The Mad Prosecutor Picked Up AI - Chapter 98



Only Krnovel

Episode 98: The growth plate on my waist hasn’t closed

“hmm.”

“Hmm.”

[Hmm.]

While looking at the data, groans burst out from my mouths, Wi Jun-woo, and Aliota at the same time. There was nothing of note.

What we were looking at was the ‘Hwang Dae-bong Prosecutor Hospitality Incident’. It was an incident in which Hwang Dae-bong, the president of the investment company Citrus, entertained three prosecutors, including a current senior prosecutor, and a member of the National Assembly.

Even though he had entertained and lobbied, Hwang Dae-bong was furious when he was sentenced to a heavy sentence in an embezzlement trial and exposed the entertainment.

Everyone’s attention was focused on whether the case would be prosecuted or not. This was a case where Chief Han Jae-sik made a surprise indictment by taking Cheongsimhwan.

Naturally, this case was assigned to me, as other prosecutors were reluctant to take on the case.

Think about it. Prosecuting this means going straight to the heart of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Deputy Chief Nam Woo-joong. All of the prosecutors who were named as suspects were from Deputy Chief Nam Woo-joong’s line.

In addition, the opponent chose the lawyer from Yang & Ji Law Firm, who is known for mercilessly biting anyone in order to win, as his legal representative.

This will be a difficult trial to endure without a certain amount of guts, wisdom, and extraordinary perseverance.

Even if he wins the trial, the other prosecutors will not look at him favorably. So which trial prosecutor would want to take on this?

Actually, it seemed like Park Jeong-se and Shin Hyo-jin wanted to take charge, but I stepped forward first. I also had Aliota, an AI specialized in law, and I didn’t really care about what other people thought.

Besides, when it comes to guts, wisdom, and extraordinary perseverance, who can match me?

[When it comes to guts, brains, and extraordinary wit, no one can match Hyungwang.]

Aliotta kept picking a fight next to me, but I just ignored her and looked through the case files. But there wasn’t much to see.

Literally, the research turned out to be completely pointless.

“What is this? There’s nothing. Are you going to conduct additional investigations, sir?”

I also shook my head.

“No, what should I do to reinforce it? There’s nothing here that needs to be reinforced.”

“That’s right.”

“You’re going to file a complaint after doing something so dry? Chief Han, I didn’t see it that way. You’re going too far. This is just passing the buck.”

“Isn’t this more of a tip-off than an investigation?”

아무리 개새끼가 되기 싫었다지만. 그러려면 뭐라도 좀 조사하고, 수사하고, 증거라도 모아 놓든가.

But it had already started. I couldn’t just curse at Manager Han Jae-sik. Because Manager Han Jae-sik.

“How is Manager Han?”

“They’re still the same. They’re still hiding in Prosecutor Park’s room or Chief Shin’s room.”

Because I was scared of being prosecuted, I was still hiding.

‘What’s so scary about a fat guy?’

[They call him a fat man without any fear or shame. It seems like everyone else is scared of him.]

‘Hey. That guy is Chief Prosecutor.’

[But isn’t that courage admirable?]

‘Tch.’

He was so scared that he filed a complaint. His courage was commendable. However, if he was going to file a complaint, he should have conducted a more thorough investigation.

I sighed and looked at the case file.

“Let’s start with what we have. Then we’ll see what’s missing and where we need to investigate further.”

“yes.”

I looked through the case file and reviewed the case itself.

“Last summer, it was revealed that Daebong Hwang, the president of the investment company Citrus, entertained prosecutors at a bar. Who is Daebong Hwang?”

Wi Jun-woo, like a capable investigator, told me what he had investigated so far.

“I originally owned a small construction company, but I sold it and then founded the investment company E&A. I made a fortune there, but I was arrested for fraud. I only lived for three years.”

“Three years.”

“I made a few billion won and then I came out alive. The prosecutor who investigated me at that time was Chief Kim Jong-hyeok.”

“hmm.”

Wi Jun-woo finished reading the information he had researched.

“I think he probably got in touch with Director Kim Jong-hyeok from that time. After he was released from prison, as you know, he set up an investment company called Citrus and used the same method again. But this time, he was caught for embezzlement and breach of trust, not fraud.”

