章 322: Chapter 322: Would You Like to Bet?
You just barged in out of nowhere.
I put down my wine glass and silently stared at Kim Woong-rae.
"I've heard a lot about Cheon Tae-san's Chairman, the kin usury who tightly controls the loan shark market in Myeong-dong. I've also heard about the man who succeeded him. But to be here, you shouldn't be too curious about too many things. I let half of what I heard slip right through my ears. Even if just half of what I heard is true, it would turn Korea upside down."
"What kind of answer do you want?"
"The truth."
"I've heard you're close with Chairman Yoon Chang-ho."
Kim Woong-rae frowned.
"I've known him for quite a while. But why is this coming up now?"
"Haven't you said anything about me?"
"Not at all. I've only met him once since he left the Prosecutors' Office. It's not good for politicians to get tangled up with the prosecutors. I respect him, but I didn't seek him out on purpose."
His stance contrasted sharply with the public perception of him as one of Chairman Yoon's people.
Whether it was acting or genuine, I couldn't tell.
"I understand you were promoted to head of the Serious Crimes Unit thanks to Chairman Yoon. Are you trying to draw a line with him now?"
"What?"
"Chief. Mu-hyeok."
As the atmosphere grew tense, Oh Hyeon-woo stepped in, looking flustered.
But there was no reason to back down.
"Hyeon-woo, could you step aside for a moment?"
"Huh?"
"I'll talk privately with the Chief. Thank you."
Oh Hyeon-woo stared at my face for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and standing up.
"Chief, I'm just going out for a smoke."
Oh Hyeon-woo bowed his head to Kim Woong-rae and opened the door to leave. Kim Woong-rae nodded in acknowledgment without a word.
"Chief, Hyeon-woo has gone out of his way for you, so let's not beat around the bush. Let's speak plainly."
Our gazes met, and I felt the weight of Kim Woong-rae's focus on me.
I sensed he was not someone to take lightly from the moment we first met.
"Are you one of Yoon Chang-ho's people? Or did you follow him but have since changed your mind?"
There was no immediate answer.
"If there's been no word about me, it means the Chairman doesn't consider you one of his own. It's only natural that there's no report about me in the Prosecutors' Office; he destroyed all records during his tenure."
I trailed off, feeling his sharp gaze on me.
"So you must have heard my story from some other source…"
It couldn't be from the Blue House, could it?
I chose to remain silent and simply smiled faintly.
"I don't know what you've heard, but it's likely closer to the truth than you think."
The power of the President comes from the investigation agencies.
The Prosecutors' Office, the Police, the National Tax Service.
These four are the muscles and weapons that facilitate the President's actions.
Among them, the most powerful is the Prosecutors' Office.
With the head of the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office, the head of the National Security Division, and the Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Justice, they make up the big four of the Prosecutors' Office.
It's nearly impossible to sit another person in that position without political compromise.
This means Kim Woong-rae, no matter how he was once tied to Yoon Chang-ho, must now be at odds with him.
"It's not that Chairman Yoon has stopped trying to reach out to you since getting into politics, right?"
"…"
"You've decided to grab hold of another lifeline, haven't you?"
Kim Woong-rae's inability to answer right away disappointed me slightly.
Investigating the nearby President's closest associates is a task that risks his entire career as a prosecutor.
I expected him to have a strong resolve, but it seemed he was just another political prosecutor like the rest.
"I don't know what you know, but what you know is probably closer to the truth."
At that, Kim Woong-rae tightened his grip on the wine glass.
"Is that true?"
"Calling it a hidden agenda might be a bit much. However, it is true that the Cheongpung Group was eliminated, and Korea has been set straight."
"You're saying you put Korea back on track? You didn't shape Korea to your liking, did you?"
"Maybe. But I'm different from the Cheongpung Group."
"That's something no one can guarantee. It could happen at any moment. If everything I heard is true, I could have you arrested instantly."
Kim Woong-rae's attitude was strange; I couldn't tell whether he was fishing or playing it cool.
"What's quicker, me getting arrested, or you being ousted from your position?"
"…"
Kim Woong-rae knows he can't bite me. He probably understands that better than anyone.
This isn't a threat.
So then…
"Shall we place a bet?"
"With your determination, the head of the Serious Crimes Division can even catch the President. I could string you along without much trouble."
"How could the President's dog catch the President?"
"What did you say?"
"Oh, were you saying you're the Prosecutor General's dog now? Are you investigating the close associates of the President under the direction of the Prosecutor General? Does that count as a proper investigation?"
"…"
"If I make an effort, your position will be in danger before sunrise tomorrow. You might say it would be hard, but it's really not that difficult."
I lifted the pitcher and poured my drink into my glass.
Kim Woong-rae's hand, gripping the glass across the table, had gone pale.
"Testing the opponent is something you do when you have an advantage. Don't do it; it's pointless."
"…"
"You showing up here means you want to grasp my lifeline, right? I don't know if I've hit the mark with my guesses."
Bang!
I slammed my finished wine glass onto the table.
