Chapter 204.2: Do You Really Think He Would Just Sit Still? (1)
The National Intelligence Service was in a similar position as Kim Seong-Woong. They, too, were burdened by this situation.
Even if he gave in and accepted that Huh Ha-Soo joined hands with the enemy, he really wouldn’t know if something like that did happen.
Pursing his lips, Kim Seong-Woong glared at his phone.
He was the last bastion in the majority-opposition party. If the National Intelligence Service arrested him for treason or for acting to harm the interests of South Korea’s military, then he could just immediately cry injustice.
In life, there were times when people had to take a chance, but they didn’t have to rush to take it. Rather, it was imperative that they create a perfect plan for it first and then put it into motion at the right moment.
Kim Seong-Woong held up his phone and called a number. “For now, we’ll withdraw.”
They had to prepare extensively.
***
“It seems like they’re withdrawing. Let’s go home,” someone said.
“I’m going to wait right here until they have completely left the premises,” Choi Jong-Il responded. He looked pale and was breaking out in cold sweat.
“They’re already leaving. If you’re really that worried, then at least wait in the car.”
Still leaning on the car, Choi Jong-Il shook his head.
“Why are you like this? You’re making us feel uncomfortable. If the manager finds out, we’re all going to die.”
“Be quiet,” Choi Jong-Il frowned. “You all should step out of this. Prosecutor or not, if anyone pulls any stunt right now, I’m going to intervene.”
“You’re not even supposed to be working.”
“Hmph! Knowing his personality, do you really think he would just sit still if his father gets arrested?”
Woo Hee-Seung couldn’t answer.
“I wouldn’t have had any regrets even if I died back in China. You should all leave now and focus on protecting him. Don’t forget who made us strong enough to fight the Spetsnaz, SBS, and SW. I’m not saying that we should return the favor, but we should at least protect the person who will save South Korea when it’s in a really difficult situation. I would put my life on the line to do that,” Choi Jong-Il said.
“Our lives depend on hyungsoo-nim,[1] so please go home. The opposition has already withdrawn.”
Choi Jong-Il soon gasped for breath and grabbed his side. He wouldn’t have made it into the car if not for Lee Doo-Hee wrapping his arms around his upper body to help him.
“Hyungnim,” Woo Hee-Seung called.
Choi Jong-Il lowered the window, revealing his pale face to Woo Hee-Seung.
“Please go home. Even the agents who were off duty all voluntarily came out today, so you can rest assured that nobody will be able to mess with his father even if the sky splits in half. Honestly, I have never found being an agent as worthwhile and proud as I do now. ”
“Are you absolutely sure about that?”
“Isn’t it a hundred times better to stop the prosecutors here than to face that gentleman when he’s angry? Please go home and don’t worry about this. Lieutenant Cha Dong-Gyun already talked about this. We barely managed to stop the off-duty special forces from coming all the way here. Please don’t be as hard-headed as they are.”
With a nod from Woo Hee-Seung, Lee Doo-Hee quickly slid into the driver’s seat.
“Do you really think that man won’t do anything if he finds out that you came here in that state? Please just stay with hyungsoo-nim. We’ll take care of things here. Why should we be scared when we’ve received orders to be here?” Woo Hee-Seung added.
When Choi Jong-Il nodded in resignation, the car finally hit the road.
***
“They had agents blatantly standing around the building. They looked as if they were ready to arrest us if they had to. It was so suspicious,” someone said.
With his head turned to the side, Kim Seong-Woong pursed his lips. “So you’re not going to mess with him first?”
“How about we tell them to make Kang Chan turn himself in instead, Mr. Prosecutor?”
“They did say that he would turn himself in, but the problem is that they didn’t tell us a date and time. If things go wrong, then won’t we just be stupidly waiting for him?”
Kim Seong-Woong couldn’t bring himself to say that they had to do something before Huh Ha-Soo’s crimes were proven.
Lee Seung-Ryul and the other prosecutors observed Kim Seong-Woong’s mood. They couldn’t understand why the National Intelligence Service would go this far and had so much spite against them when they were just trying to investigate Kang Chan.
“We’ll broadcast us arresting Kang Dae-Kyung,” Kim Seong-Woong said, startling Lee Seung-Ryul.
“If we rush into the building with reporters in tow, then even the National Intelligence Service won’t be able to outright defy us.”
“Mr. Prosecutor-General! The National Intelligence Service can just conduct a media blackout.”
“The top three daily newspapers are on our side, so they won’t be able to stop everything, especially not the internet news articles. The moment we get the public’s opinion, the situation will become completely favorable for us.” Kim Seong-Woong was almost absolutely certain about his plan already, but he still had one question in mind. What on earth was President Moon Jae-Hyun thinking, pretending not to notice that his government institutions were at each other’s throats?
Kim Seong-Woong wanted to know the answer to that before he made a move.
