Prosecutor Kim Seo-Jin - Chapter 85

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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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Entering the Game (1)
“Yes, it’s 130,000 won. When I took on the case, I got to know a real estate expert. I just received a message from him saying it could go up to 300,000 won instead of 200,000 won?”
Jo Woo-jae let out a short laugh.
His heart had sunk when he heard it had dropped to 130,000 won, but the news that it could climb to 300,000 won seemed to lift his spirits.
He began speaking like an expert again.
“It’ll probably go into the low 200,000s. But it won’t reach 300,000. That’s too much of a stretch. Here’s why…”
After listening for a while, I tilted my head and opened my mouth.
“This man is almost never wrong. Once speculators catch the scent and start moving, it can go even higher than that.”
“Seo Jin, I’ve never been wrong either.”
Jo Woo-jae raised his glass with confidence and a smile.
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“The initial cuts are already done. So now he’s making the final moves and trying to marry it off on the last train. The bastard said he was washing his hands clean, but did he switch careers to real estate?”
Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.
Do Gwang-hyun was drinking soju with a friend.
The friend ran a small bar and was well-versed in real estate fraud schemes.
“Forget it. Initial cuts? Final moves? Marry it off? Speak plainly.”
“A guy who used to run financial scams—why is he messing around with land deals instead of watching graphs?”
Do Gwang-hyun waved his hand.
His friend chuckled at the gesture to get to the point and began explaining.
“So ‘initial cuts’ means…”
It’s real estate slang.
Initial cuts mean purchasing large tracts of land and then subdividing and selling them.
Making final moves refers to speculators buying and selling properties among themselves to artificially inflate prices.
They collude to drive prices up, but ordinary people can never tell.
They believe the government-certified land registry proves the price increase.
“You follow?”
“Hey, but the prices haven’t gone up. He’s actually selling at lower prices even though he could raise them.”
“Really? He’s lowering the prices?”
Do Gwang-hyun shook his head, and his friend’s expression turned serious.
After draining his soju, he asked quietly.
“Who’s the architect behind this?”
“I can’t say that.”
There are rules in this industry too.
When someone stays silent, you don’t ask further.
His friend nodded and spoke.
“Why lower the prices? Simple. He’s planning to completely destroy it. Don’t overthink it. It’s just like the stock market—a psychological game. Stock prices keep plummeting. What happens then?”
People panic and enter a state of fear.
“But then it bounces back? A little later and it breaks through the previous high? What do the retail investors do then?”
Not knowing if the Han River lies at the end of it all, I pull my very soul into the gamble, betting everything on one last throw of the dice.
My friend continued talking as he picked up grilled pork belly with his chopsticks.
“Then we just keep jacking up the price and marry him off—game over.”
The word “marry off” is slang meaning to find a sucker, sell him everything, and wash your hands clean.
The sucker won’t even have time to scream before he’s drowning in the Han River, thrashing about.
My friend raised his glass with a sly smile.
“Okay? You understand?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“But who’s the sucker? Seems like you’re pretty hooked on this one. You can at least tell me that, right?”
“Can’t do it.”
Do Gwang-hyun shook his head.
The target they’d chosen was none other than the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
Opening his mouth carelessly could scratch open wounds he didn’t need.
“Let’s just drink.”
Do Gwang-hyun extended his glass.
His friend clinked glasses and asked.
“Then just tell me this one thing. The sucker’s a professional, right? Come on, you can tell me that much?”
“Yeah, he’s a professional.”
His friend burst into laughter.
The higher the education and intelligence, the easier they fall for fraud.
They fundamentally believe: “Fraud is something only idiots fall for. I’d never get caught.”
They believe the information they possess is the most perfect in the world.
And they convince themselves they’re investing, not speculating.
“He’ll be easy to strip clean.”
His friend looked at Do Gwang-hyun with envious eyes.
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Word came that the land was trading at around 100,000 won per pyeong.
Jo Woo-jae bit his lip.
Once development begins, compensation is calculated based on the official land value.
But if market prices drop….
‘Damn it.’
Jo Woo-jae owned approximately 65,000 pyeong of land.
He’d purchased it at an average of 110,000 won per pyeong, and had poured roughly 7 billion won into it so far.
Of that, bank debt alone approached 3 billion won.
-Boss? Someone’s offering to sell at 90,000 won. Are you… interested?
A real estate agent called.
It had dropped again.
Down to 90,000 won.
At this point, it’s a complete loss.
‘If I think long-term, the land value will definitely rise.’
But the recent movements of retail investors have been unusual.
Even though I was certain about the development information, watching the land prices fall made me anxious and restless.
