Chapter 206
“Wang Jin-mi, Prosecutor Yoo… they’re full of surprises,” I muttered, tapping my finger on the armrest of my chair.
I seemed to have successfully deflected Yoo Ho-chan’s suspicions for now, but the number of people who were getting close to the truth about Baek In-hwi was increasing. They were still fumbling in the dark, but they were getting closer.
“Didn’t you say he bought your explanation?”
Maru asked.
I frowned. “I can’t be careless. I’ve done too many things. The consequences would be severe if my true identity was revealed.”
If it was revealed that I, the respected businessman and philanthropist, was actually a two-faced manipulator who had been pulling the strings of the business world through illegal activities, the fallout would be devastating.
Those who had admired and trusted me would feel betrayed, and I wouldn’t be able to face my family, especially Wang Jin-hee. The thought sent shivers down my spine. Maru shook his head.
“Prosecutor Yoo has quite the imagination. To come up with that theory based on such flimsy evidence.”
“I was shocked.” I still felt a cold sweat, remembering his question. “But it’s true that the situation is unusual.”
It didn’t make sense for two sworn enemies to constantly clash and both profit in the end. Baek In-hwi might have been the one who orchestrated the IT bubble, but Chunha Group had also played a major role.
Baek In-hwi had taken the fall, the public face of the scam, while Chunha Group had quietly profited.
Such a relationship between two supposedly opposing forces was unusual, to say the least.
“People wouldn’t suspect us because our images are so different. But there might be others like Yoo Ho-chan. And what if they’re more powerful than a mere prosecutor?”
The only way to take down a cell-based organization was to target the head. And they might be able to do it.
“So, what are you going to do? You can’t just undo everything you’ve done.”
I thought for a moment.
“We have to separate Chunha Group and Baek In-hwi as much as possible. And accelerate Joongang Investment Group’s withdrawal.”
But I still felt uneasy.
I had been living a double life, engaging in both good deeds and evil schemes, enjoying the moral satisfaction of philanthropy and the material rewards of my illegal activities. And I was afraid of losing it all.
“I want to… make a clean break…” I wanted to completely sever the connection between Park Sol and Baek In-hwi.
They were both powerful enough to operate independently now. Park Sol, the legitimate businessman, the chairman of Chunha Group, and Baek In-hwi, the financial manipulator with his army of heihaizi.
It was time for them to part ways.
“I’ll have to think about this, find a way…”
“What about Prosecutor Yoo? Are you just going to let him be?” Maru asked.
I said with a cold expression,
“Of course not. Once suspicion takes root, it grows. After he’s done with the gambling investigation, use Baek In-hwi’s influence to have him transferred to a dead-end position. And keep pressuring him until he quits and becomes a lawyer. Understood?”
Maru said with a pitying expression,
“That’s harsh. He just made a mistake, a simple question.”
I tried to find a way to completely separate Park Sol and Baek In-hwi, but there were no easy solutions.
How could I separate them any further? They were already operating through a cell structure with a fake identity.
Yoo Ho-chan’s suspicions were based on our past collaborations, when we had worked together to maximize our profits. It had been the most effective strategy back then, but it had also created a connection between us, a link that could expose my true identity.
“I can’t erase the past.” I didn’t regret our past collaborations, as they had made me who I was today. But I needed a contingency plan. “What should I do…?”
Chunha Group would focus on the real economy, and Baek In-hwi would continue his financial manipulations overseas. There would be no further interaction between them. “If only I could erase the past…” I suddenly had an idea. I snapped my fingers.
“That’s it! Erase it! I’ll erase it!”
“…Sir, this is too much, isn’t it?” Yoo Ho-chan glared at Senior Prosecutor Oh. “You’re transferring me to the second criminal division?”
“I’m sorry,” he said, avoiding his gaze.
“This is outrageous! Why are you doing this?!” He was a passionate prosecutor who had always been on the front lines, working in the violent crimes division. But the second criminal division handled minor offenses: environmental crimes, public health violations, juvenile delinquency.
“What am I supposed to do there?”
“Just do your job and learn. Did you think you could always do what you wanted?” He said angrily, “This is outrageous! Even if I don’t get to choose my cases, I have my specialty! I didn’t study so hard to end up dealing with juvenile delinquents!”
“Don’t underestimate juvenile delinquents. They can be worse than adults these days.”
“That’s not my point! This transfer is clearly a punishment!”
He glared at him. “This is because of Baek In-hwi, isn’t it? Because I refused to release his men.”
“You didn’t release them, they were released because the case was reassigned.”
“This country… how can they be so spineless, transferring a prosecutor just because of some Chinese gangster?! Where’s their pride?”
“It’s not just about Baek In-hwi. They must have received something from him. He’s rich, he probably bribed them.” He said in a soothing voice, “Just be patient. I’ll get you back to the violent crimes division eventually.”
“By then, he’ll be long gone!”
He sighed. “We can’t fight him. He’s too powerful. He must have bribed everyone.”
“Damn it.”
“Just be patient. Another opportunity will arise.”
He kicked a rock as he walked home, muttering, “Nothing is going my way.”
He had thought he had uncovered a connection between Park Sol and Baek In-hwi, but the Park Sol he had met seemed incapable of such a thing. And after re-investigating the case, he realized that Park Sol had simply been the first to enter the used computer market in Korea, acquiring a large market share early on by offering competitive prices, not through illegal means.
And now he was being punished for trying to pursue the truth. He felt a deep sense of frustration and helplessness.
“Is this really the end?” People believed that justice always prevailed, but as a prosecutor, he knew it wasn’t always the case. The small fry were caught, but the real villains always escaped, exploiting legal loopholes and manipulating the system.
“Is it really true that money talks and the poor have no chance?”
Baek In-hwi was a dangerous criminal who deserved to be punished, but his wealth and power protected him.
He, Yoo Ho-chan, was a respected prosecutor, but he was powerless against Baek In-hwi.
The feeling of helplessness was crushing.
“I need… I need help.” He needed a powerful ally to fight against Baek In-hwi, someone to protect him from the political pressure and empower him to pursue the truth. He thought of Park Sol.
“Chunha Group wouldn’t be intimidated by Baek In-hwi. Should I ask him for help?”
His eyes gleamed. “If I tell him I’m trying to catch Baek In-hwi, he might help. And if he does…” He clenched his fist. “…I’ll catch him, even if it means losing my job.” He walked towards his home, his passion reignited, when someone called out to him. “Excuse me.”
He turned around, startled, his voice laced with suspicion. “Who are you?” He had put many gangsters behind bars and had received numerous threats. He was always cautious. The man smiled. “You don’t have to be so wary, Prosecutor Yoo.”
“Who are you?” he repeated, glaring at the stranger who knew his name.
“I can’t reveal my identity. I’m here with a… proposition.”
He scoffed. “A proposition from someone who can’t even reveal their name? Are you here to bribe me? You’ve come to the wrong place.”
The man smiled. “It’s not exactly a bribe.”
“What else would it be? Criminals should be punished. Who are you? Tell me, and I’ll add bribery charges to your list.”
The man suddenly burst out laughing. “Hahaha, you’re a righteous man. You’re perfect for this.”
He looked at him, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“I agree. Criminals should be punished. But how does the world actually work?” he said, his expression turning somber. “The law favors the powerful. It’s not right.”
“…What are you trying to say?”
The man smirked.
“Baek In-hwi. Don’t you want to catch him?”