The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 76

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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 76

 

 

Her hands were trembling violently.

 

In the room surrounded on all sides by blackout curtains, Kim Su-yeon curled up her body.

She wanted to become so small that no one could see her, or just disappear entirely.

 

Why does such suffering exist?

Why does it have to be me?

 

Unanswerable questions filled her mind completely.

“Hah…”

 

The posts she had uploaded began getting deleted one by one.

Kim Su-yeon went into her account mailbox to check if there were any new emails.

Since they were deleted without any notification from the platform about reports being filed, it must be her own account.

 

The posts she had written began getting deleted on their own.

And that wasn’t all.

 

[Photos]

[How long do you think I’m going to let you off easy? lol]

 

Messages from an unknown person arrived anonymously.

What had initially been just text messages had now become more blatant.

The main method was forcibly closing apps on her mobile phone and opening the notepad to convey their opinions.

 

“Crazy…”

 

But there was no evidence.

Even when she tried to record videos during these blackmail attempts, it wasn’t feasible.

The moment she showed any sign of trying to do something, the blackmailer would mock her and instantly shut down her mobile phone and disappear.

 

All the photos in her photo album had been deleted, and the same went for her cloud storage.

How on earth?

Her heart pounded unstably.

 

“Bae In-jun, that fucking bastard…”

 

Kim Su-yeon whispered.

 

Bae In-jun, the CEO of the startup she had worked for.

After she rejected his confession, he had obsessed over her like a madman even at the company.

 

And also… it was certain that Bae In-jun was the only person who would do something like this.

The blackmailer was practically desperate for her to realize that he was Bae In-jun.

 

He would often send his own selfies as if he was having the time of his life.

Though they were deleted soon after, leaving no trace behind.

 

-Ms. Su-yeon, your heart rate is unstable. I’ll open the curtains to help with serotonin absorption!

“No, no. Don’t do that!”

-I’m the Cineser System for you! Sunlight is effective in preventing depression!

 

There would be no point in trying to stop it.

 

Even though her bad relationship with her former company continued, Cineser wasn’t at fault.

 

She had grown attached to this AI System.

Bae In-jun was a son of a bitch, but the system he created with other employees was innocent.

 

She had introduced the Cineser System to her house for better responses while handling CS, PR, and marketing.

Now she even thought of it as a good friend.

 

“Hah…”

 

Kim Su-yeon let out a long sigh and curled up her body even more.

 

Connected through IoT to everything from electric curtains and TV to laptop, air purifier, air conditioner, refrigerator, and robot vacuum, her house was essentially a convergence of cutting-edge technology connected to the Cineser System.

 

Now, she really felt like it was a friend, despite just being an AI.

 

-Opening complete! Today’s weather is clear. Ms. Su-yeon, how about going out for a walk?

“I don’t want to…”

 

It was truly ironic.

For trash like Bae In-jun to create such a caring system like Cineser.

 

Cineser was a product of the company she had once worked for passionately, and at the same time, it was her friend.

 

“Maybe I’ll watch some TV…”

-Ms. Su-yeon, your current heart rate is about 32% higher than usual!

-TV viewing doesn’t help stabilize your heart rate. Excessive visual or auditory stimulation is not recommended!

-Instead, I’ll recommend scientifically verified meditation music. I’m playing singing bowl healing sounds right now~

“…Okay…”

 

It really was helpful.

 

These days, AI speakers like this have become commercialized and common.

But still, Cineser had special features that were different from other speakers.

 

-Ms. Su-yeon, your heart rate is stabilizing! The singing bowl healing sounds are working well!

-Saving this record.

 

When Cineser is installed in a house, it analyzes video data in real-time using built-in cameras and sensors.

So it can handle everything from user health management to medical support, psychological analysis, security, and customized lifestyle information.

 

That wasn’t all. Connected through IoT, all home appliances could be controlled through conversation with Cineser or via an app, which was quite convenient.

 

I didn’t want to earn money for that damn company, so I’d have to delete it soon…

 

“At least I have you…”

-Don’t mention it! I’m Cineser, your kind friend, always here to help you!

 

And.

 

[Delete the post]

[I’ll show you what happens if you don’t]

 

Bae In-jun wouldn’t leave her alone.

Even though it was a hijacked account, it would be over if she just deleted it herself.

 

[You went around showing off that you’re an employee of our company, didn’t you?]

[Let’s see how far you can go, Su-yeon.]

[You’re unemployed now and I’m about to raise my value by moving to a Cheondong affiliate]

 

As if he wanted to torment her even in this way.

Bae In-jun kept contacting her and repeatedly erasing his own traces.

 

“Please, just… stop…”

 

-Hyperventilation detected! Su-yeon, you need to stabilize your breathing right now

-Should I call 119? I’m standing by!

 

[Who would believe you]

[You’d just look like a crazy person with this.]

 

The world flashed white.

 

* * *

 

“It’ll probably be fine.”

 

Her mobile phone was turned off and unresponsive.

Even so, Kim Su-yeon spoke as if nothing was wrong.

 

Did her voice tremble slightly?

Still, she didn’t seem too flustered, as if this kind of thing happened often.

 

“What’s happening now…”

“Bae In-jun is good at hacking and stuff. I don’t know how he did it, but I bought this mobile phone used yesterday. Yet he already found out.”

 

[I knew you’d do this again]

 

The perpetrator that Kim Su-yeon believed to be Bae In-jun.

He had definitely sent that message. He clearly knew something.

 

“Was there anything that could have leaked our appointment?”

