Choi Woosik arrived at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office with his head of legal and a team of lawyers.
A large number of reporters were already waiting in front of the building to photograph him.
The mont the car carrying Choi Woosik stopped at the entrance, the reporters rushed forward.
The bodyguards ford a human barricade, blocking their approach.
Only after the chaos subsided sowhat and the scene was brought under control did Choi Woosik step out of the car.
Investigators from the prosecution began pushing the reporters back beyond the photo line.
“Hey! Are you pushing reporters right now?! What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Hey, keep shooting! Get as many shots as you can!!”
The reporters protested fiercely as they were shoved back, but the investigators simply pushed them away without a word.
In the end, the reporters were forced outside the photo line by the combined effort of the prosecution investigators and the bodyguards Choi Woosik had brought.
That didn’t an they would give up. They shouted at him from a distance.
“Chairman Choi Woosik! Do you admit to the embezzlent charges?!”
“Chairman Choi Woosik! What do you think about the allegations that the prosecution is going easy on you?!”
“Chairman! Please tell us how you feel!”
Choi Woosik kept his mouth tightly shut and walked past the photo line with a stiff expression, heading straight into the building.
“Welco, Chairman Choi Woosik.”
Oh Hyunwoo greeted him at the entrance.
“Prosecutor Oh. It’s been a while.”
The mont he stepped inside, the rigid expression on Choi Woosik’s face vanished as if it had been a lie. He put on a wide smile and extended his hand toward Oh Hyunwoo.
Oh Hyunwoo glanced at the hand for a mont, then turned away and spoke.
“Chairman. Today’s schedule is quite tight. This will likely be the final summons. I ask for your full cooperation.”
Choi Woosik withdrew his awkwardly extended hand and let out a hollow laugh.
“I’m glad to hear it’s the last one. Ask whatever you want. I’ve prepared thoroughly.”
However, the “last” that Oh Hyunwoo and Choi Woosik were thinking of was different.
Oh Hyunwoo intended to arrest him after today.
Choi Woosik intended to finally be done with these exhausting summons.
“Head of legal.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“You cleared today’s schedule, right?”
“Yes, everything has been cleared.”
“After today’s investigation ends, make sure to take care of the people who’ve worked hard until now.”
Choi Woosik gave the order loud enough for everyone to hear, making no attempt to lower his voice.
Take care of the prosecutors? While waiting for the elevator, Oh Hyunwoo let out a silent scoff.
‘Does he think this is the KS Group headquarters? This is the prosecution office. Damn, this is annoying.’
Oh Hyunwoo maintained a composed expression, hiding his thoughts.
When the elevator doors opened, he stepped inside with Choi Woosik.
“Prosecutor Oh. I heard you and President Kim Muhyuk were university classmates?”
At the ntion of Kim Muhyuk’s na, Oh Hyunwoo, who had been staring ahead silently, turned his head.
“Why are you suddenly asking about that?”
“I just can’t figure out President Kim Muhyuk’s personality. What was he like back in university?”
“Hmm...”
Oh Hyunwoo recalled Kim Muhyuk from their college days.
But could what he knew really be everything about Kim Muhyuk? Definitely not.
He was certain he hadn’t grasped all of him either.
If anyone truly knew him, wouldn’t it be Myungsoo and Hyunseong, who had known him since childhood?
“Well... he’s the kind of person who settles accounts precisely.”
“Settles accounts precisely?”
“Yes. Maybe it’s because he’s a businessman, or maybe that’s just how he is by nature, but... he returns goodwill with goodwill, and malice with malice. That’s the kind of person Kim Muhyuk is.”
“Hmm... I see. Thank you.”
As they talked, the elevator arrived at the floor with the interrogation rooms.
After guiding him inside, Oh Hyunwoo stepped out briefly.
A mont later, the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office personally entered the interrogation room.
Even Choi Woosik couldn’t act arrogantly in front of soone who was the most likely candidate for the next Prosecutor General. He quickly stood up first.
“Chief Prosecutor. It’s been a while.”
“It’s not exactly a good thing for us to see each other often, is it? I’ve given instructions to ensure you won’t be inconvenienced today, so there’s no need to worry too much.”
“Thank you for your consideration. I’ll pay you a separate visit next ti.”
“Very well. I’d like to have tea with you, but I have a lunch appointnt with the Prosecutor General, so I must be going. I hope you undergo the investigation comfortably and return safely.”
