The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 35

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 35 (35/341)

The Heavenly Net (2)

Wolhyang, seemingly unable to immediately process the shift in atmosphere, blinked, looking from me to Bae Jinsoo, trying to gauge his reaction.

However, Bae Jinsoo, who had been fiercely red-faced just moments before, now wore a gentle smile, as if nothing had happened, returning our gaze.

“So, it was all an act?”

“Yes. I wanted to talk to Wolhyang-ssi privately.”

“Haaa.”

Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, patting her chest.

“It’s nothing difficult. Just do what you usually do.”

“I wonder what’s going on that required such an act…”

Wolhyang chuckled dryly and continued, “Let’s hear the deal first.”

She took out a necklace with an emerald and a hidden camera from her inner pocket and placed it on the table.

Opening the packaging box, Wolhyang’s eyes widened as she looked at my face.

“This design is exactly like my necklace…”

“I prepared it knowing that.”

“How did you know?”

Without answering, I went straight to the point. “Just wear this necklace and entertain the guests.”

“Outside?”

“No. Here, as you always do.”

I explained in detail to her, who had furrowed her brow slightly. “You know Section Chief Kang Hyunsoo, right?”

“Section Chief Kang Hyunsoo…”

She retraced her memory and then nodded. “Ah, yes. I know him, that pain in the ass.”

Wolhyang seemed to have a lot to say about Kang Hyunsoo, barely holding it in.

Just in case there was someone else with the same name, I even showed her his picture to confirm.

Wolhyang nodded, then paused as if realizing something, and looked at me with surprised eyes. “How did you know that Section Chief Kang Hyunsoo requested me specifically?”

“That’s a trade secret.”

“There’s a reason you’re a star prosecutor.”

It wasn’t sarcasm, but genuine admiration.

“When Section Chief Kang Hyunsoo comes as a guest, wear this necklace and entertain him.”

“This isn’t an ordinary necklace, is it?”

Wolhyang seemed to catch on, picking up the necklace and examining it closely.

“I can’t see the camera… is it a voice recorder?”

“It’s a camera.”

“I can’t see it at all.”

“It’s made to be invisible so it won’t get caught. You don’t have to worry about Kang Hyunsoo finding out.”

“I see.”

She bit her lip intriguingly.

“Is this another prosecution hunt?”

I smiled brightly and replied. “You don’t need to know that far.”

“I guess not.”

Wolhyang shrugged and put the necklace down.

“Just wear it as usual and film when Section Chief Kang Hyunsoo comes. The angle will be natural, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Why are there two?”

She raised her eyebrows.

“It’s hard to involve other people.”

“Just alternate between them. After using one, give it to us, and while we’re working on it, wear the other one. Then, after filming again, exchange the second necklace for the first one.”

“You’re not doing this just once or twice, are you?”

“Just do it during the fall.”

“Starting next month, then.”

“No. From tomorrow until fall.”

Wolhyang didn’t refuse, just nodded silently, then raised one corner of her mouth and brought up the most important thing for her.

“You’re not going to threaten me with the fact that I work here, are you?”

She twisted her lips.

“How much are you going to pay me?”

Now it was Bae Jinsoo’s turn.

He had been listening silently, but now he leaned his arm on the table and spoke to Wolhyang.

“A big one [a large sum of money] as a down payment. A small one [a smaller sum of money] for each filming session.”

Wolhyang scoffed.

“Do you know how much I make here? I slap the cheeks of most major company executives [I have a lot of influence and connections with important people].”

Her words were full of confidence.

At least that much was true.

While cracking down on prostitution in the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office, I knew that pimps and related workers were raking in money with hooks [making a lot of money through illegal activities].

“Two big ones.”

“The bonus is too small compared to the down payment.”

“You’re not filming just once or twice.”

“That means I’m suffering just as much.”

As expected, Wolhyang, who worked in a high-end *yujeong* [a type of upscale entertainment establishment], didn’t back down in words either.

Bae Jinsoo raised the amount without changing his expression.

“Three small ones for each filming session.”

“Give me five.”

“Four.”

“Five.”

At her firm words, Bae Jinsoo thought deeply and then spoke at length.

“Then five for each filming session, and two big ones after the job is completely done instead of the down payment. How’s that?”

Wolhyang’s eyes curved as if she understood.

“You’re putting up insurance, right?”

“Five isn’t a small amount.”

“Okay.”

She readily replied.

“Let’s do that.”

Wolhyang reached out her hand, and I shook it.

“How should we contact each other? Can I have your business card?”

I handed her a cell phone.

“It’s a burner phone [a disposable phone used to avoid being traced]. If you contact the saved number, you’ll reach Reporter Bae, and you can exchange the necklace and money each time.”

“Nice, clean.”

I had also obtained two burner phones.

One given to Wolhyang and one given to Bae Jinsoo in advance.

If they contacted each other using burner phones, no evidence would be left unless the identity of the phones was revealed.

“Don’t even think about siding with Section Chief Kang Hyunsoo.”

Reporter Bae Jinsoo glared and said.

“My nickname is Mad Dog. Once I bite, I don’t let go. You’ll see your face on the news for the rest of your life.”

Wolhyang wasn’t intimidated by the harsh threat and spoke boldly.

“Just prepare the money properly. This is all to make money. Isn’t that right?”

Bae Jinsoo chuckled and nodded.

“It seems like the story is over, so shall we have some fun?”

