Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Dawn Raid
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Dawn.
Every floor of the Namyangju Branch Prosecutor's Office was lit up without respite, yet it was eerily quiet, as if holding its breath in anticipation.
The only darkened rooms were a few spots like the Criminal Affairs Division 2 Team Leader Oh's office and the branch director's office.
Tick-tock.
In every other prosecutor's office that remained lit, the prosecutors stared endlessly at the clocks, waiting for news of the warrant's approval.
The search and seizure warrant against the corporation, requested by Criminal Affairs Division 1 starting at 6 p.m. the previous day, was now in the hands of the on-duty warrant judge at the Uijeongbu District Court.
"Could it possibly get rejected?"
Kang Hyun was just as anxious.
Having reviewed the case, there was no reason for the warrant to be denied, but there were still things he didn't know.
For instance, the influence of powers that could freely approve or reject warrants, or a judge aligned with Koo Ik-hwan lurking in the shadows.
What if the warrant got shot down because of something like that?
"Was I too hasty? No. Let's wait."
It was a dawn filled with all sorts of nagging thoughts.
Tick-tock.
Before long, Kang Hyun felt not just his immediate worries but all sorts of stray thoughts creeping in.
What was Senior Prosecutor Jung Jung-heon's take on this?
Were the other senior prosecutors doing okay? They must all be swamped and exhausted.
He hoped his mother would take a break from work soon. Was he neglecting her too much?
And then one more person.
Black hair, slender arms and legs, tall stature, a familiar scent.
Just as she finally crept into his mind...
The door burst open!
"Prosecutor! It's Lee from admin. The warrant's been approved!"
Chairs scraped back with a screech as Kang Hyun shot to his feet, clenching his fist. His neck cramped, and his head spun. Vitality surged through him in an instant.
"It's done."
He quickly asked Lee from admin.
"Gather all our investigation support staff in the briefing room. We're starting the briefing."
2:13 a.m. the day after the warrant request.
The Uijeongbu District Court issued search and seizure warrants for two corporations: Korea Manpower and H Boiler, subcontractors under KW Construction.
"It's starting."
Clattering and banging echoed through the office. It was like the chug of an engine firing up.
Preparations were underway.
Like troops responding to an emergency muster, everyone moved with crisp efficiency to their assigned roles.
Kang Hyun had to gear up fast, too.
His anxious heart pounded like a pump, blood rushing wildly.
Sweat beaded on his palms, and his eyes sharpened.
He recalled something Prosecutor Kim Jeong-min had once said.
"A prosecutor sharpens up when it's needed."
This was exactly that moment.
At Kang Hyun's command, five team members assembled for the joint search and seizure.
Specialized investigators from Uijeongbu would arrive later for digital forensics. Though small-scale, the order was to lock down the subcontractor branch without a single escape route.
"Good morning. Prosecutor Kang Hyun here. Let's begin the search and seizure briefing. Driver, please take the location materials."
Rustle, rustle.
Prosecutorial investigators took the warrant copies and related documents, focusing intently on Kang Hyun's words.
"Today's target is tied to the building collapse at the commercial site in Namyangju's Namyang-dong under construction. This search will determine KW Construction headquarters' responsibility. Maintain security post-briefing and keep comms open."
This place.
This moment—Kang Hyun was the leader and commander.
They had to give their all to prove the target's guilt based on his orders.
"Two subcontractor targets. Korea Manpower has three branches including Seoul HQ; H Boiler is in Namyangju. We're heading straight to Korea Manpower HQ. Seize items as listed in the materials. If any site wraps forensics first, reinforce the others."
Success in a search and seizure hinged on speed.
Corporate raids usually started pre-dawn at the site to execute before leaks.
The warrant hadn't come too late, but prep time was razor-thin, making it tight to even reach on schedule.
"One more time: Seize everything matching the warrant description and front-page briefing keywords. Grab suspicious or ambiguous items too. Personal belongings might face owner resistance—report to me then."
"Yes!"
"Report any issues to me immediately. Let's move out."
"Got it!"
Investigators rushed to the vehicles. Kang Hyun did a final check and followed when his phone rang.
-Ready? Tough, right? Chaos?
"Orders given. Heading out."
-Already?
Hwang Jae-eun hesitated in surprise on the line before continuing.
-No need to scout ahead then. Follow right behind. ETA 40 minutes. You wait in the B1 parking lot, then enter. We'll go straight through the front gate.
"Understood."
Hwang Jae-eun's office and the HQ team.
Kang Hyun let out a small sigh to steady his racing heart.
His first corporate search and seizure.
He raced toward the unknown faster than anyone.
Around 3 a.m., operations kicked off simultaneously at each site—immediate and overwhelming.
Search and seizure.
The epitome of prosecutorial authority and raw coercive power.
Rumble.
Snap.
