Chapter 169 – Peace – Part 5

Chapter 169 – Peace – Part 5

The police officers watching Woojin and Kim Cheolung frowned and their eyes widened.

Because they couldn’t even imagine an ordinary officer looking indifferent in front of Assemblyman Lee.

Woojin’s calm expression even seemed like annoyance to them.

Given the brief conversation between them, it was highly likely they knew each other,

“Shin Woojin, aren’t you going to be polite in front of the Assemblyman?”

When someone said that, Woojin saluted Kim Cheolung.

“Salute, Officer Shin Woojin.”

Kim Cheolung smiled and saluted playfully.

“Salute.”

A faint smile formed on Woojin’s lips.

The meaning of ‘return’ was, of course, because Assemblyman Kim Cheolung had arrived.

Woojin spoke, maintaining a faint smile.

“But Assemblyman Kim Cheolung, isn’t this an abuse of authority? I was working.”

The police officers were speechless at Woojin’s bold manner towards the Assemblyman.

They merely wore expressions as if to say, ‘Is this guy crazy?’

Kim Cheolung, on the other hand, shook his head.

He’s truly an unchanging friend. But he could tell that Woojin was welcoming him.

The faint smile he wore was proof.

His tone of voice also conveyed that feeling.

Kim Cheolung shouted, as if bursting out.

“Yes! You rascal, I came here to abuse my authority!”

Then he looked at the police officers.

“Is it alright if I borrow this friend for a moment?”

One of them, briefly surprised, said,

“Oh! Of course. Shin Woojin, serve the Assemblyman well!”

Woojin checked his wristwatch and said,

“There’s still an hour left of work.”

One police officer quickly approached Woojin and whispered,

“Go. Quickly. Do you want to see us all get screwed? Go quickly. Quickly.”

“The documents aren’t finished yet.”

“I’ll do it for you, just go quickly.”

“These are matters I need to handle myself…”

At Woojin’s question, he wanted to shout out in frustration, feeling as if a heavy stone had rolled into his chest, but he once again composed himself and whispered,

“Hey, go quickly. Think of this as work and go. Quickly.”

Woojin nodded as if he had no choice.

“Alright.”

Just then, the police officers’ walkie-talkies rang.

-Situation concluded. We will transport the criminal immediately. Is Officer Shin Woojin alright? Even if he says he’s fine, he should probably go to the hospital.

“Why Woojin? What are you talking about?”

-Didn’t you say Officer Shin Woojin was cut by a knife?

“What? What are you saying?”

-Officer Shin Woojin was cut by a knife while apprehending the criminal.

At that moment, Woojin spoke up.

“It was scary, but I’m fine. It’s just a slight scratch.”

Suddenly, Prosecutor Kim Cheolung pushed up his glasses.

“An officer bravely fought and apprehended a criminal with a knife. Isn’t this grounds for a special promotion?”

Those who had been stunned by the news coming through the walkie-talkie, seemed to come to their senses and said,

“Yes…? Of course!”

“Woojin, are you really okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Kim Cheolung slung his arm over Woojin’s shoulder and said,

“Let’s head out for now.”

***

The place where Woojin and Kim Cheolung were sitting was a Pork Belly restaurant.

Woojin, holding the tongs, was grilling the pork belly until it was golden brown.

It looked truly delicious.

“Here, have a drink.”

“Just a moment. Let me just cut this…”

Woojin cut the pork belly with a snip, as if performing a cutting ceremony.

Their glasses were filled, and they raised them to toast.

Kim Cheolung bit into a chili pepper as a snack and said,

“You’re really amazing. Catching criminals left and right in the four-room, eight-room area. They’ll run out of them. They’ll run out.”

Woojin refilled his glass and asked,

“How have you been?”

“Me? Oh, just bickering and fighting with thieves, you know.”

Indeed, there were too many thieves in the country.

“You must be tired from your long journey. Please have a drink.”

Kim Cheolung took the drink and stared at Woojin.

No, he opened his mouth.

“Why on earth did you become an Officer?”

“I wanted to try it.”

“That ‘I want to do it’ thing, really… Why an Officer of all things?”

“Officers are closer to the citizens than plainclothes Police or Prosecutors, aren’t they?”

Kim Cheolung let out a small laugh.

It was because Woojin’s words were hitting a certain righteous path.

“Officers move faster?”

“Yes.”

“Officers don’t have investigative powers, do they?”

“But they have connections with investigative powers, don’t they?”

The connections Woojin was referring to were none other than Kim Cheolung.

Kim Cheolung, who had become a National Assembly Member with enthusiastic public support, was steadily expanding his network of relationships.

There were also some Prosecutors, and even rookie Prosecutors who respected Prosecutor Kim Cheolung.

And there was also Lee Hyerim.

A year ago, Chairman Lee Jeongmun had become reclusive, and Lee Hyerim was acting as his spokesperson, filling the void.

The media was buzzing that a successor to the Shinhwa Group might emerge, skipping a generation.

She also had deep connections with political figures.

At Woojin’s words, Kim Cheolung smiled and nodded.

He himself had risen to stardom and become an Assemblyman thanks to Woojin, but Lee Hyerim had become a complete powerhouse.

The connections Woojin was pointing to were enough to make one nod in agreement.

“All I have to do is catch it.”

Kim Cheolung downed the Soju coolly.

Then he slammed the Soju glass down!

“It’s a waste, you know. He’s too skilled to be rotting away in a place like this.”

Doesn’t he also possess the skill to solve an Unsolved Case that’s decades old in one go?

