Prosecutor Kim Seo-Jin - Chapter 177

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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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A Dangerous Meeting (3)
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I sat in my car at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office parking lot, waiting for Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk.
The rain that had fallen all night finally stopped, and even with the air conditioning running, the oppressive heat was inescapable.
Just then, the passenger door swung open and Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk climbed in, thrusting an ice cream toward me.
“Eat this.”
“Thank you.”
“This one’s corn—take it with you.”
Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk tossed a plastic bag into the back seat.
The bag was stuffed with corn—clearly he’d encountered a street vendor grandmother and bought far more than necessary.
“I heard you can’t pass by street vendors, whether they’re grandmothers or grandfathers?”
“I’m a late child. My mother sold vegetables to put me through school. So how could I just walk past them? It’s a sensibility that comes from poverty—something the wealthy with silver spoons never understand.”
“You could just give that money to your mother as spending money instead…”
“I wish I could. She’s passed away.”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Sorry for what? That’s exactly why you should do well. Filial piety has a time limit.”
Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk chuckled and took a bite of his ice cream.
Then I handed him an envelope of documents.
“What’s this?”
“Eom Seon-ju’s corruption.”
Documents that Congressman Yeo Dong-soo had provided.
The target was Opposition Party Congressman Hwang Yun-sung.
He’d colluded with gangsters and was pocketing bribes. And the name connected to those gangsters was Eom Seon-ju.
I’d deliberately chosen the parking lot to deliver this information.
A place where no one paid attention or took interest.
One of the few locations where we could speak freely.
Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk pulled out the documents and flipped through them methodically.
The contents detailed how gangsters had coerced aspiring entertainers into overseas prostitution, with Eom Seon-ju having invested in the operation.
Among the victims was a young student who couldn’t bear the weight of her circumstances and took her own life.
A harsh curse escaped Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk’s lips.
“Insane bastards.”
He wanted nothing more than to grab them by the throat right then and there.
But he had to restrain himself.
A case involving a congressman and wealthy backers—hasty action would only give them an opportunity to flee.
“Who said the law was equal? A starving man steals bread and gets prison time, but a rich bastard sells women overseas and faces no charges. Damn it.”
Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk bit his lip, then handed me a sheet of paper as he continued.
“Eom Seon-ju’s schedule. I got it from her driver.”
“Her driver?”
The driver was someone who spent almost all his time with Eom Seon-ju.
I worried that Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk’s appearance might have been exposed to Eom Seon-ju.
But Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk waved his hand dismissively.
“There’s nothing to worry about. I caught him skimming on gas and car wash expenses and using trips to the room salon as a cover. He spilled everything the moment he got scared of it reaching Eom Seon-ju’s ears. I mean, I understand. That woman’s eyes aren’t exactly normal, are they?”
Then that was fortunate.
I pulled out Eom Seon-ju’s schedule and scanned it with my eyes.
And my gaze stopped at one particular point.
‘A Korean traditional restaurant….’
Soon, Eom Seon-ju would meet someone related to real estate at a Korean traditional restaurant.
‘If I use this time….’
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A few days later, at a Korean traditional restaurant.
Eom Seon-ju sat there meeting with a friend.
“A villa?”
“That’s right. The whole area is going to be redeveloped. High-ranking government officials are already scrambling for it. They’re contracting every property that comes on the market, even borrowing relatives’ names. Minister Park has apparently already secured around twenty units.”
“Really?”
The friend sitting across from Eom Seon-ju was someone who swept up real estate across the entire country whenever there was money to be made.
A real estate mogul, so to speak.
She opened her mouth with a slight smile.
“We need to grab as much as we can before the announcement.”
“So what’s your target? How many units?”
“I’m aiming conservatively for one unit per property.”
One unit meant 100 million won; ten units meant 1 billion won.
Eom Seon-ju shook her head.
“Those bastards would be thrilled with that kind of profit, but it’s chump change, isn’t it? After taxes and everything, there’s nothing left.”
“I said conservatively. You know how it works, right? Once rumors spread and prices keep climbing with each wave, who knows how high it’ll go. That’s when we can really cash in.”
As I listened to my friend’s words, I calculated the profits to be made.
The recent warehouse robbery had caused significant losses in liquid cash reserves.
To make up for that, I needed to invest aggressively.
