The Ultimate Inspector, Kang Ji-hyeok - Chapter 47



Only Noblemtl

Episode 47

Witness Cha Jo-jeong’s one word was enough to change the atmosphere of the courtroom.

‘That’s pretty good. I didn’t expect you to come in here and call me a liar.’

Unlike me who was nervous, Cheon Je-gu continued the atmosphere.

In order to develop the trial in a favorable manner, they tried to clearly establish the relationship between Jung Yu-ra and Park Chan-jin.

“Jung Yu-ra and Park Chan-jin, who were a show window couple, love each other when you look at them······.”

“Objection. The defense is now leading the witness into questioning using the words ‘show window couple.’”

“Prosecutor Kang Ji-hyeok’s opinion is dismissed. Continue, defense attorney.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.”

I ate one.

If this happens, Jeong Yu-ra’s testimony will be doubted.

It was a brilliant operation that was almost annoying.

Cheon Je-gu glanced at me and continued questioning the witness.

“Do you think you love each other like a normal couple?”

Witness Cha Jo-jeong strongly denied it.

He said, shaking his head.

“No. From a third party’s perspective, their relationship was so bad that it seemed absurd. While they were driving together, the older woman, Jeong Yu, treated her husband in a very forceful manner.”

A commotion.

The atmosphere in the audience became strange.

Cheon Je-gu tilted his head and asked with a serious face.

“For example?”

“If I remember correctly, I got mad at my husband for not being able to handle that bitch properly.”

“Did you really say, ‘Can’t you handle that one bitch?’ If so, that bitch must be the woman you kidnapped. You didn’t mishear, did you?”

“Yes. I remember it vividly and with surprise.”

Cha Jo-jeong answered firmly.

Cheon Je-gu turned his head and looked at the judge and said.

“That’s what they say. Even though these two are a married couple, the older wife was controlling the younger husband. And yet, as the prosecutor’s novel says… No, I’ll correct that. As the prosecutor’s opinion says, it’s hard to believe that the accomplice is Park Chan-jin.”

“Defense side, is this the end of the witness examination?”

“Yes, your honor.”

Cheonjegu finished it off briefly and concisely, but with a definite impact.

The judge looked at me and asked.

“Prosecutor. Do you have any questions for the witness?”

Even if it were true, and even if that driver had been bribed, it was a disadvantageous situation for me.

‘Okay. In times like this, let’s make a bold choice.’

“There is no need to question me.”

“Okay. Then, witness Cha Jo-jeong may go back.”

We need to call Jung Yu-ra as a witness, but her testimony now may not be helpful.

From here, go straight.

In my experience as a detective, it’s most effective when I have the criminal testify directly.

I asked the judge to substitute a witness.

This atmosphere had to be broken.

“We request the next witness, Mr. Park Chan-jin, who changed from an accomplice to a main culprit.”

“Wasn’t the second witness Jeong Yu-ra herself? Wasn’t it Park Chan-jin?”

Cheon Je-gu raised an objection.

I looked at the judge and said.

“Since the main culprit and the accomplice have been switched, the order of the witnesses should also be changed.”

“Okay, I admit it.”

The judge nodded.

Cheon Je-gu sat down with a regretful expression.

Park Chan-jin finally sat down on the witness stand.

* * *

“The prosecution should question them first.”

Park Chan-jin was calmly putting his hands together.

‘Where the hell are you wearing that mask, you son of a bitch? I’ll take it off for you.’

“Witness. How many years have you been a reporter?”

“It’s been 15 years.”

“You’ve been doing this for quite some time.”

“Yes.”

“I guess you’ve built strong relationships with people in the political and business world.”

“It’s unfortunate that there are very few people in the political and business world who like journalists, but that’s not the case.”

“Relationships aren’t built on liking each other. Isn’t it also about threats through exposure or pressuring through articles?”

Park Chan-jin’s eyebrows twitched.

Maybe his pride was hurt.

“Do you know about the Sergeant Park Chung-deuk incident?”