In Kim Cheolung’s opinion, Woojin was a tiger trapped on an island.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that this guy, who should be spreading his wings and roaming freely, was just circling around on an island.

Just then, a newly arrived customer approached.

It was a man who appeared to be in his late 50s.

“Officer Shin, what brings you here?”

“Hello. It’s a famous Samgyeopsal restaurant, isn’t it? Are the mushrooms growing well?”

“Don’t even get me started! It’s incredible how well they’re growing! And it’s so convenient. Thank you so much.”

It was Woojin who had provided the Brain Food equipment for free.

The machine determined and maintained the temperature and humidity, and these could even be checked on a Cellphone.

It was a system that increased yield and significantly reduced labor by creating an optimal Environment.

Woojin didn’t help just anyone.

He helped diligent people, kind-hearted people, those who knew how to share, those who knew how to be grateful, and despite all this, those who were suffering from financial hardship.

He was helping such people.

Money?

He had enough money.

Brain Food had merged with J&R Future, founded by Lee Hyerim, and J&R Future had grown even larger and once again bore the name of Shinhwa Group.

And Woojin was its Largest Shareholder.

Not only that, he also held a suitable amount of shares, which were Shinhwa Group’s treasury stocks.

“It’s unlikely, but if the temperature or humidity isn’t adjusting, please contact us. The Service Center Staff Members will be right over.”

“What am I going to do, just keep receiving like this? Thank you so much.”

“Then please make Mushroom Barley Bibimbap for me again sometime. It was really delicious.”

“I stop by every lunchtime. I’m just so good at it… No, I’ll sell it and half the profit…”

Woojin smiled subtly, cutting him off.

“Mushroom Barley Bibimbap, that’s enough.”

Woojin often visited the homes he was helping like this to have lunch.

It was partly for observation, and he liked how their smiling faces seemed to fill his heart with warmth.

He liked how they were becoming more peaceful.

Just then, Woojin received a call, so he said goodbye to him.

“Then I’ll see you next time.”

“Alright. Have a good time~”

As Woojin brought his cellphone to his ear, Kim Cheolung shook his head in disbelief.

It seems he even does volunteer work separately…

The officer even spends his own money to help people.

“Hello.”

-It’s me, your older brother, Woojin. Are you sleeping?

It was Detective Kim Taehyun.

“No. I was drinking pork belly with soju. With Assemblyman Kim Cheolung.”

-Huh? With whom?

“With Assemblyman Kim Cheolung.”

-…Woojin, I’m hurt.

“Huh?”

-You said you were busy lately… You said you couldn’t make time, but you canceled our plans…

Kim Taehyun felt as if Assemblyman Kim Cheolung had stolen Woojin from him.

“Detective Kim, have you been drinking? Assemblyman Kim Cheolung came here abusing his authority. I’m the victim.”

-So he came without contacting you? Let me talk to him.

“Just a moment.”

Woojin immediately handed the cellphone to Kim Cheolung.

“Oh my, long time no see, Detective Kim.”

-Assemblyman, you shouldn’t just show up when our Woojin is busy.

Kim Cheolung chuckled.

“Then Detective Kim, you should come find me too.”

Kim Cheolung opened his mouth playfully again.

“Our Woojin? He’s my Woojin~~!”

-What did you say?

“He’s my Woojin~!”

Then he handed the cellphone back to Woojin.

-That old man seems drunk?

“He hasn’t even had one bottle yet.”

-People say they’re busy, but Assemblyman Ira just shows up. Woojin, make some time. We should meet, shouldn’t we?

“Yes.”

-Don’t just say yes, actually make time.

“Yes.”

-Alright, I’ll call you again. Enjoy your meal.

After finishing the call, Woojin looked at Assemblyman Kim Cheolung again.

He was looking at him with a smile, arms crossed.

His eyes were not looking directly at him, but slightly wavering.

Smiling, thinking about the past and imagining, with his arms crossed, means…

There’s a very high probability that he’s making a plan.

Woojin held out his glass.

“Assemblyman Kim Cheolung, I’m fine as I am.”

Kim Cheolung nodded and clinked glasses.

“Of course you are.”

***

The next day.

Woojin gave his statement about yesterday’s events at the Police Station.

The Detective who heard Woojin’s statement couldn’t help but be a little surprised.

His ability to determine the time of death, the weapon used, and the perpetrator’s actions by examining the kitchen at the crime scene, as well as the bloodstains and footprints in the warehouse, was a Righteous Path that made one gasp in admiration.

It automatically brought to mind detective stories from movies and dramas.

It was a fresh shock to realize an Officer possessed such intelligence.

And Woojin emphasized that the Criminal resisted and was cut by a knife.

This was to add more charges.

Also, Assemblyman Kim Cheolung’s influence would separately come into play.

Since Woojin had already informed him.

After finishing his statement, Woojin headed to the Elementary School instead of returning in a Police Car.

The Police Car was parked far away from the Elementary School, and he changed into different clothes so as not to look like a Police Officer.

Then he walked to his favorite Snack Bar.

It was about time for the children to start leaving school.

“You’re here again?”

“Yes. The Tteokbokki is so delicious. Just one serving, please.”

Soon, steaming Tteokbokki came out, and Woojin began eating it while standing outside.

The taste was excellent when eaten with the thickly sliced green onions.

Indeed, it seemed that Tteokbokki truly revealed its value when eaten in front of an Elementary School.

He also took a paper cup of Fish Cake Broth and brought it to his lips.

As he did so, Woojin’s eyes began to scan his surroundings.

There was only one reason why Woojin had been frequenting the Elementary School’s Snack Bar these days.

It was because something had caught his eye.