Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: With the God of Law
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A short while after the staff training began, at nine ten in the morning.
Something a little special was happening in the prosecutor's office, Room 323 of the Namyangju Criminal Division.
Click!
"How about the two of you take on a fraud case?"
Kang Hyun spoke politely to Seong Tae-oh and Choi Tae-ri as he placed the case file in the center of the table.
"Yes?"
Seong Tae-oh, who had been rubbing his sleepy eyes, widened them twice their usual size and asked first, while Choi Tae-ri pretended not to hear and kept her eyes on the computer.
But Kang Hyun was fully determined to use this case to train them and strengthen the office.
"It's just one case. I'll give you a full month. Watching you assist on the other cases, I thought you were ready to handle one yourselves, so I prepared this."
"I've... never investigated a fraud case before."
Lacking confidence, Seong Tae-oh scratched his head, already scheming to back out, while Choi Tae-ri seemed ready to bolt to the bathroom. Kang Hyun grabbed them and quickly added.
"It's really easy. It's a used goods scam for 30,000 won. Once you learn the pattern, you can solve most cases. I'll help from the side as you work through it."
"Oh... a 30,000 won scam?"
"Ooh?"
Even for those reluctant about investigations, it honestly seemed like a type of case worth trying.
Typically, small-amount cases like used goods scams were handled by the police, so prosecutors rarely took them on directly.
Moreover, for amounts under 100,000 won, they were low-priority even for the police, taking forever to even start investigating.
And even if they caught the perp, nine times out of ten they had no money, making the complaint pointless in the first place.
However, the discretion to initiate an investigation lay with the prosecutor, and good results followed the effort invested.
'Investigation Case No. 21. Namyangju Used Goods Scam.'
The case Kang Hyun had personally created was still sitting on the desk in the center of the office.
Just a few pages: the complaint and a report to start the investigation.
In fact, judging by the thin stack of documents, even a rookie cop who just walked in yesterday could feel like a full-fledged detective. It was undeniably low difficulty.
"I'll help too, so solve this case well, study up, and we'll go grab a meal. I know a good spot."
Gulp. Whether recalling the fancy meals from before or tense about the proposal, the two swallowed hard.
"...Well, for now."
"...I'll assist Section Chief Sung, right?"
"No, Investigator Choi takes the lead. I'll assist."
Kang Hyun smoothly inserted himself between the bickering pair and added one more thing.
"Proceed jointly for now. Review the records, and you have a month. I can extend to a month and a half depending on the situation. Ask me anytime if you're stuck. I'll handle the rest, so don't worry."
Kang Hyun's preparations were so solid that they couldn't refuse, and in the end, they had no choice but to nod.
"...Got it. Let's start with reviewing the records."
"I'll make a copy. I'll look over there."
The two accepted Kang Hyun's proposal while still bickering to the end.
Kang Hyun watched with a pleased smile.
'Once they learn the pattern, their abilities will explode—it's only a matter of time.'
If there's the will, skill follows naturally.
Furthermore, the efficiency of his prosecutor's office investigators would improve as well.
"Can't we freeze the suspect's bank account?"
"It's not voice phishing, so probably not... Let me check the regulations... Investigator Choi Tae-ri, contact the victim."
"Got it. Warrant for the account... no go, right? Since it's just 30,000 won..."
"Hmm, not sure. Does forced investigation apply to 30,000 won cases?"
In their in-depth meeting and enthusiastic movements, the words "30,000 won" bounced up and down.
Watching them, Kang Hyun found their actions cute, admirable, and heartwarming.
Their efforts continued for days, and Kang Hyun did his own work while occasionally peeking at or observing their investigation.
'They're not completely hopeless.'
They were investigators, after all. A section chief with experience and a specialist investigator with years under her belt.
It was natural they'd think, "Can't we handle a 30,000 won scam?"
But Kang Hyun had given them this case for a reason.
'Underestimate it, and it won't be easy.'
A few days later, at the Namyangju branch office's internal cafe.
"Oh, superstar Prosecutor Kang!"
"Senior."
Kim Si-hwan, sipping coffee at the office cafe, grinned and called out to Kang Hyun, who grabbed a cup and sat beside him.
Slurp.
"Nice coffee."
"Hmm, they use good beans here, but it's like ten percent short. I'm just savoring the leisure."
"...Ah."
"Busy? Haven't seen your face around lately."
"No. Still waiting on instructions from Chief Prosecutor Park Min-seong."
"Huh? Your room's lights were on all night."
"True, but staying late is my routine. The new investigators are the busy ones adapting."
"Ah. Those guys. Section Chief Seong Tae-oh and Investigator Choi Tae-ri, right?"
"Yeah."
"Sigh. The chiefs are too much. Those two won't work. Probably clocking overtime while watching movies."
"Uh, no."
"Hmm?"
"They're working really hard."
Kim Si-hwan's expression turned highly skeptical at Kang Hyun's words, his mind visibly racing.
"...Not those two who were rumored to be useless...?"
As Kang Hyun said, their passion was indescribable.
