The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 324

For the Fatherland and the People (3)

***

“Me?”

Prime Minister Matsumoto’s lips curled into a smile.

“Suddenly, that guy wants to meet me?”

– Yes. He didn’t explicitly state the reason, but he seemed eager to meet urgently.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? It must be because of this lawsuit.”

Prime Minister Matsumoto chuckled sinisterly.

‘Choi Seo-jun must be feeling frustrated.’

He knew he would struggle in any way possible.

Prime Minister Matsumoto himself had instructed to corner them from the first trial and to proceed with the trial in a biased manner.

‘How dare he try to challenge me?’

Prime Minister Matsumoto believed that Japan had already sufficiently apologized and reflected on its past.

That’s why he intended to nip it in the bud with this lawsuit.

If they vaguely glossed over it and admitted wrongdoing again, he thought Korea would constantly use the past to hold Japan back.

He thought that by thoroughly suppressing them and showing them who’s boss, such a thing would never happen again.

That’s why he developed the situation in this way.

– Judging by the nuance, he seemed very eager to meet.

Without being told, he would likely protest or argue about this lawsuit.

Or he might offer a bribe, or, being a politically influential figure, he might propose another deal through policies related to diplomacy with Japan.

In any case, what was certain was that Prime Minister Matsumoto was the superior party, and the Korean side was the inferior one.

“My schedule is quite open this week…”

Normally, he would have scoffed and not even bothered to meet, but this time was different.

He wanted to see the person so praised and revered as a national hero in Korea squirming and looking troubled in front of him.

He wanted to witness with his own eyes him bowing his head to the Japanese Prime Minister.

This meant that he would be acknowledging that Korea could not win with their own power alone.

“Bring him in.”

– Ah, is that alright?

“But we need to make him sweat a bit.”

Prime Minister Matsumoto chuckled and looked at the calendar.

“Tell him to come next Thursday, late in the day. We know his accommodation, so just inform him of the time, 6 PM. The security team will pick him up.”

– Understood.

After hanging up, Prime Minister Matsumoto began to imagine lewd scenarios again.

“Should I install a CCTV and record him bowing his head in a video? Or should I broadcast it live?”

Of course, there was no possibility of it happening.

However, one thing was certain.

Choi Seo-jun would be sweating until next Thursday, and he was confident that Choi Seo-jun would feel a wall when he met Prime Minister Matsumoto himself.

His mind was filled with wishful thinking.

***

Knock, knock.

Opening the door at the knock, I saw three men in suits standing there.

“Are you Choi Seo-jun?”

“Yes.”

“The Prime Minister sent us. Please follow us.”

Without a word, I followed the men.

They took me down to the parking lot via the staff elevator, put me in a black sedan, and immediately set off.

Only silence filled the car.

But I wasn’t nervous or trembling.

After all, my phone contained Prime Minister Matsumoto’s weakness.

I didn’t need any other equipment like recorders.

There was no way that a person representing a country, especially at this time when this sensitive issue had become a hot topic, would make any slip-ups that could be used against him.

Besides, seeing that they came to pick me up exactly one week after I asked for the appointment, Prime Minister Matsumoto’s intentions were obvious.

He was trying to make me sweat.

He probably thought I was psychologically cornered.

Judging from their attitude in the first trial, the Prime Minister must have heard about the trial situation.

No, frankly speaking, I thought there was a possibility that the Prime Minister had directly instructed these matters.

In any case, Prime Minister Matsumoto was certain that we would offer him hush money to overcome this situation, or that the President of Korea would be behind us, trying to make a political deal.

Otherwise, there was no way he would drag out the time like this.

Tsk, tsk.

I could already picture him regretting not meeting me sooner when he saw the video containing his misdeeds, which was almost pitiful.

What I was most worried about was not being able to meet Prime Minister Matsumoto.

If I couldn’t actually meet him, negotiation would be impossible, and I wouldn’t gain anything by releasing the video.

However, regardless of what the other party was thinking, the fact that the meeting had been arranged meant that I could control the situation as I pleased.

That’s why I felt very comfortable throughout the journey.

To exaggerate a little, I felt like I could fall asleep in this situation if I closed my eyes.

How long did we drive in silence?

Just as I was starting to get bored, the car stopped in front of a deserted building on the outskirts of the city.

“Should I get off here?”

“Yes. Please go inside and wait. The Prime Minister will be here soon.”

“Alright.”

I went straight into the building.

The men didn’t follow.

However, judging by the fact that I didn’t hear the car leaving, they seemed to be guarding nearby to prevent outsiders from entering.

I found an electric kettle, brewed a warm cup of green tea, and sat on the sofa.

I started waiting for him while drinking tea.

As expected of a Prime Minister, he didn’t come right away.

He was going to make me wait because he was a high-ranking official.

Since I wasn’t in a hurry, I waited leisurely for a long time.

How long had it been?

Creak.

The door opened, and a familiar face entered.

“Sorry for being late. I’m Prime Minister Matsumoto.”

The same face I saw on TV.

