Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Interrogation Triumph
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“…Why? Why?”
“Don’t be rude. This is your final warning.”
When the police officer finally snapped and issued a warning, Yang Bohyun—who had been leaning back almost flat—finally straightened up.
Even if they were a team handling relatively minor cases with inexperienced officers, these were still police.
That was why Kang Hyun and the others had been careful not to provoke them, respecting their boundaries. But Yang Bohyun saw them as mere cops and kept ignoring and provoking them.
“Don’t interfere with the investigation. All proceedings follow procedure.”
“…Understood.”
Finally, Choi Min-hyuk, the lawyer behind Yang Bohyun, stepped forward slightly.
“I apologize. We’ll fully cooperate with the investigation. Sorry for causing a scene. Mr. Yang Bohyun, please cooperate.”
“…Let’s continue.”
A few more questions about the facts followed, along with Dan Choroek’s responses. She didn’t deny much and gave her statements straightforwardly.
“So, in conclusion, it’s true that the defendant, Dan Choroek, posted a lengthy article on a major community site defaming the plaintiff by mentioning his real name, ‘Yang Bohyun’?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
As the conversation continued, Yang Bohyun’s head lifted again, his nose in the air.
He smirked mockingly at Dan Choroek, staring her down piercingly, and even stood up during the questioning to pace the office with his hands behind his back.
He clearly thought victory was assured.
But Kang Hyun found the sight utterly ridiculous.
*Idiot?*
He hadn’t realized ignorance of the law created such a massive gap.
The world Kang Hyun inhabited was filled with legal experts.
Even small mock trial competitions were packed with kids sharp on the law.
So he hadn’t known facing an ordinary person would be this easy.
In Korean police investigations—where lawyers’ objections were rare, mostly only in key moments, limiting their influence—lawyers could only busy themselves calming Yang Bohyun’s outbursts.
“Mr. Bohyun, please sit down…”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”
Once Dan Choroek’s statements wrapped up—with no major denials in response to the police—the questioning ended. Yang Bohyun let out a low chuckle.
He leaned his chair back again, waiting for it all to end.
But only Yang Bohyun didn’t realize this was just the beginning.
“Alright, now Mr. Yang Bohyun.”
With a refreshing, hearty voice, the police officer turned to him.
“I said call me Yang Bohyun *nim*. You ignoring me? Yeah.”
“We’ll begin the questioning now. Pay attention.”
“What questions? Everything that woman Dan Choroek said is true anyway.”
The officer, unflinching at Yang Bohyun’s words while methodically organizing documents, shot him a sharp glance.
Most of the files now being presented to Yang Bohyun were materials prepared by Kang Hyun and Dan Choroek to rebut the defamation claim.
There were dozens of questions lined up for him.
“We have a lot of materials from the defendant’s side, so we’ll start questioning.”
“Pardon?”
“The defendant did mention your real name, Mr. Yang Bohyun, but referred to you as a ‘fellow student’ and avoided aggressive language toward you personally. Do you acknowledge that?”
“Yeah, sure, that’s true.”
“Good. Noted as ‘acknowledged.’ Next: The student council president is the head of the student council, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, as such, you must tolerate a certain level of student comments or opinions about the student council’s actions. Do you acknowledge that?”
“Yes.”
“Please review this material. These are posts documenting complaints about the student council from November 1st last year, when you took over. It’s about 500 pages—can you confirm?”
“Wh-what? Why this?”
“Dan Choroek’s post was one in this series of community posts. Do you acknowledge that?”
“Pardon?”
“Please answer only yes or no on acknowledgment.”
“Well… I mean, yeah, but…”
“Noted as ‘acknowledged.’”
“Next: At the time Dan Choroek wrote her post, were there any circumstances suggesting personal conflict or antagonism between you two?”
“That woman’s always been pissy with me.”
“…Aside from that, no conflict or antagonism?”
“There was some…”
“What specifically?”
“Her existence itself?”
A sigh rose from the lawyers behind him, and Yang Bohyun’s face rapidly darkened.
“Next: Regarding evaluations of your actions as student council president, is there any data suggesting the damage to your social reputation outweighed the benefits from increased student interest and proper opinion formation?”
“Huh?”
“Shall I repeat? Data showing the reputational damage exceeded the benefits from opinion formation.”
At the officer’s words, the lawyers’ eyes gleamed from behind. Likely a rehearsed point.
But the result was disastrous.
“Th-the posts…”
“So, none?”
“…Yes.”
“Then the defendant’s side has prepared 100 pages of evidence. Let’s go through them one by one.”
There were over 30 questions in total.
Yang Bohyun fumbled through every single one, unable to answer properly.
He couldn’t rebut even one of the meticulously prepared evidence items from Kang Hyun’s group.
The police officers’ tension eased, and the lawyers who came to defend him now just crossed their arms, watching like spectators.
