The Final Journey to Gwangju
It wasn't just JD who reacted that way. Forty percent of the ANSP agents sitting in the courtroom jumped to their feet, staring at JSD with expressions of utter disbelief. However, among the seated agents, Shin Ho-jun stood up as their representative and addressed the judges.
"Everything the former ANSP Director said is true. We acknowledge those facts as well."
No sooner had he finished speaking than every single one of the remaining seated agents shouted in unison:
"We acknowledge it too!"
At that, the forty percent who were standing erupted in chaos.
"Are these bastards insane?"
"Hey! That’s not what we were told!"
"Have you lost your minds? Why are you admitting to all of this!"
Ultimately, it took the mobilization of numerous court security guards and the forced removal of several agents before the courtroom could regain any semblance of order.
'This is much more dramatic, isn't it?'
That was the thought of Yoon-gi, sitting in the gallery. After classifying which ANSP agents were "recyclable," he had instructed Shin Ho-jun to teach them how to behave in court in two completely different ways. He told the recyclable agents to admit to everything, while telling the non-recyclable ones to admit only to partial involvement, claiming it would lead to lighter sentences. With sixty percent of the agents confessing to every charge brought against them, the remaining forty percent naturally spiraled into a frenzy. And because those forty percent caused such a scene that they were kicked out, JD was left to face the trial all alone.
"Your Honor, that’s not true! It’s not! Everything those guys are saying is a lie!" JD shouted at the judge, his voice cracking. But the judge was a man clearly influenced by DJ, and he looked at JD as if he were a bug.
"What exactly are you claiming is a lie?"
"Th-that...! No, logically speaking, does it make sense that I committed all of those acts? It is true that I committed some, but most of them were done by those guys using my name..."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The judge struck his gavel hard, cutting JD off. However, he didn't go so far as to openly insult JD; he was too competent for that. "Prosecution, what is your take on this?"
The prosecutor was also a man firmly under YS’s influence. He looked at JD with a look of pity and replied, "That is absolutely impossible. The defendant is a man who would order someone killed if he was even slightly in a bad mood. Using his name? That would be impossible unless one were willing to bet their life on it."
JD was truly without a single ally. He didn't even have a private attorney; he was stuck with a public defender because no lawyer would take his case. The strategy of making a name for oneself by defending a difficult case only works when there is at least a sliver of possibility of success. Defending JD in the current political climate? That was essentially a death sentence. Of course, there was one other major reason: money. Because Yoon-gi had already co-opted all of JD’s inner circle, including JSD, he had a perfect grasp of JD’s assets, including his slush funds. He had leaked this information to the prosecution, allowing them to freeze all of JD’s assets. Consequently, JD couldn't afford to pay upfront fees to lawyers, and the few firms or attorneys who had approached him turned away, spitting in disgust at the sight of the penniless former dictator.
Isn't that what capitalism is all about? The end of a villain without money can never be a happy ending.
"Your Honor, since the defendant JD is not cooperating with the trial at all, I suggest we proceed with the questioning centered on JSD."
"That is a matter for the prosecution to handle autonomously through their questioning."
The judge was incredibly cunning. Whenever JD tried to make an excuse, the judge would strike his gavel as if the words were useless noise, effectively silencing him while giving the prosecution more time. Yet, he never left any remarks on the record that could be used against him. Furthermore, even the public defender wasn't on JD’s side.
"Defense counsel, do you have any rebuttal to the prosecution’s claims?"
At the judge’s question, the public defender shook his head with a bored expression. "...No."
"You, you son of a bitch! You call yourself a lawyer?!" JD’s face turned beet red as he tried to grab the public defender by the collar. But the lawyer quickly stood up and moved away, and JD was forced to sit through the rest of the trial with security guards on both sides to ensure order. He was truly isolated.
"These bastards... these bastards... You sons of bitches!!!"
JD’s scream was accompanied by tears. He had been a dictator in the past, and he was still a dictator now. The only difference was that he had become the dictator of a one-man nation.
* * *
With the judge’s resounding shout, JD was sentenced to death.
"Waaaaah! You sons of bitches! I’m JD! I’m JD, you hear me?!"
JD was dragged out of the courtroom, screaming at the top of his lungs.
JSD was sentenced to 15 years. In original history, JSD would have received less than four years. But in Yoon-gi’s timeline, because he admitted to all his crimes, he received 15 years. In truth, JSD could have faced the death penalty as well. However, his sentence was commuted to 15 years because he did not participate in the second insurrection and was extremely cooperative during the trial. Since JD was already receiving the death penalty, they couldn't very well give the same sentence to the cooperative JSD.
"Phew..." JSD let out a sigh of relief. Since he had no idea that he would have only served four years in the original timeline, 15 years felt like a sentence where he had avoided the worst-case scenario—disappointing, but acceptable.
Additionally, the ANSP agents who were cooperative received sentences ranging from one to four years. While their cooperation played a part, the victims' petitions were the most decisive factor. For the agents who had managed to connect heart-to-heart with their victims, the victims had written petitions in the spirit of "let’s trust them just this once." Thanks to this, the agents were moved to tears once again in the courtroom.
Of course, there was the opposite side as well.
