Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 (8/341)**

**Part 1**

"Prosecutor, you're going to make it big!"

The chair that Prosecutor Lim Sungjin threw shattered the mirror as it fell.

"What, an internal whistleblower? An internal whistleblower, damn it!"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Is that all? That's why I told you to manage that bastard Shin Yongho well!"

The toe of Lim Sungjin's shoe kicked Prosecutor Jo Wonhyeong's shin.

With a thud, Jo Wonhyeong staggered and stood awkwardly, trying to endure the pain.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you going to do?"

"Whatever it takes..."

"Whatever it takes? What exactly are you going to do!"

With Lim Sungjin's barking, the sound of beating echoed through the office again.

"Tell me specifically what you're going to do!"

Prosecutor Jo Wonhyeong ended up rolling on the floor.

Still, Lim Sungjin couldn't control his anger and swept the documents off the table.

Damn!

He had been caught off guard.

The problem was that he had exiled Shin Yongho to a local office like the others.

Even though the guy had no money or connections, he never expected him to come at him with such determination.

Worse, he had even teamed up with the deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, which he had been worried about.

Kim Seokwon.

One of the few high-ranking prosecutors out of reach of Lim Sungjin's influence.

Moreover, with the upcoming high-level appointments in a few months, Kim Seokwon would do everything in his power to catch him for the sake of his record.

He had to find a way out.

Now, he knew that Kim Seokwon was naturally using his subordinate prosecutors to target the Economic Crime Investigation Department.

Kim Seokwon must have anticipated this situation and already had a perfect plan in place.

He couldn't be dragged into this just because one rogue prosecutor was determined to take him down.

He believed there must be a way out.

If not, he would have to create one.

Otherwise, he would really be finished.

"Deputy Chief."

"Yes, Chief."

"Did that bastard go directly to the deputy chief prosecutor?"

"According to the information, Shin Yongho, Choe Seojun from the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, and Song Hyunsung from the Inspection Department are university classmates. It seems Shin Yongho and Choe Seojun connected through Song Hyunsung to reach the deputy chief prosecutor."

"Damn! What the hell was Chief Baek Seoktaek doing that he couldn't even handle a little fish like this?"

Chief Baek Seoktaek of the Inspection Department.

Thanks to Chief Baek Seoktaek, who had always cut off the exiled prosecutors at the source, they had never dared to speak out.

But this time, the report went directly to Kim Seokwon, bypassing him.

"Probably because Deputy Chief Park Seungsu is in Kim Seokwon's line..."

"Do I not know that? I know, you bastard!"

Lim Sungjin's nameplate flew through the air, narrowly missing Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jo Wonhyeong's head.

Shocked, Jo Wonhyeong barely managed to calm himself and asked,

"How should we handle the documents?"

"Before the documents, we need to control the narrative. It's hard to get a warrant issued today unless the chief prosecutor puts in extra effort."

Lim Sungjin clenched his fist and said,

"Contact reporter Choi. If we slip up here, we'll all be out of a job."

"Understood."

***

The Economic Crime Investigation Department's arrest operation, which began in the morning, proceeded urgently without a break for lunch.

By now, the news must have reached the others. They would surely try to do something before the warrant is issued.

Just as he was receiving final instructions from Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Seokwon, someone knocked on the door urgently.

"Who is it?"

"Deputy Chief, it's urgent!"

"Come in."

Song Hyunsung rushed in, panting, and said urgently,

"Did you see the TV?"

"Why the TV? What's going on?"

"Right now, Lim Sungjin..."

Before he could finish, Park Seungsu, who was sitting opposite, grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. The screen displayed 'Breaking News' with Lim Sungjin's face.

This doesn't feel good.

"Turn it up."

"...I discovered that some of my subordinate prosecutors were involved in serious corruption. They were as precious to me as family, so I agonized over it for a long time. However, as a prosecutor who became one to build a just society in the rule of law in the Republic of Korea, I decided to expose this. This situation is entirely due to my lack of virtue. Please criticize me. I will take responsibility and work to establish justice."

At the bottom of the screen, it read, "Star Prosecutor Lim Sungjin uncovers corruption among subordinate prosecutors, begins investigation."

"At first, I thought about just exiling them, but I believed that leniency and cover-ups within the prosecution are also crimes. Therefore, I am announcing here that I will conduct a thorough investigation for the people..."

"What a crazy bastard."

A curse slipped out of Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Seungsu's mouth.

While he had expected Lim Sungjin to hear about the warrant application, he didn't expect him to act so quickly.

A guy with exceptional action, intelligence, and decisiveness.

Indeed, he wasn't easy to handle.

However, it was within his expectations that Lim Sungjin would try to control the narrative.

The only problem was the timing, which was too early.

"Even if the chief prosecutor backs him, isn't this going too far?"

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Seokwon chuckled and nodded.

"Yes. He's trying to save himself and destroy everyone else."