“Yes. At the time of that incident, I was covering the story at that unit. There was a tip that a crime was taking place. As a former reporter for the Ministry of National Defense, I can enter the military unit quite freely.”

“How did you meet Lieutenant Han Ji-min?”

“I don’t know. I wonder if you’ve ever talked to him?”

“But are you connected to that father?”

“What does that mean?”

Click.

The screen turned on.

A diary full of letters appeared.

In each diary, there was a circled date.

“The circle is the date when the manager of the Cheongdam-dong cafe and the father of Lieutenant Han Ji-min spoke to you. That testimony is clearly recorded in the testimony.”

“Ah. Now I remember. I went there as a reporter to ask about his son, and then I contacted him about advertising for the cafe.”

“Really? This is an advertisement?”

I found the recording file that was the evidence and turned it on.

Click.

A recorded phone call from a cafe echoed through the courtroom.

– Jimin’s friend came to see me. I think the police smelled us.

– F*ck. So! Just send my wife and daughter to Japan!

“This is a recording of Han Ji-min’s so-called father’s phone conversation. I got permission from him to use it as evidence, so it’s okay, right?”

“Then I admit it.”

The judge nodded and said.

“Go ahead.”

I turned my head and approached Park Chan-jin.

“I confirmed with the person involved that I had this conversation with you.”

“My memory is hazy.”

“Does someone who graduated from Korea University have such a bad memory? Aren’t you the one who’s lying, not Jung Yu-ra?”

Park Chan-jin bit his lower lip, perhaps because his pride was hurt.

The following evidence appeared on the screen.

“We found out something funny during the investigation when the witness caused a pathetic incident where he tried to go to Laos to have sex with a young woman.”

“Your Honor, the prosecutor is mocking the witness and talking about an unrelated incident.”

Cheon Je-gu raised an objection again, but was embarrassed.

I continued the story without paying any attention.

“Not long ago, we arrested Park Chan-jin at the scene while he was trying to enter Laos illegally using someone else’s passport, and Attorney Cheon Je-gu has been defending the witness since then, so he already knows this fact. Your Honor, may I continue?”

“Of course. It doesn’t matter since the lawyer already knows this.”

I thought as I watched Attorney Cheon Je-gu sit down in disappointment.

‘The Maestro of the Court? Don’t make me laugh. I know you’re a great lawyer, but you’ve never met a prosecutor like me, have you?’

I glanced at Cheonje-gu.

‘You will be destroyed along with Park Chan-jin in this court. The cool nickname ‘Maestro’ will no longer exist.’

“Because of that incident, I personally revealed the true relationship between Jung Yu-ra and Park Chan-jin. Please watch the video yourself.”

“Prosecutor Kang Ji-hyeok. This isn’t right.”

“Attorney. Didn’t you testify in place of the witness?”

“It was a different case investigation. But······.”

As they talked, Cheon Je-gu realized something.

The fact that I didn’t even prosecute the case.

“What are you talking about, counsel? I didn’t prosecute this case. So, it’s not a separate case, it doesn’t exist at all.”

While Cheonjegu became a dumb person who ate honey and was dripping broth as he said,

Click.

They played the testimony video from that day.

There were leaks that described Jung Yu-ra as an old woman, and that she did not marry him because she loved him, but because she wanted to use him.

It was a scene where Cheon Je-gu explained it himself.

I said, shaking the statement I had in my arms.

“This is a statement signed by the attorney and the witness, stating that this statement can be used for legal purposes. I will also submit this as evidence.”

They brought it before the judge and presented a statement signed by both of them.

“I admit it. I will register it as evidence in this case.”

Cheon Je-gu kept wiping away the flowing broth with a handkerchief.

“You’re using it like that? Surely, you planned this from the time you allowed the criminal to have a lawyer?”

Cheon Je-gu muttered with a puzzled face.

‘Do you understand now? Cheon Je-gu. The maestro, I mean. He interprets the piece, simulates it countless times, and even imagines the final performance scene in his head before even going into the first rehearsal with the orchestra.’

I looked at Cha Jo-jeong, who was the first witness, and spoke quietly.

