The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 6

 

 

Senior Ho-shin didn’t give me a proper answer.

 

“Kahahahahaha.”

 

Instead, he opened his mouth wide and started laughing.

The laughter that started small as if he found it truly amusing soon grew loud enough to echo through the quiet building entrance.

I watched him silently.

 

“You’re quite the joker.”

 

…That wasn’t the answer I expected either.

 

Did I step wrong?

That couldn’t be.

 

I often heard people say I was quite oblivious within the court, but that wasn’t true.

Rather, I prided myself on having an accurate eye for things.

Senior Ho-shin clearly thought Park Ji-hwan was involved in my death enough to come find him and grab him by the collar.

 

“…May I know why you think it’s a joke?”

“Hah, ha. Really. You… what did you say your name was?”

 

A cold glint ignited in his eyes over his sunken face as if he had never laughed.

 

Damn, I forgot again.

 

I naturally pulled out a business card from my wallet and held it out as if I had never forgotten.

When I was alive, I was never like this, so it seemed Sung Tae-hyun’s memory wasn’t very reliable.

 

“I’m late with introductions. My name is Sung Tae-hyun.”

“…A lawyer from Haeil.”

“Yes.”

 

I was gradually getting used to the name Sung Tae-hyun.

Still, it felt awkward having to pretend not to know information that I, already dead, knew.

 

“You remember me grabbing that bastard Ji-hwan by the collar, right?”

“Yes.”

“And you remember that Ji-hwan is Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun’s superior?”

“Of course.”

 

Senior Ho-shin didn’t withdraw his suspicious gaze.

This old man’s stubborn nature really hadn’t changed at all.

I spoke to him once more as if making a firm declaration.

 

“Regardless of my working at Haeil, I believe Judge Kim Wook-han was murdered.”

 

The temperature around us felt like it dropped about 5 degrees.

Senior Ho-shin began scrutinizing Sung Tae-hyun with sharp eyes as if he would devour him.

 

“…Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun.”

“Yes.”

“…Now I remember. You were first in the bar exam and even made it to the Legal News.”

 

Cunning old man.

He knew something I didn’t even know about myself.

And yet he pretended not to know.

He wasn’t a mountain spirit but an old fox.

 

“I’m grateful you remember. However, I-“

“No, stop.”

“…”

“Even if a lawyer from Haeil tells me such things, I can’t believe it.”

 

Was that diary full of nonsense?

 

This was my first time being so deeply involved in something unscientific.

So perhaps my judgment was wrong.

 

Maybe only the part about Senior Ho-shin having a small office was true, and the prophecy about me getting involved with him was false or unclear.

 

But there was too much information I needed to know to back down now.

What could possibly link my name with the deceased Senior Seon-ju?

 

Moreover, the very person who sparked that curiosity was right in front of me.

Then shouldn’t I at least try to scratch the surface of this senior who suddenly changed his attitude and acted like a stranger?

 

“Lawyer Kim Ho-shin, no, Senior.”

“…”

 

I slowly began to speak.

 

“It’s only been a few years.”

“…I have no idea what you’re talking about-“

“In just those few years, two perfectly healthy judges were murdered by Cheondong.”

 

Indeed, there was a reaction.

Senior Ho-shin’s expression grew even colder.

 

I thought he’d deny it to the end, but he couldn’t hide his emotions.

He slowly stood up and came closer to me.

 

“…Those words… Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun, can you take responsibility for those words-“

“No.”

 

Sung Tae-hyun has no connection.

Until now, that was the case.

 

However, this pitiful young man is dead, and what remains is me wearing his skin.

Responsibility is a word that can only exist when there’s an obligation, so strictly speaking, Sung Tae-hyun had no such obligation.

 

“I don’t particularly want to take responsibility either.”

 

When I added that, Senior Ho-shin burst into laughter as if he found it absurd.

 

“Then are you trying to toy with me based on mere trivial speculation?”

