Chapter 726: Tie (3)

As soon as I heard that Jang So-Yeon's stepfather was causing a scene in the lobby, I gave instructions to Lee Yung-Jin.

"Yung-Jin, check if he has a warrant. He can't come in if he doesn't, so don't be scared no matter what."

"Yes, sir."

"And contact Mr. Kwak Moo-Hyuk from the legal department. Ask him to come down to the lobby. I'll be down soon too."

Lee Yung-Jin tilted his head. "Aren't we going down together?"

"I can't go down empty-handed."

To take Jang Bok-Gil down, I had to verify something first.

"Understood," Lee Yung-Jin nodded and left the meeting room, the door thudding behind him.

Ju Yung-In looked at me curiously. "Oppa, what are you planning?"

"Background check on a corrupt cop?"

The opponent was the chief detective of the Gangnam Police Department, someone with real authority. I couldn't resort to fists, so I needed to use my head.

I immediately called Go An-Na, a friend who worked at Reverse Entertainment. She used to work at Club Lucy, so there was a good chance she would know something about Jang Bok-Gil. When Go An-Na picked up, her voice was cheerful.

-Yoon-Ho~ I saw the Real Ramen commercial last night. Can't you cook me some of that ramen too?

"I'll cook you as many packets as you want, but I need a favor first."

-

Ooh

~ sounds serious from the way you're asking.

"Yeah. Do you know the chief detective at Gangnam Police? His name is Jang Bok-Gil."

At that moment, the playfulness vanished from Go An-Na's voice.

-I do. That piece of trash. He used to come to our club often.

'

Just as I thought.

'

"Do you have any dirt on him? Like who he hung out with in the VIP rooms or who he met?"

-

Hmm

... In the club, he used to party with Ruby and Ye-Rin. And I think he was getting kickbacks from guys running illegal arcades or private casinos in Gangnam.

"Really? Do you know which gangs those guys were with?"

Go An-Na's tone turned sharp.

-Why? Don't tell me that bastard's messing with you. Should I come over?

She sounded upset and ready to storm into the company.

"No, not me. He's messing with someone else. Do you remember Choi Jin-Sook from our orphanage?"

-Jin-Sook?

"Yeah. She was with us for about a month when we were thirteen. The girl who never ate and cried all the time. She had really defined features."

-

Oooh

... her? Vaguely, yeah.

"She came to our company just now. She changed her name to Jang So-Yeon."

-But why is Jang Bok-Gil messing with So-Yeon?

"So-Yeon's stepfather is Jang Bok-Gil. He's here now, causing a scene at our company."

-That guy's totally insane.

"Exactly. So I called to ask if you had anything on him."

-Okay. If I remember right, he was taking kickbacks from the Heukseok gang and Solgae gang in Gangnam. I'll also check with Soo-Chan to see if he knows more.

I had just acquired the perfect weapon to deal with Jang Bok-Gil.

"Thanks. I owe you ramen after this."

-Make it two packs!

"Deal!"

Click.

As I ended the call, Ju Yung-In gave me a look of disbelief. "

Whoa

~ Just how far do your connections go?"

"All over, I guess."

Thanks to how hard I had worked in my second life, my current network was almost on par with what I had built right before regression.

I turned away from the stunned Ju Yung-In and addressed Jang So-Yeon firmly. "I'll head down and take care of it. You just stay put, alright?"

Jang So-Yeon looked at me with an apologetic expression. "I'm really sorry for causing all this trouble."

"This isn't your fault. Don't ever say that again."

Jang So-Yeon nodded. "Okay."

I gave a smile to reassure Jang So-Yeon, then stood up.

Just then, Ju Yung-In awkwardly got to her feet as well. "I'll go with you."

"No. Stay here and look after So-Yeon."

Ju Yung-In was a top-tier celebrity, second only to Yoo-Jin. If she went down to the lobby and got caught up in the mess, who knew what kind of ridiculous headlines might come out of it. I needed to avoid that kind of risk.

