Free Web NovelIn front of the interrogation room, Jung Taehun and Jang Geunseok were arguing.
The moment I stepped out, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} both of them stopped and looked my way.
Jang Geunseok immediately shouted at me.
“Kim Muhyuk!”
He tried to walk past Jung Taehun, but Jung blocked him like a personal bodyguard.
Annoyed at being obstructed, Jang glared at him.
“Move. It’s over now.”
“Yes, sir.”
At my subtle signal, Jung Taehun stepped aside.
Jang approached, his brows sharply drawn. Clearly, he wasn’t pleased with how things had gone.
At the same time, Director Ma stepped out of the recording room.
“Kim Muhyuk! What on earth do you think you’re doing?”
“I came because you and Han Jiho insisted on confronting me face-to-face. Do I need your permission for that as well?”
“What?”
Jang Geunseok raised his voice.
“But is now really the time for you to be doing this? You should have fire licking at your backside by now. Or am I the only one thinking clearly?”
He scoffed as if unconcerned. At that, Jang seemed to remember why he’d rushed here, and bit his lip.
Then he glared at Jung Taehun again.
“Chief Prosecutor Jung Taehun. I’m filing a formal complaint about this. I won’t let it slide.”
“Do whatever you want. Go inside.”
Jung cleaned his ear with a finger and replied as if bored.
With his face tightly twisted in displeasure, Jang opened the interrogation room door and went in.
“Well done. He must have been annoying to deal with.”
When I smiled at Jung, he waved his hand.
“Not really. He’s always acted stiff because he’s my senior, but thanks to you, sir, I don’t have to tiptoe around him anymore.”
I nodded and turned to Director Ma.
“There’s no audio or video of anything that happened inside. No one entered the recording room.”
As expected of Director Ma. He must have blocked every attempt to record.
I looked back at Jung.
“Chief Prosecutor, I won’t be coming to see Seo Jaehun anymore. I trust you’ll handle things well.”
“Yes! Please trust me. I’ll make sure he never gets out.”
He responded like a new recruit snapping to attention. I answered with a smile.
“Oh, and... Han Jiho is asking to see you.”
“Han Jiho?”
“Yes. He’s been insisting you ordered everything, repeating the same thing over and over and requesting another confrontation.”
I already knew that much.
“But today, he asked to see you even without a confrontation.”
“Ilseong’s legal team is swarming around him, right?”
“That’s correct. They claim it’s for legal assistance, but honestly, it’s more like surveillance.”
“He’s giving his statements himself?”
“Yes. He’s talking in his own voice.”
Was there any reason for me to see him?
The answer came quickly. There was little to gain.
“I don’t think there’s any need.”
“Understood. I’ll deny the request.”
“Instead... let him meet Executive Director Lee Seokmin. He’s someone Lee raised personally. Lee will be better at shaking him than I am.”
Better to have Lee break him than deal with endless courtroom parroting later.
If it didn’t work, then that was that.
“I’ll arrange it. Are you very busy today? Why don’t you come to my office for tea before you go?”
I checked my watch and declined.
“I have another appointment.”
He looked disappointed, but I added:
“We can have a meal next time. You’re filing charges today, right?”
“Yes. Today is the last day of the custody period. If we don’t indict him, he has to be released.”
“After indictment, keep summoning him. Make his life miserable.”
“Of course. I’ll also restrict attorney access. I won’t let him feel comfortable in detention.”
He immediately understood what I meant.
This is why having a sharp, competent person next to you is convenient.
“Good. I’ll send you the detention center director’s dossier. Use it however you see fit—he’ll almost certainly take money from Seo Jaehun to give him special treatment.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll have the papers delivered later. I’ll take my leave now.”
“I’ll escort you to the entrance.”
I shook my head. He was too talented to use merely as a chief prosecutor—he needed to be managed carefully.
“That won’t look good to others. You have a career to maintain; over-the-top courtesies will be a problem later.”
“Then at least let me escort you to the elevator.”
Rejecting that would only make him unhappy, so I nodded, and he walked me to the elevator.
“Goodbye, sir.”
He bowed until the doors closed.
As the elevator descended, Director Ma spoke quietly.
“He’s an interesting man. A bit excessive at times.”
“Yes. But are you sure you’re alright?”
I let out a small laugh.
“I’m fine. Restraining myself by not killing him was already more than generous.”
Director Ma had been worried about my assault on Seo Jaehun inside the interrogation room.
Since I said I was fine, he didn’t press further.
By the time the elevator reached the first floor, other people got on.
I slipped through the crowd and left the prosecutor’s office.
* * *
Upon receiving the call, Lee Seokmin arrived at the Seoul Prosecutor’s Office.
“You’re here, Executive Director Lee.”
Jung greeted him in the chief prosecutor’s office, and the two shared coffee.
“So, you’re asking me to persuade Han Jiho?”
“Yes. We have enough evidence, but since he keeps mentioning the chairman’s name, it could become a bigger problem. And this isn’t just any petty criminal—this is the trial of Vice Chairman Seo Jaehun. Public attention is guaranteed.”
