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Incheon Central Prosecutor's Office Main Conference Room
The room was filled with around 500 prosecutors, one of the largest gatherings in the nation. Everyone knew well enough why they were there todayâafter all, the recent uproar surrounding the entertainment industryâs sex-for-favors scandal and the controversy about Prosecutor Lee Na-eunâs ostracism had been circulating widely.
Naturally, Prosecutor Lee Na-eun was the center of attention. People were whispering about her so much that the murmurs filled the room with a dull roar. As the chief prosecutor stepped onto the platform, everyone rose to their feet. In unison, they bowed, looking more like a scene from a gangster movie than a formal assembly.
The chief prosecutor stood at attention, nodded slightly, and the rest took their seats.
Tap. Tap.
He lightly tapped the microphone to test it.
"I am Lee Jung-jae, Chief Prosecutor of the Incheon Central Prosecutor's Office. Over the past few days, we have had to endure insults, pressures, and accusations too vile to repeat. Yes, we may be corrupt at times. We may even accept bribes or favors. But I still have faithâfaith that we, the ones who wield the law as our weapon, are different from the barbaric brutes with weapons out there. We are different from the ignorant masses who criticize us from behind their monitors without seeking the truth. I believe we are capable of admitting and reflecting on our mistakes and that we can become better because of it. Just because we are faced with ignorance and barbarism doesnât mean we should stoop to their level. Rather, we should look inward, accept our flaws, and strive to become better."
Lee Na-eun couldnât help but smirk to herself. She found it almost funny.
"And so, the Prosecution Office has decided to establish a special prosecutor to restore our tarnished honor. This will be based out of the Ganghwa Prosecutor's Office, and the special prosecutor will beâ"
The chief prosecutor looked directly at Lee Na-eun.
"âProsecutor Lee Na-eun of Criminal Division 3."
"â¦."
The room erupted with murmurs of acknowledgment.
"Effective immediately, all unreasonable actions against Special Prosecutor Lee Na-eun will be lifted. Should any such incidents occur in the future, appropriate measures will be taken."
Lee Na-eun resisted the urge to ask, "And where exactly is this supposed reflection and repentance on your part?"
The chief prosecutor, rigid and upright, seemed to be trying his best to avoid bowing. The sight was mildly amusing to her, sparking a faint interest in her otherwise apathetic mood.
With a slight smile, she rose to her feet.
"What are the limits of the special prosecutor's authority?"
"You will be provided with a Terminator."
"!!!"
"A Terminator? Thatâs far too dangerousâ¦."
The room was suddenly buzzing with a noise far greater than before. Yet the clamor quickly subsided as the chief prosecutor raised his hand.
"Special Prosecutor Lee Na-eun will operate as an independent judicial and enforcement body, with the Terminator provided to her and her assigned team. She will have full authority over its usage. That is all."
With that, the prosecutors all stood again, though they were visibly disturbed. The Terminator represented the highest level of prosecutorial power, allowing on-the-spot action without requiring court judgments. Though it carried heavy regulations and significant political burdens, it gave prosecutors unparalleled authority to judge and execute.
Granting a special prosecutor such power indicated that this wasnât a mere formalityâthey were committed to achieving tangible results.
This should be interesting.
Feeling the shifting glances toward her, Lee Na-eun hurried on her way. With her entire team gone, there was a lot for her to handle.
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"The policeâs transition toward a more militarized role left a gap that the prosecution stepped in to fill. The authorities realized that sticking to traditional structures would hinder swift responses."@@novelbin@@
"So thatâs why they introduced the Terminator, with its summary judgment capabilities?"
"Exactly."
So that was the context.
In the game, the Terminator was a legendary weapon, but it rarely appeared unless the player stormed the Prosecutorâs Office. It was a tool used to establish a new world order when siding with justice, though Iâd never gone down that route myself.
"Donât you know that drama? Thereâs a famous one."
Suah suddenly adopted a gun stance, extending her arm and bending her knee slightly.
"Rapid Execution System Terminator! Please execute with careful judgment!"
Then she mimed firing a gun, adding a "Bang!" with her mouth.
"And then, pop! The head explodes!"
She was having a bit too much fun with it.
"Wait, donât the police do the same thing? Youâre pretty trigger-happy yourself."