“I plan to sue Mr. Cha Jo-jeong for perjury after the trial. If I dig into his bank account records and everything around him, I’ll find the answer.”

I said that and continued the story.

“As you heard directly, the relationship between the two is that witness Park Chan-jin married Jung Yu-ra in order to use her. Why did he need Jung Yu-ra? Just for his career as a reporter? That can’t be possible.”

Park Chan-jin, who was on the witness stand, opened his mouth and clenched his fist.

“I needed money to make a living as a journalist. I admit that. But my wife was like that······.”

bang!

I said, lightly hitting the table in front of the witness stand with my palm.

“Witness. Just answer when I ask you a question. You’ve been a legal reporter for eight years and you don’t even know that?”

Park Chan-jin glared at me with an indignant face.

I liked that evil look in his eyes.

‘Yes. Park Chan-jin. It has to be that look. That criminal bastard shouldn’t dare look at a reporter with that look in his eyes.’

Click.

When I pressed the remote control again, Park Chan-jin’s overseas entry and exit records appeared on the screen.

“In order to confirm the fact that Jung Yu-ra was sent overseas alone for that incident, we also obtained the witness’s entry and exit records. As you can see, on October 28th, two years ago, Park Chan-jin left for Japan. And he returned three days later.”

“What does that have to do with anything, Prosecutor Kang Ji-hyeok?”

“Defense counsel, think carefully. This case is a trial that was started to punish an organized crime group that kidnapped and murdered seven people. And the witness, Park Chan-jin, is the main culprit.”

After scolding Cheon Je-gu, he turned his head and spoke to the judge.

“On this day, Park Chan-jin went to meet the hidden daughter of Shoko Ashara, the leader of the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo cult, in order to bring her to Korea.”

He turned his head and asked Park Chan-jin, who was sitting in the witness stand.

“Witness, you went to Japan that day and met Asuhara Yuki, the hidden daughter of the leader of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, right?”

Park Chan-jin said with a trembling voice.

“No. I went to Japan that day to cover a story.”

At those words, Cheon Je-gu stood up from his seat and pointed his finger in protest.

“Your Honor. The prosecutor is currently writing a novel. How can he tell such a story based on his record of visiting Japan?”

“Attorney. Mr. Park Chan-jin is not sitting in the defendant’s seat right now, but is sitting in the witness stand as a key witness in this case! Where are you interfering?”

bang.

The judge struck the gavel once.

“Attorney. You’re defending the witness who is sitting on the witness stand. What are you doing now?”

Gulp.

Sweat was running down Cheon Je-gu’s pitiful face.

“Defenseman, wipe off your sweat. If you do, both the courtroom and the evidence will get wet.”

Cheon Je-gu sat down, wiping away sweat.

I looked at him for a moment, then shook the courtroom with a firm and loud voice.

“Do you intend to lie until the end, witness? The hidden daughter of the leader of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, Ashara Yuki, is the owner of Bulgaksa, another accomplice in this case. No, I should say she is the demon leader of the cult planted by Park Chan-jin.”

This time the audience was really excited.

“Aum Shinrikyo? That’s that cult that used to do subway terrorism.”

“That cult leader was executed. But that criminal met that hidden daughter?”

“That daughter is the leader of a cult who kidnapped and murdered her?”

The judge quietly brought the microphone to his lips and said:

“Be quiet.”

The audience became quiet, but the reporters tapped away at their keyboards.

After a while, breaking news started coming in.

[Daehan Ilbo reporter Park Chan-jin, did they bring Aum Shinrikyo to Korea?]

When I pressed the remote control button, a video of Yuki Ashara speaking in Japanese with translated subtitles came out.

– Yes, I remember it exactly. When I met Mr. Park Chan-jin in Japan on October 29th, he told me about this plan. After my father’s death, I was about to commit suicide, so this plan was like a ray of light to me. So I remember it exactly.

I stopped the video and glared at Park Chan-jin.

“The witness brought the daughter of an evil Japanese cult leader to South Korea to spread drugs and cults. What on earth were they trying to do?”