"Damn it! Why won't you write one for me!"
The agents who failed to earn the victims' sincerity were busy hurling insults at their former victims watching from the gallery. Because they received sentences ranging from five to ten years, they were furious that a single petition could have reduced their time, and they lashed out endlessly. Eventually, the court had to take measures to prevent them from speaking.
Finally, Shin Ho-jun received a five-year suspended sentence. Although he had acted as an aide to JSD, he hadn't directly intervened in ANSP activities, and because N had recognized Shin Ho-jun’s brilliance, it was the result of a special request made to DJ. Thus, the trial for JD, JSD, Shin Ho-jun, and the ANSP agents concluded. However, there were still many figures left to stand trial, and this was only the end of the first instance.
* * *
At Yoon-gi’s villa, N was drinking tea with Yoon-gi when he burst into a chuckle. "Haha, JD’s expression back then was truly a sight to behold. He probably never imagined that JSD would admit to all his crimes."
Yoon-gi smiled at N. "In any case, JSD was a difficult existence to deal with from my perspective, so your strategy was truly effective. To take down both JD and JSD at once."
N nodded, looking at Yoon-gi with eyes full of favor. "I was certain of one thing."
"And what is that?"
"That you would never abandon your family. It’s embarrassing to say, but if it were me, I would have discarded JSD like a worn-out shoe."
Politics is a living organism. Therefore, discarding those who have become useless is a very common occurrence. Even among politicians, it was common to see people throw away their parties like trash and switch allegiances.
"It’s easier for someone without consistency to reach the top. But it’s easier for someone with consistency to hold onto that position."
"Ho-ho... Indeed...!"
It was exactly as Yoon-gi said. To survive in the world of politics and climb to high positions, one had to be able to stab others in the back without a second thought. Looking back at history, only those who had backstabbed others endlessly reached the top. But it was also true that the summits they occupied didn't last long. Because they gave justification to the next people who would stab them in the back.
In that sense, Yoon-gi not completely abandoning JSD brought immense trust from N, YS, and DJ. "In fact, Chairman Choi Ki-hyun maintained his connection with JSD even after establishing ties with JD. No, it was even tighter than his connection with JD. Thinking about that, one can see that JD was never your family to begin with."
Yoon-gi smiled. If he had wanted to deepen his ties with JD, it would have been entirely possible. But Yoon-gi didn't. He never had any intention of making JD his family in the first place.
"Anyway, you’ll be busy for a while. Especially because of Busan."
The trials for the prosecutors, police, and administrative officials involved with the Manse Welfare Center. While the government officials related to the Blue House could be dealt with through personnel changes, those who committed crimes had to be tried separately.
"Well, is there anything to worry about? JD has already been found perfectly guilty of all charges. Including the Manse Welfare Center."
"That’s true."
As N was nodding, a news headline scrolled across the TV screen.
"Did you give that order?"
N shook his head. "No? This is the first I’m hearing of it."
At N’s reaction, which showed he was completely unaware, Yoon-gi wore a very intrigued expression. 'Ho-ho?'
* * *
"Number 1212, transfer!"
The prison guard called JD with a very sharp, prickly tone. Coincidentally, his number was 1212. The end of a dictator who had lost all power was this miserable. If JD had still possessed power, it would have been entirely different. But now, JD’s support base had vanished like a sandcastle swept away by the tide. There were no powerful figures outside to help him, and no support base to speak of.
In the Joseon Dynasty, when nobles were exiled to the provinces, they were treated with the utmost respect by local magistrates. It wouldn't have been strange for the same thing to happen in modern South Korea. Likewise, if that noble had no support base, the magistrates wouldn't even look at them, and in some cases, they would even treat them harshly. JD was the same. The detention center warden had assigned JD the number 1212 to catch N’s eye. But today, he had no choice but to transfer JD. Even though he had kept JSD and JD in solitary confinement, keeping them in adjacent cells kept causing problems.
Thinking it would be better to secure connections with JSD, who was periodically visited by ruling party politicians, rather than tormenting the isolated JD, the warden decided on JD’s transfer. The prison warden wondered where would be best, and he applied for a transfer to Gwangju Prison, and the Gwangju warden accepted the request with open arms. Since there was a pre-trial wing in the prison anyway, JD’s transfer was no problem at all. Thus, JD boarded the transfer bus headed for Gwangju.
'No, why of all places...'
The fact that he was going to Gwangju made JD feel uneasy in many ways. 'Well, what could happen?'
It was already happening anyway. JD sighed and looked out the window. 'I have to find a way to reduce my sentence in the second trial...'
He didn't want to die. He really didn't. So JD pondered ways to survive, and thanks to that, time passed quickly until they were already in downtown Gwangju.
"The road is really blocked."
The driver’s mutter made JD snap to attention. "Looks like there was an accident ahead. It’s a bit jammed."
The driver spoke to the accompanying guard, who shrugged. "Well, what does it matter if it’s jammed? We’re on the clock anyway."
"True, that’s right."
At their conversation, a strange sense of anxiety began to creep into JD’s chest. And at that moment, JD made eye contact with a college student walking on the road outside the window. No, he was forced to make eye contact.