Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Courtroom Betrayal
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Namyangju Branch Courtroom 8.
The warrant review was drawing to a close.
Prosecutor Hwang Jae-eun rushed up to the door.
In one hand, a brief case summary; in the other, the hearing notice.
She was practically empty-handed.
"What brings you here?"
When the court officer blocked her, Hwang Jae-eun hurriedly flashed her badge.
"I'm Prosecutor Hwang Jae-eun from Namyangju. Open the door."
"There seems to be some mistake. The prosecutor handling the case, at the judge's request for input, is already inside."
"I'm handling this case too. Open the door, now."
"...I can't."
Something was off about the officer's demeanor. As if he'd received orders.
He blocked the door with his bulk and began glaring at her as if to shove her away. Her gaze naturally drifted to the proceedings board on the left side of Courtroom 8, to the name of the judge handling solo warrant 16.
'Judge Baek Seong-gwan.'
Famous for his close ties to Deputy Chief Gu Ik-hwan. Venom filled her eyes, directed at the officer blocking the door.
"...Open it."
"I'm sorry, but..."
"They're reviewing the arrest warrant and detention warrant together inside. If things go wrong because I don't get in, are you going to take responsibility?"
"...Th-that's not my concern."
"I need to submit crucial evidence right now. Everyone inside is waiting for me. Do you want to lose your head over this?"
Her venomous glare and sharp words—eerily like Kang Hyun himself. The officer blocking the door flinched.
A prosecutor is a prosecutor, after all, his expression said.
"...I'll, uh, check first."
"...I know it's wrapping up."
"But procedure-wise..."
"Open it. Right now."
Finally, after a tense standoff, he squeezed his eyes shut and opened the door.
'Haa...'
She let out a small sigh and quickly slipped through.
Uijeongbu District Court Namyangju Branch, Solo Division 16, Warrant Judge Baek Seong-gwan's pretrial interrogation chamber for the suspect. Courtroom 8.
It was a spacious courtroom, but sparsely populated. The suspect to be interrogated was absent.
And in one corner beside the empty defendant's seat.
Of all the unfortunate timing, Park Min-seong was in the middle of his fervent argument. Hwang Jae-eun caught sight of him.
...
The most unfortunate part was the first words that reached her ears.
"Therefore, Suspect Gu Ik-hwan must be detained, but as for Park Jeong-seok, now converted to a separate suspect, arrest is unnecessary and redundant..."
Unnecessary and redundant.
Hwang Jae-eun's mouth fell slightly open. Park Min-seong was actually arguing to dismiss the arrest warrant for the suspect.
Startled by Hwang Jae-eun's sudden entrance, Park Min-seong faltered but steadfastly finished his statement.
"...I believe it appropriate to dismiss the arrest warrant for Park Jeong-seok. However, failing to issue a detention warrant for Gu Ik-hwan would invite severe criticism."
Whoosh—rage surged through her entire body. Channeling the raw emotion, she shouted from the center of the interrogation chamber.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing!"
She hoped it wasn't true. But Park Min-seong really was pushing to dismiss the arrest warrant for Park Jeong-seok to neutralize the minor counterattack from Kang Hyun and Hwang Jae-eun.
Seething with betrayal and disappointment, she turned and yelled at Warrant Judge Baek Seong-gwan.
"Your Honor! If you dismiss only the arrest warrant, the court will lose the public's trust! This is blatantly political!"
"...Who are you?"
Too frantic to answer the judge's question properly, she strode to the opposite side and unleashed a barrage of furious words.
"Both suspects are giver and receiver in this bribery case. And the second suspect, Park Jeong-seok, despite charges in a separate case for professional negligence resulting in death from a building collapse, has repeatedly refused summons! Prosecutor Park Min-seong's opinion is absurd."
The judge's previously mild expression twisted harshly as he began glaring at Hwang Jae-eun.
But she couldn't stop. The decision was moments from being finalized.
"Either issue both warrants, or if not, dismiss both! Is this political neutrality? Is this the rule of law?"
"Haa. Calm down. Who are you, anyway?"
Even as she raged, Baek Seong-gwan smacked his lips and spoke leisurely again.
'Eh...?!'
She froze.
That toad-like face staring back at her, eyes devoid of pupils.
Intuition hit her.
No point in saying anything—it wouldn't get through.
"You're Prosecutor Hwang Jae-eun from Namyangju, aren't you?"
"...Yes."
"Feisty little miss. Women prosecutors these days... no idea how the world works."
"Just hear me out to the end."
"Where are you from?"
"...Seoul."
"Seoul hothead, eh. Heh heh."
"...Your Honor!"
"Huh."
Prosecutor Park Min-seong with his grim face, and Judge Baek Seong-gwan smirking.
As if the fun was over, Baek Seong-gwan narrowed his eyes menacingly.
"The arrest warrant was getting dismissed from the start. What makes you think you punks can barge in on grown folks' business!"
The judge's thunderous roar.
The moment she heard it, strength drained from Hwang Jae-eun's body.
"You think you're somebody? Raised on nothing but politics, strutting around like you matter! How dare you yap while us elders do our work!"
"...Those words are offensive."
"Ha! This case? It's a fight between Central District Prosecutor Jung Jung-hyeon, the heart of conservatism, and Chief Prosecutor Bae Seong-sin of the progressive vanguard! A pup like you trying to twist it? You can do jack shit! Hahaha!"