“Of course not. What would I gain from toying with Lawyer Kim Ho-shin?”

“Lawyer Sung, you’re playing word games right now.”

“A lawyer should know how to play word games.”

“Hah.”

 

Before I knew it, Senior Ho-shin’s eyes were burning even more fiercely.

He shouted with such intensity that it seemed like he might kill me at any moment.

 

“Where does some young punk whose license ink hasn’t even dried get off spouting nonsense?”

 

The ink on my license dried quite a long time ago.

It’s even changed color.

Because I’ve aged.

I’ve accumulated that much experience too.

 

“Senior.”

“There’s nothing more to say.”

 

He was stubborn.

Having already grabbed Park Ji-hwan by the collar, his intention to slip away like a snake was despicable.

I blocked his path as he tried to turn and leave.

There was still an answer I needed to hear.

 

“I know that those two were murdered.”

“You’d better watch that mouth if you want to survive long.”

“Just being cautious will only lead to being weeded out.”

 

The endless word games without conclusion were getting tedious.

Senior Ho-shin also knew that my death and Senior Seon-ju’s death were Cheondong’s doing.

That much was certain, so now we were getting to the main point.

 

“You must already know.”

“….”

“Because there’s a common thread in those two people’s deaths. Both were disguised as suicides.”

 

Strictly speaking, I don’t really know about Senior Seon-ju’s case.

I just made an educated guess since that’s what happened to me.

 

But it must have been an accurate guess, as Senior Ho-shin’s expression momentarily cracked.

 

Obviously, Senior Seon-ju might have also handled Cheondong’s cases.

Even if not directly involved, there would be countless cases buried underwater.

 

Then the thugs who threw me into the sea to kill me likely had a long-term contract with Cheondong, not a short-term one.

 

Because Senior Seon-ju and I probably weren’t the only ones eliminated this way.

From Cheondong’s perspective, to reduce risk, even if they were thugs, they’d obviously be ones they’d worked with for a long time.

 

“…Do you have evidence to support what you’re saying?”

 

Unfortunately, no.

 

My car had a damn black box, but those who killed me didn’t leave it alone.

I witnessed them removing the entire black box along with the SD card that would have contained the records, just before I died.

 

“I don’t.”

“Hah….”

 

When I answered boldly, Senior Ho-shin began to get angry.

 

“Then what are you trying to do? There’s no evidence, naturally no indictment, and time just keeps passing!”

 

He shouted.

 

I just rolled my eyes slightly to scan the building’s entrance and windows.

Fortunately, Haeil’s branch office building had fantastic soundproofing.

By now, the other lawyers including Park Ji-hwan would be busy attending the afternoon meeting.

 

It was fortunate for me.

Having such a lively senior like this.

 

“I won’t lie to you.”

“….”

“We might not be able to find the culprit who killed them at Cheondong, bring them to court, and ensure they receive a fair trial.”

“Hah, this damn….”

 

But this is reality.

Senior Ho-shin’s eyes were bloodshot red.

Pitifully, he seemed unable to accept the death of the departed.

 

Nevertheless, he was patiently glaring at me.

That’s decent grit.

 

Even with this changed appearance, he was worth the effort to make him my ally.

 

“Because as you said, there’s no evidence.”

 

The surroundings were quiet.

 

Those who had driven Senior Ho-shin away had returned to their peaceful daily routine.

Only Senior Ho-shin and I sat in a place apart from them, arguing.

 

I suddenly realized.

The victims in the countless trials I had handled were no different from this.

Only they struggled to return to their daily lives.

 

As for the perpetrators, well.

There were plenty who submitted hundreds of Letters of Repentance to the Court yet never offered a single word of apology to their victims.

They’d be the same as usual.

 

Especially cases that were buried like mine and Seon-ju senior’s.

 

“…So.”

“…”

“What is it you want to say. I don’t want to talk with you any longer.”

 

Senior sat down heavily on the Flower Bed again.