“Jung Min-gu was in charge of that trial too, right?”

“Yes. I think he probably thought it would be easy, but unfortunately, it was completely ruined when Prosecutor Park took charge of the trial.”

“hmm.”

“I think that’s why I made the revelation this time because I was so angry.”

Park Jeong-se has already completely revealed Hwang Dae-bong’s embezzlement and breach of trust. Now, all that remains is the case of his entertaining prosecutors.

“What Hwang Dae-bong first claimed was that on the night of July 8, he entertained four people: Director Kim Jong-hyeok, Prosecutor Jeong Min-gu, Prosecutor Kim Gyeong-su, and National Assemblyman Koh Yoon-seok at the high-end room salon Jay Ritz in Gangnam.”

“Yes. But if you look at the case file, he later changed his story. He says he only entertained three people: Chief Kim Jong-hyeok, Prosecutor Jeong Min-gu, and Assemblyman Ko Yoon-seok.”

After the case was sent to the prosecution, Hwang Dae-bong’s statement changed. And that’s not all. The testimonies of the employees and the madam who worked at the room salon Jay Ritz also changed accordingly.

There was no evidence. All the hallway CCTV cameras that illuminated the front of the room were damaged or missing.

Attached to the case file was a CCTV photo of Hwang Dae-bong and the other four entering the bar together. Wi Jun-woo looked at it and asked.

“Can’t this photo alone prove it?”

“It’s no use. It’s not like we’re actually going into the room together.”

They denied the charges, saying that they drank separately, even though Prosecutor Kim Kyung-soo went in with them. They said that they all drank in Room 1, except for Kim Kyung-soo, and that Kim Kyung-soo drank in Room 3 with his acquaintance.

If that is true, Kim Kyung-soo did not receive hospitality.

Wi Jun-woo tilted his head.

“But why are you trying so hard to get rid of Prosecutor Kim?”

It’s a matter of trying. That was right. The Kim Young-ran Act, which is the anti-corruption law, has an upper limit on the amount that is considered illegal. Therefore, the more people who drink together, the less likely it is to be against the law.

Nevertheless, if they are trying to exclude Kim Kyung-soo by going back on Hwang Dae-bong’s testimony from the beginning, then it is definitely the right thing to do.

[It must be because I received a bribe from Kwon Jin-gu, the executive director of Samgu Construction. At that time, I received a total of 2.3 million won from three people and was suspended for a month.]

I agreed with Aliota’s words and told Wi Jun-woo.

“It’s probably because of the Samgu General Construction incident last time.”

“Oh, so Prosecutor Kim was disciplined at that time?”

“The Kim Young-ran Act prohibits one person from receiving more than 1 million won at a time, and a total of 3 million won in a year. Kim Kyung-soo was suspended for receiving 2.3 million won at that time, so he shouldn’t be caught again this time.”

“So are you saying that the rest of you are going to take up arms to save Prosecutor Kim?”

“No way. What kind of people are these that would sacrifice themselves to save just one Kim Kyung-soo?”

I looked at the case file again. Hwang Dae-bong testified that he spent a total of 3.78 million won at the high-class bar, Jay Ritz, in Gangnam that day. Wi Jun-woo said while looking at it.

“If you entertained 4 people for 3.78 million won, it means each person received 945,000 won, so it does not violate the Kim Young-ran Act.”

“Only Kyungsoo Kim, who had already received 2.3 million won before, would be caught.”

“If we divide it by the three people, excluding Prosecutor Kim, each person received 1.26 million won worth of entertainment. Since this is against the Kim Young-ran Act, isn’t there enough evidence?”

“I feel uneasy about going to trial with just that.”

We need more concrete evidence than this.

“Where is the receipt? What exactly is the details of the entertainment?”

“I don’t have that information. I should have checked to see if the details of the entertainment and the amount were correct.”

Chief Han Jae-sik just handed it over to me without any investigation.

“Isn’t there any data that was seized and searched? There should be records of what they sold and how much. Has Manager Han not investigated that yet?”

“The information is a complete mess.”

“Oh my.”

What are you doing just going back and forth with a blue box? You should have been looking for and confiscating the proper materials.