She'd wanted to punch him in the face from the start. Hwang Jae-eun's face flushed as she clenched her fist tight.
"...Judge the case on its merits. That's the rule of law."
"Enough. Officer, drag her out. That lady prosecutor."
"I'm the case prosecutor too! I have the right to state my opinion."
"You were never needed in the first place."
With an amused hum, Baek Seong-gwan turned to Park Min-seong.
"Let's continue. Prosecutor Park. So if I issue the warrant for our mutual senior, what'll you give me in return?"
"Let go! Senior!"
Even as Hwang Jae-eun cried out while being dragged away, Park Min-seong remained stone-faced and silent. He was solely focused on negotiating with the judge ahead.
Was the dream of staying clean and running toward justice impossible to realize?
Did everyone who climbed high inevitably get tainted by politics, ultimately corrupting and rotting away?
Just as Park Min-seong's lips twitched, about to offer terms despite Hwang Jae-eun's desperate cries—
Bam!
"No, you can't just barge in like this!"
Hwang Jae-eun's eyes went wide as she was being hauled out.
The officer who'd blocked her earlier was frantically trying to stop a man charging in, but it looked woefully inadequate.
By sheer size, the officer should've won.
Yet he couldn't lay a hand on the intruder.
Couldn't even dream of grabbing one arm.
"Prosecutor Kang Hyun! I said you can't!"
That's right.
The officer recognized Kang Hyun's face and couldn't bring himself to touch him, reduced to stammering as he let Kang Hyun into the courtroom.
Kang Hyun had arrived at the courtroom.
To save Hwang Jae-eun in crisis and Park Min-seong torn at the crossroads of good and evil.
To punish Gu Ik-hwan, Park Jeong-seok, and those threatening this peaceful little city.
It was early morning, but his face shone brighter than the midday sun.
An unstoppable halo filled the courtroom.
"Ha, you rookies think you can keep barging into my court!"
Baek Seong-gwan fumed, but his anger stopped there.
It was because the overwhelming pressure radiating from Kang Hyun defied imagination.
A formidable presence, an untouchable aura of intimidation.
They could feel such things truly existed upon seeing Kang Hyun.
"Wh-what the hell are you doing!"
As Kang Hyun passed the small gallery, skirted the court clerk and stenographer, and approached the judge's bench, Baek Seong-gwan flinched and pressed his back flat against the chair.
Judges were kings of the courtroom, indisputably—yet not now.
In this moment, the king was Kang Hyun, the "rookie junior prosecutor" he'd mocked.
"Nice to meet you. Kang Hyun, as you know."
"Whoever you are, whatever you've done—officer! Drag him out!"
The judge bellowed again with exaggerated gestures, fear lacing his voice. The gavel clattered to the floor like a toy.
"Pr-Prosecutor Kang Hyun."
"Please, come this way. You can't do this."
People trembled, unable to touch him.
Of course. Dragging out Namyangju's—no, Korea's—most famous legal figure, the one everyone trusted to brilliantly resolve stalled cases and exact vengeance for the wronged, wouldn't be easy. Not even with both arms.
Ignoring their desperate pleas, Kang Hyun simply smiled silently, staring down the judge.
"Baek... what was it, Judge Baek Seong-gwan?"
"Wh-what did you say! How dare you...!"
"Ah, Seong-gwan, that Baek Seong-gwan? The warrant judge with promotion guaranteed at Namyangju Branch, yet shitting the bed so bad you're left holding the fort while others move up?"
"Absurd nonsense...!"
"The warrant seat where you tiptoe around falling leaves and can't even eat with anyone but family—yet you're infamous for boozing and whoring on the job."
"You bastard!"
Clatter! Something flew at Kang Hyun, but he dodged lightly and flashed a grin.
"Negotiating with a judge like that? Aren't you pretty dead, Chief Park Min-seong?"
...
Park Min-seong squeezed his eyes shut. Undeterred, Kang Hyun kept glaring at the judge.
"Let's see how great your authority really is. Dismiss 'em all or issue 'em, whatever. Who'll toss you some scraps? Central's Jung Jung-hyeon? Prosecutor General Bae Seong-sin? Or maybe VIP pats you on the back?"
"Shut your damn mouth!"
Article 70: The court may detain a defendant when the defendant has no fixed residence, there is a risk of evidence destruction, there is a risk of flight or escape; considering the severity of the crime, risk of reoffense, and potential harm to victims or key witnesses.
Article 73: To summon or confine a defendant, a detention warrant must be issued. If not under Article 200-2(5), release within 48 hours. Article 200-2(2): A judge shall issue an arrest warrant when deemed appropriate, unless arrest is clearly unnecessary.
Kang Hyun loomed fiercely before the speechless judge and spat his final words.
"The one who needs to shut up is you, Your Honor. Close your mouth and judge by the law alone."
"Dismissed! Dismissed! You dog daring to lecture a judge on the law?"
Eyes rolled back, Baek Seong-gwan shot up, jabbing a finger.
As Hwang Jae-eun bowed her head thinking it was over, and Park Min-seong sighed in defeat—
"Knew you'd say that."
Kang Hyun, smile intact, tossed a document before him.
The judge stared, speechless, staggering like he'd lost his mind.
The bold title on the front page.
'Emergency Arrest Warrant.'
The one prosecutorial power for forced investigation without court approval—alongside flagrant offense arrests—emergency arrest.
Kang Hyun had already seized Park Jeong-seok via 'emergency arrest,' bypassing the court's judgment entirely.