Prosecutor Kim Seo-Jin - Chapter 168

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

Sinking into the Swamp (1)
I continued reviewing the message’s contents.
—I would appreciate it if you could contact me when you have time. The representative would like to meet with you once.
Looking at the current situation alone, the Prosecutor’s Office’s blade is pointed at the Opposition Party.
It’s not unusual for Representative Baek Ki-ho, one of the Opposition Party’s power brokers, to reach out to the Prosecutor’s Office.
From the Opposition Party’s perspective, this is a time when damage control is essential by any means necessary.
‘But… why did he contact me?’
I’m just an ordinary prosecutor.
While I’m responsible for this case, that’s merely due to orders, and there’s the premium of being Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun’s nephew, but that’s all.
I lack the ability to reverse the situation.
In other words, I’m not someone a figure like Representative Baek Ki-ho would normally contact.
‘Moreover.’
Representative Baek Ki-ho is a former judge and one of the Opposition Party’s heavyweights.
If he wished, he could summon luminaries from the Prosecutor’s Office, and they would undoubtedly grovel before him.
Yet Representative Baek Ki-ho bypassed them and contacted me instead.
Even knowing I stand on the opposite side from Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun, my uncle.
‘Why?’
Various scenarios flickered through my mind, appearing and disappearing in succession.
The reason Representative Baek Ki-ho made contact.
The gains and losses I could obtain through it.
I was in the process of predicting and judging all of it, organizing what I could use and what I should discard.
But I had no time for deep contemplation right now.
“We’re departing, Prosecutor!”
The door of the Prosecutor’s Office van carrying Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo slammed shut with a bang.
Watching the van depart, I moved toward my own vehicle.
‘Think slowly.’
After all, Representative Baek Ki-ho’s side initiated contact first.
As the saying goes, the thirsty man digs the well—if I wait, he’ll contact me again.
There’s no rush in planning my next move while awaiting his call.
‘And…’
Representative Baek Ki-ho and the Opposition Party will be anxious about what words Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo might utter.
As long as I hold such a valuable hostage in Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo, I can afford to act with leisure.
Every circumstance favors me.
I grasped the door handle of the vehicle to head to the District Prosecutor’s Office.
At that moment, the reporters who had been trailing me surged forward, hurling questions with renewed aggression.
“Prosecutor! Just one statement, please!”
“Why is Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo being taken away?”
“What’s the reason?”
“Prosecutor!”
As I opened the door and climbed into the vehicle, I offered the reporters a quiet smile.
“I apologize. I’ll provide the rest during the next briefing.”
*
*
*
Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office Interrogation Room.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo hadn’t uttered a single word until now.
Two hours had passed since he sat down, yet the interrogation room remained silent.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo simply glared at me, his fists clenched tight.
After a bit more time had elapsed, Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s lips finally moved.
“Seo Jin, I have nothing to say to you.”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo knew why he’d been brought in.
Not because he’d accepted bribes.
Not because he’d committed corruption.
There was only one reason.
Because he’d disobeyed Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun’s orders.
“I’ll tell the Prosecutor General, so contact him.”
I placed the phone on the table with an indifferent gaze. It was Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s phone.
“We’ve examined your phone, Chief Prosecutor. You’ve been in close contact with Opposition Party member Yeo Dong-soo.”
“I’m telling the Prosecutor General, not you!”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo slammed his clenched fist on the table—bang, bang.
But I let his words go in one ear and out the other.
“It would be difficult for you to mobilize that many journalists on your own. Was it Assemblyman Yeo Dong-soo’s orders?”
“Hey! I told you I have nothing to say to you!”
“Did Assemblyman Yeo Dong-soo draft the statement as well?”
“You bastard!”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
This man still didn’t seem to grasp his own situation.
He appeared to believe he would remain—and continue to be—a Chief Prosecutor.
I briefly considered whether I should show Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo who held the upper hand in this situation and what reality truly was.