On the TV, Lim Sungjin continued with a solemn expression.

"Currently, the three exiled prosecutors, Jeong Wonho, Han Heeju, and Shin Yongho, are involved in a complex corruption case, including bribery, abuse of power, obstruction of rights, forgery of documents, and third-party bribery. I expect there are more unexposed crimes and additional accomplices..."

He even mentioned Shin Yongho's name.

The other two mentioned were also exiled from the Economic Crime Investigation Department.

He was trying to shift the blame to the exiled prosecutors to cut off their tails.

I knew he was a scoundrel, but this was beyond scoundrel territory, bordering on fraud.

For now, he was protecting himself from the crisis, but mentioning Shin Yongho's name suggests he has already figured out my collaboration with Song Hyunsung.

If he survives, he will surely seek revenge on us.

The game is on. To survive, we must bring Lim Sungjin down.

"Deputy Chief Park."

"Yes, Deputy Chief."

"How much longer until the warrant is issued? The chief prosecutor contacted Judge Kim and insisted it be issued today."

Just then, Park Seungsu's phone rang.

He checked the caller and answered,

"I'll check right away."

As Kim Seokwon nodded, Park Seungsu took the call.

"Hello, yes."

After a few responses, he hung up and immediately reported to Kim Seokwon with a prepared look.

"The warrant has just been issued. We can leave right away."

***

Together with the Inspection Department prosecutors, excluding Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Seokwon, they rushed to the Economic Crime Investigation Department.

Since the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office were right next to each other, they could act immediately upon receiving the warrant, catching the Economic Crime Investigation Department off guard.

It seemed they didn't expect the warrant to be issued today. When they entered, the sound of a paper shredder echoed through the office, and documents were scattered everywhere.

The situation was so urgent that they had started with media manipulation before properly handling the documents.

This will be your first mistake.

Chief Baek Seoktaek of the Inspection Department showed the search warrant and explained to the Economic Crime Investigation Department staff.

"Effective immediately, the Economic Crime Investigation Department is subject to a search warrant for five charges, including bribery..."

He deliberately prolonged the explanation to prove his connection, but it was far from enough to organize the situation.

Before the Economic Crime Investigation Department staff could finish organizing, the Inspection Department prosecutors began the search.

I wanted to join the search, but as I belonged to the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, I had to step back and observe.

Lim Sungjin sighed deeply, carrying a document bag and approached Chief Baek Seoktaek.

"Chief Baek, how did the warrant come out so quickly?"

He tried to lower his voice, but it was so tense that it reached me, standing a step back.

"Didn't you tell me this morning?"

His voice, gritting his teeth, sounded like he could eat someone alive.

From what I know, Lim Sungjin is a junior in terms of seniority.

For him to act this way, he must be quite powerful.

However, with so many eyes from the Inspection Department, Chief Baek Seoktaek couldn't answer and instead turned to me.

It seemed he was blaming me for causing this trouble.

"Never seen you before."

Lim Sungjin said menacingly, but I replied calmly.

"I'm here to support the operation."

"From Gwangju all the way to Seoul, I heard you're friends with Yongho."

"Nice to meet you, but you know me?"

I smiled to provoke him, and he clenched his fists, struggling to control his expression, and said quietly,

"Be careful."

He glared at me as if he wanted to eat me and walked towards the door.

His obvious tactics made me want to laugh.

I followed Lim Sungjin and grabbed the bag he was carrying.

"You have to leave the bag. Didn't you hear the search warrant read just now?"

Trying to use a trick that even a third-rate criminal would use.

Distracting everyone to take out this important document bag.

Your mind works well for media manipulation, but in a crisis, you can only think of such basic methods.

Lim Sungjin's expression turned fierce.

"Let go."

"I can't."

The attention of the Inspection Department prosecutors and Economic Crime Investigation Department staff was drawn to our confrontation.

"Let me explain for the Deputy Chief Prosecutor. A search warrant gives us the right to search everything in this office."

Taking the bag without permission would be illegal.

With so many witnesses, it would be clear.

So, Lim Sungjin glared at me and gritted his teeth.

"This bag belongs to a friend from the Human Rights and Honor Protection Department. He left it here this morning. It's not our property, so I'm returning it. And..."

He pulled the bag with force.

"You're not in a position to interfere, you lackey. You're not from the Inspection Department, are you?"

Despite his menacing tone, the bag didn't go to him. I had a firm grip on it, anticipating this.

"If it belongs to a friend, it's not Economic Crime Investigation Department property. So, I, who am not from the Inspection Department, can touch it, right?"

I smiled and pulled the bag hard, causing the handle to rip and the documents to scatter on the floor.

Thanks to my judo training as a child, my grip strength came in handy.

"I'll pay for the torn bag."

I shrugged, looking at the scattered documents.

"Unless these are not Economic Crime Investigation Department documents."