The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 70
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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 70
“You… why did you tell me that…?”
Lim Do-hyuk’s voice trembled.
“Because Choi Yoon-ki can’t be touched.”
I spoke as if stating an obvious fact.
It was the truth.
My purpose from the beginning until now. It has never changed, not even once.
“So, senior.”
“…”
“Don’t touch Chief Prosecutor Choi Yoon-ki.”
As a very old friend, I was gladly planning to orchestrate his finale.
This was a warning I was giving to Lim Do-hyuk.
I’m the one who will finish Choi Yoon-ki.
“Because senior will become dangerous too.”
Well, this was also advice directed at Lim Do-hyuk, who was as young as Sung Tae-hyun.
No matter how much he pushed out his father from Haeil, could that be complete?
Anyway, Choi Yoon-ki wouldn’t be able to easily separate from that group led by Lim Sang-jin.
Lim Do-hyuk’s Haeil also hadn’t achieved complete independence.
“…Choi…”
So it was kind advice not to be mistaken.
Lim Do-hyuk seemed to understand in some way.
“…”
Lim Do-hyuk left without saying anything.
It seemed his mind had been organized to some extent.
And, a few days later.
[Good morning.]
[Photos]
In the meantime, I didn’t stop pretending to seduce Lim Sang-jin.
Whatever he was thinking, I had to fill his mind with thoughts of me.
So that the contract I threw at Lim Sang-jin would feel heavy.
“Haha.”
Since I said I wouldn’t wait long, his mind must be quite complicated by now.
That was the conclusion, and also the best I could do right now to provoke Choi Yoon-ki.
[Morning.]
Anyway, whether my sincere messages got through, Lim Sang-jin did return greetings to me every time.
Though it was a bit annoying to take and send selfies every morning.
“…Lawyer Sung, you take photos every time you sit down these days?”
“Because the weather is nice.”
“But it’s raining…”
Noh Hae-min grumbled.
So what if it’s raining?
Liu Bei also visited Zhuge Liang three times.
Of course, I wasn’t Liu Bei and Lim Sang-jin wasn’t on Zhuge Liang’s level either.
And I didn’t want that bastard that much either.
Anyway, sending morning selfies for three straight days was nothing.
…If that bastard got annoyed looking at me, that would also be quite enjoyable.
“Did you get a girlfriend or something?”
Noh Hae-min couldn’t overcome his curiosity and asked me.
“No.”
“Then who?”
He seemed unusually curious.
He’d been lying around lately because of the gloomy weather.
“A grandfather I know.”
“…Huh? Grandfather?”
I answered like a fairy tale, matching Noh Hae-min’s level.
Compared to Sung Tae-hyun, Lim Sang-jin was about grandfather age.
Do-hyuk was a late child, so that made sense.
If they’d had children early for generations, he’d be about grandfather age.
Even if not, this kind of answer was better for Noh Hae-min’s level.
“…You must be very close with that grandfather.”
Of course.
Noh Hae-min believed it straightforwardly.
Of course, I had no intention of telling him the real truth.
Soon, Noh Hae-min, having lost interest, returned to his seat.
I was sending a message to Ho-shin Senior after a long time.
[The third proof is complete.]
A bit ambiguous perhaps.
Ho-shin Senior probably isn’t that strict anyway.
After all, what started as Lim Do-i’s restraining order case had ambiguously grown to the point where I even appeared in a documentary.
I got paid money anyway, so it didn’t matter. But this depended on how high Ho-shin Senior’s standards were.
[I’ll come find you soon.]
A reply arrived from Senior.
Will he finally make his comeback this time?
It would be good for me if Senior’s name was attached.
But somehow I didn’t feel like that guy would properly return.
* * *
Anyway, it would be fair to say that Choi Yoon-ki’s visit was somewhat predetermined.
[…The chief prosecutor came to see me.]
[????????What??????????]
[…It was a delicious meal, but the atmosphere was deadly.]
[I ended up with indigestion.]
[Was that a trap?]
Even Sung Tae-hyun’s Diary had foreseen it.
Although there were some errors, it seemed his mind had somewhat returned.
“Have you been well? Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun.”
The window of the black sedan smoothly rolled down.
