The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 84

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 84 (84/341)

Seizure (1)

The new year of 2020 dawned.

Due to the worst cold wave in 83 years, people on the streets were bundled up in thick clothes, hunching over as they moved.

But for me, it was a warmer winter than any other year.

Chief Prosecutor Choi Seo-joon.

The black nameplate in front of me radiated a dazzlingly hot aura.

Born in 1989, I was thirty-two years old this year.

The youngest chief prosecutor in the history of South Korea.

The world became even more beautiful as I rose to this position.

Not only was I treated differently within the Prosecutor’s Office, but even when I went to meet people from the Line [political faction or influential group], the feeling was completely different from before.

“Our Chief Choi!”

“Our chief prosecutor is here?”

“Our Choi Pro!”

When they called me, they always added “our” before the title.

I guess they wanted to express that much familiarity.

Even if I was a star prosecutor before, I wasn’t seen as a very important figure in the eyes of congressmen or politicians, but now the situation has changed.

Chief Prosecutor.

Moreover, the youngest chief prosecutor in South Korea.

The head of the Special Investigation Department of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, no less.

In other words, no one can predict how far I can climb.

That’s why everyone is stepping up to maintain a good relationship.

One surprising thing was that I didn’t know there were so many snobs around me.

Even though they knew I was openly dating Han Ji-yoo, I was constantly receiving love calls for blind dates.

“Please, just meet her once.”

“Just meet her once. You can leave right away if you don’t like her.”

“You can meet Ji-yoo and go on blind dates, and choose someone better.”

The scale was enormous.

When I was a junior prosecutor, my dates were just with people who had pretty good jobs, but now there were daughters of doctors, daughters of congressmen, daughters of Supreme Court justices, etc., all with impressive family backgrounds.

Of course, I turned them all down firmly because I have Han Ji-yoo.

Seeing how things have changed, I’m realizing that what I’ve enjoyed and been satisfied with so far was nothing special.

I was literally a frog in a well [someone with a limited perspective].

Rather, the higher I climb, the more I yearn to go higher, wondering what kind of world will unfold above.

In the future, when I’m more grown up, this satisfying present may look like a frog in a well again.

I don’t want to be satisfied with a small well, and I don’t want to be a frog in a well.

The true king.

I will stand in that position and see the world outside.

I definitely will.

***

The impeachment of President Kwon Jae-cheol was accelerating.

As time went on, the public opinion to oust him grew stronger, and even materials that the Line side had not prepared were pouring out, exposing his wrongdoings.

By March of next year, the impeachment trial will probably be held, and the presidential election will become major news.

In fact, I was almost shaken by this incident, but fortunately, I succeeded in maintaining my balance and even achieved the feat of rising to the position of chief of the Special Investigation Department.

Thanks to successfully building a solid and sturdy wall, I will no longer be shaken just by someone knocking on the door.

Besides, since the impeachment is virtually confirmed, the Line side is actively discussing which figure to put up as the next presidential candidate.

They are already starting to figure out who to side with behind the scenes.

Of course, I am still neutral.

I thought I should follow Prime Minister Choi Gyu-hyun’s opinion this time.

There are many reasons, but the biggest reason is this man.

“Hello, I’m Park Tae-seok.”

He bowed 90 degrees and greeted me politely.

Prosecutor Park Tae-seok.

He was the son of Park Seong-hyun, the Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, whom I had pushed out under the orders of Kwon Jae-cheol.

Even if I don’t know anything else, I owe a great deal to Prime Minister Choi Gyu-hyun for being able to survive, so I decided to follow him completely to repay him.

“Please take good care of me!”

“Oh, Prosecutor Park. Nice to meet you.”

When I reached out my hand to him, Park Tae-seok politely took my hand.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from your father. I heard you had a hard time in the Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office?”

“No, sir. I learned how to work there, so I will use it here.”

“Good. The Special Investigation Department is not an ordinary department, so use everything you’ve learned elsewhere.”

“Yes. I will do my best.”

I patted him on the shoulder a couple of times.

“Okay, work hard. You must be busy with the welcoming ceremony today, so go ahead.”

“I understand. Please rest.”

Park Tae-seok bowed politely again and left the chief prosecutor’s office.

A sneer hung on my lips as I watched him leave.

Thanks to having a good father, he managed to enter the Special Investigation Department somehow, but now his days of hardship have begun.

The chief prosecutor is in a position to assign cases to junior prosecutors.

I will assign him mainly difficult, complicated, and unsolvable cases.

Even if he manages to solve them, they will be cases that don’t come to light.

He will suffer in the Special Investigation Department for two years and eventually be pushed back to the provinces.

That’s his predetermined end.

He should have been satisfied with staying in Seoul. How dare he be so greedy when his first assignment was to the Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office?

“Chief.”

At that moment, Jo Ara, who was holding the receiver, cautiously called me.

“The chief of the Economic Crime Investigation Department is asking if he can stop by for a moment. What should I say?”

“Tell him to come.”

“Yes, sir.”

She put the receiver back on the hook.

Chief Prosecutor Cheon Byeong-in of the Economic Crime Investigation Department.

He is a member of the No. 1 Line who filled the vacancy left by Kang Hyeon-soo, who was ousted this time.

In fact, Chief Cheon Byeong-in, as well as the chief of the Financial Crime Division, should be quite grateful to me for this reshuffle.

