"Vice, Vice Chairman, just a moment!"
Jin Yeong-gi and the other executives in the room turned their attention to the young office worker who had burst in.
Quickly, he grabbed the remote control and turned on the large TV on one side of the meeting room wall.
"... We are currently investigating the regular overseas gambling trips of about a dozen social elite figures, and we have already obtained specific concrete evidence. In particular, considering the violation of foreign exchange management laws in connection with large corporations, it is inevitable that the investigation into these companies will proceed."
"What's this?"
"A special press conference that started at the Southern District Prosecutor's Office just a while ago. It's related to this article."
The office worker pointed to the morning newspaper laid out on the meeting room table.
"In particular, this overseas gambling trip differed from the usual ones to Macau or the Philippines, as it took place in the United States and Morocco. While the trips to Macau or the Philippines were disguised as package tours, Las Vegas and Morocco, the subjects of the current investigation, were visited individually, with estimated gambling amounts ranging from hundreds of millions to hundreds of billions of Korean won."
The name Sunyang was mentioned repeatedly as journalists asked questions. Every time the name Sunyang came up, Jin Yeong-gi's complexion darkened. Finally, he snatched the remote control from the office worker's hand and hurled it toward the TV.
"Delete all the articles on the internet and stop that immediately. And strip that guy of his clothes! If it's not reported in the news tomorrow that all this was a mistake, you're all done. Got it? Get out of here quickly!"
The people in the conference room were more relieved about the freedom to leave this place than the concern about the bigger issue.
"Oh Sehyun, this bastard is really...!" Left alone, Jin Yeong-gi complained for a while and then took out his mobile phone. "Take immediate action today with the Central District Prosecutor's Office and the National Tax Service. Raid Miracle and strip Oh Sehyun down to his underwear! Hurry."
Now, I really can't stop it.
There's no chance that his wife will be arrested and receive a prison sentence for gambling. Even if irrefutable evidence surfaces, the calculation was that being a first-time offender, she could easily avoid jail with a fine.
But when the National Tax Service starts digging, it won't end so easily.
Regardless of how this fight turns out, he is the ultimate winner.
'Lee Kang-sik! This guy...! Have you lost your mind? Are you insane?'
Puck!
Lee Kang-sik clenched his teeth, trying not to scream, but his hand was on his jaw.
The Deputy Chief Prosecutor from the Southern District Attorney's Office continued to strike Kang-sik's jaw with his steel-toed boots.
"You, you moron, what have you done? You can't even look after one child, so you cause such a massive disaster? I want to strip you and promote myself. Are you crazy?"
As the Deputy Chief's anger rained down on him, the head of the Financial Investigation Division closed his eyes and let out a shallow sigh.
"I'm sorry, Deputy Chief."
"You guys are driving me insane. How are we going to fix this now? Do you realize that a whole army of top defense attorneys is going to gather? I heard over 10 of them are former prosecutors. I'm putting my badge on the line for this."
The Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Southern District Attorney's Office shook his decorated badge, fearing that he might lose his job over this.
"Lee Kang-sik!"
"Yes, Deputy Chief."
"Do you know how long the former Chief Prosecutor served in office?"
"Eight months."
"Yes, he barely served eight months out of the two years mandated by the law. Everyone knows it's because of the chaos caused by the chairman's family. But now, a lowly junior prosecutor has stirred up trouble with the chairman's eldest daughter-in-law? How many more people are going to lose their positions because of you, including you!"
Lee Kang-sik bowed his head in silence. He had anticipated this scolding, but hearing it directly was still bitter.
To have the entire prosecution shaken by a mere businessman...
"The Chief Prosecutor has been summoned by the Prosecutor General's Office. It's all because of you, you idiot!"
When the Deputy Chief Prosecutor struck Lee Kang-sik on the back of the head, he raised his head.
"I've secured the bank records and cross-referenced Park Hye-young's departure records. A Korean media company guaranteed that they'll obtain the CCTV footage from Las Vegas. We can tie everything together, including the slush fund at Sunyang Group. Please trust me."
"Don't make light of this." The Deputy Chief Prosecutor yelled at Lee Kang-sik, who was defending himself with a straight gaze. "Why are you like this? You couldn't put those people behind bars because there's no evidence? Once they're in a wheelchair, it's over. Do you even know you might have to give them amnesty? You're going to ruin them, even to the extent of destroying the slush fund because of that woman's gambling?"
Evidence of a conglomerate's wrongdoing had to be collected and stored. Then, when the public outcry was loud enough, the opportunity to convict could be seized. They would probably get probation or a pardon in the end anyway.
That's the extent of the prosecution's role.
"I'm sorry. I'll take responsibility for it. It's just the reckless actions of an insignificant junior prosecutor who's blind to justice."
Lee Kang-sik took an envelope out of his pocket. It was a letter of resignation.
"You bastard...! You think you can end it with this resignation?"
The Deputy Chief Prosecutor looked at Lee Kang-sik with an unpleasant expression.
"Do you know what the end is for a righteous prosecutor who's been cast out? In a past life, you either saved the country and got a golden badge, or you became a neighborhood divorce lawyer. Since you're not the type to save the country, you're going to end up as a neighborhood lawyer for the rest of your life."
Lee Kang-sik wanted to shout at the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, who was belittling him.
"In a year, you'll envy me."
"Lee Kang-sik, the prosecutor, has resigned."
"That's right. I thought the division chief prosecutor would be resigning. He did enough to earn that position, and he would have made a lot of money for the guys. I thought it was a done deal."
"Is it age catching up with ambition? Maybe it was the urgency for money that drove him."
I was also a bit surprised, and it was somewhat disappointing. If the Division Chief had stepped up, a more significant picture would have been painted."