Their target: Kang Hyun.
They realized the supposedly contentious case was crumbling one-sidedly due to his materials—leaving them powerless.
After some time, Choi Min-hyuk requested a halt.
“Investigator, may I step out briefly to speak with the plaintiff? Please pause the investigation.”
“Yes. That might be best.”
With the officer’s approval, the relentless questioning stopped.
And then.
When all eyes turned to Yang Bohyun.
“…”
Sweat poured off him like rain, soaking his shirt, leaving him exhausted and pathetic.
“Th-thank you…”
With a deflated voice, Yang Bohyun was dragged out by Choi’s hand.
Kang Hyun sat beside Dan Choroek, meeting her eyes and shrugging.
When Yang Bohyun finally returned—long absent—he entered with his head bowed, already sensing total defeat.
“Shall we continue?”
He answered the officer’s question weakly.
“…No.”
Now unable to even look at the police, head drooped, he continued in a tiny voice.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think Dan Choroek’s post reaches defamation either. I did it in the heat of the moment.”
Yang Bohyun had flipped his attitude in an instant.
Drenched like a wet rat, his eyes looked like a frightened puppy’s.
No wonder—the lawyers’ advice must have boiled down to this:
Admit it cleanly, plan for the future.
Beyond defamation, there were false accusation and embezzlement cases hanging over him—two more. They’d clearly urged retreat.
“So, you knew Dan Choroek’s post wasn’t meant to defame you and served the public interest, yet you filed anyway?”
“I thought that might be the case, but…”
“Saying so now constitutes ‘acknowledgment’ based on implicit intent. You’re aware, right?”
“P-Pardon? Y-Yes…”
This was admitting defeat.
The officer’s typing sped up, and the gloomy mood turned chaotic.
Kang Hyun hadn’t spoken a word for hours since the investigation began.
Despite only preparing materials beforehand and briefly adjusting the atmosphere, he’d tilted the case 99% in Dan Choroek’s favor.
Victory secured without a single utterance.
But the case wasn’t over yet.
So, to prime the pump properly, Kang Hyun slowly opened his mouth.
“…Why are you tucking tail already?”
“Wh-what?”
Kang Hyun rebuked Yang Bohyun in a scolding tone.
Unusual for an interrogation room, but with Yang Bohyun admitting fault and apologizing, no one stopped Kang Hyun.
“Filing a complaint isn’t child’s play. You’ve wasted everyone’s time with this sloppy, emotional stunt—time to pay the price properly.”
“What’s with the attitude? Kang Hyun, what did I ever do to you? You don’t even know me.”
“Why wouldn’t I know the incompetent, corruption-soaked student council president?”
“C-Corruption? You little shit, spouting nonsense!”
Yang Bohyun shouted in flustered panic, but Kang Hyun pressed on.
“You brought this on yourself. Instead of rooting out corruption for students’ sake, the one who should lead is committing crimes. Tragic. You won’t dodge this with resignation until it’s all wrapped up—prepare properly. Not sloppily like this time.”
“What? What’d you say?”
Ignoring his stupefied expression, Kang Hyun told the police:
“We’ve countersued Yang Bohyun for false accusation. Please link this defamation case to it.”
“Th-that!”
“We’ve also filed embezzlement against the student council, so please reference that in the investigation.”
“Stop! Enough!”
Yang Bohyun shot to his feet.
In sheer panic, he looked around at Kang Hyun, the police, and his own lawyers.
“Calm down. It’s not helping your case.”
His lawyers grabbed his arm, pulling him down. Then, with composure regained, Dan Choroek fired a shot.
“Make sure to note this in the record too!” “Pardon?”
The baffled officer looked at her, and she smiled.
“That the plaintiff caused a disturbance and interfered with the investigation. That goes in the case file, right?”
Dan Choroek was a proper law student too.
She’d requested recording circumstances favorable to the defendant.
The case had tilted so far she could afford such a quip.
Thus, Kang Hyun’s police investigation defense ended successfully—no disasters loomed ahead short of the sky falling.
“Ch-Chief?”
A whisper with knocking.
“It’s Prosecutor Jeong Ji-eun.”
“Oh, you’re here?”
Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, First Chief’s Office.
When Trial Division 1 Prosecutor Jeong Ji-eun cautiously peeked in, First Chief Jeong Jung-hun nodded satisfiedly and gestured her inside.
“…Wasn’t hard to get?”
“I pulled some strings from our division’s case files.”
“Tsk. ‘Pulled some strings’ what?”
As her shoulders puffed up proudly, the chief immediately clicked his tongue, making her pout and shrug again.
“…Then I’ll take it back, Dad.”
At ‘Dad,’ he coughed loudly, kolk-kolk.
“No, no. Keep it. What’re you on about? Ahem, don’t tell the director.”
“Yes, sir!”
She placed the USB drive of recorded footage on the desk as she spoke.