If the mightiest tool in uncovering corporate crime unfolded right before your eyes...
"Yawn. Huh?"
Anyone would lose their grip on sanity.
"Search and seizure team from Namyangju Branch. Executing the warrant."
"Huh? What? Say that again?"
"Search and seizure."
"W-Wait, hold on. Let me make a call."
The guard, lounging back almost horizontal in his chair, paled and fumbled for his phone.
"No calls. Search and seizure commencing now! On your feet."
"Th-That... Just a sec! Have mercy!"
A horde of suited figures looming would rattle anyone.
"Boxes inside first. Check internal personnel!"
And so the dawn raid proceeded with machine-like precision.
"Site commander, rep, and chief supervisor secured?"
"Secured."
"Vehicles first, Prosecutor Kang."
"Vehicles secured."
"Good."
Before employees even clocked in, early morning.
Kang Hyun, Hwang Jae-eun, and Teams 1 and 2 had successfully infiltrated Korea Manpower HQ.
"Wh-What the hell is this...?"
Subcontractor staff arrived in a panic after the fact, but the trap was already sprung.
"This can't be happening! Hey!"
"Quiet. Warrant in progress. You can observe, but no disruptions."
"Urk..."
Investigators stood like iron gates; others swiftly hunted evidence.
One by one, arriving subcontractor employees bowed their heads before the judge-stamped, legitimate warrant thrust at them, notified of execution.
Kang Hyun rolled up his sleeves for document sweeps. With command winding down, he sighed inwardly in relief.
The opening salvos had gone smoothly.
'Phew... Lucky.'
Truth was, variables abounded.
Searches shouldn't have them—but they did.
Chasing a company with big manpower and time only to come up empty spelled failure.
That's why forced investigations were prepped meticulously over time, warrants near-100% certainties before filing.
But Kang Hyun and Park Min-seong weren't wired that way.
Barely a day.
Direction shifted on a dime; raid went lightning-fast.
Rushed, yes—but not without backup.
Skilled, seasoned prosecutorial teams were always primed; top prosecutors would lead their zones.
As trusted, the prosecution fluidly occupied the target offices.
-Team 3 secured Namyangju branch supervisor's office.
-Vehicles fully secured.
Good news poured in nonstop.
A sharp thrill of impending victory rippled through Kang Hyun bit by bit.
"Nice work. Results soon?"
"Not yet."
Amid subcontractor staff watching blankly, Hwang Jae-eun sidled up to Kang Hyun with relieved words. But he wasn't easing up.
'Still no direct evidence.'
Direct proof clarifying the incident's cause would be ideal, but unlikely.
So the raid's evidence hunt focused on three points.
All docs showing quality managers under legal staffing or unassigned.
All docs proving no proper tests on materials, concrete, etc.
All docs proving no self-safety inspections.
And, per Kang Hyun's hunch, one more.
'HQ directives confirming top-down orders. Need direct docs.'
Anything pinning blame on HQ construction head, execs, site commanders—notes, scribbles, ledgers, whatever.
Just one would do. They needed it.
'Just one...'
By 11 a.m.
-Forensic team arrived.
-Deploy them now.
High Prosecutors' Office sent digital evidence specialists to scour computers.
"Please."
"We'll analyze thoroughly."
Recordings, drafts, deletes—anything.
The team bet biggest on computer files.
Forensics entered; prosecutors' faces brightened. Some investigators even relaxed.
But as time dragged, the going got tough, slowly dawning.
"...Not easy."
"Nothing yet?"
"...Yes. Quick keyword scan now; needs deeper dive, but... something's off."
The digital forensics tech scratched his head at Kang Hyun.
"What?"
"Hm, weirdly spotless hard drives. Too clean."
"...Pardon?"
"Normally, offices save, delete, recover files repeatedly. Barely any traces here..."
Kang Hyun's face darkened sharply.
'No way—they knew and wiped already?'
A flash crossed his mind.
Stalled probes weren't just HQ shields from the start.
Reference interviews with subcontractor staff yielded zilch—no info, no statements.
'...All in cahoots?'
If these "victims," excluded from suspicion and just questioned, had prepped with HQ...
Kang Hyun gritted his teeth, steeling for a slog, when—
"This? Garbage, I said! Don't touch!"
"Ma'am, stay put."
"Hey, let go of my arm! Huh? Sexual harassment?"
"Hand over the phone."
Commotion from a corner.
A permed, gaudy-cheaply dressed auntie prowling disruptively.
Shorthanded, a dedicated investigator struggled to rein her in.
But something nagged.
'That lady... seen her before.'
Utterly ordinary—janitor or cafeteria type—where?
After racking his brain, Kang Hyun snapped his fingers inwardly.
'Ah.'
Right.
That woman was Jeong Yun-ja, an executive at Korea Manpower.