The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 321

Finding Treasure (4)

“Hello, Senior Prosecutor!”

Lee Doo-hyung bowed deeply as he greeted me.

“It’s been a while.”

“Senior, this is for you……”

He handed me a bag containing a set of deer antler and red ginseng extract.

“Hey, Doo-hyung. You didn’t have to buy something like this for me.”

“I picked it up on the way; please don’t feel burdened.”

“I’ll enjoy it. Thanks.”

Lee Doo-hyung smiled brightly and took a seat.

“Are you still investigating the case you mentioned last time?”

“I’ve almost finished gathering the data, and I think I’ll need to go to Japan soon to start the lawsuit.”

“Have you already found a local lawyer?”

“I found one from W&K. His name is Kim Sang-moon, and he’s licensed to practice law in both Korea and Japan.”

“Ah, he’s quite famous.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He’s known for his loyalty and even more so for his skills. It seems you’ve found a good partner.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Lee Doo-hyung spoke cautiously.

“By the way, it must have been a difficult decision, but you’re truly amazing. I wouldn’t have dared to take such a risk.”

“Isn’t there a saying, ‘High risk, high reward’?”

He nodded slowly, as if he expected that answer.

Even if he didn’t know about the plan for an unopposed entry [running unopposed in the primary election], he knew that I would be running for president.

“A gamble, then.”

“Exactly. If I win this case, in the presidential election……”

“You’ll come back with tremendous support.”

“That’s right.”

Lee Doo-hyung carefully opened his mouth.

“So, is it confirmed that you’ll be running in the 25th presidential election?”

“Unless there’s a major upset, I probably will.”

“I see.”

He asked in a serious voice.

“Is there anything else I can do to help? Please, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Actually, I called you here today because I have another favor to ask.”

I said with an awkward smile.

“I feel bad because I seem to be giving you a lot of work lately, starting with the inquiry to Russia……”

“No, Senior. I’ll be upset if you talk like that. Please, feel free to ask.”

“I appreciate you saying that.”

His loyalty is unmatched.

Even if everyone else in the world betrayed me, Lee Doo-hyung, along with Yoon Seol-ha, are the kind of people who would stay by my side.

“Do you happen to have any connections with the Japanese Embassy?”

He pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

“I don’t have any direct connections, but I can make them if necessary.”

I lowered my voice and leaned towards him.

“I’d like you to create a platform for me to speak directly with the Japanese Prime Minister through the ambassador.”

“Are you referring to Prime Minister Matsumoto?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm……”

Lee Doo-hyung stroked his chin, looking troubled.

“Meeting the Japanese ambassador is possible somehow, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to meet Prime Minister Matsumoto.”

I had expected as much.

This isn’t because Lee Doo-hyung lacks ability, but because of the Japanese ambassador’s limitations.

No matter how high-ranking an ambassador is, it would be very difficult to arrange a private meeting with him without connections to the President [of South Korea].

“However, I will give it a try.”

“Just trying won’t do.”

I continued seriously.

“You must arrange a meeting. It’s not about setting a fixed date; it’s about having it available whenever I want.”

Lee Doo-hyung clasped his hands together and thought for a moment, then nodded with a determined expression.

“In that case, I will make it happen no matter what, even if it means going through a different channel than the Japanese ambassador.”

“Can you do it?”

“Yes. What connection can’t a member of the National Assembly [South Korea’s legislative branch] reach in South Korea? I will somehow arrange a meeting. Please, trust me.”

“I’m counting on you. It’s a very important matter.”

“Is it related to this lawsuit?”

“Yes.”

I lowered my voice.

“You can say that the outcome of the lawsuit depends on it.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s a matter of South Korea’s honor, so I can use the power of a National Assembly member.”

He added with a wink.

“Of course, it will be unofficial.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

He smiled lightly.

“By when do you need it done?”

“There’s not much time.”

The lawsuit in Japan will begin soon.

If we win, they will certainly not end it with just the first trial but will go to the second and third trials, and if we lose, I will directly appeal and take it to the Supreme Court.

Now, there is only about a year left until the presidential election.

Considering the second and third trials, we must start the lawsuit as soon as possible.

However, unless I negotiate with Prime Minister Matsumoto using the video, defeat is inevitable no matter how much evidence we have.

Time is not on our side.

“Can you handle it as quickly as possible?”

“Understood. I will start moving tomorrow.”

“I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t worry. I will report the progress as it unfolds.”

“Okay, thank you. I’m very lucky to have met you.”

“I should be the one saying that, Senior.”

He stood up from his seat with a reliable expression.

“Instead of this, I think I should leave first. If I’m going to move tomorrow, I should prepare in advance today.”

“Okay. Be careful on your way.”

“Yes. Don’t bother seeing me out.”

Lee Doo-hyung bowed again at a 90-degree angle and left the office.

I sat in my seat and turned my gaze to the calendar.

It’s mid-October now.

The presidential election will be held in mid to late December next year, but considering candidate registration and preliminary groundwork, the lawsuit must not exceed one year at the latest.

One year for three trials.

It’s very tight, but it’s not entirely impossible.

If our evidence is sufficient and the other side doesn’t have proper rebuttal data, the appeals to the High Court or Supreme Court could be dismissed.

Even if it’s not dismissed, if they don’t have the data, they might not drag out the trial for long.

So, the most important thing is the first trial.

The subsequent situation will be determined by the initial verdict.

We must win.

Bzzzz.

At that moment, my cell phone vibrated.

To be exact, the burner phone.

Checking the caller ID, it was an international call.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

-Prosecutor. It’s me, Go Pro.

As expected.

“Yes. Is everything going well?”

-Yes. Everything is going very well.

I could sense a pleasant feeling in Go Joong-hyuk’s voice.

