Chapter 257: The Silent Agreement

“We’ve secured evidence of a slush fund worth hundreds of billions of won hidden in an international bank in Labuan, Malaysia, a known tax haven.

Allow me to present the findings of our investigation thus far.

This slush fund belongs to the owner of one of the nation’s leading conglomerates—to reiterate, the actual owner of these funds is not a corporation, but the individual at its helm.”

“…The method of creating this fund is particularly unusual, differing from typical embezzlement. A vast sum was siphoned off under the guise of acquiring non-existent overseas shell corporations, and the prosecution is already tracing the related evidentiary documents.

This slush fund appears to have been established during the IMF crisis….”

“The account holder is scheduled for imminent summons, and I must emphasize that there is a high probability they will be converted to suspect status.”

I switched off the TV and picked up the bottle of liquor.

“This must be giving you a headache, Prosecutor General.”

The Prosecutor General bit his lip slightly, then raised his glass to receive the drink.

“Pulling off a surprise show like that in the afternoon and then going into hiding. The prosecution’s discipline has really hit rock bottom… For a junior prosecutor to hold a press conference without informing his superiors, is he planning to get on TV, make a name for himself, and then open his own practice?”

The Prosecutor General, who hadn’t touched his drink, set the glass down and began to regard me with suspicion.

“Anyway, the District Prosecutor will have to handle it. But tell me… could it be… ?”

“Why? Do you think the account holder is the Soonyang Group?”

“Didn’t you ask to meet me because you sensed this press conference beforehand? Even invoking the deceased Chairman?”

“You just heard it yourself. The money was siphoned off during the IMF crisis. I was a freshman in college back then. Would I have had time to amass such a large sum?”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m asking if you’re here on behalf of Vice-chairman Jin Young-gi. Or perhaps Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi?”

When I didn’t answer, he smacked his forehead.

“Good heavens! It was the deceased Chairman Jin’s account, wasn’t it? That’s why you said you were conveying the Chairman’s last words….”

“No, Prosecutor General. I requested this meeting for other reasons.”

I handed him the same kind of memo I’d given the Minister of Justice.

“You’ve been cultivating a relationship with my grandfather since your days as a senior prosecutor.”

The Prosecutor General’s reaction was no different from the Minister of Justice’s.

Initially shocked and flustered, he soon became inquisitive, asking various questions, to which I repeated the same answers I had given the Minister of Justice.

The Prosecutor General seemed relieved that our long-standing secret relationship would continue, and he appeared to consider it fortunate that I, rather than the aggressive eldest uncle, was taking over.

“This is a bit embarrassing, but I must say this: I look forward to working with you.”

“You’re too kind. I hope my humble efforts can be of assistance to someone who has a great future ahead of them.”

“What great future is left for me? The pinnacle for a prosecutor is the Prosecutor General, and having reached it, all that’s left is the descent.”

“Not at all. I recently met with the Minister of Justice, and he mentioned a cabinet reshuffle is imminent. Naturally, the Minister of Justice will be part of it. So, if you have aspirations, joining the cabinet is not an impossibility.”

“Oh, Minister? That’s beyond my wildest dreams….”

Even as he feigned disinterest, I noticed the change in his eyes.

“Having already passed the National Assembly confirmation hearing, your verification is complete. From the Blue House’s perspective, you’re the top candidate.”

That should have pleased the Prosecutor General. Now was the time to make my request.

“But Prosecutor General, could you possibly turn a blind eye to this billion-dollar slush fund case for the time being?”

“What are you… ?”

He blinked for a fleeting moment before slapping his knee.

“I knew it! Soonyang is involved in this!”

“Is it? We don’t know for sure yet. Perhaps the first person to ask you to bury this investigation will be the owner of the slush fund account. I’m asking you not to bury it… so it’s a little different, wouldn’t you say?”

The Prosecutor General frowned in silence for a while before his expression gradually softened.

“Do you know what it means to know too much?”

An abrupt, irrelevant question. What was he getting at?

“A young prosecutor like the one on the news just now thinks he’s becoming more and more important.”

“When in reality, he doesn’t realize he’s becoming more and more vulnerable.”

“Indeed, you understand well. The secret to lasting long in this world is not to be curious about things you don’t need to know.”

A smile spread across the Prosecutor General’s face.

“So, I should pretend I don’t know?”

“Exactly. The Prosecutor General can’t possibly stop a prosecutor from conducting an investigation. That’s all it takes.”

“And when is the right time to bury it?”

“I’ll contact you separately.”

“But be aware of this. Cases that are buried eventually resurface. I might not be the Prosecutor General then, and I might not be able to stop it.”

“The statute of limitations is three years. Let it sit and mature nicely before bringing it out. By then, you might very well be the Minister of Justice. What I’m using now is enough for me.”

“So you’ll take a bite and leave the rest for me? Heh.”

“It’s a vast sum of a hundred billion won. No matter how much I take, it won’t even make a dent.”

“It feels like I’ve received a bounty of gifts today… To simply stand by and do nothing makes me feel almost indebted.”

Those in power only need to feel indebted to those who hold the money. Receiving much and giving little is their privilege.

“My grandfather’s teaching was to not create burdens. You don’t need to trouble yourself over it.”

