Chapter 158 – One, Two – Part 1

Chapter 158 – One, Two – Part 1

Cha Juhyeok nodded with a meaningful expression.

Just then, a waiter entered with a knock and began to lay out dishes that looked delicious at a glance.

Woojin began to deftly remove the bones from the golden-brown grilled dried croaker and then placed it in front of Cha Juhyeok.

That action was quite unusual.

“Eat this, and let’s work hard together.”

“I’ll give it a try.”

“Please try it.”

Woojin’s eyes seemed to be burning, as if urging him to eat.

Cha Juhyeok, with an awkward smile, took a piece of the well-boned dried croaker to his mouth.

“How is it? Isn’t it moderately salty and savory?”

“The taste is quite good. No fishy smell at all.”

Woojin, who was nodding proudly, then turned his gaze to Lee Hyerim.

“Young Lady, this is the best place for dried croaker. Like this with rice.”

Woojin poured the prepared green tea water over the rice.

“Roll it up like this.”

Woojin took a spoonful of rice and placed a piece of dried croaker on it.

He brought it to his mouth, closed his eyes, and shook his head.

“It’s so delicious.”

–

The next day.

Kim Cheolung was perched on the office PC table.

He was so lost in thought that he couldn’t move, like a stone statue.

Just then, the investigator spoke.

“Shall I give you the tape?”

“I guess I should have it, right?”

“I think we’ll get a call within 10 minutes.”

As Kim Cheolung nodded, Investigator Oh rattled open a drawer and handed him some yellow tape, the kind one would put on a box.

Kim Cheolung smoothly rolled up his pant legs to his knees.

Then he wrapped something like a notebook around his shin and tightly bound it with tape.

Just then, the phone rang.

Rip-

Kim Cheolung bit the tape off with his mouth and picked up the handset.

“Yes. Kim Cheolung, Deputy Division Chief Prosecutor…”

– Come up here right now!

As the call abruptly ended, Kim Cheolung smoothly pulled his pant legs down again and said to Investigator Oh,

“You all have your meals. I’ll be eating in hell and coming back.”

Kim Cheolung then went to see the Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

The Deputy Chief Prosecutor, whose gaze was fixed on the documents, didn’t even lift his head.

No, he was rubbing his forehead and letting out a deep sigh through his nose.

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

As Kim Cheolung sat on the sofa, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, who had been standing, approached him.

He then unceremoniously dropped the documents on the table and sat in the head seat.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Excuse me?”

The Deputy Chief Prosecutor’s voice gradually grew louder.

“There must be a reason for this! A reason! Hey, you bastard! Are you trying to kill me!? Huh!?”

“From my perspective, sir. Embezzling with borrowed-name accounts and inflating with accounting fraud…”

“Hey, you bastard!”

The Deputy Chief Prosecutor stood up abruptly and threw the documents at Kim Cheolung.

They were the documents Woojin had given him, and of course, they were copies.

“Hey! Are you holding a grudge against Shinhwa Group!? Huh!?

It was the same with Lee Yohwan last time, why are you doing this! Ugh… Stand up.”

“Yes?”

“I said, stand up and look.”

As Kim Cheolung hesitantly stood up, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor strode towards him.

“Deputy Chief Prosecutor, please don’t do this, let’s talk…”

Wham!

His dress shoe landed on Kim Cheolung’s shin.

“The Financial Supervisory Service is quiet, so why are you making a fuss!? Don’t you have enough work? Huh!? Want more?”

Wham!

Each time the Deputy Chief Prosecutor’s foot moved, Kim Cheolung made an action of rubbing his shin.

The Deputy Chief Prosecutor, with his hands on his hips and his face flushed red, plopped back down on the sofa.

Kim Cheolung hastily gathered the scattered documents and placed them back on the table.

“Are you doing this because you think it will help your career right now?

Or are you determined to screw me over?”

Kim Cheolung smiled, as if trying to lighten the mood, and said,

“I believe bad guys should go to jail.”