After finishing his words, the Chief Prosecutor glanced at the head of legal, who had once been his junior.
The head of legal bowed.
“Hello, sir.”
“Tch. If you had grown properly in the prosecution, you could have gone far. What is it about money that made you like this...”
The Chief Prosecutor did not return his greeting.
Instead, he looked down at him with open contempt before leaving the room.
“Seems like you’re not on good terms with the Chief Prosecutor.”
“N-No, not at all. We even had drinks together just a few days ago.”
“Really? Then that reaction was a bit...”
A small sense of unease began to grow in Choi Woosik’s mind.
It was because of the Chief Prosecutor’s attitude—showing undisguised contempt toward his head of legal right in front of him.
At that mont, the door opened and Oh Hyunwoo entered. Behind him, prosecutors carried in several heavy boxes and placed them on the floor before leaving.
“Well then, shall we begin?”
After glancing at the boxes and checking the ti again, Oh Hyunwoo spoke.
“For now, until lunchti, we’ll briefly review the case.”
When Oh Hyunwoo smiled pleasantly, Choi Woosik let go of the unease that had crept in and cooperated with the investigation.
Most of the charges had already been sufficiently explained, and the prosecution had promised to take those factors into consideration.
Ti passed quickly, and soon the lunchti Oh Hyunwoo had ntioned arrived.
“Ti flies. What would you like for lunch? Should I order you so galbitang?”
“No need. ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) I had a lunchbox brought from outside.”
“Understood. Then please enjoy your al, and I ask for your continued cooperation in the afternoon.”
After Oh Hyunwoo left, the secretaries who had been waiting outside set up the lunchboxes on the table.
It was an extravagant al, even including sushi from a high-end restaurant—sothing that didn’t seem like it belonged in an interrogation room.
As Choi Woosik picked up a piece of sushi with his chopsticks, he asked the head of legal.
“What’s the schedule for the afternoon?”
“As agreed, once all investigations are completed, you should be able to go out for dinner.”
“Really? Then have a restaurant reserved in advance. I want to eat and go straight ho.”
“With the younger madam?”
“What, do you think I’d eat with that bitch? Damn it! You’ve ruined my appetite!”
As Choi Woosik raised his voice, the head of legal quickly bowed in apology.
“Tch. What about her movents?”
“There haven’t been any particular movents.”
“You’re sure she’s being monitored properly? The fact that she’s quiet makes it more suspicious. And what about that old man? Did you find him?”
Watching Choi Woosik stuff his mouth full of sushi until his cheeks bulged, the head of legal answered carefully.
“Well... we confird his whereabouts up to Incheon Airport, but he never left the country. Whether he vanished into the sky or sank into the ground, we have no trace of him after that.”
“Is that so? I don’t like the sound of that.”
“And...”
After glancing at the one-way mirror, the head of legal leaned closer and whispered into Choi Woosik’s ear.
“All of Chairman Jo’s real estate has been transferred to Dreamhigh Korea...”
“What? What did you just say?!”
Choi Woosik cut him off with a shout, snapping the wooden chopsticks in his hand.
With the effort to keep the information contained already ruined, the head of legal let out a sigh and continued.
“All real estate under Chairman Jo’s na has just been transferred to Dreamhigh Korea.”
“You crazy bastard! What the hell have you been doing?!”
Choi Woosik shot up from his seat and slapped the head of legal across the face.
“Ch-Chairman...”
“You said I could trust you! Do you even know how important this was?!”
“Lower your voice. If soone hears—”
“So what if they hear?! What are they going to do?! This ans that bitch now has more than enough bullets in her gun!!”
“That is the assumption. I’m sorry.”
“Contact the dia imdiately and this—”
At that mont, the door to the interrogation room opened. Oh Hyunwoo, who was about to enter, paused as he sensed the unusual atmosphere.
“...Is sothing wrong?”
“Is lunch already over?”
“No. I ca in because there’s sothing urgent to deliver. But... why is your face so red, sir? Were you hit?”
“W-What are you talking about! It’s hot! That’s all!”
“...They’re saying this is the coldest day of the winter, and you’re saying it’s hot? Are you feeling unwell?”
Oh Hyunwoo spoke in disbelief, and the head of legal’s face turned even redder.
Choi Woosik gave up on excuses and simply sat back down.
