The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 73

Storm (3)

“How have you been, Chief Prosecutor?”

“Who is this?”

Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won smiled brightly when he saw me.

“Isn’t this our star prosecutor, Prosecutor Choi?”

Kim Seok-won, the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, whom I hadn’t seen in nearly half a year, had changed considerably; his impression was much softer.

If he was like a ferocious beast before, now he was like a tiger with three or four teeth missing.

Of course, even so, a tiger is still a tiger.

His eyes were still shining sharply as before.

“Sit down. Do you need tea?”

“I’m fine.”

I sat on the sofa, following him as he took the seat of honor.

“These days, the political situation is too chaotic. Prosecutor Choi, be careful not to get caught in the crossfire.”

“Ah, I came to talk about that.”

Instantly, Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won’s expression revealed anticipation.

I smirked.

“I’m going to tap dance spectacularly in that crossfire.”

“You’re going to get hit by the crossfire?”

“No. I’m going to dodge it and give the crossfire to other guys.”

Although I spoke metaphorically, Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won understood immediately, as expected.

“It seems you’re finally ready.”

“Yes. Thanks to your consideration, Chief Prosecutor, I finished perfectly.”

“The list?”

“First, the briber is the Vice Chairman of SL Group.”

“Oh ho.”

Having succeeded in piquing Kim Seok-won’s interest from the prologue, he leaned towards me.

The main story will be even more interesting.

I wonder if he’ll fall backward when he hears it.

“The bribe recipients are Nam Woo-hyun, Head Prosecutor of the Financial Crime Division, Kim Joo-cheol, Head Prosecutor of the Economic Crime Investigation Division, and Kang Hyun-soo, Head Prosecutor of the Special Investigation Division.”

“Huh.”

As expected, Kim Seok-won chuckled and clicked his tongue.

“You finally went into the Special Investigation Division and are taking down the head.”

“Will this be enough?”

He raised his upper body as if doubting his ears.

“This isn’t the end?”

“Of course.”

There’s still an epilogue left.

“As the crowning glory, I’m going to take down Chief Prosecutor Kim Jae-wook as well.”

“Euhahahahahaha!”

Kim Seok-won finally couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“That’s why I like Prosecutor Choi so much.”

His hearty laughter echoed through the office.

After laughing for a long time, he finally calmed down and said.

“Once I entrust something to you, you handle it very thoroughly.”

“Thank you.”

“In all my years, I’ve never seen such an audacious prosecutor who takes down the Chief Prosecutor’s head. Even for superiors, it’s not easy to do… Heo-heo.”

Kim Seok-won continued to chuckle, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I will first expose the connection between the three head prosecutors and the SL Vice Chairman, and after the impeachment motion is passed, I will watch the situation and detonate the aftermath for the second time.”

“Wait a minute.”

He asked with a flustered look.

“The head prosecutor connection and taking down the Chief Prosecutor are separate?”

“Yes. Is there any problem?”

“I’m just amazed that you’ve prepared two different cases, not one derived from the other.”

Kim Seok-won looked at me, constantly admiring.

“I told you to detonate a great piece before I retire, but you’ve prepared a noir film. No, you’ll win an award at Cannes [a prestigious film festival] soon, won’t you?”

“It’s still not enough. Please give me praise after it’s completely resolved.”

“Prosecutor Choi is even humble. If I had a daughter, I would have immediately wanted you as my son-in-law.”

He seems to be completely satisfied.

To think that the day would come when I would receive such praise from him, who was so ferocious.

The day I first briefed him on the Im Seong-jin case came to mind.

Kim Seok-won nodded for a long time and then asked.

“So, after detonating those two cases and after the 20th presidential election, you mean you’ll come back to the Inspection Department?”

Here it comes.

The answer to this question was the biggest concern.

And I answered as I had concluded in advance.

“Chief Prosecutor, I don’t know what you’ll think…”

I looked at him with sincere eyes and said.

“To be honest, I want to stay in the Special Investigation Department.”

“In the Special Investigation Department?”

Instantly, the smile disappeared from his face.

“Are you saying you won’t return to the High Prosecutors’ Office?”

“Yes. I want to go all the way up in the Special Investigation Department.”

In fact, I was worried about changing my mind even as I came here.

Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won’s retirement is now less than half a year away.

If I proceed according to the schedule I told him a little while ago, Kim Seok-won will already be retired by the time the case is finished.

Then, whether Kim Seok-won allows it or not, I will be able to stay in the Special Investigation Department.

However, from his point of view, this is no exaggeration to say that I am stabbing him in the back.

If he thinks that way, I become the most shameless guy in the world.

Besides, even if he retires, Kim Seok-won, who rose to the position of High Prosecutor General, could still exert his influence. There was no need to create that possibility.

Of course, there was a bigger reason.

More than anything else, the person who made me come up to Seoul was Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won right in front of me.

If it weren’t for him, I would still be rotting in the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office.

I didn’t want to make him feel betrayed, at least not Kim Seok-won.

There would be nothing more despicable than repaying kindness with betrayal.

