Chu Min-jeong was a highly guarded person.
Except for the moment I first entered the restaurant, she showed no change in expression. Even after shaking hands, she quickly withdrew her hand and hid it under the table.
Unkempt hair.
A face devoid of makeup.
Dark circles shadowing her eyes.
It was an appearance that didn't suit a 21-year-old at all.
But considering the employees at Taewoo IT, it wasn't an unfamiliar sight.
They were the type of people who preferred building a world inside a computer rather than decorating themselves.
"Why did you suddenly want to see me?"
"I saw that you applied to Taewoo IT. Although you don't meet the formal qualifications, your impressive achievements caught my attention, so I wanted to meet you in person."
"So, are you planning to hire me? Ah! There must be another reason. You want me to do something illegal, don't you? Well, you've come to the right person. As long as the price is right, I can do anything."
Was this a defense mechanism?
Chu Min-jeong was deliberately downplaying her own worth.
"I'm here to recruit you as a special hire, not through the regular application process."
"How much is the salary? I applied because I heard Taewoo IT offers the highest salaries in Korea. But if it's too low, I'm not interested."
"I promise you the best compensation package."
"How much exactly? Is it over 70 million won? Because that's about how much I'm making right now."
"We'll offer you 100 million won a year, along with full benefits."
"Forget the benefits. Just give me everything in cash."
Chu Min-jeong mentioned money at the end of every sentence.
I already knew why she was so obsessed with it—thanks to the background details and Captain Kang's report.
A father who moved from one construction site to another after his company went bankrupt.
A mother who fell into depression from the emotional shock.
And a younger sibling who was still in high school.
Chu Min-jeong had a family with endless financial burdens, and she had essentially taken on the role of head of the household.
"There are also benefits that money can't buy—such as legal protection if someone harbors a grudge and tries to attack you."
"…You know, don't you?"
"Not in detail, but I do know you're involved in some trouble with the son of a prosecutor from the Central District Prosecutor's Office."
"Are you even allowed to dig into my background like this?"
"We can't just let anyone into Taewoo Group's inner circle. But if you step inside, I can promise you the full protection of Taewoo Group's power."
"I can handle things on my own. But 100 million won… that's not bad. I'll think about it and get back to you. Give me a business card."
I handed her a business card.
She took it, tucked it away, and left the restaurant without even eating.
Captain Kang, who had been waiting at the entrance, watched her leave before approaching me.
"Are you sure it's okay to let her go like that?"
"She's someone with thick emotional walls. If we rush things, she'll only push us away."
"To be honest, I don't understand why you're so determined to recruit her. She's only 21—still just a college student."
"I was already running a Taewoo Group subsidiary in my early 20s."
"But how could anyone compare to you, sir?"
"…I didn't realize you held me in such high regard. I'll double the number of security personnel."
What wouldn't I do to secure an S-class talent?
If her emotional walls were thick, I would break them down little by little—no matter what it took.
"Look into the prosecutor's son who has been harassing Chu Min-jeong."
"We'll obtain all necessary information through our contacts in the prosecution. We'll also arrange for 24-hour surveillance on the prosecutor and his son."
"If you notice any signs of an attack on Chu Min-jeong, inform me immediately. You have permission to act first and report later."
"Ensuring Chu Min-jeong's safety will be our top priority."
***
Jung Ho-young.
He had devoted himself to studying in order to satisfy his prosecutor father.
To maintain his position as the top student in school, he used any means necessary. Eventually, he was admitted to the most prestigious university in Korea.
But he failed to get into the department he wanted.
Because there had been times when another student had taken his place as the top scorer.
By sheer coincidence, he later came across that very student again—through a website offering academic ghostwriting services.
That wretched girl!
She wasn't even planning to go to college, so why did she steal my spot as the top student?!
Years of pent-up resentment exploded within Jung Ho-young. He devised a plan to destroy Chu Min-jeong, the one who had robbed him of his rightful position.
"Why is this taking so long? Didn't you say I could tell you if I needed anything, Investigator?"
"It's almost done. Just wait a little longer. The police investigation will start within the week. Once it does, I'll make sure she gets at least a prison sentence."
Jung Ho-young was conversing with a prosecution investigator.
The man had over 15 years of experience, yet he was bowing and scraping before Jung Ho-young.
That was how powerful Jung Ho-young's father, Jung Shin-su, was.
An impressive academic background, strong connections, and outstanding investigative skills—
He was guaranteed to rise to at least Chief Prosecutor, so ignoring his son's request was not an option.
"It's not like I'm asking for anything difficult. The evidence of her crime is so obvious, so why is this taking forever?"
"We have to make sure you don't get caught up in the case. If you're investigated over something like this, it'll be a hassle."
"I'm counting on you. If you handle this well, I'll make sure to put in a good word with my father."
"Ahem… Not that I'm doing this for favors, but if you do, I'd certainly appreciate it."
"Then make sure this is wrapped up within the week."
Jung Ho-young patted the investigator on the shoulder and walked out.
The moment the door closed behind him, the investigator's face darkened.
"Damn brat… Who the hell does he take after to be this rude? Hah, who else—he's exactly like his father."
Like father, like son.
Jung Shin-su and Jung Ho-young were identical in appearance, mannerisms, and speech.
