Goblin Library - Chapter 203

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 203.

After Choi Tae-sik spoke, Lim Sung-un looked at him and asked.
『Did you all hear the conversation I had with Lee Gang-hyuk yesterday?』
『We needed to understand the situation… I apologize.』
『No. I would have done the same in your position.』
Lim Sung-un nodded and spoke while eating his soybean sprout soup.
『I’m troubled.』
『Have you been persuaded?』
『Persuaded, you say….』
Lim Sung-un paused to consider this before continuing.
『When I think about it… there’s no real difference between what they do and what I do. It’s only a matter of whether the methods are more extreme or more moderate. Hmm….』
As Lim Sung-un exhaled deeply, Choi Tae-sik looked at him, then raised his hand toward the Shop Owner.
『Could I have half a squid sashimi, please?』
『Of course.』
The Shop Owner returned shortly with half a squid sashimi. The way squid sashimi is prepared varies by region and establishment, but here it came finely sliced.
This wasn’t meant to be eaten alone, but rather added to the soup for convenience.
Choi Tae-sik poured the squid sashimi into Lim Sung-un’s bowl.
『Eat plenty.』
『Whenever I’m troubled, you always push food at me.』
『You need to eat well to have strength.』
Choi Tae-sik replied with a smile and spoke to Lim Sung-un.
『Please, eat more.』
As Choi Tae-sik continued urging him to eat, Lim Sung-un shook his head slightly and scooped a generous spoonful of squid into his bowl instead.
『You eat plenty too.』
『Yes, hyung.』
Watching Choi Tae-sik eat with a faint smile, Lim Sung-un began eating his soup as well.
As I shared breakfast with Choi Tae-sik and talked, my mind felt considerably clearer.

That evening, Lim Sung-un returned to the Convenience Store.
“Welcome!”
The Convenience Store Clerk, recognizing him, beamed and bowed, and Lim Sung-un nodded in return before gathering soju, glasses, and snacks to pay.
“The burner and pot you left yesterday—shall I set them up again? I’ve cleaned them thoroughly.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
After paying, Lim Sung-un sat at a table and was pouring soju into a glass when Lee Gang-hyuk approached.
“So, have you given it some thought?”
Lee Gang-hyuk took the seat across from him, and Lim Sung-un poured soju into a glass and placed it before him.
Lee Gang-hyuk picked up the glass and drained it in one gulp, then popped a squid leg into his mouth before speaking.
“By the way, I had prepared something yesterday, but today it’s your turn to prepare something, Prosecutor Lim.”
As Lee Gang-hyuk began to rise, the Convenience Store door opened and the Convenience Store Clerk emerged carrying a pot.
“Welcome.”
Lee Gang-hyuk laughed at the sight of the Convenience Store Clerk setting the pot on the table with a bright smile.
“We were a bit troublesome yesterday—I’m sorry for the inconvenience with the cleanup.”
“Please don’t say such things. Oh! If you’d like different side dishes, you can order them here as well.”
“Ha ha! Understood.”
Lee Gang-hyuk pulled out his wallet, extracted a 50,000-won note, and handed it to the Convenience Store Clerk.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Thank you!”
The Convenience Store Clerk’s face brightened even more as he accepted the money. Lee Gang-hyuk nodded at him, then picked up noodles with chopsticks and spoke.
“Did you have a good hangover cure this morning?”
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s question, Lim Sung-un nodded.
Then he pulled out a phone and handed it over.
“What’s this?”
“You can contact us through the saved number.”
“Ho! What does that mean?”
Lim Sung-un tossed back some soju and answered.
“I’m not acknowledging you. But… I have no grounds to refute what you said. Just as dog shit can’t criticize cow shit for smelling bad.”
“Dog shit and cow shit… crude as it may be, it’s not wrong.”
Lee Gang-hyuk nodded.
“Well reasoned.”
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s words, Lim Sung-un shook his head and spoke.
“But… you must never approach ordinary citizens. Live only in the world of criminals.”
“Of course. And what money do ordinary citizens have anyway? Criminals are the ones with money.”
“Then…”
As Lim Sung-un began to stand, he suddenly looked at Lee Gang-hyuk.
