Coming straight at like that.
I set down the glass I was holding and silently looked at Kim Woongrae.
“I’ve heard plenty about Chairman Cheon Taesan, the Loan Shark King who dominates the Myeongdong ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) loan market. I’ve heard about you as his successor too. But to hold this seat, I can’t stick my nose into too many places. I let most of it go in one ear and out the other. Still, if even half of what I’ve heard is true, Korea could be turned upside down.”
“What kind of answer are you expecting from ?”
“The truth.”
“I heard you’re close with Governor Yoon Changho.”
A frown creased Kim Woongrae’s forehead.
“We’ve known each other for a long ti. Why bring that up now?”
“Did he never ntion ?”
“Not once. And after he left the prosecution, I only t him once. There’s no good in prosecutors getting tangled with politicians. I respected him, but I avoided eting him.”
Unlike the reputation of being “Yoon Changho’s man,” he was drawing a line.
Whether it was an act or the truth, I couldn’t tell.
“I understood that you beca Head of Central Investigation thanks to Governor Yoon’s influence. Are you trying to cut ties with him?”
“What?”
“Director. Muhyuk.”
The mood had turned icy fast, and Oh Hyunwoo jumped in, flustered.
But I had no reason to back down.
“Hyunwoo, give us a mont. I’d like to speak with the Director alone.”
“Huh?”
“Just for a bit. Please.”
Hyunwoo looked into my face for a mont, sighed, then rose from his seat.
“Director, I’ll step out for a smoke.”
He bowed to Kim Woongrae and left. Kim nodded without a word.
“Senior. Since Hyunwoo stepped out for us, let’s stop circling and talk straight.”
Our gazes clashed in the air. From the first mont, I knew—he wasn’t soone to be taken lightly.
“Are you Governor Yoon Changho’s man? Or did you once follow him but now think differently?”
There was no imdiate answer.
“If he never ntioned , that ans he never considered you fully his. The lack of any file on in the prosecution is natural. The Governor destroyed them all during his tenure.”
I could feel Kim Woongrae’s sharp stare as I trailed off.
“That ans you must have heard about elsewhere...”
Not from the Blue House, surely.
I didn’t add more—just smiled faintly.
“Whatever you’ve heard.”
The president’s power ca from the four investigative arms: prosecution, police, NIS, and tax office.
Of them, the prosecution was the strongest.
The Seoul District Prosecutor, Head of Public Security, Director of Legal Affairs Inspection—and the most powerful of them all, the Head of Central Investigation.
Placing soone in that seat without being the president’s man was impossible without political compromise.
Which ant Kim Woongrae had turned his back on Yoon Changho.
“You’re not avoiding him just because he entered politics, are you?”
“...”
“You chose another rope to grab onto, didn’t you?”
His hesitation was disappointing.
Investigating corruption among the president’s closest aides ant risking your life as a prosecutor.
I had hoped for soone with firm resolve. But maybe he was just another political prosecutor.
“Whatever you know, it’s probably close to the truth.”
His grip on his glass tightened.
“So it’s true?”
“Calling a shadow hand is too much. But yes, I dismantled Cheongpunghoe and put Korea back on track.”
“Back on track? Or just into a Korea you could control?”
“Maybe so. But I’m not Cheongpunghoe.”
“No one can guarantee that. If what I heard is true, I could arrest you right now.”
Was he trying to test ? His tone was strange.
“Would I be dragged away first, or would you be ousted from your seat first?”
“...”
He couldn’t bite . He knew that better than anyone.
It wasn’t a threat.
So then...
“Shall we make a bet?”
“Young man, the Head of Central Investigation can even bring down a president if I choose. Do you think I can’t entangle you in sothing?”
“How does the president’s dog catch the president?”
“What did you say?”
“Oh, right now you’re the Prosecutor General’s dog, aren’t you? You’re investigating the president’s aides because he ordered you to. Is that a real investigation?”
“...”
“If I move, your seat will be gone before sunrise tomorrow. You’ll say it’s not easy, but it’s not hard either.”