The one who caught my footsteps as I was just getting off work and heading home was the one I had been waiting for all this time, casting my fishing line and changing bait.
…It was Choi Yoon-ki.
“Chief Prosecutor Choi Yoon-ki.”
It’s been a while.
When was the last time I saw Choi Yoon-ki?
Ah, that’s right. It was at my mourning room.
I hadn’t expected him to have such an expression.
Even though Sung Tae-hyun’s heart was calm, I felt strangely numb in my hands and feet.
I thought I had sorted everything out, but I felt unnecessarily disturbed.
Let’s not forget.
I had words I couldn’t ask Choi Yoon-ki that day.
“Get in for now. I was going to suggest we have a meal together sometime, but meeting like this is also fate, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Of course it couldn’t be a coincidence.
Just as I had dangled bait for Choi Yoon-ki, Choi Yoon-ki was also someone far from ‘coincidence’.
I, who had spent decades with him, knew this best.
“Huh? Sung-“
It was just as I was about to get into Choi Yoon-ki’s car.
Lim Do-hyuk, who had gone to work at Haeil, was approaching as he got off work.
Oh no, this is troublesome.
I quickly got in the car and closed the door before Choi Yoon-ki could drag Lim Do-hyuk into his mouth.
“Didn’t someone call you?”
Due to the timely rainfall, his face covered by an umbrella and suit wouldn’t have been visible.
I shook my head.
Choi Yoon-ki’s driver smoothly pressed the accelerator.
[Today’s economic briefing, first news.]
The sound of rain was heavy.
Despite going so far as to give me a ride, Choi Yoon-ki said nothing.
Only the radio his driver had turned on was breaking the silence inside the car.
[Cheondong Future Innovation, a tech subsidiary of Cheondong Group, is pursuing an M&A with startup Bailonics, which possesses emotion-based AI environment control technology, to secure core technology that will lead the next-generation smart home market.]
What amazing timing.
Choi Yoon-ki didn’t even twitch an eyebrow.
I looked at Choi Yoon-ki instead of the window reflecting the rainy street.
No signs of nervousness.
As if the initiative was with him, even though he had come to find Sung Tae-hyun.
I gently opened the conversation.
“I’m sorry for not contacting you first.”
Choi Yoon-ki smiled with a relaxed expression.
“Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun. I’ve been watching your activities with great interest.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Quite impressive for someone in their early years.”
The rain was getting heavier.
Lim Do-hyuk must have gotten inside properly.
Any rookies, including Noh Hae-min, should avoid facing Choi Yoon-ki directly.
Of course, that’s just my thinking to avoid troublesome aftermath.
[According to industry sources, Bailonics’ ‘Syneser System’ is next-generation AI technology that analyzes users’ emotional changes and biological signals to automatically adjust living environments, and is expected to create synergy effects with the smart life sector that Cheondong has been emphasizing recently.]
Cheondong news coming out at just the right time during my meeting with Choi Yoon-ki.
Come to think of it, Cheondong had been distant from AI until now.
It seemed they were now trying to catch the trend and pioneer new businesses.
Choi Yoon-ki’s influence probably reached there.
His eye for the future was exceptional, after all.
“Are you interested?”
Perhaps seeing me listen to the news attentively, Choi Yoon-ki suddenly asked.
His observational skills were remarkable.
“…Yes.”
“Good. Cheondong is also where I was born.”
The fact that Choi Yoon-ki is the eldest son of Cheondong Group’s chairman is already well-known.
How much gossip circulated when he became chief prosecutor.
The complaints and grievances of prosecutors crossed the court walls and reached my ears.
“I was aware. It’s famous, after all.”
So I answered more easily.
If I rashly lied to Choi Yoon-ki, I’d get caught.
What Choi Yoon-ki possessed wasn’t just the backing of Cheondong.
His own abilities were exceptional from the start. That’s why.
…That’s why, observing Choi Yoon-ki in his prime was quite an enjoyable amusement for me too.
Though it’s all in the past.
[Meanwhile, Bailonics is a promising company predicted to become a unicorn based on its technology and growth potential, and Representative Bae In-jun stated regarding M&A with Cheondong that they are designing the future of daily life, not just technology.]
That’s a name I’m hearing for the first time.
