The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 46

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 46 (46/341)

The Hilt (2)

“Just set the date separately, please.”

“When would you like to schedule it?”

“As soon as possible. You know the location is my officetel [a Korean term for a multi-purpose building, often used as a residence and office], right?”

“Yes.”

She immediately picked up her phone and moved away, and I headed to the prosecutor’s office.

As I returned to the office, Jo Ara, the administrative officer, who had just hung up the phone, stood up as if she had something to say.

“Ah, Prosecutor.”

“Yes.”

“The Chief Prosecutor wants to see you now.”

“The Chief Prosecutor?”

“Yes. It seems he’s calling in the Deputy Chief Prosecutors separately to introduce himself.”

“I understand. I’ll go up right away.”

It seems that Chief Prosecutor Im Ju-young has moved up to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and the newly appointed Chief Prosecutor is trying to make his mark to establish his territory.

Since I’m on Chief Prosecutor Im Ju-young’s side, I shouldn’t have much to worry about.

***

“Greetings, I am Choi Seo-joon, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Special Investigation Department.”

“Oh, Choi Pro [short for Prosecutor]. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

The Chief Prosecutor smiled broadly and offered me a handshake.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you in person.”

“It’s an honor to serve you.”

He patted me on the shoulder and guided me to the sofa.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

Kim Jae-wook, the new Chief Prosecutor.

A man who had been a Chief Prosecutor at the Daejeon High Prosecutors’ Office and was recently appointed as the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

Before he came here, I heard from people on our side that he wasn’t a particularly threatening figure.

Good family, good education, good background, and he climbed up the ladder by riding the right lines.

I was already convinced that he had risen to the position of Chief Prosecutor, but he didn’t have the capacity to go any higher.

He asked me with an intrigued look.

“I heard that Choi Pro is the most famous prosecutor in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.”

“Ah, you flatter me.”

“Hey, I think it’s true, though.”

Chief Prosecutor Kim Jae-wook asked me tentatively.

“How far does our Choi Pro want to go?”

“Isn’t it natural to want to go as far as my abilities allow?”

“Hahaha, that’s the right answer.”

He leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs.

He slowly scanned me and naturally brought up another topic.

“What kind of cases is Choi Pro investigating these days?”

“I’m handling various cases, but the biggest one is the PR Group stock manipulation case. I predict the scale will be quite significant.”

“Is that so?”

In response to my answer, Chief Prosecutor Kim Jae-wook tilted his head back and slowly nodded.

“The great Choi Pro will handle it well on his own.”

“Thank you for your trust.”

“Of course. You’re Choi Pro.”

He smiled slyly and lowered his voice.

“We’re in the same alliance, so we should treat each other well. If there’s anyone you don’t like, tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

I could feel that he was openly testing me in his attitude.

I don’t know if he can’t act or if he’s deliberately showing it, but I could be sure of one thing.

This guy doesn’t suit me.

A completely different kind of human.

“Not yet.”

He smiled, curving his eyes.

“That’s a relief then.”

Chief Prosecutor Kim Jae-wook said with an unpleasant smile.

“Make a big splash and boost my prestige.”

“I’ll try my best.”

“Okay, you must be busy, go ahead.”

“Yes, rest well.”

I greeted him and left the Chief Prosecutor’s office.

All the way back to the prosecutor’s office, something bitter lingered in my mouth.

This is openly unpleasant.

I felt like he was constantly testing and probing me throughout the conversation.

Besides, the way he spoke had a nuance of trying to belittle me, like, ‘You’re Choi Seo-joon?’, ‘Are you that great?’

I had a gut feeling that I would clash with him several times while working.

He’s in the same line as Chief Kang Hyun-soo, and even the chilling feeling is the same.

Should I raise my guard even higher?

I thought it would be easy because we’re in the same alliance, but it seems like it will be even more of a headache.

My senses are becoming more acute day by day.

Every day feels like walking on a tightrope.

But I have to endure.

I have to overcome it to ascend to the throne.

***

“Hello, this is Choi Seo-joon.”

“I’m Im Seon-mi.”

Im Seon-mi bowed to me, looking visibly nervous.

“Please, sit down.”

“Ah, yes.”

I left her sitting and moved to the cupboard.

“Coffee? Or green tea?”

“Green tea…….”

“Okay.”

I lightly brewed high-quality green tea and brought it to her.

It was easier to talk when the tension was eased in business, so I decided to be as considerate as possible.

I sat down with a gentle face.

“What is your relationship with the Vice Minister?”

“Um… I just do what he tells me to do.”

“Do what you’re told, huh.”

I smiled and continued.

“It’s a hierarchical and coercive [meaning based on a strict ranking system and enforced obedience] relationship.”

“……Yes?”

“As a secretary, Ms. Im Seon-mi has always lived a hierarchical and coercive life, overwhelmed by authority.”

Without hesitation, I went straight to the point.

“I heard you’re having a lot of difficulties these days.”

“Ah, yes. I somehow got into debt…….”

“Our investigator heard that you needed trust, so I came out myself.”

“Yes… but I didn’t know that Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon would be involved.”

“A prosecutor must be involved in punishing the bad guys, of course. You know that Vice Minister Park was on Choi Eun-jung’s sex bribery list, don’t you?”

Instead of answering, she bit her lip.

Silent silence replaces affirmation.

It seems that Im Seon-mi already knew about it.

