The three senior secretaries sat stiffly, lips sealed.
The one who broke the silence was Woo Youngsik.
“What are you talking about? A Chinese spy? Do you even know who we are? And kill us?”
“I know very well, Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Woo Youngsik. You are at the core of power in the Blue House.”
“And yet you accuse us of being spies? Who are you? The National Intelligence Service?”
The NIS? How unimaginative.
I shrugged lightly and took the seat of honor.
“Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is that among you is a traitor passing Blue House information to China.”
“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re—”
Before Woo Youngsik could finish, Ban Jangwoo grabbed his arm as he sprang to his feet.
Woo stopped and looked at him.
“Sit down first, Woo.”
“No, Senior Secretary. This is outrageous. Do you think we’re people who can just be dragged here like this? Not one of us—but three?”
“Calm down and hear him out.”
I watched their exchange with interest.
“Do you know this man? Who exactly is he?”
“I said sit. I’ll explain later.”
Ban Jangwoo remained steady, calming Woo.
Woo hesitated, then slowly sat back down.
“I won’t let this slide. Whether it’s the NIS or whoever is behind this, I’ll see this through to the end.”
Though Ban had subdued him sowhat, Woo’s montum had not faded. He glared at .
“As you wish. Now, let’s get to the point.”
Manager Ma placed the prepared docunts on the table.
I selected one and opened it.
“Senior Secretary for Public Relations Kim Gapsu.”
“....”
No answer.
“Your son is studying in China.”
“What does that have to do with this?”
“He’s quite close with the children of high-ranking Chinese officials.”
“Am I supposed to interfere in my grown son’s friendships? He’s an adult. His relationships have nothing to do with .”
I carefully observed Kim Gapsu’s reaction.
“True. Parents cannot micromanage their adult children’s friendships. But you speak with your son frequently—more than five tis a week.”
“...This is illegal.”
Kim cleared his throat uncomfortably.
I lifted one corner of my mouth.
“Bringing you here was illegal as well. So just answer the question. Is it normal to speak that frequently with a grown son?”
“....”
“Even the closest father and son don’t talk that often. So I’ll ask again. Have you ever relayed anything that happened at the Blue House to your son?”
“....”
Silence.
But silence would not save him.
“Fine. If you refuse to answer, I’ll ask your son instead.”
I gestured lightly.
Manager Ma stepped forward.
“Manager. Secure Senior Secretary Kim’s son imdiately. Use any thod necessary to make him talk.”
“Yes. I’ll arrange it now.”
Manager Ma bowed and turned.
“W–Wait!”
Kim Gapsu’s voice trembled.
I raised my hand to stop Manager Ma.
“Are you prepared to answer now?”
“My son has done nothing wrong.”
“That is not for you to decide. It is for . I’ll ask again. Have you ever passed Blue House information to China?”
“I have granted requests. But nothing that hard national interest.”
“What requests?”
My eyebrow twitched.
“When high-ranking Chinese officials’ children were arrested in Korea for drug use or assault, I quietly arranged their release. Several tis. That’s all.”
I slid paper and a pen toward him.
“Write down precisely when, whose request, and what you did. I’ll take your word for it.”
“....”
“But if there is even the slightest lie, neither you nor your son in China will return unhard.”
Pressure from a Blue House senior secretary on police investigations was hardly rare.
Especially when it involved drug cases tied to Chinese elites.
China punished drug cris harshly; they wanted no record at all.
Using his son as a channel allowed matters to disappear without evidence.
“Write.”
I set his docunt aside and picked up Woo Youngsik’s.
“Senior Secretary Woo.”
No reply.
“You had quite the interesting gathering today.”
“What?”
“You dined with Kim Seokjae, Third Deputy Chief Prosecutor, and several prosecutors. What did you discuss?”
“Do you have a death wish?”
Woo showed no fear.
I smiled faintly.
“I’m sure the President would be interested to know that the Senior Secretary responsible for personnel verification t privately with Kim Seokjae—the man slated as a candidate for Seoul Central District Prosecutor.”
“Are you threatening ?”
He raised his voice again.
I glanced at Ban Jangwoo.
“Is that a threat? Senior Secretary Ban, what kind of person am I?”
“...You always keep your word.”
Ban avoided my gaze.
“That’s correct. I keep my word—whether it’s in front of the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, the Senior Secretary for Public Relations, or even the Chief of Staff. So don’t raise your voice in front of .”
