Chapter 18 – Golden Shield (5)
The right to access an attorney is a basic right guaranteed by the Constitution.
No matter how rootless the Special Investigation Unit is, once it is a state agency, it cannot be ignored.
If you watch detective dramas, it’s not that the suspects start looking for a lawyer for no reason.
Seong-yul, who was arrested this time, also met with a lawyer according to his right.
As soon as the interview with the lawyer was over, he noticeably brightened his face.
Seo Ji-yu, who was watching the scene, asked cautiously.
“Chief. Shouldn’t we search the headquarters of the Golden Shield Guild right now?”
“No. There’s no way there’s any evidence left at headquarters.”
I said it with great conviction.
Oracle has the ability to freely access all data storage devices, including corporate intranets.
If such an oracle could not find any trace of a crime, there would be no evidence.
“If you were going to do something like that, you should have done it last night. The Golden Shield would have noticed the situation as soon as contact with the saint rate was lost. Let’s not lose our strength for nothing.”
“Still, in case you don’t know…”
“There is another reason.”
All the eyes of the team members gathered when I pointed to the materials Seo Ji-yu had organized yesterday.
The data described the period it took for the Golden Shield Guild to process short-selling stocks.
“Look. As I said yesterday, the Golden Shield Guild committed crimes based on approximately 60 days. If it was longer there, it would be approximately 3 months. The period for processing stocks was slightly different.”
“Well, after the stock price has plummeted, you can dispose of it anytime you want.”
“Yes. But, the first crime is an exception.”
“Ah. Is that so?”
The PFG chemical fire incident five years ago.
In the same case that caused the stock price to plunge in the same way as the metascience case, which ended in an attempt this time, the period from the start of short selling to the case was much longer.
This one far exceeded 60 days, and it dragged on for almost half a year.
“This must also be a matter of sainthood, but why is there such a difference? Isn’t it strange?”
“I heard it, so it’s like that. It’s the first time, so there was trial and error…”
“For reference, PFG Chemical was a chemical engineering company as the name suggests. However, it started developing its own Hunter equipment right before the short sale.”
“Hmm?”
Only then did Alice click her tongue as if she had a rough idea.
I started commentary for everyone.
“The story I’m going to tell you from now on is in the realm of imagination, not reasoning, but once you’ve heard it, it’s not bad.”
“Imagine…”
“Five years ago, the Golden Shield Guild was going through a deteriorating business. The market was already saturated, and it wasn’t easy for a small to medium-sized guild like the Golden Shield to rise.”
By the way, the Golden Shield executives heard very good news.
It was confidential information about a company called PFG Chemicals.
“If a normal company suddenly jumped into the development of hunter equipment, there’s no way it would go well. It’s normal for it to go bankrupt. So the Golden Shield’s leadership decided to make a once-in-a-lifetime investment.”
“Sir, I hope that’s…”
“Yes. It’s short selling of PFG Chemicals. I borrowed stocks by collecting all the company’s surplus funds.”
The problem is that PFG Chemicals wasn’t 9 out of 10 chances.
Obviously, they had no know-how about Hunter equipment, and they unexpectedly abandoned the jackpot.
I showed the press release at the time and continued the explanation.
“But, surprisingly, they made good things, so instead of the stock price plummeting, it hit the ceiling for three days in a row.”
“Three, my God.”
“Yeah. From the point of view of the short sellers, it’s really worth dying for.”
In short selling, you have to buy the stock you borrowed at the beginning and pay it back later…
If stock prices skyrocket in this way, the losses are endless.
The maximum rate of return is limited to 100%, but the maximum loss rate can grow infinitely as the stock price rises.
Thanks to this, Golden Shield was in danger of going bankrupt rather than reaping profits.
If you wait and believe that the stock price will drop one day, fees and interest increase day by day.
As time went on, the bubble went out a little, but it was still ridiculously high.
If this continued, the entire guild could end up sitting on the sidewalk.
In fact, if you look at the accounts of the guild members at the time, it seems that they even delayed paying wages.
However, Hunters with indomitable will did not give up easily.
To be precise, the guild master and his older brother, Saint Yul, could not give up.
If the stock price does not go down, you have no choice but to go down yourself.
Seong-yul thought so and attempted to commit a crime.
Unfortunately, the results have been very successful.
“The cause of the fire at PFG Chemical’s warehouse was not properly identified, but Golden Shield was not suspected.”
Because PFG Chemical was developing Hunter equipment.
Accidents caused by mishandling magic stones, monster corpses, or hunter abilities have been happening since the beginning of the Hunter era.
This was especially possible for a company that lacked know-how like PFG Chemical.
“So… You didn’t intend to commit the crime at all in the first place?”
“Perhaps. Accidentally, driven into a corner. At least that’s my guess.”
But the saints rate was not noticed.
Far from being judged by the law, he reaped huge profits.
Thanks to this, the Golden Shield Guild became bolder.
They have completely transformed into a planned and systematic criminal organization.
“I went from hell to heaven in one night, how can I get hold of the hunter job?
“Sure?”
“First of all, after short selling, it’s a sneak peek at the guild members. If there is a profit thanks to it, it’s allotted in the form of a bonus.”
It was possible because the guild was like a family.
Even a small amount of bonuses continued to be deposited into the account of Ahn Tae-yang, a missing person.
“Mr. Ahn Taeyang, who went missing, received only a small bonus. He probably noticed his colleagues’ crimes, or he was disposed of for refusing to follow instructions.”