Ju Yung-In plopped back into her seat, clearly sulking. "

Tch.

Fine. But you better make me some ramen too!"

She usually wouldn't touch ramen in the name of body maintenance, so this was unexpected.

"Alright."

"Make it two packs, and add an egg!"

Ju Yung-In really hated losing.

"Deal!"

With that promise made, I left the meeting room.

***

In the first-floor lobby of Hoop Entertainment, a man around 185 centimeters tall with broad shoulders was yelling at the top of his lungs. Behind him, two burly detectives stood with casual postures, creating a menacing atmosphere.

"What the hell are you people doing locking up my daughter? Bring Jang So-Yeon here, right now! You think I'm joking?"

Jang So-Yeon's stepfather, Jang Bok-Gil, was making a scene and flailing his finger around. Lee Yung-Jin and Security Team Lead Kim Seok-Hoon were standing firm in front of him.

Lee Yung-Jin explained, "Mr. Jang, you can't be doing this without a warrant. How many times do I have to say it?"

At that, Jang Bok-Gil roared again. "Move, you punk! A father's here to find his daughter. What do I need a warrant for?"

"If you keep this up, we'll call the police for trespassing!"

"We are the police! Who the hell are you gonna call?"

Despite Jang Bok-Gil trying to push past him, Lee Yung-Jin didn't flinch and held his ground with composure. He had grown a lot. I should really keep piling work on him so he can get promoted to team lead faster.

I stepped in. "Yung-Jin, I'll take over now. Good job."

Lee Yung-Jin stepped back. "Yes, Mr. Jung."

Jang Bok-Gil's gaze shifted from him to me. "

Oh?

Aren't you that hotshot Jung Yoon-Ho or whatever? The one who did the commercial? Right?"

He was trying to act clueless now, after trying to set me up with Jang So-Yeon under orders from TNT.

I calmly replied, "Ms. Jang So-Yeon said she wanted to become a celebrity, so we were just having a consultation. Now calm down and leave quietly."

"Shouldn't her parents be involved in something like this? You think I don't know about shady talent agents tricking naive girls into signing bogus contracts?"

"Ms. Jang So-Yeon is twenty-two years old. She's not a minor. So stop with the parent talk and just go home."

"I can't do that. She's my daughter!"

With that, Jang Bok-Gil stomped toward me. At once, Kim Seok-Hoon and his staff instinctively stepped between us.

"You punks think you can block me? Move!"

I gestured for Kim Seok-Hoon to stand down. "Mr. Kim, I'll handle this. Please step aside."

"But Mr. Jung, this is—"

"It's alright."

Reluctantly, Kim Seok-Hoon stepped aside.

Jang Bok-Gil came right up to me and whispered so only I could hear. "If you don't hand over So-Yeon right now, I'll bring my whole team and tear this place apart. If we find even one trace of controlled substances, you're finished, you little shit."

Spoken like a real chief detective, his warning was sharp and threatening. However, I leaned in and whispered back with a sneer.

"Mr. Jang Bok-Gil. I know you were acting under TNT Entertainment's orders to use So-Yeon to set me up. What do you think would happen if I leaked that to the press? A corrupt cop exposed as a corporate lapdog for an entertainment company and a conglomerate?"

Jang Bok-Gil's face turned an awful shade of brown. He clearly hadn't imagined the whole setup plan using Jang So-Yeon had already been uncovered.

"You fucking bastard. How did you convince So-Yeon?"

"That's not your concern. So, what are you going to do now? Should I go ahead and report you to the Police Internal Affairs Office? For obstruction of business, abuse of authority, and trespassing?"

Jang Bok-Gil's face twisted with rage. "What the hell would a talent agent know about that?"

"

Oh,

trust me, I know. Crooked cops like you are everywhere."