He seemed to be thinking of getting his money’s worth since he came all the way here.

I didn’t have any particular aversion either.

While Bae Jinsoo was calling the madam, Wolhyang approached me with a fox-like smile, sticking close to me.

“Does our prosecutor know how to have fun too?”

I wrapped my arm around her waist and whispered.

“I’m second to none.”

***

When it was time to pay, I barely swallowed a burst of laughter.

The level was incomparable to ordinary establishments.

If it were me in the past, I would have trembled while handing over my card.

Because just a few hours of playing cost more than the annual salary of ordinary people.

As if proving the worth of that price, the designated driver wasn’t from a regular company but from the *yujeong* itself.

Bae Jinsoo was already heavily drunk, burying his face in the seat and falling asleep, and I was sitting in the back seat, staring blankly at the passing streetlights.

Thanks to the tipsy feeling, the scenery outside the window swayed pleasantly.

The designated driver was focused on driving without even looking at the rearview mirror once.

How long had we been driving? Raindrops began to fall one by one outside the window.

The raindrops shattering on the window left long traces as if scratched by fingernails, and soon the raindrops became thicker.

I wonder if it’s raining in Seoul too.

I took out my cell phone to check the weather.

On the screen, which I hadn’t seen in a few hours, there was an unexpected notification.

-Unread message: 1

Hoping for the best, I immediately checked the text message.

-Sender: 30

-Video

A future text message.

When did it come?

I must not have heard the phone ringing because I was busy talking inside.

Bae Jinsoo was snoring deeply, and the designated driver didn’t seem like he would talk until we arrived, so I immediately played the video on the spot.

-Section Chief Kang Hyunsoo, Nam Woo-hyun, Kim Joo-cheol, and even the vice president of SL Group came. All four of them are in the video.

The first thing I heard was Wolhyang’s voice.

The conversation seemed to be taking place in a car.

Wolhyang was sitting in the passenger seat. Next to her in the driver’s seat was… Bae Jinsoo.

However, unlike the Bae Jinsoo I had seen several times so far, his eyes were filled with an unknown madness.

Bae Jinsoo silently took the necklace from Wolhyang, quickly scanned the video she had filmed, confirmed it, and nodded.

-It’s filmed properly.

-Is this the last one?

-Yeah. It’s over.

-Haa, it’s finally over. It’s already the end of November… I was so anxious all fall.

End of November.

It seems that the meeting between the three chief prosecutors and the vice president of SL Group will take place then.

Even though I found out the timing, I didn’t intend to change the content I discussed with Wolhyang.

The more evidence, the better, and the payment for filming the video will be paid in the heart of politics.

Wolhyang stretched refreshingly, as if greatly relieved that she had finished the task, and spoke frankly.

-I’m going to quit my job soon and open a clothing store in the countryside. I want to live quietly now.

-It seems like you’ve saved enough money.

-Yes. If I combine what I’ve saved from working so far with what I received this time, it will be enough. Since the house prices are cheap in the countryside, I’ll be able to get my own house too.

-…I see.

Bae Jinsoo answered slowly and closed the laptop.

Wolhyang turned around to the back seat and asked.

-The money is in the back seat… oh, it’s not here?

-Ah, this time the amount is so large that I brought it in the trunk.

-Now that it’s over, can I take it?

-Of course.

Bae Jinsoo got out of the car with Wolhyang.

A large money bag placed in the center of the trunk and a folding shovel placed in the corner came into view.

Wolhyang picked up the money bag without suspicion and smiled contentedly.

-It’s definitely heavy because the amount is large.

Wolhyang lifted the money bag a few times as if feeling its weight.

-It seems a little difficult to carry because it’s heavy.

It was an implication to be driven home, but Reporter Bae Jinsoo gave a completely different answer than expected.

-Then you don’t have to take it.

-…Pardon?

Unlike the bewildered Wolhyang, Reporter Bae Jinsoo unfolded and assembled the folding shovel in the corner of the trunk without any change in expression.

-Why the shovel?

The moment Wolhyang felt something ominous and tried to look at Bae Jinsoo’s face.

Thwack!

Bae Jinsoo swung the shovel and struck Wolhyang’s head.

Wolhyang dropped the money bag she was holding and fell to the side like a paper doll, and Bae Jinsoo looked down at Wolhyang with a mad smile.

-Is it even right for a whore to take so much money for just doing whore things?

He continued with a trembling voice, grinning.

-Someone like me who works for the greater good should be using this.

At that time, the bell rang.

-Hoo.

Bae Jinsoo took a deep breath and answered the phone.

-Yes, Prosecutor Choi.

Prosecutor Choi….

-I was calling to ask if you were done with your work.

It’s me.

It’s definitely my voice.

Bae Jinsoo lied without batting an eye.

-Yes. I checked the video, and I confirmed that Wolhyang-ssi is going home.

-Yes. Thank you for your hard work.

-I’ll organize the video and see you on Monday.

-Okay. Have a good night.

-Yes, you too, Prosecutor.

Bae Jinsoo calmly hung up the phone, then put his hand on the trunk, looked up at the moon with bloodshot eyes, and muttered to himself.

-Yeah, tonight has to be a good night.

Reporter Bae Jinsoo smiled derisively and looked at Wolhyang in the trunk.

-Just bury that bitch and then.

He grabbed his trembling eyebrows and closed the trunk.