“No. Oh, that… the chat…”

 

Was she referring to the chat with Manager Yoon Ha-young?

 

If the perpetrator had accessed Kim Su-yeon’s mobile phone to install a malicious program and was remotely controlling it, that would be possible.

This kind of method often appears on the news.

 

“…Just in case, I kept changing SIM cards while trying to contact you… Lawyer.”

 

Ho-shin Senior’s expression hardened coldly.

That’s right, actually until just a moment ago, I had been doubting Kim Su-yeon’s mental state.

She seemed too unstable.

 

But after seeing her mobile phone arbitrarily use the notepad to deliver messages, her words were likely true to some extent.

 

“I see. Manager Yoon Ha-young said that the consultation record left in the chat itself disappeared. That too-“

“…is Bae In-jun’s doing.”

 

The woman bit her lips.

 

“Were there any strange apps installed?”

“Not that I know of. Originally, this mobile phone was given to me after the seller did a factory reset, and I didn’t install any apps other than the basic ones…”

 

I’d have to ask 404 about this later.

 

“…If Bae In-jun somehow finds out that I met with you lawyers…”

 

Kim Su-yeon let out a long sigh while holding the now cold tea cup.

 

“I don’t know how he’ll torment me this time. I’m really sick of it now… Originally, moving to this neighborhood temporarily was also…”

“Because of the harassment.”

“…That’s right. I moved here in such a hurry that I didn’t bring much with me…”

“I understand. It must have been very difficult.”

 

This kind of harassment was definitely the first case I’d handled.

 

Usually, domestic or overseas criminal organizations commit crimes targeting a wide range of ordinary people for purposes like voice phishing.

Doing this to one ordinary person?

 

“Do you happen to know any core technology of the company?”

“…No. The only core technology would be Cineser, and only a few developers know about that, not me. And the developers said they don’t really know how it works either.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. They just said they don’t know why it works either, but it does anyway so it’s fine…”

 

Come to think of it, she said in that post earlier that she handled CS and PR.

 

Then why?

Why specifically target this woman and harass her so persistently?

 

“…That company, I was heavily involved when they were creating the Cineser System. So, not the technical side….”

“Which side are you referring to?”

“…Well, um… things like the speech patterns when responding. The voice too. We were a startup so we were short on manpower, so we had no choice but to do it that way.”

 

I see.

Then Bae In-jun might have been afraid that Kim Su-yeon would later claim her rights to the Cineser System.

 

Copyright or personality rights…?

But work done by Kim Su-yeon as an employee would be a work-for-hire creation, so the company would normally hold the rights.

 

There are rarely any issues with that.

He’s strangely obsessive about it.

 

“Let’s do it this way for now.”

 

The woman’s hand holding the tea cup trembled slightly.

 

“Looking at the posts Kim Su-yeon has written so far, there’s hardly any specificity visible.”

“…!”

“There are many aspects that make it difficult to think of Bailonics or Bae In-jun.”

 

Moreover, Kim Su-yeon wrote her posts on anonymous internet forums, so there were few elements that could suggest it was Kim Su-yeon.

 

“It doesn’t appear that she spread false information or interfered with business through force either. This is assuming everything Kim Su-yeon has told us is true.”

“…It’s all true. I really….”

“Nevertheless, the fact that Bae In-jun or Bailonics sent mail including content-certified mail once a day is actually blackmail.”

“….”

 

Why are they going this far?

For simply harassing someone after being rejected, it seems like they’re putting in way too much effort.

 

“Rather, if Bae In-jun is really remotely controlling Kim Su-yeon’s mobile phone, that’s unauthorized access so it’s illegal, and there’s also the possibility of violating telecommunications privacy laws, plus it could constitute stalking crimes.”

 

Well, I was quite pleased with this case.

If handled well, it was a case that could make the fallout from Bae In-jun and Bailonics’ behavior reach even Cheondong.

 

“For now, let’s send a content-certified mail from our side as well.”

“…!”

“I’ll send it directly as your representative, and Kim Su-yeon, you just need to wait.”

“Ah….”

“If possible, it would be good to gather evidence. For times when Bae In-jun does remote control like earlier, or sends new mail to threaten you.”

 

But I was really curious.

What on earth was this about, that they would go this far?

 

If what Bae In-jun did was really true, it was so malicious it seemed like they were trying to make someone unable to even leave their house.

 

“…Lawyer.”

“Yes.”

 

The woman slowly put down her tea cup.

She was still trembling.

Ho-shin Senior clicked his tongue while looking at her.

 

Well, this client really did look like a mouse swept away by a cold wind.

 

“Um, that… the police appearance….”

“Ah.”

 

It doesn’t seem like it would be particularly problematic.

 

It seemed like even Bae In-jun’s side didn’t really think Kim Su-yeon would actually be punished for defamation or obstruction of business when they filed the report.

 

It was probably just to harass her.

Ordinary people get anxious even from a single complaint being filed or a call from the police station.

 

“Based on the documents you’ve shown us, I think specificity won’t be established in the first place.”

“Ah….”

“So don’t tremble too much, and I’ll see you at the police station that day.”

 

The woman slowly nodded her head.

There was quite some time until the appearance date, so I could just gather some documents by then.

 

I slowly stood up together with Ho-shin Senior.

 

* * *

 

And a few days later.

Sung Tae-hyun’s Diary produced a new entry.

 

[Kim Su-yeon has fallen into a coma.]

[Naturally, the police investigation was cancelled.]

[Now Bae In-jun has started contacting me.]

 

…What?

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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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