No, his complexion seemed even better, perhaps because the smile on his lips never faded.

“I’m Choi Seo-jun.”

“Did you wait long?”

“Yes.”

Prime Minister Matsumoto seemed surprised that I didn’t say no, but he quickly regained his composure.

“I apologize. Something suddenly came up, and I had to take care of it.”

“It’s alright.”

He sat down and looked at me with both eyes, speaking without delay.

“Shall we get straight to the point? I’m very busy. I barely managed to make time for this…”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

I also began to speak in earnest.

“To be honest, Prime Minister, you’re very interested in this lawsuit, aren’t you?”

“Oh, do you think so?”

Prime Minister Matsumoto shrugged innocently.

“I’ve been so busy with state affairs that I only found out about it after receiving a report this time.”

It was obvious that he was eager to take the lead.

Well.

If I didn’t have Watanabe Kenshi’s USB, I would have had no choice but to fret over his attitude.

But my phone contains the video.

With safeguards in place through Yoon Seol-ha in Korea.

“I don’t want anything else.”

I said calmly, without being hasty.

“I just hope that this lawsuit will be conducted fairly, according to Japanese law, especially in a straightforward process that doesn’t represent the interests of one country or contain bias and political interpretations. The law should be interpreted legally.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

Prime Minister Matsumoto nodded, widening his eyes.

“I also agree with that. In this lawsuit, the judge will make a ruling based on their conscience and in accordance with principles. I have no doubt that they will.”

He twisted one corner of his mouth and added.

“I’m just curious, but does Korea interpret and judge laws with a culturally biased perspective?”

I chuckled at those words.

Prime Minister Matsumoto, this guy is trying to mock me.

How could he say such a thing when the first trial at the sacred court was openly biased?

“I don’t think you should say that.”

I spoke with thorny words, but Prime Minister Matsumoto didn’t retract the barbs in his words.

“I don’t know about Korea, but Japan is a country with a clear separation of powers. You requested a fair ruling, but I’m not in a position to instruct the court in the first place. I don’t have the authority.”

So, that’s how he’s coming out.

It’s absurd to deny it so blatantly.

He didn’t stop there.

“Why, are you scared of losing?”

This man doesn’t know his limits.

Having been re-elected as Prime Minister several times in Japan, his self-esteem seems to have risen beyond the sky.

It seems that he sees everyone else as subordinates.

“So, why are you starting a fight that you can’t win, really…”

He raised his eyebrows and leaned towards me.

“Since you’re going to lose anyway, just do some media play in Korea. That will help you save face.”

“Do you think I’m going to lose?”

“Of course.”

Prime Minister Matsumoto looked at me with a mean look.

“Isn’t that why you came to me to ask for a favor? To look after you.”

He’s really letting his imagination run wild.

I was speechless, and he suddenly clapped his hands and asked me.

“Ah, do you perhaps like Japan too much?”

“What?”

“You know, like when you have a crush on someone when you were young, you deliberately bully them more.”

I decided to listen to his nonsense.

“So, after bothering them, you want to get their attention and immigrate to Japan.”

“You’re saying ridiculous things as if they’re obvious.”

“Isn’t that why you keep bringing up the Japanese colonial era issue?”

This guy brought up something he shouldn’t have.

“If you miss the days when we ruled you, just tell us. We’ll gladly govern you again.”

Prime Minister Matsumoto burst into laughter.

This won’t do.

I was going to ‘negotiate’ within reasonable limits without ‘threatening,’ but.

This guy is not someone you can talk to.

“Hoo.”

I took a breath.

Slicked back my hair.

Glared at him as if I would devour him.

And spoke in a voice as cold as ice.

“You’re spouting nonsense after playing around with your daughter, you son of a bitch.”

“…What?”

Prime Minister Matsumoto’s expression froze instantly.

He looked like he had misheard.

“Matsumoto Midori. She’s your daughter, right? Or should I call her your lover?”

“What kind of crazy bastard is this!”

He jumped up from his seat and exploded with anger.

“How dare you slander my daughter?”

“Do you think I’m bluffing?”

I returned the mean smile he had given me.

“Do you think I’m the kind of person who would come all the way here and bring up such a story without any evidence? Are you that lacking in research about people?”

“You son of a… you…!”

He started rattling off Japanese rapidly, like a machine gun.

I didn’t know what he was saying because it was too fast, but I understood that he was cursing and saying that I was talking nonsense without evidence.

Then there was no need to explain further.

While he was venting his anger, I took out my phone, played the video I had transferred from Watanabe Kenshi’s USB, and pointed to it with my chin as I threw it on the table.

Only then did Prime Minister Matsumoto’s mouth shut tightly, and his face turned pale, beyond pale, and froze.

Soon after, he couldn’t control his excitement and his limbs trembled, and his lips even started to quiver as if he was having a seizure.

And before long, his legs gave way, and he plopped down on the sofa.

I twisted the corners of my mouth roughly, glared at him intently, and opened my mouth.

“Say it one more time, you Jap bastard.”