The Ultimate Inspector, Kang Ji-hyeok - Chapter 36



Only Krnovel

Episode 36

The courtroom became as cold as if frost had fallen.

I continued the story.

“Defendant Park Ji-yeon’s crime was ruthless and cast the shadow of murder. The grandmother’s life was cut short with brutal methods, and the defendant staged a fake kidnapping to hide it. He also needs to be severely punished for obstructing the investigation.”

I spoke to her strongly once more.

A courtroom filled with silence.

“I hereby request the death penalty for the crime of premeditated murder, which violated human dignity in order to steal money.”

A commotion.

The whole courtroom was in an uproar.

It swayed gently like the sea sparkling in the sunlight.

The judge closed his eyes and thought for a moment.

After thinking about it, he looked at Park Ji-yeon quietly.

“This case was a very difficult case. As a judge, I would like to express my gratitude to Prosecutor Kang Ji-hyeok for his efforts in gathering logical evidence.”

It was an unusual reaction.

This was especially true for Judge Kim Jeong-dae, who was known among the judiciary for being old-fashioned.

“Isn’t this a scoop?”

The reporters in the audience began to write articles all at once about the judge’s words.

But just one person.

Only reporter Park Chan-jin squinted his eyes and pursed his lips.

His expression was full of complaints.

“Park Chan-jin. The direction of my sword’s tip has been decided. You’re next, right? Wait.”

I covered my mouth with the papers and muttered.

The judge took off his rimless glasses and placed them on the table.

Dalgrak.

The sound traveled through the microphone and shook the courtroom.

“We must seriously consider the issues of crime, punishment, and forgiveness. Defendant Park Ji-yeon has admitted to the crime, and punishment for this is one of the roles of the court.”

Silence continued in the courtroom, and the judge continued his story.

“But we must also recognize the importance of humane treatment. The death penalty is much harsher than life imprisonment, and there is strong opposition to it.”

Now it was time to place the order.

“The death penalty is a decision that ends a human life, and I think that decision is too harsh for a young defendant. We have the purpose of punishing crimes, but at the same time, we must think about the meaning of life through severe punishment.”

I turned my head and looked at Park Ji-yeon.

It was a face that seemed like he had given up on everything.

Demons who commit unforgivable crimes must be isolated from this society.

That’s why I’m here.

“Order. Defendant Park Ji-yeon is sentenced to life imprisonment. I hope that through this court, she will never again take the path of crime and will find a new life.”

The trial ended like that.

She will spend the rest of her life in prison.

While reflecting?

No, you will live a life of hell every day while cursing Kim Gun-ho who made fun of you.

“Park Ji-yeon. That’s why I welcome life imprisonment more. I would rather spend my whole life in hell than suffer for a moment with the death penalty.”

My monologue is over.

This case was the last trial during his probationary period after becoming a prosecutor.

【Gangnam Room Salon Madam Jung Yu-ra Gate】

[Social Justice? Is that really a reason to take away a young girl’s life?]

Unlike other articles that said that an extraordinary prosecutor who realized social justice had appeared, Park Chan-jin wrote an article that said that the punishment was too harsh for a 17-year-old girl.

Sigh.

I laughed when I saw that article.

“That’s harsh. Even trash like you call yourself a journalist and create shit with your keyboard.”

That’s how the case ended.

Grandma Kim Kkot-bun will not be satisfied with this result.

Because he probably didn’t want his granddaughter to be punished.

But the law must be fair.

Those who enforce the law are blind and only measure the weight of the crime.

As I was thinking while looking at the monitor, the strongest prosecutor tapped the desk with his finger.

“Kang Ji-hyeok. Let’s have lunch. Today is the last day of training.”

“That sounds good, Inspector Choi.”

“How about beef with soju?”

“I don’t like drinking during the day.”

Secretary Lee Hyeon-a said with a smile.

“I made a reservation at a spaghetti place nearby that’s killing me.”

“pasta?”