Before the regression, the celebrities I managed often got into trouble and I had to deal with it alongside lawyers. Thanks to that, I knew exactly how to handle the police.

"You little shit. Just because you picked up some crap somewhere doesn't make you all that... I'm a chief detective, got that? And you think I took money from TNT Entertainment? That's ridiculous. Try proving it, tough guy!"

"Who said anything about the president of TNT Entertainment ordering it?"

"Then what?"

"Word is, the gangsters who paid you off are itching to spill everything."

"How... how do you know about that...?"

"Get ready. I'm going to report everything to Internal Affairs—every last bribe you took."

Jang Bok-Gil began trembling, speechless. Eventually, he took a step back.

"You'll regret this, Jung Yoon-Ho."

"Be my guest."

Jang Bok-Gil growled and turned to the detectives behind him. "Let's go. This punk's still got more to say."

"Sir?"

"

Ah,

just forget it. So-Yeon's not a minor, so let's just call it a day."

The two detectives followed Jang Bok-Gil with irritation on their faces.

Clunk.

Only after the three of them finally stormed out of the building did Lee Yung-Jin let out a deep sigh. "Those guys don't look like cops. They're more like gangsters."

"Cops are still people. Some are good, some are scum." Then I turned to Kim Seok-Hoon and asked, "Mr. Kim, do you know who those two were with Jang Bok-Gil?"

"Yes. They're Detectives Lee Tae-Jin and Oh Seok-Man. They're direct subordinates of Chief Jang."

"Got it."

Just then, Lee Yung-Jin tilted his head. "Mr. Jung, isn't it over now?"

"Over? This is just the beginning."

After answering Lee Yung-Jin, I called Lee Soo-Chan right away.

"Soo-Chan."

-Yes, hyung-nim. I got a call from An-Na noo-nim. That bastard stepdad of Jang So-Yeon is really the one, huh?

"Yeah. Did you dig up anything yet?"

-I got a few statements from gang members, but getting recordings will take some time.

"Send over what you have for now. And keep feeding me anything that comes up."

-I'll send it now. Just a sec.

Then Lee Soo-Chan messaged me the file through Kk Talk.

[Testimonies on misconduct by Chief Detective Jang Bok-Gil, Gangnam Police Department]

[1. Regular payments from Heukseok and Solgae gangs in Gangnam.]

[2. Appears at Anseok Building basement near Gangnam Station on the 12th of every month for collections. Heukseok gang territory.]

[3. Appears at Club Lima near Gangnam Station on the 15th of every month. Collects in VIP rooms, using hostesses. Solgae gang territory.]

There were only three items so far, but even that was enough to start reporting.

"Thanks. Keep sending me anything else you find."

-Yes, hyung-nim.

As I hung up, Kim Seok-Hoon spoke from beside me. "Mr. Jung, I can report this to Internal Affairs. I know a few people there."

"No. I have no intention of contacting Internal Affairs."

"Pardon me?"

Someone like a chief detective could easily neutralize an internal investigation. I knew that, yet I still mentioned Internal Affairs to Jang Bok-Gil. That was all part of the setup I had planned. It was a classic feint. I had intended from the start to tip off Seo Jae-Ill while Jang Bok-Gil was busy bracing for an audit.

Kim Seok-Hoon's eyes widened as he asked, "You were planning to blindside him from the start?"

"Yes. There's too much dirt to leave this to the police."

I gave a smile to the stunned Kim Seok-Hoon, then immediately called Seo Jae-Ill.

"Mr. Seo, I'd like to report a corrupt cop."

I then relayed the detailed allegations against Jang Bok-Gil.

-The chief detective of Gangnam Police Department was doing all that instead of catching criminals?

"Yes. I sent you everything I've gathered via Kk Talk. Once you look into it, you'll see."

-Thank you for the anonymous tip. We'll begin an investigation right away.

Cops who ended up in prison were often tormented by the very people they once put behind bars. There was no doubt Jang Bok-Gil's remaining years would be far worse than anything Jang So-Yeon had suffered.