Fifteen years of humiliation at Jung Shin-su's side still haunted the investigator, making him jolt awake in the middle of the night.
But what choice did he have?
Having already aligned himself with Jung Shin-su's faction, the investigator had no choice but to obey the arrogant brat's demands.
"Chu Min-jeong, was it? Talk about bad luck. Of all the people to cross, she had to end up on his radar."
Jung Shin-su was infamous in the prosecution for his ruthlessness.
Given that, it was obvious how merciless his son would be.
***
A few days later.
Captain Kang brought me some rather amusing news.
"Vice President, Jung Ho-young has been using a prosecution investigator to put pressure on Chu Min-jeong."
"So a prosecution investigator is following the orders of a mere college student? What a fine world we live in."
"Jung Ho-young's father, Jung Shin-su, holds a solid position within the prosecution and has enough influence to leverage connections in the police force as well."
"And how have you handled it?"
Selling a graduation project for money was technically illegal.
But even so, a joint investigation—something usually reserved for serious criminal cases—was now underway.
"We've mobilized our own contacts to obstruct the investigation. In particular, we've received significant assistance from Commissioner Lee Kyung-sik, who was recently transferred to the Seoul District Prosecutor's Office."
"So sending him up from Busan was worth it, then."
"Thanks to Commissioner Lee blocking their moves, we've bought some time. In the meantime, we've tracked down every student who commissioned a graduation project and had them promise to stay silent."
"How many students were involved?"
"A little over 200. If this information were to go public, they could all face degree revocation. That was enough to convince them to keep quiet."
Chu Min-jeong was truly remarkable.
She had managed to create over 200 graduation projects.
Ordinarily, a single project would take anywhere from three months to a year to complete.
Yet she had the ability to produce multiple projects simultaneously.
"The students may have promised to keep quiet, but if the police or prosecution start pressuring them, someone is bound to crack."
"Which means it's time to have a direct negotiation with Chief Prosecutor Jung Shin-su."
"As you know, simple conversation rarely resolves matters like these. He first needs to understand just how formidable his opponent is before he'll agree to talk on equal footing."
"Let's shake up his network a little. I'll arrange for a Deputy Chief Prosecutor to be forced out of office."
A Chief Prosecutor was a high-ranking position.
In bureaucratic terms, it was equivalent to a Grade 2 official, making Jung Shin-su's authority nearly untouchable to ordinary citizens.
But there's always a higher power.
No matter how high you stand, there is always another sky above you.
If I could maneuver someone with more influence than Jung Shin-su, I could pressure him as much as I wanted.
"Let him know, subtly, that if the Deputy Chief Prosecutor steps down, Jung Shin-su could take his place. That should be enough to make him bow his head."
"Are you planning to promote Jung Shin-su to Deputy Chief Prosecutor?"
"On the condition that he stops interfering with Chu Min-jeong. Sending Jung Ho-young abroad should be a sufficient compromise."
"…Understood. I'll proceed accordingly."
Captain Kang hesitated as if he wanted to say something.
He was probably wondering if all of this was really necessary just to recruit Chu Min-jeong.
The answer was simple—YES.
If I could win her over completely, I would do even more.
***
A few days later.
The media erupted in a frenzy over the Deputy Chief Prosecutor's sexual scandal.
Chief Prosecutor Jung Shin-su scrambled to cover up his direct superior's case, running back and forth.
To meet a person claiming to have decisive evidence, he even traveled alone to a secluded mountain lodge near Gyeonggi Province.
As soon as he saw Captain Kang, Jung Shin-su spoke in a harsh tone.
"You've got some nerve, orchestrating a setup against a prosecutor."
There was no way that crucial evidence of a scandal would be revealed in a remote lodge like this.
This had to be a staged plot. And from the aura emanating from Captain Kang, Jung Shin-su was now certain of it.
"I won't deny that this was orchestrated. But it's not like we fabricated something that didn't exist."
"What's your objective? And why summon me here specifically?"
"I have a compelling offer for you, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jung."
"Deputy Chief Prosecutor? Do you not even know my rank? That's quite sloppy of you… Wait—"
"Who do you think will take the vacant seat once the current Deputy Chief Prosecutor steps down? It'll naturally go to his direct subordinate—Chief Prosecutor Jung, wouldn't it?"
Jung Shin-su's mind raced.
An offer like this, out of nowhere?
No matter how he thought about it, there was no clear connection between himself and the man standing before him.
"Who the hell are you? No, more importantly—who's pulling the strings behind you?"
"You'll find out in due time. Just know that this rope we're offering isn't some flimsy lifeline—it's a golden one, far stronger and higher than the one you're holding now."
"This is ridiculous. Do you really think I'll be promoted just because the Deputy Chief Prosecutor is taken down? You think the other factions will just sit back and let it happen?"
"You'll secure the position with a majority vote. I wouldn't call it a golden rope if it weren't guaranteed."
"And if the opposing factions start supporting me, my own faction will suspect me of betrayal."
"The votes will come from the neutral faction."
Only then did Jung Shin-su show real interest.
If this golden rope had the power to take down a Deputy Chief Prosecutor in one swift move…
It might just be worth grabbing onto.