I stared intently at Senior Hoshin’s shoulders as they drooped powerlessly, then continued speaking.

 

“I made such a vow at Wook-han hyung’s funeral.”

“…”

“That I would uproot Cheondong completely.”

 

That much was sincere.

 

It was already a dead life.

I had walked there with my own feet and participated in the funeral.

 

Though I couldn’t see the funeral procession, I heard that the ashes after cremation were enshrined in some Columbarium thanks to the Court Chief.

 

It was a debt that must be repaid someday.

 

“…Cheondong…”

“Yes.”

 

Senior Hoshin slowly raised his head.

Despite not being an Old Man’s age, a streak of light flashed in senior’s faded eyes.

 

“You’ll eliminate them…”

“I will.”

 

Laughter flowed out again.

Senior Hoshin’s face contorted eerily, then immediately burst into mad laughter.

 

“Keu, keuha, keuhahahaha—!”

 

I didn’t laugh.

 

“Cheon, Cheondong, keuha, keuhahahaha—!”

 

Senior Hoshin, who had been clutching his stomach laughing for a while at whatever was so funny, slowly hardened his expression.

 

“Say it again, Lawyer Seong. Cheon, keuha, keut, Cheondong, you’ll eliminate them?”

 

Perhaps from laughing too much, Senior Hoshin was even shedding tears.

Not only that, but laughter that wouldn’t disappear even with dry washing leaked from his face as he tried to harden it.

 

If a third party saw this, it would truly be behavior that could be mistaken for someone under adult guardianship.

However, I didn’t mock him.

 

Since I had no one I loved, I didn’t understand senior’s emotions.

So I couldn’t mock him.

 

Instead, I gave him a definitive answer.

 

“I will eliminate Cheondong.”

“Keut, keuheut, a, again.”

“Everything of Cheondong, including Choi Yoon-ki, every card Cheondong holds, every relationship Cheondong has reached out to…”

“…Keut, keuheup.”

“I intend to eliminate everything without leaving a single cell.”

“Keut, keuhahaha, a, a lawyer from Haeil? Will eliminate Cheondong?”

 

It wasn’t a surprising question.

Haeil was a law firm so devoted to Cheondong that it formed Cheondong’s exclusive legal team.

Of course, I wasn’t part of that.

 

“I’ve already submitted my resignation request on my way here.”

“…What?”

 

This seemed to surprise him a bit.

 

Since my Funeral Hall, I had been consistently announcing my resignation.

Come to think of it, I also had a meeting scheduled with a Partner Lawyer before leaving work today.

Anyway, the procedures for resigning once were complicated.

 

“You’re quitting Haeil?”

“Yes.”

“While receiving so much money?”

“To think money is everything, I’m more the type to chase romance.”

 

Senior Hoshin’s mouth closed.

It probably meant ‘what nonsense is this.’

 

This senior had always shown me that expression from before.

While being a good-natured senior to other juniors.

 

“…I think I understand a bit why Wook-han cherished you.”

 

Senior burst into hearty laughter.

Unlike before, it was ordinary laughter that didn’t make him look like a madman.

 

“Good. If you’re going to eliminate Cheondong, I have no reason to oppose it.”

 

His calm, settled voice flowed into my ears again.

 

Perfect.

This should be enough.

 

I was too old to appreciate my senior’s consideration in not wanting to drag an ignorant first-year lawyer into such a serious situation.

 

I looked at him with a business smile.

 

“What do you want from me?”

 

Finally, it was the question I wanted.

I suppressed the laughter that was trying to escape through my lips and answered Senior Hoshin.

 

“Please hire me at your Law Office.”

“…Is that all?”

“One more thing.”

 

Senior Hoshin nodded as if telling me to continue.

 

“Please return to work properly again.”

“…Return?”

“The title of Representative Lawyer with a judge background—you need to use it instead of letting it rot if you want to make money, don’t you?”

 

Those were all my conditions.

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