Chapter 736: Don’t Raise Your Voice

The three Chief Secretaries stood awkwardly, their mouths clamped shut.

It was Woo Young-shik who broke the silence.

“What are you talking about? A Chinese spy? Do you even know who we are? And what do you mean by ‘kill’?”

“I know very well, Chief Secretary Woo Young-shik. You’re the key Chief Secretaries at the heart of the Blue House’s power.”

“Then why are you calling us spies? Who are you! Are you with the National Intelligence Service?”

The National Intelligence Service? Isn’t that a bit of a cliché?

I casually settled into the head seat, shrugging my shoulders.

“Who I am isn’t important. What’s important is that there’s a traitor among you, leaking Blue House information to China.”

“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing…”

Just then, Ban Jang-woo grabbed Woo Young-shik’s arm as he jumped up from his seat.

Woo Young-shik stopped mid-sentence and stared at Ban Jang-woo.

“Sit down for now, Chief Secretary Woo.”

“No, Chief Secretary. This isn’t right. Are we the kind of people to be dragged around like this? Three of us, no less?”

“Calm down, and let’s hear what he has to say.”

I watched their exchange with interest.

“No, Chief Secretary. Do you know this man? Who the hell is he?”

“Just sit down, I said. I’ll explain everything later.”

Ban Jang-woo firmly calmed Woo Young-shik.

Seeing his expression, Woo Young-shik hesitated before sitting back down.

“I’m not going to let this go! Whether you’re with the National Intelligence Service or whoever, I will hold you accountable till the very end.”

Though Ban Jang-woo had managed to calm him somewhat, his spirit wasn’t broken.

Woo Young-shik, speaking defiantly, glared at me.

“Suit yourself. Now, let’s get down to business.”

Manager Ma placed the documents he had prepared on the table.

I picked one and opened it.

“Chief Secretary Kim Gab-soo.”

…

Though there was no response, I continued to speak.

“Your son is studying abroad in China.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Your son seems to be quite close with the children of high-ranking officials there.”

“Should I be involved with my son’s friendships? I have nothing to do with my grown child.”

I carefully scrutinized Kim Gab-soo’s reaction to my question, not missing a single detail.

“That’s right. Parents can’t interfere with the friendships of their adult children. But you talk to your son quite often, Chief Secretary. More than five times a week.”

“…That’s illegal.”

Kim Gab-soo coughed uncomfortably, but I smirked, one corner of my mouth curling up.

“Bringing you here in the first place is illegal. So just answer my questions. Is it normal to talk to your grown son so frequently?”

…

“Even the most amicable father and son don’t talk this often. So, let me ask again. Have you never once told your son anything that happened in the Blue House?”

…

Kim Gab-soo simply clamped his mouth shut. No matter how long I waited, he showed no sign of answering.

Silence won’t speak for him, would it?

“Well, fine. If you don’t want to answer, don’t. I can always ask your son.”

I lightly gestured, and Manager Ma, who was standing silently behind me, approached.

“Manager Ma, have Chief Secretary Kim’s son secured immediately. And use any means necessary to make him talk.”

“Yes, I’ll contact them right away.”

Manager Ma bowed and turned away. The unusual atmosphere made Kim Gab-soo speak in a flustered voice.

“W-Wait a minute!”

I raised my hand, stopping Manager Ma, who was about to leave.

“Are you ready to answer my questions now?”

“My son has done nothing wrong.”

“That’s not for you to decide. That’s my call. I’ll ask you one more time. Have you really never passed on any information from the Blue House to China?”

“I have done favors. But it was nothing that went against the national interest.”

What favors? I raised an eyebrow, and Kim Gab-soo hesitated before continuing.

“There have been several instances where I helped get high-ranking Chinese officials’ children out of police custody quietly after they were arrested for drug or assault cases. That’s really all.”

I slid a piece of paper and a pen towards him. Kim Gab-soo stared at me and then at the paper, looking confused.

“Write down exactly when, whose request, and what actions you took. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”

…

“But if there’s even a little bit of falsehood, you and your son in China won’t be safe.”