But real estate takes time.
Even after the redevelopment announcement, there’s no telling how long it will take before actual construction begins.
While a high-ranking official’s involvement was solid information, I wasn’t comfortable burying already scarce cash in land.
“Hold on, I need to use the restroom.”
Eom Seon-ju said that and stood up.
I wanted some alone time to clear my head and reconsider.
I left the room and walked down the hallway toward the restroom.
Then, as I was washing my hands, I heard the voices of two women entering.
“I heard Lee So-hee caught herself a good man this time? Someone named Kim Yun-hwan, supposedly from a pretty prominent family. A lawyer, I think?”
Kim Yun-hwan—a familiar name, and a lawyer at that.
Eom Seon-ju narrowed her eyes and shifted her gaze.
Two women who appeared to be in their late twenties or early thirties were touching up their makeup while conversing.
“That man is coming back from the United States this time, and apparently he’s getting married right away? But you know what’s even funnier? She’s never even seen his face.”
“Really? That Kim Yun-hwan guy—is there something wrong with him? Otherwise, why would a well-bred son meet Lee So-hee? Is he hiding that she’s the child of a mistress?”
“If his real father shows up at the wedding, the atmosphere will get awkward, won’t it?”
“Do you think he’ll even come, that important person?”
That was the end of it. The women left the restroom, and their voices faded away.
But Eom Seon-ju remained standing, rigid.
‘Kim Yun-hwan, lawyer, United States?’
With high probability, this was about her nephew Kim Yun-hwan.
Kim Yun-hwan was currently in the United States and, after leaving his position as a prosecutor, now used a business card identifying him as a lawyer.
‘…A mistress?’
And if that were true, her older sister certainly wouldn’t know about it.
Her sister was someone whose pride in her son was excessively strong—she would never accept the child of a mistress.
Lost in thought, the corners of Eom Seon-ju’s mouth gradually curved upward.
And she chose the fastest way to verify whether their words were true or not.
Sending a message to her sister.
-Sister, is Yun-hwan getting married?
A message arrived shortly after.
-What? How did you find out? I didn’t tell anyone.
Eom Seon-ju picked up her phone and burst into laughter.
That proud sister of hers was taking the child of a mistress as a daughter-in-law.
She could almost see her sister’s face crumpling in real time.
After laughing for a while, Eom Seon-ju’s eyes sparkled as she returned to the room.
And she opened her mouth toward her friend who had been sitting alone, her voice genuinely bright.
“I should invest. When should we visit the site?”
Just moments ago, Eom Seon-ju had been deliberating over the investment.
The gains, the losses, and the timeline.
But now it was different.
Somehow, it felt like everything would work out.
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“She was really laughing hard, wasn’t she?”
At a pojangmacha near the Korean traditional restaurant.
Do Gwang-hyun sat across from Seo Jin.
“Was she?”
“Yes. I thought she’d lost her mind. She laughed like ten years of constipation had suddenly been relieved. Should I try mimicking it?”
Do Gwang-hyun imitated Eom Seon-ju’s laughter from the restroom.
Unable to bear that thick, gravelly voice any longer, Seo Jin spoke up.
“Stop. It’s terrible.”
“Is it?”
Seo Jin smiled faintly and refilled Do Gwang-hyun’s glass.
The fact that Eom Seon-ju laughed that way was a signal that he’d taken the bait.
Now I just had to wait and see how Eom Seon-ju, having swallowed the hook, would stir up trouble.
Eom Seon-ju would uncover Lee So-hee’s existence and dig into her past.
He had the information network and power to do it.
‘And he’ll meet Kim Young-jun’s wife.’
I could easily predict what would happen after that.
A major confrontation between Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun and his wife.
‘Of course, that alone won’t break the marriage promise.’
Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun was the type who, once he set his sights on something, would push through to the end.
He wasn’t the kind of man to abandon a consolidation of power because of family discord.
‘But…’
There would definitely be a blow to Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun.
That moment would be when I execute my next plan.
For now, I just needed to prepare for something else.
Seo Jin asked Do Gwang-hyun.
“What about the actresses?”
A question about the two women Do Gwang-hyun had recruited—the ones they’d spoken with while passing through the room where Eom Seon-ju had been.
Do Gwang-hyun answered confidently.
