulders lifted slightly.

“Don’t flatter me too much.”

“No, it’s the truth.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s why I’m thinking of pushing you for the presidency.”

I smiled and added.

“We went through so much to pass that difficult education bill, shouldn’t we develop our relationship further?”

Park Hyung-tae finished thinking briefly and opened his mouth.

“If I could join hands with Prosecutor Choi, I would be more than happy. However…”

He opened his mouth cautiously.

“I’m worried about President Sung Tae-hyun’s eyes…” [referring to Sung Tae-hyun’s scrutiny or disapproval].

“Prime Minister.”

I leaned towards him and said.

“Do you know when is the biggest opportunity for the Prime Minister to capture the hearts of the people?”

“I’m not sure.”

I smirked at him.

“When you serve as Acting President.”

“……What?”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae’s pupils shook greatly.

Acting President.

The authority that the Prime Minister has when the President cannot properly perform his duties due to impeachment, resignation, sick leave, etc.

In other words, Sung Tae-hyun is stepping down.

“If you serve as Acting President, you can fully capture the hearts of the people. The People’s Party’s lost votes will also be directed to you.”

“You don’t mean…”

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Are you trying to overthrow this government?”

“You know that I’m not the kind of person to make empty promises, right?”

“Then what do you want?”

Park Hyung-tae clenched his fists tightly.

“You wouldn’t have chosen me just to bring down Sung Tae-hyun.”

“Just help me once with the authority of the Prime Minister soon.”

“In what way?”

“Confirm it first.”

I said slyly.

“If you hear it and then betray me, I’ll be the only one in trouble.”

“…….”

He closed his mouth tightly and fell into thought.

He wouldn’t be able to make a decision easily.

Joining hands with me means challenging the presidency at the risk of his Prime Ministership.

But if he refuses, I won’t just sit back and watch his mysterious relationship with the election management committee chairman, whom he secretly conspired with.

The deliberation was long, but the answer was obvious, so I wasn’t worried.

He’s already blinded by the position of president and is already preparing for the presidential election, so he can’t refuse my offer.

As expected, before long, he slowly nodded.

“Okay. Let’s work together.”

“You made a good choice.”

I smiled and continued.

“There’s only one thing you need to do.”

“Tell me.”

“Soon, a request for approval will be submitted under the name of the Minister of Justice.”

“All I have to do is sign it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae frowned.

“But the President handles most of the cases directly.”

“What if the President is not in the country?”

“……Ah!”

“You process it when you have the President’s authority.”

At that moment, his eyebrows shot up.

“Wait a minute, is that related to you?”

“Yes.”

He shook his head violently.

“That’s difficult. If Sung Tae-hyun finds out, I’ll be the one to get cut off first, regardless of acting president or anything else.”

“Is that really the case?”

I smiled slyly.

Then, very leisurely.

“Do you think I would move without any preparation?”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae flinched and leaned back.

“Just help me, Prime Minister. Just process that one approval and wait, and you’ll automatically become the Acting President.”

“…….”

“Then I’ll contact you again.”

“Okay.”

He got out of the car with a dark expression.

His head must be complicated.

He accepted the story that he would work with me, but I wasn’t sure that he would definitely do so.

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae is a bat-like human being.

No matter what he says in front of you, he’s the kind of person who turns around if it seems like it’ll be even slightly disadvantageous to him.

However, there was no need to worry.

If I wait patiently, the rest will be solved directly by the Hand of God next to him.

That’s why I put Ko Seong-tak next to him.

If he plays an active role, the unstable elements will be removed at once.

***

“I’m sorry for coming to you so late.”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae apologized with a complicated face.

“No, it’s okay. I was awake anyway.”

The person he visited late at night, close to midnight, was none other than Ko Joong-hyuk.

Everything was flowing as Choi Seo-joon had predicted.

“I have such a headache that I can’t sleep…”

“Take your time. We have plenty of time.”

“Thank you.”

He took a sip of coffee and then.

“I met the chairman of the election commission a little while ago. You know Supreme Court Justice Yang Cheol-joong, who we talked about last time, right?”

“Yes. I recommended him to you because of the next presidential election, didn’t I?”

“That’s right. But as I was talking to that friend and trying to go home, Choi Seo-joon suddenly appeared. He said he was out for a walk by chance, but he heard everything I said to Yang Cheol-joong. So…”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae told the whole story, without leaving out a single word, and expressed his frustrated feelings.

Ko Joong-hyuk, the Hand of God, who heard the situation, sensed that it was finally his time to shine.

However, he was managing his expression, pretending to be constantly worried so that Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae wouldn’t notice.

“To be honest, that kind of offer is tempting. But I don’t know if I can trust Choi Seo-joon, and I’m worried about whether it’s right to take a gamble in the current situation.”

He frowned and continued.

“I’m wondering if I should just stab him in the back later. If I tell the President now, he’ll be able to handle it somehow.”

Ko Seong-tak slowly nodded and then.

“May I tell you my honest thoughts?”

“Of course. That’s why I came at this hour.”

“I don’t think it’s a gamble.”

Ko Seong-tak said firmly.

“What kind of person is Choi Seo-joon? He’s devoured more than one or two presidents so far. And he made this offer? To the Prime Minister, who is close to Sung Tae-hyun?”

He continued as if it were obvious.

“It means everything is already prepared.”

At that moment, goosebumps broke out on Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae’s body.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Choi Seo-joon is never the type to move until he’s perfectly prepared.”

“So, the preparations to take down Sung Tae-hyun are already complete?”

“100%. So, you have to go with him unconditionally. At least Choi Seo-joon isn’t the type to stab his teammates in the back.”

Prime Minister Park Hyung-tae slowly nodded.

“……I think you’re right.”

“Yes. I was just giving you advice at other times, but this time, I think the answer is already set.”

Park Hyung-tae had followed all of Ko Seong-tak’s advice so far.

But if he says it with such conviction, he can’t help but listen.