Chapter 212
A national hero.
Yoo Ho-chan returned to Korea a hero. Blinding camera flashes greeted him as he arrived at the airport.
“How do you feel about capturing the true owner of Joongang Investment Group?”
“How did you manage to uncover Baek In-hwi’s crimes in Korea?”
“Where’s Kim Min-sik, the former CEO of Joongang Investment Group? He’s disappeared.”
He stammered, overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. “C-can you ask one question at a time, please?” But his words were drowned out by the reporters’ excited shouts.
As he stood there, flustered, someone pushed through the crowd and approached him.
“Prosecutor Yoo!”
“Senior Prosecutor Oh!”
“What kind of trouble did you cause while you were on vacation?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Trouble, sir? You should be praising me.”
He chuckled. “Well, yes, you did well. I knew you were capable of great things.”
“Hehehe.”
“Let’s go. The Chief Prosecutor wants to see you.”
“The Chief Prosecutor, sir?”
He smiled. “You shouldn’t be surprised by just the Chief Prosecutor.”
After meeting with everyone from the Chief Prosecutor to the Minister of Justice and even the President, he returned home, exhausted. “So this is what it feels like to be a hero.” Those who had been manipulated and mocked by Baek In-hwi were overjoyed by his capture. The president had praised him as a patriot and promised him a commendation. The chief of staff, his eyes tearing up, had thanked him for saving the country and avenging the president’s humiliation. “It was all worth it.” The process might have been questionable, but the result was a victory. His phone rang. “Another congratulatory call?” He had been receiving calls non-stop from acquaintances and various organizations since his return. He cleared his throat and answered the phone. “Hello, this is Yoo Ho-chan.”
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Is this Prosecutor Yoo Ho-chan?
“Yes, speaking.”
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This is Chunha Group’s secretary’s office. Our chairman would like to meet with you. When would you be available?
“Welcome, hero of Korea.”
“You’re too kind, Chairman,” he said, slightly embarrassed.
I chuckled. “I’m sure you’ve heard that countless times.”
“It was nothing, just catching a criminal.”
“Don’t be so modest. Please, have a seat.” I smiled. “I was so relieved to hear that Baek In-hwi had been captured.”
“Haha.”
“Can you tell me about it? I’m dying to know how you did it. Is it classified?”
He smiled. “I can tell you, as long as you keep it confidential.”
And then he launched into a dramatic retelling of his “heroic” exploits.
“I told Moon Gil, ‘Do you want to take the fall for everything?’ And he finally confessed.” I nodded inwardly.
‘He’s not mentioning the torture. Good.’
“And using that information, I found his superior and the location of their meeting.”
“Impressive.”
He clenched his fist.
“And then there was a huge brawl.”
‘He’s not mentioning the gunshots either. Excellent.’
“I burst into the meeting room and immediately recognized Baek In-hwi. It was like… a sixth sense.”
I nodded, trying to look impressed.
“I grabbed him by the collar and shouted,‘Why?! Why did you do this?!’And he said, ‘What did I do wrong? I’m innocent!’ So I said, ‘Innocent? You’re evil!’”
“That’s amazing.”
“And then I handed him over to the Chinese authorities and returned to Korea.”
I clapped my hands, feigning admiration. “That’s incredible! It’s like a movie!”
“It was nothing, really.”
“I can finally sleep soundly now that he’s been captured.”
“Haha.” I smiled. “I’m so happy. So I’ve prepared a small token of my gratitude for your service to Korea and to justice.” I handed him a plaque.
“What’s this?”
“Take a look.” He looked at it and his eyes widened in surprise. “The Yoo Ho-chan Foundation?”
I smiled gently. “Yes, I’m establishing a foundation in your name to support the victims of crime.”
“In my name?”
“Are you uncomfortable with that?”
He waved his hands frantically. “No, sir! It’s an honor! I never imagined… a foundation in my name…”
“I’m glad you approve. I’ll be funding it personally.”
He looked touched. “You’re already donating so much…”
“As I said before, my wealth is also thanks to society. It’s my duty to give back.”