“Why did you gather the Flower Snake members?”
At the mention of Flower Snake, Lee Gang-hyuk’s brow furrowed slightly.
“You knew about that too?”
“Why did you gather them?”
When Lim Sung-un asked again, Lee Gang-hyuk paused before responding.
“You saw the materials I sent to Prosecutor Lim, right?”
“I did.”
“That’s not all of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“The incompetent prosecutors and police connected to my case, and everyone involved in it… I’ve attached the Flower Snake operatives to them.”
“Being incompetent isn’t the same as being guilty.”
Lim Sung-un squinted, and Lee Gang-hyuk let out a dry chuckle before speaking.
“In a way, incompetence can be a crime for prosecutors and police. When they’re incompetent, victims like me are created.”
“But they didn’t actually commit any crimes.”
At Lim Sung-un’s words, Lee Gang-hyuk looked at him for a moment, then smiled and continued.
“After I gained power in prison and started my business, the first thing I did was reinvestigate my case. But no evidence emerged to prove my innocence. That doesn’t mean I’m guilty either. I was simply at the scene when it happened. That’s why the prosecutors and police singled me out and made me the culprit.”
Lee Gang-hyuk took a sip of soju and continued.
“So I investigated the police, prosecutors, and judges who handled my case. I wanted to know why I ended up like this.”
“And?”
“In the process, I discovered they were all guilty people too. Taking bribes, drunk driving… and one guy even committed a serious crime. Not related to my case, but case manipulation.”
“So?”
“Now I need to take revenge. They’re not wealthy men, but… they still ruined my life.”
“Then send me those materials. I’ll handle it according to the law.”
“I’ve lost too much to do it that way. I’ll handle them my own way.”
“What way?”
“Is there anything better than a Flower Snake for destroying a man’s life?”
I had thought he was preparing skilled Flower Snake operatives for something grand.
It was for revenge.
Lim Sung-un exhaled deeply.
“Give me their materials.”
“You’re going to handle it according to the law?”
“Yes.”
At Lim Sung-un’s words, Lee Gang-hyuk thought for a moment, then nodded. Besides, the Flower Snake operatives were already well-positioned with his targets.
And he had already gathered all the evidence he needed, so handling it legally now was acceptable.
If he exposed their affairs with women while processing them legally—if he revealed them as someone’s husband and father—that would be revenge in its own way.
Besides, once he sent them to prison, he could torment them further then.
“I’ll give it to you as a commemoration of our peace agreement.”
Lee Gang-hyuk pulled out his phone as he spoke.
“I can just upload it to that phone, right?”
He was referring to the hacked phone Lee Gang-hyuk possessed.
“Yes.”
At Lim Sung-un’s answer, Lee Gang-hyuk made a call and gave instructions.
“Upload the materials related to my case to that hacked phone. Ah, in case there’s any misunderstanding, upload the originals as-is.”
After giving the instructions, Lee Gang-hyuk looked at Lim Sung-un as if asking if it was done, and Lim Sung-un nodded.
As I turned to leave, Lee Gang-hyuk tapped the table with his hand.
『Since we’ve met, why not have another shot of soju?』
『Are we the kind of people who do that?』
『Aren’t we? Though our paths differ, we both help innocent people harmed by criminals—that’s the same, isn’t it?』
Lee Gang-hyuk smiled and gestured to the seat.
『Let’s just chat for a bit.』
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s words, Lim Sung-un looked at him, then turned and walked away.
Seeing that, Lee Gang-hyuk chuckled softly and raised his soju glass to drink.
『Is it so hard to get close?』
Then Lee Ho-yeol approached Lee Gang-hyuk from behind.
『Did the conversation go well?』
『We agreed not to worry about each other, more or less.』
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s words, Lee Ho-yeol paused before speaking quietly.
『Then what about our money…?』
Seeing Lee Ho-yeol trail off, Lee Gang-hyuk chuckled.
『Forget it. It’ll flow to people who need help somewhere.』
『That…』
Lee Ho-yeol seemed to want to say more, but soon sighed and lowered his head.
『I understand.』
Watching the disappointed Lee Ho-yeol, Lee Gang-hyuk spoke.