It was commonplace for Blue House Chief Secretaries to pressure the police.

Especially if the cases involved high-ranking Chinese officials’ children and drugs.

The Chinese officials wanted to hush up the cases entirely, so there would be no records of the drug incidents.

China had a zero-tolerance policy on drugs.

If Kim Gab-soo was moved by his son studying in China, they could resolve this issue without leaving any evidence.

“Write it down.”

I set Kim Gab-soo’s file aside and picked up Woo Young-shik’s.

“Chief Secretary Woo Young-shik.”

Again, there was no response.

“I heard you had a fun gathering today.”

“What?”

“You had dinner with Kim Seok-jae, the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office, and several other prosecutors. What did you talk about?”

“Hey! Do you have a death wish?”

Woo Young-shik wasn’t intimidated by me.

I smirked, watching his reaction.

“I’m sure the President will be pleased. If he knew that the Chief Secretary for Civil Affairs, who’s supposed to be conducting background checks, met with Kim Seok-jae, who’s been nominated for the Seoul Central District Prosecutor position this time.”

“Are you threatening me?!”

Woo Young-shik raised his voice again. It seemed those with something to hide always had the loudest voices.

I chuckled and glanced at Ban Jang-woo.

“Is that a threat? Chief Secretary Ban Jang-woo, what kind of person do you think I am?”

“…Someone who always keeps his word.”

Ban Jang-woo avoided my gaze as he answered.

“That’s right. I always keep my word, whether it’s in front of a Chief Secretary for Civil Affairs, a Chief Secretary for Public Relations, or a Chief Secretary for Presidential Affairs. I don’t care. So don’t raise your voice in front of me.”

“Chief Secretary, who the hell is this guy that he gets to talk like that…”

“Just! Please! Please just shut your mouth! Can’t you read the room?”

Ban Jang-woo yelled out.

Woo Young-shik’s eyes widened at Ban Jang-woo’s actions.

“I’m begging you, so just shut up and answer the questions. I don’t want to die.”

A flash of fear flickered in Ban Jang-woo’s earnest eyes.

Woo Young-shik, on the other hand, looked puzzled at his reaction.

“Who is this guy…”

“Please! I’m telling you not to speak without thinking!”

Ban Jang-woo reacted vehemently again. Woo Young-shik looked at me and asked again.

“Just one question. What’s your real identity?”

“I’m Kim Mu-hyeok from Myeong-dong. I never thought we’d meet like this.”

“What? Kim Mu-hyeok?”

Kim Gab-soo and Woo Young-shik reacted simultaneously.

“So you’re that Kim Mu-hyeok.”

Even after hearing my name, Woo Young-shik looked me up and down. He had guts, that much was clear.

In contrast, Kim Gab-soo froze, his hand stopping mid-writing.

“Chief Secretary for Public Relations, what are you doing? Aren’t you going to write it down? Or should I ask your son?”

“N-No, I will… I’ll write it all down.”

Kim Gab-soo quickly picked up the pen. He was writing much faster than before.

“Chief Secretary Woo, now you know who I am, and you know that what I’m saying isn’t a lie. I wanted to bring you here with solid proof. But right now, I only have suspicions, not evidence. That’s why I brought you here like this.”

I continued, looking directly into Woo Young-shik’s eyes, which were still full of hostility.

“I didn’t want to use such a rude method, but the circumstances forced me to. I hope you understand. Well, even if I brought you here forcibly, we can still talk, can’t we? So, let’s solve this like gentlemen.”

“What a load of…”

“I don’t care if you take control of the Prosecutors’ Office or not, that’s your business. What I’m curious about is your connection to China. Evidence has been found of you frequently contacting the Chinese side. Do you have anything to say about that?”

Woo Young-shik sneered, his face contorted in displeasure.

“Do I really need to talk about my personal life?”

“Yes. You have to. The reason I’ve brought you Chief Secretaries here is to find out who the Chinese dogs are.”