“Senior Secretary, who the hell is this guy—”
“Just! Shut up for once! Read the room!”
Ban suddenly shouted.
Woo’s eyes widened.
“I’m begging you. Just answer the questions. I don’t want to die.”
Fear flickered in Ban’s eyes.
Woo looked confused at that reaction.
“Who the hell is this bastard—”
“Please! Stop talking recklessly!”
Ban snapped again.
Woo turned back to .
“One question. Who are you?”
“Kim Muhyuk of Myeongdong. I didn’t expect our first eting to be like this.”
“What? Kim Muhyuk?”
Kim Gapsu and Woo reacted at the sa ti.
“So you’re that Kim Muhyuk.”
Woo looked up and down, even after hearing my na.
Unlike him, Kim Gapsu froze completely.
“Senior Secretary Kim, why have you stopped writing? Or shall we ask your son?”
“N–No. I’ll write everything.”
He picked up the pen and began writing rapidly.
“Senior Secretary Woo. Now you know who I am. And you know I don’t make empty threats. I wanted solid evidence before bringing you here. But for now, I have only strong suspicion—no physical proof. So I had no choice.”
I looked directly into Woo’s resentful eyes.
“I didn’t want to use such a rude thod. But circumstances demanded it. We can still have a conversation like gentlen, can we not?”
“...Unbelievable.”
“Whether you control the prosecution or not is none of my concern. Do as you please. What concerns is your relationship with China. There is evidence of frequent contact with Chinese officials. Do you have anything to say?”
“Do I need to explain my private life too?”
“Yes. You do. Because the purpose of this gathering is to determine which of you is China’s dog.”
“Why the three of us? And how did you even know there was a spy in the Blue House?”
“We investigated every senior secretary and secretary. Several have already been caught. Sotis simple thods work best. Among the senior secretaries, ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ you three raised the strongest suspicions. You understand that well, don’t you? You were a prosecutor.”
Woo’s lips moved but no sound ca out.
“I’ll ask again. Why have you been in frequent contact with China? If you refuse to answer again, I’ll use other thods.”
“I’ve heard plenty about you, Kim Muhyuk. But I am the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs. Do you think that kind of threat works on ?”
“To , a Senior Secretary and a beggar on the street feel about the sa.”
Woo glared at .
“Explain yourself. Clear your na.”
“Is this the President’s order?”
“Would the President order sothing this illegal? And I don’t take orders from him.”
“If the President finds out, he’ll be disappointed. Do you know the relationship between us?”
“Of course. That’s why this is even more disappointing. The President’s friend, acting in a way that would disappoint him.”
I shook my head deliberately.
Whether he was a spy or not, he was already moving contrary to the President’s will—trying to place his own man in Seoul Central to seize the prosecution.
“If I say I’m not the spy, will you believe ?”
“If you speak the truth.”
Woo sighed deeply.
“I will speak to you alone at the end. I promise you this—I am not a Chinese spy. I have never once passed classified information.”
“Is that so?”
“I’ll explain everything separately. Let’s speak alone later.”
I nodded.
I also hoped he wasn’t the spy.
If he was, the damage would be enormous.
“Very well.”
I closed his file and picked up the last one.
“Senior Secretary for Security Affairs.”
“I’ll tell you everything. Just spare my life.”
Ban Jangwoo suddenly dropped to his knees.
Kim and Woo stared at him.
“You passed information to China?”
“I had no choice. They had leverage on ...”
“What kind of leverage is big enough to sell your country?”
“....”
“What is it?”
Ban shut his eyes tightly and shook his head.
I sighed.
“Manager Ma. Give each of them a separate room.”
“Yes.”
“No. I’ll stay.”
Woo interrupted.
“The Security Affairs Secretary selling state secrets? Under no circumstances is that acceptable. I need to hear this.”
I understood why he reacted that way.
But for honest answers, privacy was better.
“I’ll handle it alone. Please go inside. Your own suspicions are not cleared.”
“I have another reason—”
“You can explain that later. Go.”
Manager Ma and his n escorted Kim and Woo upstairs.
After confirming we were alone, I looked at Ban Jangwoo.
“Now speak. What is this leverage? And when did you beco China’s dog? This is your last chance.”
“...It’s...”
Ban began speaking slowly, his voice trembling.
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