“Let me think about it.”
Jo Woo-jae hung up the call.
He decided it was time to pause aggressive investments and observe the situation.
‘Sigh…’
A dull ache throbbed through my head.
At times like this, I needed to relieve stress.
Jo Woo-jae picked up his phone.
Not the one he used to contact contractors—a completely different device.
Jo Woo-jae scrolled through the phone and found a number.
The name was Attorney Kang Du-jin.
He pressed the call button.
But a young woman’s voice came through the receiver.
-Oppa!
At the sound of “oppa,” Jo Woo-jae broke into a smile.
That word never failed to lift his spirits.
“What time does school end?”
Shortly after, Jo Woo-jae was driving along Olympic Boulevard toward Gangdong-gu.
-Are you running late?
His wife called.
“Work’s been hectic.”
-Have you eaten?
“I’ll eat soon.”
-Eat first, then work.
“Got it. I’m busy, so I’ll hang up. I’ll call you back.”
-Honey, you’re late again today…
He ended the call before his wife could finish speaking.
Then he turned the steering wheel.
The apartment complex entrance came into view.
A rented apartment in Gangdong-gu that he’d secured.
He parked the car and headed to the sixteenth floor.
As he opened the door, stale air greeted him.
No one had lived here for a long time.
Jo Woo-jae opened the windows to air out the space.
Just as fresh air began flowing in, beep beep beep—the sound of a password being entered echoed.
“Oppa!”
A much younger woman entered.
A young college student with an innocent face.
She threw her arms around Jo Woo-jae and let out a breathy whisper.
“I missed you.”
The college student swayed against him.
Unlike his wife, she carried a delicate fragrance, and her tender skin felt soft beneath his touch.
Jo Woo-jae smiled quietly and gently gripped her shoulder.
“Shall we shower?”
His phone vibrated again.
His wife.
Jo Woo-jae powered off his phone and headed toward the shower with the college student.
Time passed.
Just as Jo Woo-jae had anticipated, the land price rebounded.
Back to 150,000 won.
Yet Jo Woo-jae’s expression darkened.
He was kicking himself for not buying at 90,000 won.
-The 2,000-pyeong forest land is listed at 150,000 won. Should we take it?
The broker called, but Jo Woo-jae shook his head.
“No.”
Buying land that had been 90,000 won at 150,000 won felt like a losing proposition.
But soon it hit 170,000 won.
Then 180,000 won.
Jo Woo-jae’s face grew increasingly flushed.
He should have been pleased that the price rose, but human greed knows no bounds.
And Seo Jin’s words echoed in his mind.
“He said it could go to 300,000 won, not just 200,000 won.”
“This man is almost never wrong.”
“If speculators catch wind of it, it could go even higher.”
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“Close the deal at 202,000 won. Keep raising it in thousand-won increments, and once it crosses 210,000, jump it to 230,000.”
Do Gwang-hyun was juggling dozens of names, buying and selling by himself—it was absolute chaos.
But Jo Woo-jae wasn’t the only one caught in Do Gwang-hyun’s scheme.
Speculators from across the nation seemed to have descended on it.
The trading volume for this previously worthless, overlooked land was skyrocketing.
“And from now on, don’t shuffle the names around. Sell everything exclusively to Jo Woo-jae.”
-Do you think he’ll buy?
“Once it crosses 230,000, his eyes will roll back in his head.”
The time to crush Jo Woo-jae was drawing near.
“Keep working hard then.”
The moment I ended the call with Do Gwang-hyun, my phone vibrated.
The caller ID showed Jo Woo-jae, the Chief Prosecutor.
I answered with genuine warmth in my voice.
“Yes, Chief Prosecutor.”
-You said you know a real estate investment expert, right?
Land. That’s what he wanted to discuss the moment I picked up.
I pictured a gambler’s bloodshot eyes, wild with desperation at the poker table.
And this next part was crucial.
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae couldn’t afford to abandon caution and liquidate everything.
-Remember that land I mentioned before?
“Ah, yes. Thank you for that.”
I offered my gratitude out of nowhere.
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae’s tone cooled noticeably.
-…Thank you? For what?
“That land. I bought three thousand pyeong when it was ninety thousand won per pyeong. I sold it a few days ago, though…”
-You sold it? Why?
“My father scolded me for doing that sort of thing.”
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae must be seething inside.
The ninety thousand won he’d missed out on had fallen into my hands instead.
My gain would feel like his loss—there was no doubt about it.
But I continued as if nothing were amiss.
-That expert you mentioned… no, never mind. Can I call him directly?
“Directly?”