I poured myself another drink.
His hand holding the cup was pale white.
“Testing your opponent is sothing you do only when you have the upper hand. Don’t bother. It’s useless.”
“...”
“By showing up here, you’ve already decided to grab onto . Haven’t I read you right?”
Crash!
He slamd his cup onto the table.
The porcelain split cleanly in half.
The loud sound echoed, but no one outside stirred. His jaw was rigid.
“I understand. When the Governor resigned, you must have agonized. But to beco Head of Central Investigation? With all that power, you could shake everything. Still, betrayal is unacceptable, Senior.”
“Betrayal?”
Through Myungsoo, I had already confird the Centrist Party’s ignorance of the matter.
Kim Woongrae hadn’t whispered a word to Yoon Changho.
That ant this investigation ca at the Prosecutor General’s order—Kim Hakgwon’s hunting dog.
“No betrayal? This investigation isn’t to expose but to bury. Yet you didn’t inform him. If that’s not betrayal, what is it?”
Through Blue House contacts I knew the Chief of Staff and Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs were being updated.
The Prosecutor General’s order to Kim Woongrae was clear.
He had joined hands with the Prosecutor General, and with the Blue House.
“I don’t like beating around the bush. If you want sothing, just say it. Don’t try to test . That’s what I hate most.”
“...”
He was silent for a long ti before speaking.
“What can you give ?”
“What’s your goal?”
“Can you make like Governor Yoon?”
So he knew perfectly well.
“Hard to say. I built trust with him over years. That’s why I made him president. You and I are eting for the first ti today. I can’t just hand that over.”
“...What do you want to do then?”
Trust, in the end, ant loyalty.
“For now, stay where you are in the prosecution. Trust begins with small considerations, mutual effort. I’ll make sure you remain Head of Central Investigation as long as possible.”
“And ?”
“When I ask, you consider. Give the information I need, carry out the investigations I need. If you’ll do anything for , then I’ll do the sa. Even if it ans standing against Governor Yoon or President Kim Hakgwon.”
He seed deep in thought—cautious, but the decision was made.
“Governor Yoon is my creation. His path, his power, even his image as a righteous politician. Making you like him is no problem. I already know you have the ability.”
I had already made one presidential candidate. The second would be easier.
“...I’ll trust you.”
“You’ve made the right choice.”
“Forgive . I needed certainty before trusting you. I know you, but not well enough.”
I lifted the kettle instead of replying.
“Have a drink.”
He glanced at the broken cup, then held out another.
I poured until it overflowed, spilling across the table and down his hand. He didn’t move it away.
“Too much always spills over.”
Only after I stopped did he bring it close.
“Thanks for the advice.”
He drank it down, then silently poured for in return.
This ti, I held the cup in one hand.
No one thought it strange.
The shattered porcelain cup still sat between us.
Our glasses clinked above it.
“From now on, we’re comrades. Betrayal is not tolerated. Being stabbed in the back by soone you trust isn’t pleasant, is it?”
“Understood. Don’t worry.”
After draining his cup, I spoke softly.
“Tell Hyunwoo he can co back in. And give the Director one of my cards.”
Manager Ma slipped in silently, handed Kim Woongrae a plain card, and left.
“You can reach directly anyti. If there’s sothing you want, don’t hesitate. If it’s within my power, I’ll help.”
He stared at the card with only a phone number for a long mont before tucking it into his wallet.
I didn’t ask for his contact, and he didn’t offer. We both knew why.
A mont later, Oh Hyunwoo returned.
“Did the talk go well?”
“Yeah, sorry. Was it cold outside?”
“No, I was in the next room. Took a call from Minkyung while smoking.”
He sat next to again. He must have seen the shattered cup but said nothing.
“From now on, Director Kim is with us. Support him well.”
“Really?”
Hyunwoo looked at him anew, smiling.
“Director, I look forward to working with you.”
“Sa here, Prosecutor Oh.”
“Then let’s move to the next room to eat. This one’s not right.”
I stood with a smile.
They rose too. It was seamless—like a scene from a play.
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