“Why us three? And how did you know there was a spy in the Blue House?”

“I’ve investigated every Chief Secretary and Secretary working in the Blue House. I’ve already caught a few secretaries. Sometimes a simple approach works best, so I brought in the three Chief Secretaries that seemed most suspicious. You know this too, Chief Secretary Woo, since you were in the Prosecutors’ Office.”

Woo Young-shik didn’t say anything and only moved his lips.

“I’ll ask you again. What’s the reason you’ve been frequently contacting the Chinese side? If you don’t answer this time, I’ll have to use other methods.”

“…I’ve heard a lot about President Kim Mu-hyeok. But I’m still the Chief Secretary for Civil Affairs of the Blue House. Do you think those threats will work on me?”

“I don’t know. To me, you’re no different than a beggar on the street.”

Woo Young-shik glared at me with a savage look at my mocking tone.

“Please, tell me. That’s the only way you can clear your name.”

“Is this on the President’s orders?”

“Do you think the President would order something this illegal? Besides, I don’t take orders from the President.”

“The President would be disappointed if he knew. Do you know about my relationship with the President?”

“Of course, I do. And that’s why I’m even more disappointed. That the President’s friend would betray him.”

I deliberately shook my head with exaggerated gestures.

Regardless of whether he was a Chinese spy or not, Woo Young-shik was working against the President’s will.

The very fact that he was planning on installing his own man as the Central District Prosecutor and seize control of the Prosecutors’ Office was an act of defiance against the President.

“Would you believe me if I said I wasn’t?”

“If you only speak the truth.”

Woo Young-shik let out a deep sigh. He looked noticeably tired in this short time. He spoke quietly.

“Let’s talk privately later. I’ll promise you one thing. I am not a Chinese spy. I have never passed any secrets to China.”

“Is that so?”

“I will explain everything separately. So let’s talk alone later.”

I nodded slightly. I too, hoped that Woo Young-shik wasn’t a spy.

If he was a real spy, then this was not going to be a small matter.

“Alright.”

I closed Woo Young-shik’s file and picked up Ban Jang-woo’s file last.

“Chief Secretary for National Security.”

“I’ll tell you everything. So just spare my life.”

Ban Jang-woo knelt on the floor out of the blue.

The sudden action made Kim Gab-soo and Woo Young-shik turn their attention towards Ban Jang-woo.

“Did the Chief Secretary for National Security pass information to China?”

“I had no choice. They had my weakness, they were using that to control me…”

“What’s the weakness? Is it so big that you would sell out your country?”

…

“What is it?”

Ban Jang-woo closed his eyes tightly, shook his head, and kept his mouth shut.

I let out a deep sigh and called for Manager Ma.

“Manager Ma, prepare separate rooms for them.”

“Yes, I will.”

“No. I need to hear it too.”

Woo Young-shik intervened.

“A Chief Secretary for National Security sells state secrets? That’s unacceptable no matter the circumstances! I need to know.”

Woo Young-shik glared at Ban Jang-woo.

“Chief Secretary for National Security. I am disappointed. How can someone like you, a Chief Secretary of Foreign Affairs and National Security, sell secrets?”

…

“I heard you were meeting with the Chinese Ambassador so frequently. I thought you were trying to solve the situation.”

Woo Young-shik shook his head, unleashing sharp criticism.

“President Kim Mu-hyeok. I need to hear it too. This isn’t something that can just be brushed aside.”

I could guess why Woo Young-shik was acting like that.

But it was better for everyone to disappear for a genuine conversation.

“I’ll listen to him alone. Please go to your rooms. Your suspicions haven’t been cleared either.”

“I have a different reason…”

“Right, I’ll hear that reason separately. Please go.”

Manager Ma and his subordinates moved, guiding the two men to rooms on the second floor.

I made sure everyone was gone, and then I asked Ban Jang-woo.

“Now, tell me. What is that weakness, and when did you become a Chinese dog? This is your last chance.”

“It’s…”

Ban Jang-woo opened his mouth slowly with a trembling voice.