-Yeah, do me a favor.
“010…”
I recited Do Gwang-hyun’s number while opening my messenger on my laptop.
Then I messaged Do Gwang-hyun about the situation.
-Jo Woo-jae’s going to call you.
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae had already made his decision to buy more.
But the reason he wanted to hear from an expert was singular: he needed validation that his choice was the right one.
It was the same pattern every mark followed.
I continued typing my instructions.
-Say this: “Ah, I really shouldn’t be telling you this…”
It didn’t matter if Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae had Do Gwang-hyun’s number.
It was a burner phone anyway—I planned to throw it into the sea once this case was over.
After sending all my instructions through messenger, I spoke into the phone.
“He’ll pick up if you call now.”
-Thanks. I’ll buy you a drink later. And you—you’re coming to me, no matter what. Got it?
“Pardon?”
-That’s how it’s going to be.
Jo Woo-jae hastily hung up the phone.
I tilted my head in confusion.
‘Tell him to come to me?’
I couldn’t make sense of what he meant.
And moments later, a message arrived for Do Gwang-hyun.
-Should we raise it to 230,000 won right now?
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As the cold wind announcing the end of February brushed against her skin, Lee So-hee was heading somewhere with a shopping basket in hand.
The basket was packed with meat, beer, and all manner of things.
Lee So-hee had arrived at Seo Jin’s House.
When she pressed the doorbell, Seo Jin opened the door wearing a short-sleeved shirt and sweatpants.
“Oh? What brings you here?”
Lee So-hee spoke while holding up the shopping basket.
“You’re leaving tomorrow anyway. So I wanted to have a drink with you, and help you pack while we’re at it.”
Tomorrow, I would be leaving the Gangwon District Prosecutors’ Office and transferring to Seoul.
Yesterday felt like I’d downed bomb shots until I nearly died, and seeing Lee So-hee’s basket, it looked like I’d be drinking again today.
“Come in.”
I ushered Lee So-hee inside and propped the door slightly open with a doorstop.
Lee So-hee laughed at my action.
“What? Are you worried I might do something to you?”
“No, it’s just…”
It had been that way ever since I was accused of sexual assault.
Being alone in a confined space with a woman felt burdensome.
No matter how close we were.
“What? You don’t have anything to organize? I even brought gloves for nothing.”
Lee So-hee looked disappointed as she surveyed the living room.
Though I’d be using a professional moving service, I’d already organized my books and clothes.
I smiled faintly.
“Let’s just drink.”
At that moment, outside Kim Young-jun’s house.
The First Vice Chief Prosecutor from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office stood before the doorbell, adjusting his necktie.
Before pressing the doorbell, he cleared his throat with a few coughs….
“Oh? Vice Chief Prosecutor?”
When I turned my head, the Chief Prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1 nodded respectfully.
The First Vice Chief Prosecutor furrowed his brow.
“What brings you here?”
Then another voice was heard.
“Ha… You’re thinking the same thing, aren’t you?”
The Third Vice Chief Prosecutor stood holding a large ginseng gift set.
“Ugh.”
The First Vice Chief Prosecutor sighed and pressed the doorbell.
With a soft chime, the door swung open.
The three men exchanged wary glances as they stepped inside.
And they were shocked once again.
“You’re late.”
The living room sofa was packed with vice chief prosecutors and chief prosecutors from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
The spacious living room looked cramped.
Kim Young-jun, the Prosecutor General, regarded them with a look of exasperation before speaking.
“You people—you should be resting on weekends. Why are you coming to my house!”
The First Vice Chief Prosecutor spoke urgently.
“Prosecutor General, please leave Seo Jin to me!”
“No. We’ll take him. We just happen to have an opening….”
“Hey, Third Vice Chief Prosecutor! Look what happened when we left Kim Yun-hwan with you!”
While the two men bickered, the Fourth Vice Chief Prosecutor quietly whispered to Kim Young-jun.
“Prosecutor General, we’ll arrange a position in the Strong Crime Division. Our Park Chief Prosecutor will manage his career development well….”
Seo Jin is Kim Young-jun’s nephew.
Simply having him under their wing would bring them closer to Kim Young-jun.
Moreover, Seo Jin’s track record was already solid.
Unlike Kim Yun-hwan, who merely served as a figurehead, Seo Jin would undoubtedly deliver results.
They all wanted to claim this unexpected prize for themselves.
“Your divisions are already at full capacity! And you’re saying you’ll take him? That’s shameless!”
“What? Shameless?”
Kim Young-jun pressed his forehead and shook his head.
He’d anticipated something like this, but not this chaotic.

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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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