“Then, we have no choice but to rely on people’s testimonies to find out how much Hwang Daebong spent that day and what his order details were?”

“That’s right. The people who were entertained by Hwang Dae-bong, and the employees of Jay Ritz.”

“Oh, me.”

So what should I look at now?

“Where is Hwang Dae-bong’s statement? From the first one he submitted to the most recent one. Let me check how the content has changed.”

“Yes. The most recent one is here. The first one I put out is… … .”

Wi Jun-woo searched through the desk and said.

“I guess that didn’t come over.”

I clicked my tongue.

“Anyway, Manager Han can’t do anything properly.”

“I will go and check and bring it back now.”

“Go to the director’s office, and if he’s not there, go to Deputy Chief Prosecutor Chae Sang-myeon. Maybe he was missed there.”

“yes.”

Wi Jun-woo, who had answered cheerfully, left the room. I read the case file again from the beginning.

‘What is this? It’s so lacking.’

[If Hwang Dae-bong changes his testimony or the suspects and Jay Ritz employees collude and threaten each other, nothing can be proven.]

‘I guess I’ll have to find the hallway CCTV, or find out the exact order details for that day?’

[Yes.]

Hmm. How do I figure that out?

As I continued to ponder, the office door opened.

“You’re here already?”

I thought Wi Jun-woo had already returned, but the person who opened the door and came in was not Wi Jun-woo. He was wearing a high-class suit, and he gave off the impression that he was trying to hide his pettiness by throwing money around.

Attorney Gong Min-ho.

‘Why did that guy come here?’

[Because I am attorney Yang & Ji who is in charge of this case.]

When I stared at him without saying hello, Gong Min-ho smiled first and came closer to me.

“Are you Prosecutor Do Hyeon-gwang? My name is Gong Min-ho, an attorney at Yang & Ji Law Firm.”

He extended his hand to me as I sat there. When I stared blankly at his hand without shaking it, he seemed embarrassed and immediately took his hand away.

“I have heard a lot from the inspector.”

“I hope you’ve only heard good things?”

“Well, let’s just say it was a pretty unique story.”

“But, what are you doing here, lawyer?”

“There is some important information missing regarding this incident of Prosecutor Hwang Dae-bong entertaining the public. I came to inform you of that.”

No big information. What kind of drugs are you trying to sell?

Gong Min-ho took out his business card and placed it on my desk. As he did so, his eyes glanced at the documents on the desk.

Oh no! Is this the Gong Min-ho that Wi Jun-woo was talking about?

He shamelessly asked for money and requested that the prosecution’s investigation materials be removed.

I hastily gathered up the files that were lying on my desk, fearing that he might steal the case investigation files. Then I placed the documents under my butt and sat down.

[Do you really have to go that far? There’s no evidence anyway.]

‘Yeah. I have to go this far. I don’t know what that shameless guy might steal.’

Gong Min-ho looked at me with a puzzled expression as I sat down with the case file spread out, perhaps thinking the same thing as Aliotta.

“What are you doing now?”

“It’s confidential.”

“No, that’s not it. Why the case file… … .”

“Oh, I told you it’s confidential. Are you here to spy on the details of the current investigation?”

“That’s not it.”

At that moment, the door opened wide and Wei Jun-woo came in, looked at me and asked.

“What? Why did you grow so much in the meantime? Has the growth plate in your lower back not closed yet? Or…?”

Wi Jun-woo, who had been hesitating to speak, finally noticed Gong Min-ho and shut his mouth tightly.

“Oh my god. Who is this? Isn’t this Detective Wi Jun-woo?”

If it was Yang & Ji’s information power, they would have already known that the prosecutor I was working with was Wi Jun-woo. However, Gong Min-ho pretended to be surprised as if he had no idea.

Wi Jun-woo ignored Gong Min-ho’s words, handed me Hwang Dae-bong’s statement, and sat down at his seat with a heavy face.

“Oh, you don’t remember me? I think it was two years ago, when I saw you here at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.”

Gong Min-ho went up to Wi Jun-woo, who was trying hard to ignore him, and was laughing and provoking him.

I sat down with the statement Wi Jun-woo gave me under my butt and rolled my head.

Gong Min-ho, I guess I should press that kid down a bit?