You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 220

“Haven’t you found out who’s behind this yet?!”

Lee Jung-chan’s furious voice echoed loudly.

The secretaries remained silent, hands clasped in front, heads bowed.

[If you’ve been staging a national fraud, confess and apologize cleanly. If you remain silent… I have another piece of undisclosed evidence. I’m willing to reveal that too. Once it’s out, there will be no turning back. Even if you don’t want to admit it, you’ll have to. So, I advise you to admit it cleanly and apologize while you still have the chance.]

The broadcast ended with Jo Bong-joon’s smirking words on the screen.

Just look at the nerve of that internet broadcasting BJ [Broadcast Jockey, similar to a streamer], daring to speak to the leader of the ruling party like that.

Lee Jung-chan sighed, rubbing his forehead with a frustrated expression.

“That guy Choi Jong-hyun, didn’t you say you were investigating the person who gave him the tip? What happened with that? Is it so difficult to track him down and find out who it is? Why haven’t I heard anything yet!”

Lee Jung-chan shouted as if he were about to overturn the desk.

The secretaries exchanged glances, and then one of them cautiously spoke up.

“We just received a call from the police, but… the suspect who made the call used a burner phone, making it difficult to trace…”

“What?”

The secretaries said nothing more and simply closed their mouths.

“So, you’re saying you haven’t found out who did such a thing, is that it?”

“…That’s right, Representative.”

Lee Jung-chan screamed and threw the books on his desk.

The veins in his neck and temples stood out stiffly.

Being near Lee Jung-chan at times like this only invited trouble, so the secretaries once again engaged in a silent battle of wits before cautiously speaking.

“We will check if there is anything more to investigate, Representative.”

They bowed their heads and were about to leave the room when Lee Jung-chan suddenly spoke.

“Lee Kang-jin. Tell Lee Kang-jin to come here right now.”

“Are you referring to Pastor Lee Kang-jin of the Light and Salt Foundation?”

“Is there any other Lee Kang-jin besides that pastor bastard?!”

“I apologize, Representative. I will contact him immediately.”

Lee Jung-chan shouted again, and the secretaries quickly responded and fled from the room.

Left alone, Lee Jung-chan took a deep breath and bit his lip.

‘What is that undeniable evidence they have? What is it that makes them so confident…’

No matter how much he thought about it, there were no gaps.

Of course, he had heard that there were some questions raised about how someone who had surgery last month could have come to work.

But such things could be easily fabricated.

Even before the Minwoo Party announced its position, they had coordinated with the Light and Salt Foundation to manipulate the attendance records.

The CCTV footage was completely deleted, and the foundation employees who were with him were generously compensated and silenced.

Fortunately, he had not participated in any noticeable events last month, so it was just a matter of dealing with a few people whose identities had been confirmed.

But what could it be?

What makes them so confident that they can prove it?

The world has gotten better, but if it were 20 years ago, those guys would have been arrested immediately.

This is a challenge to the leader of the ruling party, and it is no different from a challenge to the Republic of Korea.

After some time, Pastor Lee Kang-jin, who had been summoned, arrived at Lee Jung-chan’s house in a hurry.

He had a long-standing relationship with Lee Jung-chan, but this was the first time he had come to his home.

As expected of the home of the ruling party leader, it was luxurious, but there was no time to look around.

Listening to the secretary’s advice that Lee Jung-chan was very angry, Lee Kang-jin swallowed hard and cautiously knocked on his door.

“Elder, I heard you were looking for me.”

Lee Kang-jin entered the room and cautiously spoke.

Lee Jung-chan, who had been looking out the window, turned around at the sound of his voice.

“Pastor, is it done yet?”

“……”

“It’s been several days already, and you still haven’t found out who did such a thing?”

“Elder, it takes some time…”

“I heard that lawyer Cha Joo-han who attended the event that day is friendly with those internet broadcasting reporters. Moreover, I heard that the lawyer is not a church member and even donated suddenly a week before the event to attend. Haven’t you contacted him?”

Lee Jung-chan tried to be as polite as possible, but he couldn’t help but raise his voice.

Lee Kang-jin, who had always seen Lee Jung-chan treat him with a smile, was at a loss and rolled his eyes at Lee Jung-chan Elder’s changed appearance.

“I did meet with lawyer Cha Joo-han, Elder. But…”

“But, what is it?”

“You know, all the sponsors are people who have helped our foundation to do God’s work. No matter how urgent the matter is, we cannot corner someone who may not have done anything wrong. Jesus suffered until he was crucified because of those who doubted him. Also, the Apostle Paul said not to judge anything before the time. He said that the Lord will bring to light what is hidden in the darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart, so if it is really lawyer Cha’s doing, evidence will soon be revealed. Above all, we have our position…”

“Foundation’s position? Ha, Pastor…”

Seeing Lee Kang-jin giving a long speech in this situation, he felt a fire burning inside.

In the end, what he wanted to say was that they couldn’t rashly push Cha Joo-han because of their position.

But Lee Jung-chan barely endured and slowly approached Lee Kang-jin.

“Would the Light and Salt Foundation have been able to reach its current position without the help of me, Se-hyung, and the Minwoo Party? We are in the same boat. Our crisis is the crisis of the Light and Salt Foundation. Those devilish guys are now suspecting and slandering Se-hyung, who has been walking with the grace of the Lord. How can you just stand by and watch?”