With the exchange of favors settled, we raised our glasses. Wasn’t this a successful transaction?

* * *

Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi’s anxiousness was evident in the number of missed calls. I merely watched the incessantly ringing phone with amusement.

The one who comes seeking is the subordinate.

I needed to make my uncle swallow his pride and come to my office.

Even a mongrel barks loudly on its own turf.

Just as I was leisurely enjoying a spin in my swivel chair, the door burst open, and Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi appeared.

“You…!”

“Ah, Uncle. What brings you here? All the way to my office?”

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

“Did you call? Was it on vibrate? I didn’t hear it. I was packing.”

“What? Packing?”

“Yes. You did say I’d be kicked out next week, didn’t you? So I’m packing.”

Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi glanced around my office before yelling.

“Are you daring to mock me? There’s no sign of packing!”

I pointed to my desk.

A lone toothbrush and tube of toothpaste sat there.

“Since I don’t use this office often, this is all I could find no matter how much I looked.”

My second uncle was the most refined among our family.

Even after being provoked this much by his young nephew, instead of throwing something or grabbing my collar, all he did was clench his fists, which trembled slightly.

“Ah, I apologize. Please, have a seat. You seem to have a lot on your mind….”

My second uncle glared at me until his heavy breathing subsided, then slumped onto the sofa.

“I saw the news.”

“You did? It’s the kind of news you can’t afford to miss, isn’t it?”

“Are you an idiot?”

My uncle glared at my grinning face, but his voice was much calmer.

“Do I look like one?”

“Is this a desperate gamble? You threw the Labuan slush fund information at the prosecution, planning to take us all down with you? Is that your way of threatening me?”

“Do you really think I’m that foolish? The prosecution knows how that slush fund was created. Do you really think they found it through their own investigation?”

“You must have prepared it. Do you still have the documents? Or… is it just a bluff?”

“Someone as insightful as you should know that believing what you want to believe will only provide temporary comfort. Look at reality.”

“Reality? You’re the one making a big mistake. Even if you have the documents, I can simply deny any knowledge of it. Besides, the slush fund is in your name. You’ll be the first target of the prosecution’s investigation. If you thought they’d start with you and then come after me, you’re still a child. The investigation starts and ends with you. You’ve dug your own grave.”

He spoke confidently, but a hint of unease lingered in his expression. He knew I wasn’t foolish enough to do something so reckless.

“Why do you think I’d be the first target of the investigation? I haven’t even seen that hundred billion won. Oh, correction. I have seen it.”

Whether it was my confident expression or my words about seeing the money, the anxiety on my uncle’s face deepened.

“That money is still sitting untouched in that bank. I haven’t withdrawn or transferred any of it. There’s no trace of me anywhere.”

Finally, the color drained from his face. Of course, he couldn’t say a word.

“I also have the documents for purchasing the shell corporations in South America during the IMF crisis, and the two employees who handled that are living comfortably abroad. They’re ready to testify at any time, of course. And since I have the bank cards and account details, no one can simply make that money disappear.”

“You… you planned this from the start…?”

“Would I have thought of this from the beginning? It wasn’t like I needed the money, so I just left it there. I didn’t know I’d use it like this.”

I feigned innocence, but he didn’t seem convinced. Having prepared all the documents and witnesses in advance was proof of a premeditated scheme.

However, my uncle didn’t press the issue further. He was the kind of person who knew that dealing with the impending crisis was more important than dwelling on the past.

“Because of you, the prosecutor in the news today will have his life ruined.”

After a long silence, my uncle finally spoke, issuing a stern warning.

“He’ll be branded as a fame-hungry prosecutor who tarnished the reputation of a leading domestic company’s owner through a reckless investigation, making it impossible for him to even open a law practice.”

Did he think this worn-out tactic would work on me? Or did he have no other way out?

“Uncle, do you think turning a protesting factory worker into a villain to conceal the root of the problem will work this time? The opponent is different.”

“A prosecutor or a factory worker, there’s no difference to me!”

“I’m behind that prosecutor. I have the power to make him a star. Have you forgotten who wields the power to control half of Korea’s media?”

His face paled again.

He was only now remembering my father, who hadn’t been involved in the group at all, his own brother.

“A courageous prosecutor standing up against the absolute power of the Soonyang Group in Korea. A righteous prosecutor who resisted all temptations and uncovered corporate corruption. An honorable prosecutor who returned a hundred billion won of slush funds to the national treasury. If he appears on variety shows for just a week, he’ll become a national hero. As you know, variety shows have much higher viewership ratings than news programs.”

My uncle must have realized that if he lost even once in the media and public opinion war, his claims would be dismissed as the excuses of a corrupt conglomerate.

“There’s still time. Until the board meeting next week, I’ll make that prosecutor a star. You can try to turn him into the scum of the earth. Let’s see who wins. Oh, and remember one thing. The people of this country still trust a prosecutor’s words more than a chaebol’s.”

I stood up, leaving my uncle sitting there dumbfounded.

“Please consider carefully what stance you’ll take at the board meeting.”

I shoved the toothbrush and toothpaste from the desk into my pocket and delivered my final warning. His face remained deathly pale.