Lee set his coffee cup down with a troubled expression.
“I can meet him. But I’m not sure persuasion will work. I trained him to give absolute loyalty to his master.”
“Absolute is never absolute, is it? After all, you switched allegiances.”
“...”
His face stiffened. Realizing his misstep, Jung hurriedly added:
“I didn’t mean it sarcastically. We’re on the same side now. And you couldn’t just watch the vice chairman destroy the chairman like that. I understand completely.”
“...I’ll try. But don’t expect too much.”
Speaking in a stiff tone, Lee rose from his seat.
“I’ll take you there.”
Together, they went to the interrogation room where Han Jiho was being questioned.
Inside were Han Jiho, two Ilseong legal team lawyers, and Prosecutor Kim Minuk.
When Jung entered, Kim Minuk stood and bowed.
“Chief Prosecutor.”
“Relax. How is it going?”
He waved dismissively and asked.
Kim Minuk frowned, unable to answer.
“I see. Step outside for a bit. Go to the café on the first floor with the people in the recording room.”
“Yes, sir.”
When Kim left, Lee spoke.
“You two, step out as well.”
“We cannot.”
“Do you not know who I am?”
“We do. But the legal department head told us never to leave Manager Han alone.”
At their stubborn reply, Lee sighed deeply.
“I know. But can you afford to ignore me? You don’t know when Ilseong’s owner will change.”
Silence filled the room.
“With your résumés, you could go anywhere. But if that person decides to block you, you won’t work at any law firm in Korea.”
“Executive Director...”
“I don’t want you caught in their family battles. Go eat for an hour.”
The two lawyers exchanged glances.
“...Understood. One hour.”
“Thanks. I won’t forget it.”
Once everyone left, Lee spoke again.
“Chief Prosecutor, you too.”
“...Me as well?”
“Yes. We need privacy. Stop all recordings too. Otherwise, I’m not doing this.”
“But—”
“Chief Prosecutor, do you not trust me?” fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Jung almost said what he truly felt:
That he couldn’t believe Lee Seokmin would ever betray Ilseong Group.
But he couldn’t say that aloud.
“...I trust you.”
“Then please step out.”
“...Understood.”
After agonizing a moment, Jung exited, displeasure written on his face.
Once the door closed, Lee sat opposite Han Jiho.
“How’s detention? Holding up?”
“Why are you here?”
“Well, why do you think? I didn’t need to come. I just wanted to see your face.”
His expression held guilt.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“How’s the gunshot wound?”
Han Jiho’s hand was still bandaged.
“I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve never been shot, so I can’t imagine the pain.”
Lee took out a new pack of cigarettes.
“You still smoke these?”
“Didn’t you quit?”
“I did. These are for you.”
Han watched silently as Lee pushed the pack and lighter toward him.
“Go on. It’s fine.”
After hesitating, Han opened the pack and lit a cigarette.
Smoke filled the room.
Lee got up, cracked the window, and sat back down.
“Listen as you smoke. You asked to meet Chairman Kim, right? He won’t come. He’s not desperate enough to make time for you.”
Han nodded. He hadn’t expected anything anyway.
“I trained you, so I know how you think. Loyalty to your master is natural. But cutting a useless string quickly is better for you. The prosecution and courts have already decided to destroy Vice Chairman Seo. No matter how much you say you acted alone, that he knew nothing.”
Han dropped the cigarette and crushed it.
“So what? You want me to betray him? You’re the one who taught me betrayal equals death.”
“I did. But a servant must correct his master when he strays. You didn’t.”
“You think I wanted to do everything I did? And you covered up all of the vice chairman’s crimes as well.”
“That was the chairman’s order.”
Han glared at him.
“And now you tell me to betray him? No. I’d rather die.” freeweɓnovel.cøm
His voice was firm.
Lee sighed.
Then he looked at Han with pity.
“...I told you not to look at me like that.”
“Sorry.”
“No need to be.”
“No. I am sorry. I think I raised you wrong. Manager Han, you have to live. Confess everything Vice Chairman Seo did. Then I can make sure you only serve a few cycles in prison. I’ll take care of your family. Don’t worry.”
Han’s eyes wavered. Lee didn’t miss it.
“Your daughter just turned one this year, didn’t she? I couldn’t even attend her first-birthday party.”
“Executive Director. Leave my family out of this.”
Han gritted his teeth, but Lee only shook his head.
“Would I ever harm them? I’m worried for them. If the vice chairman goes down, who will take care of your family?”
“...”
“So take my hand. I’ll help you move abroad after release. Trust me. I won’t abandon you. I trained you myself. I’m responsible for you.”
With trembling fingers, Han picked up another cigarette.
Lee continued persuading him relentlessly.
And all of it—every second of it—was watched from the recording room by Jung Taehun.
“You can trust anyone... except you, Executive Director Lee.”
A slow, satisfied grin spread across Jung Taehun’s lips.