The porcelain cup shattered cleanly in half.
It made quite a loud noise, but outside, there was no sign of disturbance. I could see the tension in Kim Woong-rae's jaw.
"I understand. Chairman Yoon's resignation must have weighed heavily on you. But now that you've become the head of the Serious Crimes Division,, can't you shake things up? Yet betrayal is unthinkable for you, Chief."
"Betrayal?"
I got a sense of the atmosphere of the Moderate Party through Myeong-su, but no one seemed to know anything about this matter.
This meant that Kim Woong-rae hadn't given Chairman Yoon any hints.
The Prosecutor General, Kim Hak-gwon's hunting dog, had ordered him to conduct an investigation—it was the only explanation.
"You haven't betrayed him? This isn't an investigation to stir things up, but rather to cover things up. But you haven't reported it to the Chairman. What should I interpret that as if not betrayal?"
According to those at the Blue House, the secretary and Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, the primary figures involved in this case, were already fully briefed on the ongoing situation.
It was clear what orders the Prosecutor General had given to Kim Woong-rae.
It implied that Kim Woong-rae had allied himself with the Prosecutor General and the Blue House.
"I'm not one to dance around my words, Chief. If you want something, just ask. I hate it when people try to provoke me to test me."
"…"
Kim Woong-rae remained silent for a while. A few minutes passed before he finally spoke up.
"What can you do for me?"
"What's your goal?"
"Can you make me like Chairman Yoon Chang-ho?"
He pretended not to know while being fully aware.
"Well, I've built a long-standing trust with Chairman Yoon. That's why I aimed to help him become President. It's our first meeting today, so I can't just place that kind of trust in you right away."
"…What do you expect me to do?"
Though I said trust, it boiled down to loyalty to me.
"For now, you can remain with the Prosecutors' Office. Trust is built on small gestures and efforts first. I'll ensure you remain in the Serious Crimes Division for as long as possible."
"And what about me?"
"When I ask, consider it. Provide me with the information I seek and conduct investigations as I request. If you do anything for me, I'll do the same in return. If you're willing to follow my instructions even against Chairman Yoon or the President, then I can make it happen."
Kim Woong-rae seemed to be deep in thought.
It seemed he had made a decision, but perhaps was more cautious than I had anticipated.
"I made Chairman Yoon. What he has achieved, the power he holds, and even his image as a righteous politician—are all things I've constructed. Making you like Chairman Yoon is no issue at all. You don't need to prove your abilities; I believe you are capable."
I had already created an electoral candidate in Yoon Chang-ho. The first one is difficult, the second won't be.
"…I'll trust you this time."
"Good thinking."
"I apologize; I needed some assurance to trust you. I know of you, but I don't truly understand you. Just like you said."
Instead of responding, I extended the pitcher.
"Have a drink."
Kim Woong-rae, who had been gazing at my shattered glass, extended his own glass.
I tilted the pitcher, allowing the liquor to overflow and spill onto the table. Even as the liquor soaked my hand and dripped down, Kim Woong-rae didn't move his glass away.
"Anything in excess tends to overflow."
Only after I removed the pitcher did Kim Woong-rae finally bring the full glass to his lips.
"Thanks for the advice."
He emptied the glass of liquor instead of the broken glass. Then, wordlessly, Kim Woong-rae poured liquor into the empty glass I had set before him.
This time, I was holding the glass with one hand, unlike before.
Yet, no one in this room found it odd.
On the table lay the porcelain wine glass, split cleanly in half.
Our glasses clinked in a toast across the table.
"Now we are allies. Betrayal will not be tolerated. Being backstabbed by someone you trusted is hardly a pleasant experience, is it?"
"I understand. Don't worry."
After emptying his glass, he said softly.
"Please let Hyeon-woo know he can come back in. And give him a business card, will you?"
Manager Ma, who had been waiting outside, entered silently, handed a single business card to Kim Woong-rae, and left again.
"Whenever you want to reach me, you can connect directly. If there's anything you need, feel free to contact me without feeling burdened. I'll do my utmost to help if it's within my abilities."
Kim Woong-rae kept staring at the plain business card that merely had my phone number on it for a long time before pocketing it.
I didn't ask him for his contact information, just as he didn't feel the need to give me his.
It's obvious we both understood this without needing to say it.
After a moment, Oh Hyeon-woo opened the door and stepped back in.
"Did you manage to talk things through?"
"Yeah, sorry. Was it cold out there?"
"Nah, I was in the next room. I just took a quick call with Min-gyeong while having a smoke."
Oh Hyeon-woo sat back down beside me. He must have seen the shattered glass but said nothing.
"Now Chief Kim Woong-rae has decided to join me. You give him your full support."
"Really?"
Oh Hyeon-woo looked at Kim Woong-rae's face in surprise and smiled warmly.
"Chief, I look forward to working with you."
"Yeah, Oh Pro. Likewise."
"It seems hard to eat here; let's move next door."
I stood up and laughed.
Those who understood nodded and rose from their seats. It was as smooth as a well-rehearsed play.
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