But I held back.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo was a person of high utility.
I needed to coax and cajole him into cooperating with me.
I leaned forward toward Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo and whispered sweetly in a devilish tone.
“What do you think will happen if I tell the Prosecutor General?”
“…What?”
“Your phone has already been searched, and the Prosecutor General has already found the connection to Assemblyman Yeo Dong-soo.”
“Th-that’s why…?”
“Nothing will change.”
“W-what are you talking about!”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s eyes darted around.
Under normal circumstances, I would have understood my words immediately.
But this was an extreme situation.
A junior colleague—and one as bothersome as Seo Jin—had grabbed him by the collar, dragged him into the Interrogation Room, and the entire nation had witnessed it broadcast live.
His life was ruined.
His future looked bleak as well.
Such circumstances had hardened Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s mind and narrowed his vision.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo clung to only one lifeline: Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun.
In moments like this, one must reveal the truth of the situation.
“To the Prosecutor General, Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo, you’ve become… expendable.”
At my measured words, Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s body trembled.
I continued without pause.
“The Prosecutor General will consider two options. Either keep you locked away here and wait for the Opposition Party’s reckless move or negotiate, or release you….”
“R-release me?”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo swallowed hard.
Only now did reality become visible in Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s eyes.
If he were released from here, it would truly be a crisis.
The Opposition Party would not leave Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo alone.
They could very well execute the truth that the dead tell no tales.
And my following words confirmed that thought.
“The Prosecutor General may be waiting for your death. If murder charges are applied, the Opposition Party’s chances of winning the presidential election would drop to zero.”
“…!”
“Stay here. I believe it’s the safest place. And if you share information about Representative Yeo Dong-soo at the right time, the Prosecutor General’s anger will gradually subside.”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo picked up a cup and gulped down water, then closed his eyes briefly.
He was organizing his thoughts.
Considering what would be most advantageous to him.
When he opened his eyes again, Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s gaze seemed to have surrendered to everything.
He looked at me and nodded obediently.
“I’ll do that.”
“I’ll have a cot brought in. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Order some ox bone soup.”
“Yes.”
With those words, I left the Interrogation Room.
The moment the door closed with a bang.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s expression changed completely.
‘That bastard… I’m dancing in the palm of your hand, aren’t I?’
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo let out a bitter laugh.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo couldn’t trust me.
The Prosecutor General’s nephew comes to the Interrogation Room spouting ‘The Prosecutor General will…’ and such—it would be strange to believe it.
‘I’d sooner trust a stray dog passing by.’
*
*
*
Outside the Interrogation Room, I allowed myself a slight smile as well.
‘Make your move.’
I knew that Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo wouldn’t trust me.
After all these years of facing criminals and con artists, it would be strange if Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo actually believed in me.
I was waiting for Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s next move.
And whatever Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo did would make for an excellent gift to present to Baek Ki-ho, whom I’d be meeting soon.
‘I’ll ensnare Baek Ki-ho as well.’
I clenched my fist tightly.
*
*
*
2 AM.
The Interrogation Room door creaked open.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo, who had been lying on a cot, sat up.
“Chief Prosecutor….”
It was Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s trusted subordinate.
His name was Lee Jung-chul.
The same man who had been present at the press conference at Shinma Hotel.
But as the plan fell through, Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo had pulled Lee Jung-chul outside.
Even in the worst circumstances, he needed someone to be his eyes and ears.
“The camera?”
“It’s off. You don’t need to worry.”
“What’s the situation outside?”
“Right now, everyone’s talking about the poison murder case and your name, Chief Prosecutor. But it’ll die down by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Really? How?”
“There’s a drug-dealing singer named MC Jung-geun. If we lock him up again and stir up some noise, your name will fade from people’s minds, Chief Prosecutor.”
“Good.”
Celebrity gossip always trumps political news.
And if it’s a drug-dealing celebrity, it’s guaranteed.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s name would vanish from people’s memory.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo got down from the cot and walked toward the table.