“Do you want to spend your whole life spinning your wheels and then quit being a prosecutor?

Forget it. Drop it. This won’t work! Do you understand?”

Kim Cheolung’s face, with his lips pulled back, had a strange expression; it was hard to tell if he was smiling or not.

“Aren’t you going to answer?”

“Well…”

“Hey!”

“Understood!”

The Deputy Chief Prosecutor waved his hand dismissively, as if annoyed.

“You can go now.”

Kim Cheolung, with his head bowed, immediately headed for the door.

Then, Kim Cheolung, holding the doorknob, hesitated as if he still had something to say.

“Go. Don’t say anything.”

“Then I’ll head down.”

Kim Cheolung bowed his head once more and exited into the hallway.

And he rubbed his shin.

“Ugh, that hurts. When did he change his shoes?”

Kim Cheolung straightened up again and subtly smiled as he looked at the door he had just exited.

It was as expected.

It could even be called an obvious result.

Kim Cheolung, still smiling, murmured a part of Article 1 of the Prosecutor’s Oath regulations.

“I solemnly pledge that as a prosecutor, I will realize justice, uphold human rights, and act as a CEO for the public good, maintaining the proper attitude and mindset.”

Kim Cheolung walked down the hallway and brought his cellphone to his ear.

“Oh, Deputy Director, how have you been?”

He had called one of the Deputy Directors of the Financial Supervisory Service.

“Well, I’m always the same. A star Prosecutor, you say! Hahaha!

Oh, you remember how I screwed over Attorney Choi from K&J Law Firm back then, right?

That’s why I can’t get promoted. Hahaha!”

K&J was a prominent law firm in the Republic of Korea.

Kim Cheolung, who had been waving to the Junior Prosecutors as he walked down the hallway, stopped by the window.

Then, unlike before, he spoke with his smile completely gone.

“You said back then that if something came up that I needed help with, I should tell you straightforwardly. You remember, right?”

– Hahaha. Oh dear. Why are you being so serious? What is it? What’s the favor?

–

SH Strategy Chief’s Office.

The Chief was frowning, his eyes fixed on the PC.

An article about the alleged accounting fraud at Shinhwa Electric had been posted.

There was only one article, but it was enough to create tension.

The Chief asked his Subordinate,

“Where did this come from? Rainbow Newspaper? There was a company like this?”

“We are currently investigating.”

“Contact them quickly, go visit the company.”

“Yes.”

Just then, another Subordinate rushed in.

It was Assistant Manager Cha Juhyeok.

“Chief, an article about Shinhwa Electric’s accounting fraud allegations has been posted on FunFun News.”

The Chief frowned and looked at Cha Juhyeok.

“Where is that place?”

Both Rainbow Newspaper and FunFun News.

They were places he had never heard of before.

That was only natural, because Reporter Choi Gibae, who had captured the scene of the Buried Artifact Incident on his cellphone, had opened several businesses and just put up their signs.

There were five in total.

Woojin intended to make it seem like a minor incident before the main event.

“Quickly take care of that FunFun News or whatever it is. Just in case, have Cha Juhyeok contact the legal team.”

“Yes.”

Cha Juhyeok glanced at the Chief’s reaction and then left, while the Chief immediately made a phone call somewhere.

It was Kim Daehan, the CEO and Director of Shinhwa Electric.

“This is Chief Jo. An unpleasant news article is coming out, were you aware of it?”

– What?

“Shinhwa Electric is appearing in an article due to suspicions of accounting fraud.”

– Hahaha! Honestly, that’s the problem with trash journalists.

Is that even a reasonable thing to say? Believing tabloid-like articles over the Financial Supervisory Service?

“…I will look into it promptly and contact you again.”

After finishing the call, Chief Jo went outside and looked at the staff members.

Just then, the staff member who had been about to go to Rainbow Newspaper approached, holding a cellphone.