“I gave each of them a million won. They’ll keep their mouths shut. Besides, even with just that content, it’s not easy to figure out who Kim Yun-hwan and Lee So-hee are.”
“You did well. Have a drink.”
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Kim Yun-hwan had returned.
The first place he sought after getting off the plane was Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun’s office.
Kim Yun-hwan looked at Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun with an awkward smile.
“I’ve thought a lot while staying alone in the United States. From now on, I won’t cause trouble and will work hard.”
“Have you heard about your marriage arrangement?”
“Yes, Mother told me.”
“What do you think?”
“I’ll know once I meet her, but I’m thinking positively about it.”
Kim Yun-hwan felt resentful that his father brought up marriage so directly without any preamble, but he maintained a bright expression.
Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun continued speaking as he put a cigarette in his mouth.
“I’ve arranged a position for you at your uncle’s company, so take about a week off and then start work.”
“Yes.”
Kim Yun-hwan tried his best to appear mature, but in Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun’s eyes, he remained unchanged—still an irresponsible son.
Unable to secure marriage or employment on his own, relying instead on his parents—though it was Kim Young-jun’s directive, perhaps he had secretly hoped Kim Yun-hwan would refuse at least once.
“Don’t cause any more trouble from now on.”
“I’ve told you, I’ve thought about this carefully.”
“While you’re here, go see Seo Jin’s face too. I called him, so he should be here soon.”
For just a moment, Kim Yun-hwan’s lips twisted.
Seo Jin—the very architect of his suffering abroad, the one who forced him to leave Korea. That name could hardly be welcome.
Even now, that day when Seo Jin had done this to him flashed vividly in his mind.
Kim Yun-hwan nodded, resolved that this time he would absolutely crush Seo Jin.
“Seo Jin? Really, I’ve been wanting to see him.”
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At that very moment, I was arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, stepping into the elevator.
‘…Kim Yun-hwan?’
The man who had fabricated a false perpetrator for his own greed.
The prey who had escaped abroad without facing justice, blessed with fortunate parents.
He had returned.
The time was drawing near to weigh the burden of his crimes on the scales.
This was truly one of the moments I had been waiting for.
Exiting the elevator, I walked steadily toward the Prosecutor General’s office.
I was already curious what reaction Kim Yun-hwan would show when our eyes met.
Given his nature, he’d want to grab me by the collar and curse me out the moment he saw me, but with Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun present, he wouldn’t dare such behavior.
‘Let’s see what he does….’
I was prepared to accept whatever Kim Yun-hwan might say with grace.
Like a final meal given to a death row inmate—that was the spirit with which I approached him today.
As I opened the door and entered, Kim Yun-hwan, who had been sitting, suddenly sprang to his feet and rushed toward me.
Then, with both arms spread wide, he pulled me into a tight embrace—clearly conscious of Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun’s presence.
A superficial display of familiarity, a greeting for show.
“It’s been a while?”
I saw the scheming glint in his eyes.
He was definitely plotting something.
But for now, I played along with his act.
“You look good. You weren’t just playing around instead of studying, were you?”
“Hey, do you know what studying abroad is like? I thought my head would explode from studying so much after all this time.”
Study, my ass—he’d probably been exhausted from changing women every single day.
Ah, but over there, Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun’s name wouldn’t carry weight, so perhaps he had struggled a bit.
Kim Yun-hwan, feigning warmth, brushed my arm and continued speaking.
“While I was abroad, I realized that the only thing you can truly trust is blood. There’s no such thing as friendship. Everyone just associates for temporary pleasure or personal gain.”
I wondered why his preamble was so long.
And what came next was indeed nonsense.
“We’ve had our disagreements, but we’re still the Kim family. I’ll take over from Uncle and build Jaejeong Construction into something great. You follow in Father’s footsteps and become president of the university. Then we can keep living like this forever.”
“If that were to happen, I’d really like that.”
Of course, it was a lie.
There was no way it could happen.
“When do you have free time? We should grab a drink.”
“Hyung, don’t you need to meet your friends? Just tell me when you’re available.”
“I already told you. Blood ties are what matter—there’s no such thing as friends. How about today?”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m fine.”
Kim Yun-hwan gently patted my back and guided me to the sofa.
But the moment his hand touched my back.
My vision flooded with black and white.

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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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