“… That makes sense.”
“I have a rough idea of the circumstances. Then what can we do?”
Seo Ji-yu said with enthusiasm on the subject of embezzlement.
No, maybe it’s because he’s a former criminal of embezzlement.
She was properly punished, but wouldn’t it be unfair if others were not properly punished?
I pointed her out of her holding facility and said.
“Jiyu, bring me some coffee.”
“Are you serious?”
“For now, we have no choice but to wait until the saints rate opens their mouths.”
“No. That can’t be the case. If the team leader’s hypothesis is correct, the saints rate is the beginning and end of the crimes committed by the Golden Shield…”
Even if he confesses right away, he will be punished up to the PFG chemical incident from five years ago.
Seo Ji-yu pointed it out and raised her voice.
“Anyway, the guild will treat you for silence, so he might call a pretty lawyer from prison and flirt with you.”
“Oh, that’s not true.”
A smile came out at the worry that was more detailed than expected.
Abusing the right to visit a lawyer to enjoy a pleasant and leisurely prison life is certainly something that happens in real life…
The saints rate isn’t that big.
“Why?”
“Such services are extremely expensive. Do you think talented people like pretty young lawyers are cheap?
“Yes? Really?”
That kind of thing can really be enjoyed by the president.
No matter how much Seong-yul is a founding contributor to the Golden Shield Guild, he couldn’t enjoy such luxury.
However, it is an undeniable fact that the saints will be treated well in their own way.
The Golden Shield Guild will do their best to commute his sentence.
If the saints rate is treated as cold food by the guild, get a life sentence or have your deposit cut off in prison. Then, even if he feels unfair, he can blow away all his past crimes.
Of course, I had no intention of leaving it that way.
“Don’t worry, I have thoughts.”
“What the hell are you going to do…”
“By the way, Mr. Jiu, is my coffee gone?”
“Profit!”
Seo Ji-yu got angry and headed to the cafe in the lobby of the association.
After distributing a press release to the press, I left work earlier than usual.
That night.
Late at night, I quietly sneaked into the association headquarters.
The makeshift facility at the Association’s headquarters was equipped with electronic security equipment as well as hunter abilities, but none of them stopped me.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve worn this outfit.’
The outfit of Green Dust, a professional hunter and killer, was relatively simple.
A colored, hooded coat that melts effortlessly into the dark.
Of course, it is equipment with Hunter ability.
He wore a mask over his mouth.
It wasn’t a mask that covered the entire face, because everyone looked similar anyway if only the lower part was covered.
It is a design that is easy enough to blend in with the crowd if necessary.
While advancing while wrapped in a green, ember-like material, I faced the saint rate without difficulty.
Seong-Yul, who was sleeping in the dark, was started when he felt my presence.
“What! That, green dust?!”
The green embers wandering in the darkness were my exclusive possession, so he immediately recognized me.
It’s kind of funny that an assassin has such an easy-to-recognize trait… But actually, it’s rather good because he’s both an assassin and an executioner.
I increased the amount of green dust emitted and spoke in a modulated voice.
The inside and outside of the iron cage where the saints were confined shone even more brightly.
“Saints rate. I know your sins.”
“Wait!
Caught in fear, the percentage of saints who without hesitation puts themselves down.
I comforted him with all my sincerity.
“Be proud of yourself. You are one of the most vicious scum I’ve ever seen.”
“Huh, stop talking nonsense! Taking some blind money from the market is a big deal?”
“Are you going to say the same to the PFG Chemical employees who ended up on the street because of you? The night shift workers who couldn’t even walk properly because of severe burns?”
Wow!
The green dust that hovered around the cage attacked him at my will.
Like most special substance generation hunters, I also had the ability to control the green dust I had already created.
The green powder floating in the air dug into the body of Saint Seongyul without hesitation.
“Kheup!”
It was the saint rate that I tried to hold my breath, but it couldn’t be that.
He ended up inhaling the green dust along with the air.
“Heo-eok, hee-eok… Stop it! Stop it!”
“You know that my green dust is radioactive, right? Have you ever felt the slow decay inside your body?”
“No! Don’t!”
He screamed like a child, but it was an empty cry anyway.
With a snap of my finger, I activated the green dust he inhaled.
Right after that, the guy, who felt his body his tingle, spewed out thick blood.
This one room would have shortened the lifespan by 5 years.
“Ku, cool! No… Save me! I didn’t do it because I wanted to. It was all done by the guild master!”
The percentage of saints who hurriedly talk about the fact that they could really die.
Even if the laws of this country aren’t scary, death seems scary.
I laughed broadly inwardly, but replied in a calm voice.
“Are you selling your colleagues?”
“Really! There is evidence. There is evidence with the instructions of the guild master! At first, I did it voluntarily, but after that, they kept pressuring me, so I secretly filmed it!”
“Evidence?”
“Yes. It’s a very clean film. Of course it has audio. It’s in my private safe deposit box, so please… Check it out! If you check it out, I’ll confess in court!”
“…Give me your address.”
Saint Seong-yul recieved the address and password of the safe deposit box at once.
Judging from my experience, this is very likely true.
He was also keeping evidence.
It doesn’t make sense that this meticulous bastard didn’t have these safeguards in place.
Turning away from him, I warned him one last time.
“You’d better keep your promise. The green dust in your body can be reactivated at any time.”
“Now, wait. Really… Confessing will save you, right?”
No further conversation was necessary.
The rate of saints who were trembling inside the cage quickly moved away.