“It’s not that we’re just standing by, but I hope you understand our position that we can’t push Cha Joo-han because there is no clear evidence yet. We are also doing our best to find out.”

“Pastor. Identify friend from foe. Now is not the time to protect Cha Joo-han. If this goes wrong, it’s over. If that happens, I don’t think I can help the foundation anymore. How can I plan big things with a foundation that has betrayed my trust?”

At Lee Jung-chan’s firm words, Pastor Lee Kang-jin clenched his trembling hands.

Lee Kang-jin felt it at this moment.

Perhaps, he should end things with Lee Jung-chan here.

“Since you say so, Elder, I will also speak frankly. Our foundation has also accommodated you enough. Did we use all the donations you gave us? The sponsors who have registered with the Minwoo Party all know. Most of the donations that came to our foundation went to Lee Jung-chan Elder’s political funds. You used our foundation to enhance Lee Jung-chan Elder’s image, and we even provided you with various tax-related conveniences.”

“What? Pastor. What did you say?”

“We have also had a long relationship with social worker Lee Se-hyung, and we are always praying that social worker Lee Se-hyung and Lee Jung-chan Elder will peacefully conclude the case. And we are also doing our best in our own way. Because of the foreign substance on the CCTV, nothing was caught that day, and we compared all the guests, but there was nothing that could be evidence.”

“……”

“Frankly, we were shocked that social worker Lee Se-hyung could walk. We don’t know if he really had surgery and was able to walk, as you said, or if everything was a lie, as people say. Because you didn’t give us any explanation! But have we ever said a single word of resentment to you? We deleted social worker Lee Se-hyung’s attendance record as you said, and we are cooperating to the best of our ability.”

From the moment the incident broke out, he had a feeling that the foundation might be affected.

But it was none other than Lee Kang-jin who hoped that the situation would be resolved as well as possible and return to normal.

Nevertheless, as the head of the foundation, he could not help but plan for the future.

“I hope the situation is resolved well. I hope that neither you nor social worker Lee Se-hyung will be hurt. We will all pray. If anything that could be evidence comes out, I will contact you again. I’ll be on my way today…”

Lee Kang-jin bowed his head and left Lee Jung-chan’s room.

Standing in front of the closed door, he clutched his chest.

He had never said such things to Lee Jung-chan before.

He usually thought that Lee Jung-chan considered the foundation to be his personal organization, and he was dissatisfied with this, but he had never shown it.

Lee Kang-jin closed his eyes tightly.

If this is a situation where he is witnessing the setting sun, he must cut ties with Lee Jung-chan for the sake of the foundation.

“Ungrateful bastard!”

In the room where Lee Kang-jin had left, Lee Jung-chan, who was standing blankly, shouted.

The Light and Salt Foundation would have disappeared without proper management if it weren’t for Lee Jung-chan.

Who was it that raised such a foundation to become a welfare foundation representing Korea?

Yet, daring to do that in front of whom…

Lee Jung-chan glared at the spot where Lee Kang-jin had been.

How could he bring up the story of the foolish people who doubted Jesus while saying that he couldn’t suspect Cha Joo-han?

This may be a blatant move to side with Cha Joo-han.

Perhaps, Lee Kang-jin has already decided to abandon him.

‘Could it be…’

Could it be that the additional exposure that those internet broadcasting reporters are talking about is a tip from that Lee Kang-jin pastor?

Once suspicion arose, it spread uncontrollably.

There was not a single person he could trust.

As he became anxious and didn’t know what to do, he heard a knock from outside.

“Come in.”

Lee Jung-chan calmed down and answered, and soon the door opened.

“…Se-hyung.”

It was Lee Se-hyung in a wheelchair who came into the room.

He must have been in the wheelchair when he heard that Pastor Lee Kang-jin had come to the house.

Pushing the wheelchair, he approached Lee Jung-chan’s desk and silently picked up and organized the fallen books.

Lee Jung-chan followed his son with his eyes.

“Father, are you having a hard time?”

“……”

“I feel bad that you seem to be carrying too much burden because of me.”

At his son’s words, Lee Jung-chan took his son’s hand.

“Se-hyung. You have to be strong.”

“…I’m more worried about you, Father. I’m sorry, Father.”

“What did you do wrong? It’s all my doing, what did you do wrong? Why are you saying sorry? The ones who did wrong are somewhere else!”

At Lee Jung-chan’s words, Lee Se-hyung lowered his head.

“What are you going to do? I will follow your will, Father. If you admit it and apologize, I will be by your side. If you say it’s not true until the end, I will follow you too.”

Lee Jung-chan looked at his son, who was speaking in a trembling voice, with pity.

“Those guys can’t be our rivals. They may be lying to get our reaction even though they have nothing. So, don’t be swayed and let’s push our will. Okay?”

“Yes, Father…”

* * *

And at the same time, there was a man sitting in front of a wiretapping device.

It was Choi Sang-gil, who was eavesdropping on the touching conversation between Lee Jung-chan and his son Lee Se-hyung.

“They’re full of crap, those crazy bastards. Where are those swindlers staging a touching scene?”