“You had a drink yesterday, right? Mr. Choi, spaghetti is the best way to sober up.”

So we had our last farewell dinner with spaghetti.

“Good. This is the best hangover cure.”

“But why did you drink?”

In response to my question, the strongest prosecutor spoke with a bitter face.

“It’s sad. The granddaughter killed her grandmother for money, and no matter how brutal the murderer was, we sentenced such a young child to death with our own hands······.”

Hororok.

I swallowed the spaghetti wrapped around my fork, making a crunching sound.

Everyone was looking forward to that day.

I took a big gulp of the cola in front of me.

“Hmm. When I sentenced him to death, I wondered what would have happened if we had failed to properly investigate and this child had been released into the world.”

I paused for a moment and then continued speaking with a serious face.

“She would have killed someone the next time she needed money. Who else would have died by her hand? It would have been her father or mother. She would have killed people close to her one by one to satisfy her desires.”

He took out a few sheets of copied paper that he had in his pocket and put them down.

“I didn’t bring it out at the trial because I was afraid she would actually get the death penalty. This is a copy of her diary.”

Everyone looked at the paper.

It was written in small letters all over.

“The letters are too small to see, right? It’s the password for my father’s bank account. He’s been thoroughly researching how to cut the brakes on my father’s car and the antidepressants my mother is taking.”

The strongest inspector grimaced.

The investigator and the officer put down the forks they were holding.

“The FBI and Harvard have studied killers for a long time and they say that killers are natural predators. Like lions or tigers or snakes or crocodiles. They can’t help it. Their DNA is designed to prey on people.”

I rolled the spaghetti back up with my fork and put it in my mouth.

“That’s what I’m saying. I’m going to protect this society from these predators. I became a prosecutor because it’s about isolating them from society. If someone has to do something, I’m going to do it.”

“Do you really have to do that?”

The strongest prosecutor asked calmly.

Shh.

I smiled with the corners of my lips raised.

“I’m better at it than anyone else. At least I have all the skills a hunter needs to catch such predators.”

After that, lunch was over.

On the way back to the prosecutor’s office,

Wheein.

The cell phone rang.

“Yes. This is Kang Ji-hyeok.”

– Training is over for today, so come up to my room.

“Understood, Chief Inspector.”

* * *

“Two investigators?”

“I need two investigators. I will bring them myself.”

“It’s not that difficult, but still, two investigators for a first-year student······.”

“If the Chief Prosecutor protects me, I will become a hunter above predators.”

widely.

Choi Hye-seong, the chief prosecutor of the Western District Prosecutors’ Office, put down the iced Americano she was drinking.

“A hunter is someone who catches predators that harass humans. Well then, I have a favor to ask.”

First memory.

He placed a two-page document in front of me.

“I want you to take care of the predator.”

I took the documents without reading them.

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you accepting it without even reading it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Chief Prosecutor Choi Hye-seong laughed out loud with a face that said it was funny.

“Haha. I like that kind of thing.”

Beep.

He pressed the extension button and listened.

“I am the chief prosecutor. Give office 401 to Prosecutor Kang Ji-hyeok and give him two investigators and one administrative officer, Tio.”

“I would also like to be able to appoint an officer, Mr. Prosecutor.”

He looked at me and nodded.

“All three of you, Tio, were recommended by Kang Ji-hyeok himself.”

– Okay, Mr. Prosecutor.

Choi Hye-seong loosened his tie and stood up from his seat.

Then he looked at his watch and smiled.

“It’s five o’clock now, so let’s go home. Let’s drink until our noses are crooked today and then start work tomorrow morning, okay?”

The drinking party that started with soju continued to the second round.

“Ugh. You dare to tackle me? Kang Ji-hyeok. If you handle this case well, I’ll drag you out.”

Slurp.

In a quiet basement bar, drunk, he revealed his true feelings to me.

As rumored, he wasn’t very strong against alcohol.

“I know you won’t ask me to do too much. I’ll do what I can.”

widely!

He put the glass he was drinking from on the table and smiled pleasantly.