“That guy is a dirty bastard who even sexually harassed his secretary. He deserves to be punished.”

“Se, sexual harassment of his secretary?”

She opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Instead of speaking, I gestured slightly towards her.

Only then did she realize and let out a small exclamation.

“……Ah.”

“It would be difficult for Secretary Im to say something that isn’t true, so let’s stick to the facts.”

I leaned towards Im Seon-mi and said.

“Lightly seduce him.”

“Seduce him?”

“Yes. Attract his attention appropriately, and if there’s even one touch, start right away.”

“Ah…….”

She turned her gaze to the green tea cup as if she was worried.

It’s time to push her.

“Our investigator told you that we would pay off all your debts, right?”

“……Yes.”

“I’ll give you 300 million won [approximately $250,000 USD]. It’s more than enough to pay off all your debts.”

She couldn’t hide her surprise and even stuttered.

“3, 300 million won?”

“Yes. I can give you that much.”

I shrugged as if it was nothing.

I’m already over 90% there.

But in these kinds of cases, 100% isn’t enough.

I need to go to 120%, no, about 150% to ensure my safety.

“You may be worried about your career. Of course, you would be. How else would you have risen to the position of Vice Minister’s secretary? Isn’t that right?”

Im Seon-mi blinked and swallowed hard.

I smiled and added a key word.

“You should go to the Blue House [the executive office and official residence of the President of South Korea].”

“The Blue House?”

Her eyes widened so much that they seemed to pop out.

“Yes. Even if it’s not the Presidential Secretariat, it’s a good opportunity to get in there. Isn’t it tempting enough, even if it’s not for the money?”

I even used what President Kwon Jae-cheol had directly suggested.

The game was already over the moment the word Blue House came out.

I could tell by her eyes.

This is over 150%, it’s 200%.

Im Seon-mi even put down the teacup she was holding on the table and nodded.

“I’ll do it.”

“Will you really do it?”

“Yes. I really want to be helpful.”

“Then I’ll tell you a simple scenario. First, act as usual, but when you’re alone, naturally…….”

***

“Vice Minister, here is today’s schedule.”

As usual, Im Seon-mi organized Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun’s schedule early in the morning and reported it to him.

However, the only difference was that she went wearing a much more revealing outfit than usual.

As expected, Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun began to scan Im Seon-mi’s body up and down while receiving the schedule report.

Shortly after the schedule report was over, Vice Minister Park started talking nonsense as usual.

“Do you have a date today?”

“No.”

“For it not to be, you put too much effort into your outfit, didn’t you?”

Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun gave her chest a lecherous look and slowly got up from his seat.

He pretended to practice golf and deliberately approached Im Seon-mi.

“What kind of change of heart made you change so drastically?”

Im Seon-mi pretended to be worried and said as Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon had told her.

“I was hoping that the Vice Minister would pay a little more attention to me…….”

“What?”

At the unexpected words, Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun blinked and even raised his hand to point at himself.

“Me?”

Instead of answering, Im Seon-mi pretended to be embarrassed and quickly left the Vice Minister’s office.

As soon as she closed the door and left, a greasy smile spread across Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun’s face.

“Hahahaha, I’m getting older, so my experience is increasing, and I’m unknowingly exuding charm!”

He recalled Im Seon-mi’s outfit with a lecherous smile.

‘I didn’t expect such a windfall to come my way.’

For several days after that, Im Seon-mi naturally approached Park Seong-hyun, showing that she had a crush on him, and Park Seong-hyun was soon caught in her trap without even testing the waters.

Exactly on the fifth day.

While Im Seon-mi was reporting the schedule, Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun, who was practicing golf, slowly approached her.

He naturally stood next to her.

“Vice Minister?”

“Oh, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it and keep reporting.”

“Yes. After having lunch with that department, we’ll move back to Suwon…….”

Before her schedule report was over, Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun’s hand reached out to Im Seon-mi’s butt.

She deliberately didn’t avoid it and remained still, then said as if she was embarrassed.

“Vice Minister, you shouldn’t do this.”

“Ahem!”

He made a dissatisfied sound and reached out to her butt again…….

Finally, his hand touched her.

At that moment.

“Kyaa!”

Im Seon-mi let out a short scream and ran out of the Vice Minister’s office.

The employees in the office looked at her with surprised eyes, and her eyes were already filled with tears.

They will be witnesses.

‘That’s it.’

She cheered inwardly and headed straight to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

***

“……So when I got out, the other employees were watching me. After that, I came to see the prosecutor right away.”

Im Seon-mi told the story of what had happened to her, step by step.

The content was not much different from the scenario I had told her.

Nevertheless, I put my hands together as if I was hearing it for the first time and sincerely sympathized with Im Seon-mi’s words.

“Ah, I see. You must have had a hard time.”

I immediately got up from my seat and called Yoon Seol-ha.

“Seol-ha, what kind of cases does the Special Investigation Department usually handle?”

“Unlike general cases, we handle cases that have a large social impact or cases where the outcome is very important.”

“Then, the sexual harassment case of the Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism would have a very large social impact, right?”

Yoon Seol-ha, who was answering, smiled.

“Of course, it would, right?”

I immediately got up from my seat and said.

“Investigator, please prepare the application for an arrest warrant for Vice Minister Park Seong-hyun. And Administrative Officer, please contact us to hold a press conference. I’ll go report to the Chief Prosecutor.”