IRLPLBIO Chapter 40 Part 1

Chapter 40 #9. The Law is Near, and the Fist is Even Closer (2)

Jae-gu thought he hadn’t done anything worthy of handcuffs this time. Still, he knew he’d gone a bit too far.

Having learned from long experience that it was best not to resist public authority, Jae-gu was about to say, “I’ll cooperate,” when.

“Let’s discuss it at the hospital.”

Kwang-cheol cut them off.

The police officers’ eyes widened, and they scrutinized Jae-gu from top to bottom as if to say, “The hospital?” Compared to the other people with their pathetic appearances, Jae-gu looked excessively fine. Regardless, Kwang-cheol spoke calmly, as if stating the obvious.

“My hyung also needs treatment.”

“…Yes, understood.”

Despite their unconvinced expressions, the police officers obediently retreated.

Yes! The good side is the best!

Jae-gu secretly clenched his fist.

There was an unspoken rule in the police station not to get involved in matters happening at this school. But today, they had been harried to deploy immediately. The chain of hierarchical scolding, descending from the police chief to the department head and then to the team leader, ended in the sorrow of the low-ranking officers who did the legwork.

The two patrolmen and two corporals cleverly walked the line between involvement and non-involvement. This was the result.

What did it matter if he didn’t look hurt? High-ranking officials often used wheelchairs if a problem arose, no matter how energetic they seemed. Perhaps the children at this school had learned such tricks early on.

With their tacit approval, Jae-gu confidently headed to the hospital. It was his first experience of being pampered and taken to the hospital after thoroughly beating someone up, so he was bewildered, but thanks to Kwang-cheol, who stayed by his side, he quickly got used to it.

Lawyer Im Ho-sin, back at DK Law Firm, had very little to do for his salary. It wasn’t because his career had been interrupted after following Han Ga-yeon to the provinces. The problem was that the partner lawyers, who had direct connections with Dae-yeong, wouldn’t try to assign work to Im Ho-sin.

They were already aligning themselves. Following the partner lawyers, several factions existed within DK. While all commonly supported the current Chairman Han Moo-jin, they diverged on whether to push Han Gyeong-jin or Han Yun-cheol as the next chairman, or to wait for another talent to appear.

But then Han Ga-yeon suddenly returned and began to rise. Those who thought they had strong connections to the future owner of Dae-yeong were not pleased with Han Ga-yeon, who was breaking the existing power structure.

While they couldn’t openly object to Han Ga-yeon, a member of the Dae-yeong family, they felt awkward and kept their distance from Im Ho-sin, who had returned with her. In the eyes of others, Im Ho-sin was already part of Han Ga-yeon’s faction.

As a result of these various power struggles, Im Ho-sin found himself with excessive free time. He spent a very long time absorbed in Minesweeper, just as he had in the provinces.

No matter how good the computer, Minesweeper was still Minesweeper. Im Ho-sin couldn’t hide his boredom and tediousness. He was only holding on because his salary came in regularly; if they said payment would be based on performance, he looked ready to bolt immediately.

It was in the midst of such an endlessly boring day that Im Ho-sin’s mobile phone rang.

“Yes, this is Im Ho-sin of DK Law Firm.”

Im Ho-sin, who answered without even checking the caller ID, tucked the phone between his cheek and shoulder and continued playing Minesweeper.

Two mines left, three squares left…

“Lawyer, it’s Park Kwang-cheol. I’d appreciate it if you could come.”

“Alright, just tell me where. It’s a good thing, I had nothing else to do anyway.”

“It’s Hanguk Daeyeong Hospital. You need to come as quickly as possible.”

“…Hospital? Was there an accident? Or did someone cause trouble? Jae-gu is with you, right?”

Im Ho-sin asked a reasonable question. After a brief squabble with sounds like, “Just give me the phone,” and “Bro, I told you not to move,” the phone was passed to Jae-gu.

“I didn’t cause trouble!”

“Right, right. Even if you call a lawyer to the hospital, you didn’t cause trouble. Your lawyer trusts our client~”

“Ah, you really don’t believe me even when I’m telling the truth… More importantly, mister, have you ever dealt with a high-ranking person?”

“Huh? How high-ranking are we talking about? Who did you hit, exactly? Wait, if you’re at the hospital… The person isn’t dead, are they?”

“Mister!”

“Mister? I’m the lawyer who’s going to save you. Anyway, who’s their lawyer? If they bring out a dozen people or use a prestige lawyer, even I might be in a bit of trouble.”

It was half worry, half teasing. Jae-gu, as he knew him, wouldn’t have beaten someone up without reason. If there was a legitimate reason, it could be somewhat taken into account, so he just had to persuade the other party as best as he could. He also thought it was just a kids’ fight, so it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Meanwhile, Im Ho-sin found one mine. If he found the mine in one of the two remaining squares, he would succeed.

As Im Ho-sin focused on the monitor as if he were being sucked into it, terrifying words pierced his ears.

“Not a prestige lawyer, but a ‘current official’? Hmm, do you call it a current official?”

“What did you say?”

“I’m talking about a prosecutor, a prosecutor.”

“Wait, hold on a second. Jae-gu, the prosecutor you’re talking about, it’s that prosecutor, right?”

“Ah, seriously. Old man. Do you think it’s a prosecutor who uses a sword? Do you take me for an idiot? Anyway, he’s the Head of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Department, no, actually, he’s still the Deputy Head. I think it’ll change in the next regular personnel season… So, mister, you also need to be able to deal with high-ranking people.”

Click.

The mine exploded. Im Ho-sin’s common sense exploded along with it.

“…Tell me honestly. Yang Jae-gu, who did you mess with?”

“I said I didn’t do anything wrong, are you going to keep doing this?”

“Alright, I get it. Just stay still and don’t say anything until I get there.”

Im Ho-sin said what he had to say and hung up. Jae-gu’s voice, crying “Noooo!” was cut off mid-sentence.

Im Ho-sin’s fingertips trembled as he quickly put his arms into his jacket. He had thought about wanting some work because he was too bored, but he had never wished for such a big problem to appear so suddenly.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office? The Anti-Corruption Investigation Department? Why was a place where even chairmen of major corporations deferred to appearing now? Moreover, a Deputy Head was a position where a partner lawyer might or might not even take a call; would it be okay for a mere associate to face them? He felt a surge of anxiety.