-I have news that you’ve been anticipating. I found it, the USB.

Yes!

Both fists clenched.

I had a good feeling about this.

“Did you check the contents?”

-Yes. I will send it to you by email right now.

“Okay. You have the original, right?”

-Of course. I will keep it safe to prevent any leaks. Ms. Kim Nana has only verified the video and will not have access to it.

“Good job. Hold onto it until you return.”

-Understood.

“By the way, you found it faster than I thought. How did you find it?”

-Ms. Kim Nana really stepped up. While the video is being transmitted, let me briefly explain…….

***

“Another day, another strikeout.”

Go Joong-hyuk entered the hotel and slumped into a chair, sounding exhausted.

“Didn’t you expect it to some extent?”

Kim Nana sat cross-legged and said primly.

“Even though the Prime Minister himself mobilized people to search, they still haven’t found it. It would be strange if we found it easily.”

“That’s true, but……”

Go Joong-hyuk sighed.

“I didn’t think it would take this long.”

It’s already been over ten days.

We investigated the traces of the deceased Watanabe Kenshi, including his family and acquaintances, and even disguised ourselves to visit bank vaults, suspecting he might have hidden it there, but nothing turned up.

We’ve searched almost everywhere, but there’s not even a trace, so it’s frustrating.

Kim Nana opened a bottle of wine without even changing her clothes, drank it straight from the bottle, and spoke in a low voice.

“The method is wrong.”

“In what way?”

“First of all, it’s certain that there’s a backup, right?”

“That’s right. Attorney Choi Seo-joon said so……”

“The Japanese government must have searched all the places we thought of.”

“But they couldn’t find it.”

“Then, aren’t there only two possibilities left?”

“What are they?”

“The first is that it’s in a place where no one can find it. A place that outsiders would never know about. A secret place that only the reporter Watanabe knew.”

“Then how do we find it?”

“We can’t.”

Kim Nana shrugged and took another sip of wine.

“We’re not psychics; how can we find it? We can’t look into the past.”

“Then let’s skip that one. What’s the second?”

“It’s often said that the darkest place is under the lamp [the most obvious place is often overlooked].”

She smirked and stood up from her seat.

“There’s a high possibility that it’s hidden in a place we’ve already searched or excluded.”

“I don’t know.”

“Think about it. He’s a reporter, right? Would he have defied the Prime Minister and put the backup in a place where anyone could find it?”

“……”

“But he wouldn’t have hidden it in a place where no one could find it either. According to our investigation, he knew he was being threatened by the Prime Minister.”

Kim Nana smirked lightly.

“Then the conclusion is one. A place he knows best, but others don’t know well. That’s where he hid it. Where would that be?”

Go Joong-hyuk thought for a moment and asked with a doubtful expression.

“Could it be his house?”

“Bingo.”

She put the wine bottle on the table and stood up from her seat.

“It must be hidden there.”

“Didn’t you hear the family? The police came there five times and searched the entire house thoroughly. They took all the electronic devices.”

“In other words, they couldn’t find it.”

“……”

“If it’s not there after searching the outside like that, it’s 100 percent in the house.”

Kim Nana’s lips twisted slyly.

“I know hiding psychology best. Just follow me.”

She put on her coat and left the hotel.

***

“Come in.”

At Kim Nana’s gesture, Go Joong-hyuk, who had been lying in wait in the car, chuckled and opened the door to get out.

“Wow……”

He couldn’t help but chuckle.

As soon as he entered the house, a huge man weighing over 100 kilograms was lying unconscious and fast asleep.

“This person was Watanabe Kenshi’s brother, right?”

“Yes.”

We knew that the Watanabe brothers lived independently and alone.

But to infiltrate like this.

“Did you put him to sleep with drugs?”

“Yes.”

“Where did you get the drugs?”

“What kind of soldier goes to war without a gun?”

For her, who only commits big crimes, getting sleeping pills and smuggling them overseas was a piece of cake.

“Now let’s search. Don’t make too much noise in case he wakes up.”

“Yes.”

Go Joong-hyuk naturally headed for the closed room.

“You shouldn’t go there.”

Go Joong-hyuk stopped at Kim Nana’s words.

“Isn’t this Watanabe Kenshi’s room?”

“That’s right.”

We also knew that Watanabe’s parents had requested that the room not be touched, hoping that their missing son would return someday, so the room was preserved as it was when Watanabe Kenshi was alive.

However, Kim Nana shrugged as if it were obvious.

“Do you think the people sent by the Prime Minister didn’t check there? They would have searched it first. Very thoroughly. It won’t be there.”

“Ah, then……”

“For example, here in the living room?”

Kim Nana stood in place and slowly scanned the living room.

Then, she walked straight towards the veranda [balcony].

She took out the plants in the pots and began to stir the soil roughly.

“What are you doing?”

“Just watch quietly.”

Go Joong-hyuk frowned and closed his mouth, watching the scene, and Kim Nana dug through the pots one by one.

And the moment she put her arm into the sixth pot and stirred.

She paused, then smiled brightly and pulled her hand out of the pot with something in it.

“I found it.”

“……Really?”

Go Joong-hyuk hurriedly ran over to check.

In Kim Nana’s hand was a USB securely sealed in a zip-lock bag.

“It seems to me that he hid the backup containing the secret video well so that no one could find it, but what do you think, Go Pro?”

“Hehe……”

The USB itself is also quite an old model.

There was no denying it.

“How did you find it?”

“I told you. Someone who has hidden something before knows where to hide it well.”

Kim Nana winked with a pinched nose.

“Would people who have only worked as bodyguards or civil servants ever think of digging in the soil in a flower pot and hiding something? They would have searched for basements or secret spaces like crazy.”

She winked with a confident expression.

“There’s a reason why Attorney Choi Seo-joon called me.”