If it weren’t for me, there would be no vacancy in the position of chief prosecutor, and since the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office was tightly controlled by the No. 2 Line, they would not have been able to rise.

Due to this incident, the power structure of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is now evenly balanced between the No. 1 Line and the No. 2 Line.

Thanks to that, I could feel that the prosecutors on the No. 1 Line side were quite dependent on me.

Chief Cheon Byeong-in is older and more senior than me, but he is not authoritarian, so I have a very good impression of him.

If he’s coming, it means he’s heard some news.

A moment later, I heard a knock.

Knock knock.

“Yes, come in.”

Chief Prosecutor Cheon Byeong-in came in.

“Oh, Choi Pro. Am I bothering you?”

“No, sir. Come this way.”

Jo Ara brought out the tea that she had prepared without me even having to ask.

“Thank you.”

Chief Cheon Byeong-in said as he held the teacup, and Jo Ara made eye contact and returned to her seat.

He warmed his throat with the warm green tea and then opened his mouth.

“Choi Pro, you haven’t heard anything about the chief prosecutor yet, have you?”

“No, sir. Is there any news?”

“Yeah. I heard a reliable source about this chief prosecutor appointment.”

“Are you talking about our Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office chief?”

“That’s right.”

He checked that the office door was closed and lowered his voice to speak.

“Seo Gi-woong is coming as the chief prosecutor.”

“Seo Gi-woong?”

Seo Gi-woong.

That was an unexpected person.

A prosecutor who is not affiliated with the No. 1 Line, No. 2 Line, or No. 3 Line, but stands alone as a maverick.

He is currently the chief prosecutor of the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office and is known as the epitome of integrity, with absolutely no shady dealings.

This is not something the higher-ups were concerned about, but literally an appointment based on real ability.

It seems the government is being cautious because of the controversy over me being pushed back by Han Tae-min in the position of chief prosecutor of the Special Investigation Department this time.

“This has become quite troublesome, hasn’t it?”

“That’s what I’m saying. That’s why I came to have a strategy meeting with you.”

If he was a member of the No. 1 Line, we could have joined hands amicably, and if he was a member of the No. 2 Line, we could have ousted him or formed a temporary alliance.

But Seo Gi-woong, who has not a speck of dust on him, is a different story.

He was not an easy person to bring to my side.

Besides, I have risen to the position of chief prosecutor, and it is time for a new regime to take over, so I will have to see Seo Gi-woong for a long time.

If I proceed with my work in the same way as before, it was obvious that he would raise a lot of objections.

This type is the most difficult to deal with.

“Hmm, I don’t think this can be solved right away?”

“That’s right.”

I was puffed up with the idea of taking over the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, but it feels like I’ve encountered a huge obstacle.

“Is it confirmed that Seo Gi-woong is coming?”

“My wife works at the Ministry of Justice. She told me as soon as the news of his appointment came out, so it’s certain.”

“I think we should lie low in the beginning.”

“That would be better, right?”

“Yes. First, let’s test the waters and then decide how to move.”

“Okay. I’ll go along with Choi Pro’s way, so let me know if there’s anything special.”

“I understand.”

Chief Cheon Byeong-in took a sip of the remaining green tea and got up from his seat.

I immediately called Yoon Seol-ha on my cell phone.

-Yes, Chief.

“Investigator, have you heard of Chief Prosecutor Seo Gi-woong in the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office?”

-Yes, I know him.

“Please investigate Seo Gi-woong and the people around him.”

-Are you saying to dig into his background?

“No. I want to know about his family relationships, his relationship with his wife, who does what, and what they like.”

-I understand.

***

“You’ve really worked hard.”

I handed a bouquet of flowers to Senior Prosecutor Kim Seok-won.

“Thank you.”

It was the retirement day of Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won, who led the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office.

He retired from the front lines with great honor, receiving applause from many people.

I was filled with regret that the grateful person who made me come to Seoul, the person to whom I could not thank enough, was ending his life as a prosecutor.

“I’ll visit you often.”

“What are you going to do visiting an old man in the back room?”

He laughed heartily.

“Stay in the Special Investigation Department and fight against injustice.”

“I understand.”

“Congratulations on becoming a chief prosecutor, even though it’s late.”

“Thank you. I have come this far thanks to your consideration, Chief Prosecutor.”

He scratched his head at the continued praise.

“Choi Prosecutor has a talent for embarrassing people.”

Kim Seok-won on this day looked like a tiger with its teeth pulled out.

Unlike his previous fierce momentum, he had become very calm.

“Take care.”

“Yes.”

He patted me on the shoulder and opened his mouth.

“Go all the way to the top.”

The moment Chief Prosecutor Kim Seok-won spoke softly so that only I could hear him, I felt the sharp energy of the past in his words for a moment.

“Don’t end at a moderate level, but go all the way up there. You have enough power to do so.”

Even if his teeth were pulled out, a tiger is still a tiger, and his former majesty remained intact.

“I understand.”

He released his serious expression again and said.

“I regret meeting you so late. If I had met you a little earlier, I would have shaken up the South Korean prosecutor’s scene in a very spectacular way.”

I smiled silently.

“Leave the rest to me, and please take good care of yourself and get plenty of rest, Chief Prosecutor.”

“Okay. You run hard.”

“I understand.”

Kim Seok-won ended his career as a prosecutor with the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office as his last position.