“Chief, Rainbow Newspaper is on the line.”

“Give it to me.”

The Chief snatched the cellphone and brought it to his ear as if taking it away.

“I saw the article. Our legal team will be taking action for spreading false information.”

– Spreading false information? No, wait, just a moment. I’ll take down the article right away.

Chief Jo sneered, looking at the cellphone as if it were an insect.

“What a bunch of pathetic things…”

He handed the cellphone to his subordinate and said to the staff members,

“Catch all articles related to Shinhwa Electric, no matter what. Call all media outlets and confirm.”

Just then, the subordinate standing next to him spoke up.

“Should I report it to Chairman Lee?”

Chief Jo’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Is this the first time something like this has happened?

If I report every single one of these trivial articles to the Chairman, I’m sure I’ll get a great response.”

The Chief raised a finger and poked his chest.

“Let’s think. Let’s think.”

“I apologize.”

–

Two days later, 7 PM

Woojin visited the villa he used to live in after a long time.

This was because he had spotted someone loitering near the villa yesterday on the CCTV.

They appeared to be about 167 cm tall and were wearing a raincoat due to the rain.

Their steps were weak, and they roamed around the villa, appearing to be wary of the room.

Every action was typical of an elderly person, and to confirm if it was indeed them, Woojin deliberately made it seem like he was entering the house today.

So, Woojin unlocked the door so anyone could enter at any time and sat in the living room.

He looked so relaxed checking the CCTV on his cellphone for a moment.

How many minutes had passed like that?

Woojin turned on the TV.

The scene playing an advertisement abruptly changed, illuminating a podium.

Below the screen, it was written:

[Emergency Briefing by Kim Cheolung, Deputy Division Chief Prosecutor]

Even when he changed channels, most broadcasting companies were competing to air the scene live.

It was understandable, as they couldn’t miss the briefing by Kim Cheolung, who had established himself as a star prosecutor.

What kind of incident could it be?

What kind of criminal would it be about this time?

As the curiosity of all citizens of the Republic of Korea watching the emergency briefing grew, Kim Cheolung finally appeared on the podium.

Whoosh!

Camera flashes poured over Kim Cheolung like fireworks.

– Hello, esteemed citizens.

The reason I am standing here again is because there are too many people who make light of the law and profit by stealing the blood and sweat of others.

Amidst a barrage of questions, Kim Cheolung calmly held up a document.

– These are the circumstances of Shinhwa Electric’s illegal borrowed-name accounts and accounting fraud. And the results of the prosecution’s investigation…

People from the prosecution were pouring into the Shinhwa Electric building, which soared to the sky.

– In other words, the reason I stand here is that as a CEO of public interest, who enables prosecutors to realize justice and protect human rights,

I believe I have a duty to inform the citizens.

Also, I am here to prevent the possibility of the case being buried.

Kim Cheolung’s voice was calm but held an unwavering power.

– Please clearly show them that the people stand above the law.

As a CEO of public interest, who realizes justice and protects human rights, I will be your sword, citizens, and mete out severe punishment.

Behind Kim Cheolung, the voices of other people seemed to be heard intermittently.

– Get down right now!

– Are you crazy?!

Kim Cheolung slowly nodded, scanning the reporters.

– That is all.

As Kim Cheolung stepped down from the podium, several channels hastily changed their screens.

These were the cases involving Shinhwa Group and politics, and they had never dreamed that Kim Cheolung would make such a statement.

Of course, there were also channels that continuously replayed Kim Cheolung’s briefing video like a room video.

At that time.

The teacup, released from Lee Jeongmi’s hand, flew as if to embed itself in the TV.

Thump!

– As a CEO of public interest, who realizes justice and protects human rights…

Lee Jeongmi’s eyes trembled like aspen leaves.

Her husband, who was beside her, said with a surprised face,

“Honey… if that’s true, isn’t delisting from the stock exchange a possibility?”

“Just! Just! Please just shut up!”