"Thatâs only because I have you behind me, Master. If I were just some ordinary team leader, thereâs no way Iâd be able to do it."
"Is that so?"
She seemed to take heads off quite naturally, but all right.
"Now that Lee Na-eun has the Terminator, we could just storm the agencies and start shooting, couldnât we?"
"With your backing, it might be possible. But a massacre in the middle of Ganghwa might be overkill. Usually, the suspect must actively resist or attempt to escape for the Terminator to be deployed. There needs to be an obvious reason."
"Like, âThat guyâs runningâhe must be guilty. Shoot him!â Something like that?"
"Exactly. Besides, it's more about sending a message. âWeâre serious, so youâd better cooperate.â Honestly, sex-for-favors doesnât merit capital punishment."
"True."
"Weâre telling them, âWeâre going all out, so youâd better spill.â"
"I see."
I might have pushed them too hard. They seemed pretty upset.
But really, they could have avoided this by not ostracizing her in the first place. Did anyone force them to torment Prosecutor Lee Na-eun?
Then again, maybe they actually were pressured into it hereâ¦.
Ahem.
I called Lee Na-eun, and she picked up almost immediately.
"- This is Special Prosecutor Lee Na-eun."
"Itâs your master."
"- Yes. Do you have any instructions for me?"
She was being so formal. She must have been with others.
"Congratulations on the special prosecutor appointment. How does it feel to wield unchecked power?"
"- I only feel the weight of responsibility."
"Is that so? Suah filled you in on everything, right?"
"- Yes. I will handle it with utmost diligence. You have nothing to worry about."
"Good. Keep up the hard work."
After a brief exchange, I ended the call. Now, all those agencies involved in sex-for-favors were about to collapse. Only Goryeo Entertainment and Rainbow Miracle would survive.
Bzzz.
An incoming call. Emilia.
"Yes?"
"- Uh, M-Master."
"Donât worry. Itâs all part of the plan."
"- Huh?"
"Itâs my plan."
"- â¦Really?"
"Hyun-joo wrote the first article. Lee Na-eun is the special prosecutor. Doesnât that give you a clue?"
"- I suspected, but I wasnât sureâ¦."
"Donât worry about anything else. Just focus on preparing the LUMINA album."
"- Understood, Master. Iâll trust you."
I ended the call.
Emilia seemed nervous as the situation grew more intense. Despite her tough exterior, she had a surprisingly soft core.
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Breaking News:
Stavel Entertainment Suspected of 280 Cases of Sexual Favors Over 15 YearsâShocking Scandal
Iris Pictures Accused of âSlave Contractsâ with TraineesâWidespread Illegal Contracts in the Industry
Astro Muse Leaks 80 Cases of Sex-for-Favors DocumentsâK-Entertainment Scandal Deepens
Entertainment Industry Faces Crisis of TrustâThe Ugly Truth Behind the Glamour
Who is Responsible for the K-Entertainment Sex-for-Favors Scandal?
Day after day, bombshells were dropping. Every morning, just checking the news gave me a rush of dopamine.
"Reporter Yoon Hayeong seems especially devoted. Maybe she feels guilty about her former team leader."
"Maybe sheâs trying to atone by going after everyone involved in this filth."
"Or something like that? Hyun-joo, on the other hand, is now part of my collection."
"And sheâs working under Prosecutor Lee Na-eun, whoâs also mine, indirectly doing my bidding. I canât wait to see her face when she learns the truth."
What kind of expression will she make?
Will she be so disheartened that she gives up on everything? Or will she charge ahead, still clinging to her principles?
Knowing Reporter Yoon Hayeongâs character, the latter might be possible.
"Isnât the investigation happening today? Was it Rainbow Miracle yesterday?"
"Yes. According to the documents from Special Prosecutor Lee Na-eun, Rainbow Miracle is in the clear. Sheâll be leading the investigation herself today. Do you want to watch?"
"No need."
Itâs been a while since I secured Lee Na-eun, but I have other matters today.
"With the sex-for-favors scandal, plenty of celebrities are terminating their contracts, right?"
"Yes. Many are filing lawsuits as well."
"Pick up any clean actresses or female idols. Models are fine too."
"Understood, Master."
With LUMINAâs debut on track, itâs time to scoop up all the talent and expand.