“Hahaha! This is why I like Kang Ji-hyuk. He doesn’t flatter me like other guys do, so I like him.”

Choi Hye-seong put down a small glass of whiskey, took out a cigarette, and lit it.

Teeing.

A fire rose from the silver Zippo lighter with a wonderful crackle.

“Do you smoke?”

“Yeah. I only ride one when I drink.”

He said, looking at the cigarette between his fingers.

“I grew up in the countryside. I started smoking a lot when I was in middle school. I would put tobacco leaves in my father’s pipe and smoke it.”

Phew.

White smoke was sucked into the lit candle.

“My mother got polio when she was young and lost the use of one of her legs. My father was a butcher who butchered cattle.”

“I see.”

“I thought I wanted to become a butcher like my father. I started drinking a lot when I entered high school.”

He had a cigarette in his mouth and his face looked lost in thought.

“But you know, when I was a sophomore in high school, my mom gave me all the money she had saved her entire life.”

Phew.

White smoke spread out sadly.

“He told me to go to Seoul and study.”

“To Seoul?”

“They told me to become a judge. I still wonder how my mother knew that. So I came up without thinking.”

“Do you have any relatives in Seoul?”

“My aunt was in Seoul. She ran a meat restaurant with beef that my father slaughtered. She gave me a rooftop room. I studied really hard. There was nothing I didn’t do to avoid sleep. That’s how I got into Korea University Law School.”

“You are amazing, Chief Inspector.”

“Do you know what the first thing I did after I passed the exam and became a prosecutor was?”

Chiik.

He put out the cigarette he was smoking.

“I heard the news about my mother who passed away. She told me not to come down before she became a judge.”

Teeing.

He took another bite of his cigarette.

“When I went down, I found out he passed away a year ago. F*ck.”

He put his lit cigarette in the ashtray.

Is this the incense I burn for my mother?

“Ji-hyeok. It’s me.”

“Yes, Chief Inspector.”

“I’m going to go all the way. If there’s a system in this world, I want to see its peak.”

thud.

After saying that, he collapsed.

A madam who seemed to know the chief prosecutor well appeared.

She said to me with a smile.

“He finally collapsed. Did you say prosecutor Kang Ji-hyeok?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“My name is Yeon Ji-su, the daughter of the owner of the meat restaurant mentioned in the story.”

“Ah… yes. Hello.”

“Haha. When our Hyesung gets drunk, he’ll pass out like this. Don’t worry and go in.”

Aren’t you related to the strongest prosecutor?

What the heck is going on here?

“I will go in.”

“I think Hyesung really likes Prosecutor Kang. He doesn’t tell anyone that.”

“okay.”

“Ah. I’m also a fan of Prosecutor Kang Ji-hyeok.”

She held out her hand.

We shook hands.

* * *

As soon as I got to work, I headed to room 401.

“Hey! Super Rookie! You’re going to room 401?”

“Hello, Inspector Kim.”

Prosecutor Kim Chul-ho, a 5th-year senior.

I remember when I was a detective and was under his direction for an investigation, I got so angry that I hit him.

“Do you still like golf?”

“Golf? How did you know about that? I said······.”

I greeted him and closed the door.

“Kang Ji-hyeok, you idiot! You just go in when your senior is talking? Anyway, you have a dirty personality!”

All I can do is grumble.

He’s like a dog who shouts loudly in front of the weak, but wags his tail in front of the strong.

Taang!

He threw the documents he had brought onto the desk.

“What kind of incident was it that Chief Prosecutor Choi Hye-seong personally gave the order?”

As soon as I took out the documents, a smile came across my face.

“Isn’t meeting someone again in life not just a coincidence, but fate?”

One was a profile of reporter Park Chan-jin.

The other one was a report about his wife, Jung Yu-ra.

“Jung Yu-ra. Madam of the underground room salon in Yeoksam-dong called ‘The Times.’ Huh? She has a Ph.D. in business administration from Korea University?