Unlike the previous pleasant atmosphere, Kim Seok-won seriously stroked his chin and fell into thought.

But that thought didn’t last long.

In less than a minute, he readily nodded.

“Okay. Do that.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Of course. Even if I think about it, it would be much more advantageous for Prosecutor Choi to be in the Special Investigation Department of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office than in the Inspection Department if you truly want to rise to a higher position.”

I’m glad I told him the truth.

I feel even more energized by his support.

“Thank you.”

“Instead, you must be promoted to Head Prosecutor this time. That way, you can save face for leaving the Inspection Department.”

“I will definitely do that.”

“Okay.”

Kim Seok-won smiled lightly.

“Prosecutor Choi, how are you going to proceed with this case?”

“I’m going to proceed with the Inspection Department. I’m not going to receive a request or go undercover, but I’m going to work together by joining hands. Is that okay?”

“Of course. You have to do that. It’s not good to have the shadow of the Inspection Department left. Shake it off completely.”

I could feel that he was considerate of me in every word he said.

It’s been a while since I’ve felt moved by someone.

“Then, instead of this, let’s just call Head Prosecutor Park Seung-soo and talk.”

“Yes.”

“It would be better to call your friend, Prosecutor Song Hyun-seong, too, right?”

When I smiled and nodded, he took out his cell phone and said.

“To go high, it’s good to foster trustworthy friends and trustworthy people around you. Even if Song Hyun-seong has just been promoted to Deputy Head Prosecutor, he’s emerging as an ace in the Inspection Department, so he will definitely be helpful.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

He called Park Seung-soo and put down his cell phone, asking.

“Are you making trustworthy people around you well?”

“Yes. I’m making them in various fields, including the prosecutor side.”

Kim Seok-won smiled contentedly.

“You were climbing to the throne without me even telling you.”

***

“You crazy bastard.”

“You psycho.”

Head Prosecutor Park Seung-soo and Prosecutor Song Hyun-seong said at the same time.

“Hey, why are you swearing as soon as you meet me?”

Head Prosecutor Park Seung-soo only chuckled in disbelief, and Song Hyun-seong stretched his arm into the air, gesturing in disbelief.

“If you were me, wouldn’t you swear? I thought you were doing well in the Special Investigation Department, but you brought data to destroy the Central District Prosecutors’ Office.”

“He’s from the Inspection Department. You can’t hide your origins.”

I smiled and said to Song Hyun-seong.

“Hyun-seong, this is all for you. With this case, we’ll get our Head Prosecutor Park Seung-soo promoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor, and you’ll get promoted to Head Prosecutor.”

“I’m already confirmed to be Deputy Head Prosecutor next year, you idiot.”

Head Prosecutor Park Seung-soo looked at me with serious eyes.

“Seo-joon.”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you just become the Head of the Inspection Department?”

“What are you talking about, hahahaha.”

“It seems you have more talent in inspection than I do.”

He shook his head.

“No matter how greedy I am, I don’t think I would even dare to find out about the Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Chief Prosecutor’s corruption. But you dug it up and brought it from the Special Investigation Department. No matter how I think about it, your liver must be three times bigger than others.”

“Hey, why are you doing this? The High Prosecutor General also approved. The political situation is sensitive right now because of the impeachment, so we have to find vitality with things like this.”

He shook his head in disbelief and buried himself in the sofa.

“So, when exactly are you going to strike?”

“I’m thinking of taking down the three head prosecutors next Tuesday. Whether Kwon Jae-cheol releases dating rumors or marriage rumors of celebrities over the weekend, he’ll do something to divert attention. It’ll be most effective to detonate it when people’s eyes are turned away from the impeachment.”

“That’s true. Have you secured the reporters?”

“Yes. WK Daily and will detonate it together.”

Head Prosecutor Park Seung-soo leaned his upper body towards me.

“Choi Seo-joon.”

He asked in a serious voice.

“Are you really okay with detonating this with us?”

“Yes?”

“From what I see, you found and prepared everything. To put it bluntly, this is no different from Song Prosecutor and I just picking up spoons and running to a fully prepared table [idiom for getting easy credit].”

Song Hyun-seong nodded in agreement.

“There’s no way Choi Seo-joon wouldn’t know this, and you wouldn’t set a trap for us. So, you’re really trying to solve the case, and you’re going to share the credit with us without any compensation.”

It wasn’t suspicion, but questioning.

It meant, why would you bother involving us when you can solve it alone?

Of course, this is a question that can only arise because they don’t know that I made a deal with Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won.

But there was no need to explain this in detail.

No, instead of explaining, it would be better to capture their hearts.

“Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won said today.”

I wrinkled my nose and said.

“To really succeed, you shouldn’t go up alone, but you should take care of the people around you and go up together.”

I gave my gaze to Head Prosecutor Park Seung-soo and Song Hyun-seong in turn.

“You have to hold my hand if you want to go up together, right?”

I stretched out both hands towards them.

They chuckled but grabbed my hands without complaint.