***
Early morning the next day, Lee Seung-Ryul arrived in front of Kang Dae-Kyung’s office building with a group of investigators, creating an undescribably vicious atmosphere.
Kim Hyung-Jung himself was in the premises to command the scene. The agents disguised as employees of Kang Yoo Motors were all on standby at the showroom.
The moment they executed an arrest warrant for Kang Dae-Kyung, the NIS agents would arrest Lee Seung-Ryul and the investigators who accompanied him.
Kang Dae-Kyung had no idea that all of this was happening.
He didn’t even have time to care about what was going on outside because he was busy giving consultations to companies that approached him about the delivery of goods. The NIS agents and the prosecutors made sure not to draw his attention as well.
Tension rose in front of the building when Lee Seung-Ryula answered his phone. After the call, he said, “Get ready.”
Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!
A prosecutor and a couple of investigators came out of the three vans.
Kim Hyung-Jung walked over to Lee Seung-Ryul, who was taking a deep breath.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but we’re performing official duties here. Any disturbance to that will be seen as an act against the law. We have the authority to arrest you on the spot,” Kim Hyung-Jung said. “Prosecutor Lee Seung-Ryul, if you take so much as a step toward that building, then everyone with you will be arrested for espionage. It’s best you think about this carefully before making a move.”
Lee Seung-Ryul looked at the investigators standing on either side of him.
“It seems you believe that bringing reporters here will help you, but we have already removed all of them from the premises,” Kim Hyung-Jung added. “It’s best you all just obediently get back into your vehicles and leave. You are aware that we will also arrest Prosecutor-General Kim Seong-Woong for the same criminal charges the moment you cause a problem here, aren’t you?”
Lee Seung-Ryul gulped dryly when he saw Kim Hyung-Jung’s eyes. He had handled many cases, but he had never seen eyes as scary as the ones before him. Nevertheless, he didn’t budge and instead glared at him.
Kim Seong-Woong told him to arrest Kang Dae-Kyung at all costs. He also told him not to worry since they would be taking clear countermeasures afterward.
Lee Seung-Ryul examined the investigators that were on either side of him once more.
At that moment, Kim Hyung-Jung nodded to his men. Five agents surrounded Lee Seung-Ryul and the investigators.
Lee Seung-Ryul was dumbfounded. There were only five of them, yet he could feel intense pressure from them.
‘Is it because they’re NIS agents?’
Lee Seung-Ryul had a couple of sunbaes and hoobaes in the National Intelligence Service, but he had never gotten any details from them about their organization. The people he knew weren’t agents, so they wouldn’t really be able to answer even if he asked.
Still, he didn’t expect the agents to be this overwhelming.
“Prosecutor Lee Seung-Ryul.”
Lee Seung-Ryul quickly looked at Kim Hyung-Jung, who now sounded different.
“I trust that we are both working with the country’s best interests at heart, so I’m going to give you one last chance. If you don’t get in the car, you will be arrested for treason and espionage. Any resistance will be met with deadly force,” Kim Hyung-Jung warned.
Lee Seung-Ryul tried to breathe in as subtly as he could. Being overpowered like this hurt his pride. If they fired Presecutor-General Kim Seong-Woong, then his career would also end anyway.
They want me to go from being the deputy prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office’s special investigation department to someone who draws up reports about a petty thief who stole red peppers or dogs in a deserted countryside?
Even if things didn’t work out, Lee Seung-Ryul would be quite well off for the rest of his life even if he was fired from being a prosecutor and became a lawyer. Moreover, if people from Huh Ha-Soo’s side exerted their influence, then he could even become a member of the National Assembly, which would put him in a good position to order Kim Hyung-Jung around.
To put it bluntly, if the administration changed, then who knew if this incident could become his hero story? If that happened, then he could investigate this idiot, who was fiercely glaring at him right now, for abusing his authority.
Gritting his teeth, Lee Seung-Ryul made up his mind. He looked at the five agents who had approached him and his group under Kim Hyung-Jung’s orders. However, while he was mulling over his thoughts, it seemed they had walked over to someone else and even briefly bowed to them in greeting.
What’s happening? Who just arrived that has enough influence and power to make them act like that?
Lee Seung-Ryul quickly looked around his surroundings.
Seriously, what is even going on? This man was just glaring at me a couple of seconds ago. Why is he looking all surprised now?
Lee Seung-Ryul followed Kim Hyung-Jung’s gaze. Turning around and looking behind him, he suddenly felt so surprised that it seemed as if he couldn’t breathe.
Having seen so many photos of the man and so frequently at that, Lee Seung-Ryul felt as if he had already known him for some time now.
Either way, he didn’t have much of a choice now—no, he didn’t really know what to do in this situation.
Like a tiger slowly approaching its prey, Kang Chan headed straight toward Lee Seung-Ryul.
1. Hyungsoo-nim is a form of address for hyung’s wife. ☜
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