I was somewhat distant from new technologies like AI, after all.
Should I say analog is more comfortable for me.
Inexplicable things like Sung Tae-hyun’s Diary also exist.
Perhaps even I myself was Kim Wook-han’s specter.
“When you have many family members to take care of.”
Suddenly Choi Yoon-ki spoke up.
The news that had been proceeding through the silence now moved to commercials, explaining men’s beauty products and such.
“Yes.”
“There comes a time when how to secure future food sources first becomes important.”
Each of Choi Yoon-ki’s words has substance.
I quietly observed him and agreed.
“That’s correct.”
“Haha. Since Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun is still quite young, you might not be interested in such matters.”
Choi Yoon-ki’s driver smoothly brought the car to a stop.
It seemed we had arrived at our destination.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in this neighborhood.”
Choi Yoon-ki spoke first.
I got out of his car, swallowing the sudden surge of sentiment.
I had certainly provoked him.
It was me who used Lim Sang-jin to make Choi Yoon-ki come to me directly.
But.
“Do you remember when we met at Wook-han’s mourning room?”
Choi Yoon-ki walked ahead nonchalantly.
The place he was entering was a high-end Japanese restaurant located downtown.
As for me… yes.
Sung Tae-hyun might not know, but Kim Wook-han knew this place very well.
“…Yes.”
This Japanese restaurant was quite famous.
It was as famous 10 years ago as it is now.
At one time, Choi Yoon-ki used to rent out this entire Japanese restaurant for entertainment.
When I was still friends with him, that is, when Choi Yoon-ki was still sane.
Even just before our relationship fell apart for the last time, Choi Yoon-ki was here.
‘I see.’
Choi Yoon-ki knows who he should warn.
The targets I’m trying to make into my people.
Or only important business partners I’ve brought to this place.
Choi Yoon-ki was testing me.
“Let’s go in.”
Choi Yoon-ki entered first into the innermost private room I remembered.
Inside the room with an elegant design where the interior had barely changed, prepared food was already laid out.
* * *
[Lim Do-hyuk Senior]
My mobile phone was buzzing.
When I didn’t answer the call, several text messages arrived in succession.
Let’s stop this.
I put my mobile phone in my pocket and looked at Choi Yoon-ki.
“It seems I called a busy person.”
“Not at all.”
In front of me and Choi Yoon-ki who were already seated, a bottle of premium sake with a subtle glow was placed.
It was the last alcohol I drank with Choi Yoon-ki before I died.
“Ah, this.”
My heart sank coldly at Choi Yoon-ki’s action that seemed to force memories.
Choi Yoon-ki’s hand skillfully lifted the sake bottle and filled my cup.
This bastard had ulterior motives when he acted like this.
Since I was once closest to him, there was no way I wouldn’t know.
Choi Yoon-ki looked at the filled cup and spoke in a low voice.
“I used to pour for that guy Wook-han like this before.”
“Is that so.”
“That’s right. Though… I didn’t know that guy would go like that after just a few months.”
Choi Yoon-ki doesn’t know that I am Kim Wook-han.
If he knew that, that bastard would also be in an absurd situation.
However, that possibility is very slim.
My very existence was an inexplicable miracle.
Then.
“I’ll pour you a drink as well.”
I snatched the bottle from Choi Yoon-ki who was tilting the sake bottle’s spout toward his own cup as if to pour for himself.
“…!”
Choi Yoon-ki’s mouth shut tight.
Not because he was angry.
That was definitely.
“…I can see Wook-han.”
Choi Yoon-ki said as if reciting.
He was no longer looking at the liquid that was now full and swirling in his cup.
“Things like this.”
I looked down at the plate that Choi Yoon-ki’s finger was pointing to.
‘Oh no.’
Habits are scary things.
The habit of changing the position of dishes because of Choi Yoon-ki who had detested cucumber since our undergraduate days,
had come out even in Sung Tae-hyun’s body.
“Kim Wook-han used to do that every time.”
Yes, I know better than anyone.
Choi Yoon-ki, who had been closing his eyes lost in reminiscence, slowly lifted his eyelids.
“Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun, haven’t you heard such things?”
In that voice that sounded amused, there was a sharp edge directed at me.
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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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