'

Poetic justice

.'

Lately, I found that phrase particularly satisfying.

***

After finishing my call with Seo Jae-Ill, I explained the full situation to Kwak Moo-Hyuk, who had come down to the lobby. After all, the company needed to be prepared too.

Just then, I overheard whispers from staff passing by—one from Division 5, formerly of Gwanwoo Entertainment, and another from Division 1, a former Suhyaejong talent.

-Sounds like the girl Chief Jung brought in got a lot of issues.

-I heard she came in earlier, completely soaked. She looked like a total mess. You know the type.

-Maybe this time, we'll finally see Chief Jung fail?

Lee Yung-Jin looked ready to confront them. "Those jerks—"

Yet I grabbed Lee Yung-Jin by the arm and shook my head. "It's okay. Just let it go."

"Mr. Jung, Aren't you even angry?"

"I can repay petty people like them by succeeding."

That was what I said, but the moment I heard those coworkers gossiping, I gave up on the idea of slowly building Jang So-Yeon's career. I couldn't ever allow anyone to look down on or judge her again.

'

So-Yeon, this time around, I'll raise you right.

'

Just like Everyday had once helped me, I intended to gift Jang So-Yeon a second life.

***

Back upstairs in the meeting room, Jang So-Yeon wasn't alone. Alongside Ju Yung-In were President Ahn Yung-Hee and Do Ran-Hee.

I sat across from Jang So-Yeon and explained what had happened in the lobby. "Jang Bok-Gil will be arrested soon. Until then, I'll make sure nothing happens to you, so don't worry too much."

"Thank you... oppa."

Only then did Jang So-Yeon finally exhale a sigh of relief. Still, her low self-esteem made her glance around nervously, just like before. This meant I needed to debut her quickly. After all, her confidence hadn't begun to improve until she became a celebrity in the previous timeline.

I started checking a few things before making that happen.

"So-Yeon, have you ever been involved in school violence?"

"No. I transferred schools a lot, so I didn't even have any friends. As you know, my mom kept remarrying and divorcing, so I couldn't really hang out with kids my age."

"Are you dating anyone right now?"

"No... Who would like someone like me?"

The fact that she had no history of bullying and no boyfriend was a solid first pass. And then, a brilliant idea hit me. Not only could I debut Jang So-Yeon right away, but I could also deal a serious blow to TNT Entertainment—the ones who orchestrated today's mess.

Two days from now, on Friday morning of March 13th at the Grand Ballroom of Jinseong Hotel & Resort in Samseong-dong, the Asian Brand Conference would take place. The event served as a networking hub for Asia-based execs from luxury brands, and TNT Entertainment's President Yoo Kang-Seok was planning to attend with Min Gyu-Ri.

"So-Yeon, you said you'd do whatever I asked, right?"

Jang So-Yeon nodded. "Yes. Anything."

"Then get ready. You're debuting as a model."

"When?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"What?!"

Jang So-Yeon's already big eyes widened even more. Of course, modeling required skill especially with walking and posing. However, Jang So-Yeon had the natural talent to pick it up instantly.

I was about to reassure her and tell her not to worry when I heard an urgent bang on the door.

Bang bang bang.

-Chief Jung, are you in there?

It was Chief Gu Sung-Cheol.

"Yes, Mr. Gu. Please come in."

Click.

The door swung open and Gu Seong-Cheol burst in, out of breath. "All team leads and above need to report to the meeting room immediately!"

Apparently, the earlier incident in the lobby had triggered an emergency meeting.

"

Oh,

if it's about that, don't worry too much. I already called Prosecutor Seo—"

"That's not the issue! Talent Agents from Gwanwoo and Suhyaejong's divisions are all speaking out against So-Yeon's recruitment!"

It looked like I would have to take care of the enemies inside first before dealing with TNT Entertainment.