Chapter 205
“Are you writing a novel?” Senior Prosecutor Oh frowned. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”
“But look at this!” Yoo Ho-chan said, his voice rising with excitement. “Every time they clash, the result is the same! Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”
Senior Prosecutor Oh skimmed the documents he had handed him and clicked his tongue. “Let’s be realistic. Let’s say Chairman Park did gamble illegally. It’s a crime, yes. But is that enough to connect him to Baek In-hwi? The evidence is too weak.”
“Of course it’s weak! I just discovered this!” He continued excitedly, “This is a golden opportunity to catch Baek In-hwi! He’s always been hidden in the shadows, but Park Sol isn’t. He can’t hide. If we target Park Sol and find something connecting him to Baek In-hwi…”
“That’s all well and good, but how are you going to catch him?”
“What?”
“Let’s say you prove he gambled illegally. The penalty is a fine of less than 10 million won. Even for repeat offenders, it’s less than 30 million won. Do you think Chairman Park even cares about that? He’s a billionaire. He’ll just pay the fine and be done with it.”
He hesitated at his superior’s pragmatic assessment. “B-but he’ll try to protect his image. He’ll offer us a deal.”
“How can you be so sure? It’s all speculation. Do you even understand the implications of targeting Chairman Park in Korea?”
“That’s…” He knew better than anyone, as he was a fan of Park Sol himself. Countless people had benefited from Park Sol’s charity and scholarships, and Chunha Group’s employees were proud of working for such a socially responsible company.
If he targeted Park Sol for illegal gambling, people might be slightly disappointed, but that was it. He was just a prosecutor, an outsider. But Park Sol was their benefactor, the chairman of the group.
“There will be a… backlash.”
“He won’t just sit back and take it. He’s too powerful, and his public image is too strong. Do you think people will turn against him just because he gambled a few hundred million won when he’s donated over a trillion won to charity?”
He said coldly, “They’ll just say you’re being too harsh on him for a minor transgression.”
“…So you’re against it?”
“It’s not about being ‘against’ it. You need a stronger case. And you said they both benefited, but that’s just your interpretation, based on the outcome.”
He bit his lip. “But…” He was still reluctant to give up.
Senior Prosecutor Oh patted his shoulder. “I know you’re disappointed about those attackers being released, but this isn’t the right approach. You’ve gone too far.”
“I understand… I’ll go now.”
“Take care, and get some rest.”
He left the office, still unconvinced. “Is he really wrong?” He had thought he had a strong case, but Senior Prosecutor Oh had dismissed it as a fantasy, and he was starting to doubt himself. But he shrugged. “Well, I’ll investigate. I might find something. Or not.”
“What?” I said, incredulous. “What is Yoo Ho-chan doing?”
“He’s looking for witnesses who saw us in Macau,” Maru reported with a grim expression. “One of the people we’re managing through the foundation told us.” We had been tracking down and managing those who had seen me gambling in Macau, to prevent any leaks. And now, one of them had been contacted by Yoo Ho-chan. I said in a low voice, “How did he find out?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is it just about the illegal gambling?” The Macau gambling incident was what had prompted me to create the Baek In-hwi persona, so it was a sensitive topic for me.
“I think so.”
I thought for a moment, annoyed. “I can’t be too careless. This is getting annoying.”
“What should we do?”
“Make sure those witnesses keep their mouths shut. Send them on a trip overseas if necessary.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Should we apply pressure on the prosecution?” I could only act as Park Sol, but I had powerful connections, from politicians to business associations.
“Would that even work? He seems like a stubborn, righteous type.”
I hadn’t been prepared for the Macau incident, and my inadequate response was coming back to haunt me. He might just be investigating the illegal gambling, but I hated even the smallest variables. “…Should I meet with him?”
Maru’s eyes widened. “You, sir? Why?”
“The more you pressure people like him, the more they resist. A direct conversation might be more effective. And I’m curious who he is, what makes him tick. If he’s reasonable, we can resolve this amicably. And if he’s not…” My expression turned cold. “…I’ll crush him.”
“Greetings, I’m Prosecutor Yoo Ho-chan.” He had readily accepted my invitation, either hoping for a cordial conversation or wanting to interrogate me.
“Greetings, I’m Park Sol.”