He smiled brightly. “You’re a true hero, Chairman Park.”
“Please continue to fight for justice, Prosecutor Yoo.” I extended my hand. “Thank you for your service.”
“It’s my duty, sir.” He shook my hand vigorously, and as he was about to leave, he hesitated. “And… I…” He seemed to be doing this a lot lately.
“Please, speak freely.”
“This isn’t something a prosecutor should say, but… capturing Baek In-hwi made me realize something.”
“What is it?”
“Sometimes, the ends justify the means.” I looked at him blankly, not understanding what he meant, and he smiled. “Even a good man like you, Chairman, must have made some… compromises in your business dealings. Taxes, gambling… but ultimately, your success has benefited countless people. Like this foundation, for example. You can’t always be perfect, can you?”
I smiled. “I suppose you could see it that way, but judging solely based on the outcome can be shortsighted. Noble ends require noble means.”
He said firmly,
“No.”
Then, his voice wavering slightly, he added,
“The means don’t matter. Only the results. That’s what I believe. Anyway, goodbye.”
After he left, I scratched the back of my head.
“Did I push him too far? He seems broken.” But I then chuckled.
“Whatever, he’s right. The means don’t matter. Only the results.”
The Finance Minister of Chile was holding his head in his hands, worried.
“This is a nightmare.”
Chile’s finances were in a dire state due to declining tax revenue.
Corrupt officials were more interested in bribes than in their duties, and businesses were evading taxes by any means necessary.
“I need to find an investor,” he muttered. He had been looking for investors, but those who knew about Chile’s situation were hesitant.
He needed a sucker, someone willing to invest blindly.
His phone rang.
“Yes, I’ll put him through.” A gruff voice, speaking in English, came from the other end of the line.
– Greetings, Minister.
“Yes, who is this?” he said with a disinterested tone.
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I hear you’re having some trouble with your country’s finances.
“Yes, I am. Who is this?”
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I’m interested in investing in Chile. He perked up at the word “investing.”
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“Investing, you say?”
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Yes.
“How much are you planning to invest?”
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Depending on the circumstances, at least $1 billion… He gulped at the mention of such a large sum. – …and up to $10 billion, or even more.
“$10… $10 billion?” It was an astronomical amount, more than enough to solve Chile’s financial problems and boost its economy. “That’s… a substantial amount.”
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And that’s just the initial investment. I’m willing to invest more if the conditions are favorable. The amount was so large that it seemed unbelievable.
“What are your conditions?”
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Well, I’ll need some policy support from the Chilean government. And you’ll have to lift the restrictions on foreign investment.
He was already thinking about accepting the offer, but he had to be cautious. “That sounds promising. But I need to know who you are before we can proceed. I’d like to meet and discuss this in person.”
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Well… we’re Chinese investors.
He hesitated. “Ch-Chinese, you say?”
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Yes. Is that a problem?
“Well… that infamous swindler, Baek In-hwi, was also Chinese, wasn’t he?”
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Ah, Baek In-hwi. Hahahahahaha. He laughed heartily. – Minister, China is a big country. Are you judging all Chinese investors based on one bad apple?
“Of course not, but I’m still a bit… hesitant.”
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Then you’re not interested in the investment?
“No, no, I wouldn’t say that. Give me some time to think.”
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We can even get you a guarantee from the Chinese government, if you wish.
His eyes lit up. “Really?”
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Absolutely.
“Hmm…” The man, seeing his hesitation, said, – And you don’t have to worry about Baek In-hwi.
“What?”
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I’m the one who helped put him behind bars.
“What do you mean?”
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You might not know this since you’re in Chile, but we provided all the support for Prosecutor Yoo Ho-chan, the one who captured Baek In-hwi. We can even send you the news articles.
The minister’s suspicion eased at his confident words. “Is that so?”
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We wouldn’t be doing this if we were planning to scam you, would we? We helped capture Baek In-hwi.
“Of course not.” He relaxed slightly. “We’ve been talking for a while, but I haven’t even asked your name yet.”
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My apologies, I should have introduced myself earlier. He said in a friendly voice,
– My name is Wang Myeong.