Lee Jung-chul placed a cigarette and a can of beer in front of Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo, cigarette in hand, laughed with a hollow sound.
“Damn it, why is moving up the ranks so fucking difficult?”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo hadn’t abandoned his dreams of Yeouido.
A place where even criminals could wear a badge.
It didn’t matter if you’d been to prison or had a rotten personality.
All that mattered was loyalty to the party.
Then he could be compensated for his suffering by receiving a favorable proportional representation slot.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo exhaled cigarette smoke as he spoke.
“Go tell the party. Tell them I’ll die with my mouth shut.”
“….”
“But in exchange, get a written promise about the proportional representation seat. Not just empty words—something in writing.”
Verbal promises couldn’t be trusted.
Politicians were the type to change their tune with every breath.
“Tell them if I don’t get it, I’ll confess everything. And when I open my mouth, I won’t just tell the truth. I can add enough seasoning to tank this entire presidential election.”
“Understood, sir.”
“You still have that, right?”
The secret meeting with Opposition Party member Yeo Dong-soo.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo hadn’t gone in empty-handed.
He’d recorded every word of their conversation and had plans to use it as a weapon whenever needed.
When Prosecutor Lee Jung-chul nodded, Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo exhaled a long stream of smoke and continued quietly.
“And… find me a way to squeeze Seo Jin.”
“…Sir?”
“That bastard—no matter how I think about it, something feels off.”
The true culprit in the poison murder case had been caught out of nowhere, and now the case had even reached the Opposition Party.
When I tried to fit the misaligned puzzle pieces together, it seemed like everything was being manipulated from Seo Jin’s hands.
I had a sinking feeling that if I left Seo Jin alone, my entire life would spiral into ruin.
“Jung-chul, I’ve staked everything on this election. But think about it. Seo Jin is the variable. He’s involved in every single situation. Find me a way to take him down.”
“…!”
Prosecutor Lee Jung-chul’s face went rigid.
It wasn’t Seo Jin he was afraid of.
It was Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun standing behind him.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo read that fear in his eyes.
He gently patted Prosecutor Lee Jung-chul’s shoulder and continued.
“Jung-chul, if I open my mouth, you die too. Now your only path forward is to follow me.”
“Ch, Chief Prosecutor….”
“Your son just started elementary school, didn’t he? There’ll be a lot of academy fees ahead. What will you do without me?”
Eyes that said I know every single transgression you’ve committed.
“Chief Prosecutor!”
“So let’s go together. I’ll pull you through to the end. As long as you don’t betray me, I’ll never abandon you.”
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo smiled kindly.
*
*
*
Prosecutor Lee Jung-chul stumbled out of the Interrogation Room and walked unsteadily down the Hallway.
Curses spilled from his lips without his realizing it.
“Damn it….”
They clung to him, anticipating the sweetness that power would bring.
But that sweetness had become poison.
There was no escape, no matter how hard I tried.
Now I had to dance like a marionette, following every command.
Lee Jung-chul bit his lips, letting out a low, anguished groan.
That was the mark of a wicked man—no loyalty among his kind, and they never died alone. They thrashed about desperately to survive.
The problem was that the hole he’d fallen into wasn’t water.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo’s grip was a swamp.
The more he struggled, the deeper he would sink.
“Damn it!”
Then it happened.
Someone grabbed Lee Jung-chul’s shoulder.
Lee Jung-chul’s eyes snapped open.
It was 2:40 in the morning.
There shouldn’t be anyone here.
No one should be here.
Not if his collusion with Chief Prosecutor Jung Jun-woo was to remain hidden!
Lee Jung-chul slowly turned his gaze, his eyes bloodshot and inflamed.
“…!”
Seo Jin stood there.
Meeting Lee Jung-chul’s eyes, Seo Jin smiled faintly and spoke.
“Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

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