He smiled brightly. “It’s an honor to meet you, Chairman. I’ve always admired you.”
“Is that so? Please have a seat.” I gestured towards the sofa.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“I wanted to thank you personally for your cooperation with the investigation into the attacks on our company.” I smiled gently.
“It’s my duty as a prosecutor.”
That was the end of the pleasantries.
“You seem busy these days,” I said, smirking slightly, “…investigating my gambling activities.”
He flinched. “It’s just a preliminary investigation based on some information we received.”
“Is that so?” I paused. “May I tell you my side of the story?” I lowered my voice, creating a serious atmosphere. “I made a mistake when my business was just starting to take off. Have you heard about my donation of the casino jackpot winnings?”
His eyes gleamed. “Of course, it’s a famous story.”
“I went there to celebrate my success, and I happened to win the jackpot. It was a foolish mistake.”
I closed my eyes, as if reminiscing. “It was my first taste of freedom after a lifetime of hard work. But it doesn’t change the fact that I committed a crime. I deeply regret it.”
I looked him in the eye. “And I’ve been trying to atone for my sins by helping the less fortunate. It was a selfish act, but…”
“I… see.”
“But I heard that you’re investigating my past.”
I said in a self-deprecating tone, “And I realized… good deeds don’t erase your sins. I want to confess and atone for my mistakes.”
It was a calculated move, using my image to manipulate him. The penalty for illegal gambling was just a fine, and I was hoping to resolve this quietly.
He seemed to be swayed by my seemingly sincere confession. “I want to confess, and I’ll accept any punishment.”
“……”
“I’ll cooperate fully with your investigation.”
He said, after a long silence, “So you’re admitting to illegal gambling?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Hmm…” He muttered, confused, “This isn’t how I imagined it…”
“What do you mean?”
“N-nothing. I was… overthinking it. Anyway, thank you for your cooperation.”
“It’s my duty to atone for my sins. I was wrong to try to hide it.”
The best outcome would be to pay the fine quietly, without any media attention. I had confessed, so the public and the media would be sympathetic. And I had a long history of charitable activities. It would just be a minor blemish on my record.
I had decided to use this opportunity to put the Macau incident behind me.
“What should I do?”
He hesitated and then said, “Please provide your travel records and money exchange details.”
“I’ll have them sent to you.”
He seemed to be warming up to me, seeing my cooperative attitude. “I can’t believe I suspected you of such things. You’re a remarkable man.”
“I’m not that great.”
“If you’re not great, who is? I was completely mistaken.” He stood up. “I’ll take care of this. As a prosecutor, I shouldn’t be saying this, but it’ll probably just be a fine, so don’t worry too much.”
I bowed my head repeatedly. “Thank you.”
He bowed back. “Please continue to support the less fortunate. Our society needs people like you.”
I smiled, relieved that the situation seemed to be resolved. “Of course, people are my priority. I’ll live a life of atonement, helping those in need.” I shook his hand. “By the way, you mentioned something about this being different from what you had imagined. What did you mean by that?”
He shook his head, looking embarrassed. “It was nothing, just my imagination.”
“Is that so? Ha ha ha.”
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Chairman.”
“The pleasure was all mine. Thank you.” Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly hesitated. “And… well, never mind.”
“Is there something you’d like to say? Please speak freely.”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s okay, just tell me.”
He hesitated again and then said, “Please don’t misunderstand. This is just my personal opinion, a wild theory, so to speak.”
I chuckled. “A misunderstanding? There’s no need for that. Tell me.”
“Are you… really Baek In-hwi’s enemy?”
What? My smile froze. “You’ve been fighting him constantly, but you haven’t actually suffered any losses… So I was wondering… are you two actually working together? Hahaha.”
I maintained my smile. “You’re… saying I’m working with Baek In-hwi?”
He waved his hands. “That’s why I said don’t misunderstand. It was just a theory.”
“I would never collude with someone like him.”
He nodded. “Of course not. I can see that now. You’re not that kind of person.”
“Baek In-hwi is my sworn enemy.”
“I agree. Anyway, it was a pleasure meeting you. I’ll be going now.” He hugged me and left.
I stood there, frozen, my smile still plastered on my face.
“Working with… Baek In-hwi…?” My smile vanished. My face contorted in anger. “This isn’t about gambling anymore.”