『I can sell my coins and cover it.』
『But that’s your retirement fund, hyung.』
『What do I need money for at my age? Just one apartment to lie down in and a small commercial space—that’s enough.』
『Shouldn’t you get married too, hyung?』
『Marriage… what marriage at this age?』
『You’re not even forty yet, hyung. You can definitely meet a good woman.』
『I’m not a good man, so what good woman would…』
Lee Gang-hyuk, muttering, gestured to the front seat.
『If fate brings someone, then that happens… otherwise, I’ll just live with you guys.』
『With us…?』
『Why, do you hate it?』
『There’s nothing to hate about it.』
『You look like you hate it.』
『Haha! No, it’s not. Let’s have a drink.』
As Lee Ho-yeol picked up the soju bottle and filled the glass, Lee Gang-hyuk spoke.
『Tell Jin Deputy Manager to come too. It’s not bad having this kind of atmosphere after so long.』
『But Jin Deputy Manager’s face might be exposed.』
『Exposed?』
Lee Ho-yeol glanced at the surveillance camera above the Convenience Store.
『There’s a hacker there, isn’t there?』
『We’ve made a peace accord, so it’s fine.』
『Do you trust them?』
『If we keep our side of the line… they’ll keep theirs.』
『You have faith in them.』
『I trust what they’ve done.』
Lee Gang-hyuk, who had spoken, let out a soft chuckle.
『Is there anyone in the Prosecutor’s Office right now who could handle a drunk driving case involving the grandson of someone being considered as the ruling party’s presidential candidate?』
『There isn’t.』
『That’s why I trust them.』
Being one of the ruling party’s presidential candidates meant wielding considerable influence within political circles. Touching such a person’s family was an extraordinarily dangerous move for a prosecutor to make.
One misstep could result in being branded a political prosecutor who had been manipulated by the opposition to tarnish a ruling party candidate’s reputation.
Yet Lee Gang-hyuk had arrested that grandson for drunk driving anyway.
Lee Gang-hyuk drank his soju with a smile, then picked up the bottle. Seeing this, Lee Ho-yeol took the soju glass that Lim Sung-un had been using and poured the remainder onto the floor.
Splash!
Then he raised the glass to receive the soju Lee Gang-hyuk poured for him.
Glug glug!
『Do you know why I made a peace accord with Lee Gang-hyuk?』
『Isn’t it because he does similar work to us?』
『Similar, perhaps… but the nature of it differs from ours.』
Lee Gang-hyuk spoke with a smile after drinking his soju.
『We deal with criminals in the shadows. But Lee Gang-hyuk deals with criminals who hold their heads high in broad daylight. That’s why we made the peace accord. We handle those we can handle, and they handle those we cannot.』
『There’s no direct benefit to us, is there?』
『Even if there’s no benefit to us… the number of wronged people will decrease.』
Lee Gang-hyuk looked at Lee Ho-yeol.
『If you had met a prosecutor like Lim Sung-un, you wouldn’t have ended up in prison unjustly, would you?』
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s words, Lee Ho-yeol smacked his lips. Lee Gang-hyuk had given this example to Lim Sung-un earlier… Lee Ho-yeol was the man who had gotten into a fight with a drunk customer harassing his mother who was selling goods at the Market, and ended up in prison because of it.
Naturally, Lee Ho-yeol’s life had begun to unravel after that, and eventually he had met Lee Gang-hyuk.
If he had met a prosecutor like Lim Sung-un back then… Lee Ho-yeol tilted his head as he pondered this.
『I still think I would’ve ended up in Prison though?』
『Huh?』
Seeing Lee Gang-hyuk’s reaction, Lee Ho-yeol continued.
『He did start the trouble with my mother first and injured her… but I hit him quite a lot too. Looking at it that way, I’m not entirely innocent either.』
At Lee Ho-yeol’s words, Lee Gang-hyuk thought for a moment, then nodded.
『You’re right. Even if you’d met Prosecutor Lim, you’d still be going to Prison.』
『Exactly. Only truly innocent and wronged people should meet Prosecutor Lim. Someone like me… well, what can you do.』
At Lee Ho-yeol’s words, Lee Gang-hyuk chuckled and poured soju into his glass.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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