“This is an interrogation room at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. Violence is absolutely not allowed, Chairman.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. So what is it you ca to say?”
At Choi Woosik’s arrogant attitude, the corner of Oh Hyunwoo’s lips curled upward.
“As of this mont, an ergency arrest warrant has been issued for Chairman Choi Woosik. And this evening, a detention warrant will be requested imdiately—”
“What?! What kind of bullshit are you spouting?!”
Cutting him off, Choi Woosik jumped to his feet.
“Arrest? Ergency arrest? You’re arresting right now? , Choi Woosik?!”
“Yes. Under Article 230 of the Criminal Procedure Act—”
Oh Hyunwoo began reciting the legal basis for the ergency arrest in a calm voice.
“Prosecutor Oh.”
The head of legal stepped forward and called out to him.
But Oh Hyunwoo did not stop. He finished the entire explanation according to procedure.
“On what grounds are you making this ergency arrest? Our chairman has fully cooperated with the investigation.”
“First, new criminal charges have been discovered against Chairman Choi Woosik.”
“What are you talking about? New charges? Even if that were the case, our chairman has no intention or plan to flee.”
eting the head of legal’s eyes directly, Oh Hyunwoo spoke.
“There is a risk of evidence destruction, therefore an ergency arrest has been decided. A search and seizure warrant has been issued, and a raid on KS Co., Ltd. is currently underway.”
“Destruction of evidence? And what? A search and seizure? What are you talking about?”
“The evidence related to the criminal charges is already clear. It concerns slush funds. For now, please finish your al. I’ll return in thirty minutes.”
“Prosecutor Oh! Prosecutor Oh!”
The head of legal called out desperately, but Oh Hyunwoo did not look back and left the room.
The sound of the heavy interrogation room door closing echoed unusually loud.
* * *
“Muhyuk!”
Grandma opened the door and walked in, imdiately starting to scold him.
“When did you get back? Goodness, that sll of alcohol... How much did you drink that you can’t even co to your senses?”
Grandma went straight to the window and opened it. Cold winter air flooded into the room.
Shivering from the cold creeping through his body, he quickly wrapped himself in the blanket.
“Get up already! The sun’s high in the sky!”
“Just a little more...”
“Eat first, then sleep more. I made bean sprout soup.”
Refusing to give up, Grandma opened the remaining window as well.
At this point, there was no way he could stay in bed. He pushed aside the blanket and got up.
“Bean sprout soup?”
“Yeah. What kind of drinking was that?”
“I was drinking with friends for the first ti in a while. Let’s go.”
He lifted Grandma up in his arms and carried her out of the room.
“Didn’t I say you stink of alcohol?! Put down already!”
Grandma smacked his shoulder while scolding him, but it only made him laugh.
When they went to the kitchen, the table was already set.
“Hurry up and eat.”
Grandma placed a spoon and chopsticks in front of him and sat down.
He emptied a bowl of bean sprout soup in one go and held it out to her.
“Unbelievable. Why drink so much when you can’t even handle it!”
Even while scolding him, Grandma refilled his bowl from the large pot.
This ti, he poured rice straight into the soup.
Only after eating Grandma’s soup did his stomach finally start to settle.
“I’m going up to Seoul the day after tomorrow.”
“The day after tomorrow?”
“Yeah. I’ve rested enough. It’s ti to get back to work.”
“I see...”
To comfort the disappointnt that was clearly showing on her face, he spoke again.
“I’ll co back for Lunar New Year.”
“Forget it. Just stay up there. It’s not like it’s close, coming back and forth all the ti.”
“Really? You don’t want to co?”
Even when he asked several tis, she didn’t answer.
“I really won’t co, okay? That’s fine?”
“You brat! Fine, don’t co! Don’t co at all!”
She finally snapped.
He burst out laughing, and soon a smile appeared on her lips as well.
After finishing the al and doing the dishes together, he went back to his room.
“Manager Ma.”
The mont he entered the room with Manager Ma, who had been waiting, the smile vanished from his face.
“Any updates?”
“We received a call from Prosecutor Oh Hyunwoo. Choi Woosik has been placed under ergency arrest, and at the sa ti, a search and seizure of KS Group has begun.”
“Good. Tell them to push the article imdiately. Let’s start shaping public opinion on why Chairman Choi Woosik was arrested.”
It was finally ti to bring Choi Woosik down.
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