Whenever he stepped out briefly and returned to the office, their sighs echoed emptily through the room.
"Haa..."
"Hng."
The two clutched their heads.
Section Chief Seong Tae-oh and Investigator Choi Tae-ri, suffering daily headaches from overzealous passion.
When they first accepted, they thought a 30,000 won scam was no big deal, but the challenges that arose were more than one or two.
One day, Seong Tae-oh and Choi Tae-ri approached Kang Hyun hesitantly.
"Prosecutor..."
"Yes?"
"This isn't a 30,000 won case."
Kang Hyun smiled as if he'd expected it and said to Section Chief Seong Tae-oh.
"Then what's the damage amount?"
"This guy's estimated scams number 53 times..."
"Roughly 8 million won—no, around 9 million won."
Choi Tae-ri picked up where the hesitant Seong Tae-oh left off and answered Kang Hyun. He nodded vigorously.
"...You're doing great."
"Yes?"
"Huh?"
When Kang Hyun replied as if he knew all along, Seong Tae-oh and Choi Tae-ri exchanged bewildered glances.
"Prosecutor... this case is too big for us."
"I'm scared I'll mess it up... Can you help now?"
Kang Hyun shook his head with a smile at their pleas, gazing at them fondly for a moment.
'See, they're doing well. It's not a lack of ability. It's fear.'
They'd already uncovered additional crime damages, were working hard to identify more victims—that proved their potential and skill.
So Kang Hyun firmly suggested minimal help.
"You're doing well. Keep at it a bit longer, and report if you need warrants or manpower."
He chuckled and headed to his inner desk, leaving the two staring at him with aggrieved eyes.
But on the other hand, their eyes burned like twin wicks aflame.
One day, Kang Hyun announced he was heading home early, forgot his phone, and returned to open the door...
"Let's flip our reputation with this case!"
"Yeah! Let's go, Chief!"
Click! Cross.
Creak, thump.
"...Wh-what."
Kang Hyun, who had secretly overheard the resolute pair crossing their arms in an X, quietly closed the door and awkwardly scratched his head.
"Prosecutor! Investigator Choi Tae-ri and I are heading out on assignment."
"Yes? Why?"
"Victim No. 13 from this case refuses to testify because the 20,000 won loss is too small and she doesn't want to tangle with investigators. We'll go meet her, interview, and get the statement!"
"Off we go!"
"Ah... Yes!"
Clunk!
"Their passion... is on another level."
They didn't hesitate to pound the pavement either.
Clunk!
A few more days passed, and the two burst back into the office.
"Prosecutor!"
"We got him!"
"Yes?"
"Suspect Kim Young-cheol! The perp behind 53 victims on the internet 'Danggeun Market' site used goods scam!"
"Precisely, 53 victims, using three personal accounts and one money laundering dummy account, for total damages of 8,930,000 won!"
Choi Tae-ri placed the investigation report with the crime ledger attached.
Before Kang Hyun could respond.
"We'll interrogate right away and apply for an arrest warrant!"
"Will do!"
"Arrest? Yes, got it!"
Kang Hyun had expected smooth progress given their skills, but they resolved it faster and more solidly than anticipated.
With almost no help from him.
Smirk.
'At this point, they did it all themselves.'
They just needed the courage to shake off the fear. And trust.
Kang Hyun's judgment was spot on.
It started as a seemingly trivial 30,000 won case.
So they investigated without tension, making few mistakes.
As they identified victims and confirmed amounts, they shed fears of incompetence and pressure from errors.
Thud!
"Ugh... L-let go a bit...!"
The suspect cowered before the intimidated Kang Hyun? No, before him, terrified.
He wasn't even hit, but his appearance was pitiful.
"Uh, Mr. Kim Young-cheol?"
"Eek! Y-yes! I'm Kim Young-cheol... I didn't do it."
"Get a grip. We haven't done anything yet."
"I admit I didn't send items out of curiosity a few times, but I refunded the money. Really. It's just amazing I even had money left..."
He seemed utterly chastened, unable to compose himself after a harsh scolding.
But Kang Hyun knew this was just a sly trick to slither out like an eel.
Even analyzing that one improvised line:
'It admits the facts but claims refunds and no intent.'
No criminal intent, just a minor prank—aiming to downplay the case.
Plus, small-amount cases are easy to flee and rarely caught, so he thought he'd escape quickly.
'I need to teach the investigators about these tactics.'
Kang Hyun thought of what they needed as he took their investigation records and read them briefly.
"Hmm."
The records clearly showed Section Chief Seong Tae-oh and Investigator Choi Tae-ri's hard work.
Around ten pages from Kang Hyun's initial initiation report.
Followed by over five hundred pages of investigation progress.
Click, click.
'They really worked hard. They could specialize in used goods scams.'
For the office, it was performance either way. Performance required specialization.
Kang Hyun glanced at Seong Tae-oh and Choi Tae-ri while reviewing the records.
His goal: turning his office into a used goods scam specialty unit.
The plan was proceeding smoothly.