The Uncrowned King of the Peninsula

Chapter 140 Be honest with me

At the entrance of Burning Sun, more than a dozen policemen formed a strong blockade, firmly blocking the crowd coming to protest. Behind him, Li Shengli looked at the crowd outside the blockade and smiled gently.

"What? Lee Seungri?!" Kim Min-woon opened his eyes wide in shock. He looked at Lee Seungri who seemed fine, then looked at Kim Yong-min and the other two who were surrounded. "What happened to Dad?"

"Did they make a mistake?"

"Shouldn't the one being arrested be Lee Seung-ri?"

Liu Zhimin beside him shook his head, as if he had thought of something, and muttered to himself, "Who knows."

Li Shengli, who was standing at the door, looked at the speechless crowd and repeated, "Why, weren't you calling me just now? I thought everyone wanted to come in and play."

He had a smile on his face, but he looked so hateful in the eyes of everyone, "Asshole! How dare you smile?!"

"You still don't repent?!"

"Confession? What do I have to confess?" Li Shengli's face showed a puzzled expression. "What are you talking about? I'm really confused."

"The news's out! Why are you pretending?" someone shouted. "Just confess!"

"Confess?" The smile on Li Shengli's face gradually faded. "Confess to what crime?"

"You believe some random paparazzi's slander?" His face darkened. "Do you guys have any brains left?"

"What evidence is there?"

"You're blocking my door?"

"Ridiculous!" He sighed, as if he had seen some huge joke.

"How come there's no evidence? The victim, Ms. Julia, has even come out to identify you!"

"Where's the evidence? If pointing fingers can be considered evidence, then I'll point fingers at you too. You're the murderer!" Li Shengli's eyes were fierce, "And..."

He clapped his hands, and a girl walked out of the door behind him, her eyes evasive and her face pale.

"This is the Miss Julia you are talking about."

Everyone looked at each other.

The victim who identified Lee Seung-ri as the murderer, how come he appears next to Lee Seung-ri again?

Jin Minyue took a deep breath and suddenly had an ominous premonition in her heart. She turned to look at Liu Zhimin, but only saw her looking at her quietly with an expressionless face.

"Ouni..."

Jin Min-yeon called out, but Liu Zhimin didn't answer. She was about to say something when Julia's voice came out.

"Hello everyone, I'm Julia." Her eyes were a little evasive.

"Julia xi, what's wrong with you? Are you threatened?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"...No." Julia shook her head.

"then you……"

"Today I want to tell you, actually," Julia interrupted the crowd, "actually..."

She paused mid-sentence.

"Speak!" Li Shengli said.

Julia shuddered visibly when she heard his voice. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and continued, "Actually, what I said in the interview..."

Outside the nightclub, it was quiet, and everyone held their breath, waiting for her next words.

"What I said was false. I'm sorry." Her tears suddenly flowed down. "I'm sorry, I lied to everyone."

Silence fell.

"I wasn't violated. I just wanted to get the tip-off fee from Hanjiang Sports. Only then..."

It seemed as if every word weighed a thousand pounds. "That's just a lie."

She finally finished, tears streaming down her face, and bowed deeply to everyone, "I'm sorry!"

"sorry!"

For a moment, it was unclear who she was apologizing to.

Jin Min-woon looked at Julia who bowed deeply, and clenched his small fists tightly, "Why..."

she murmured.

"Look! They use high fees for tips to lure others to lie, and then publish it as some kind of news to slander my reputation!" Li Shengli's face returned to smile.

"However, since Julia xi has apologized sincerely, I still forgive her."

"However, if that reporter Pei Yongjun makes such a false report, neither I, my agency, nor the business I manage can forgive him."

"Next, I will sue Bae Young-joon for defamation! I will also file a complaint with the Korean Journalists Association and demand that this unscrupulous journalist's license be revoked!"

"As for those bad cops colluding with Bae Yong-jun," he glanced at the surrounded Kim Yong-min, who also had a look of shock on his face, "they used fabricated evidence to retaliate against me, even shutting down the nightclub I worked so hard to run, and then taking me to the police station, torturing me in every way!"

"I will also file a complaint with the Seoul Police Department and seek justice for me."

He opened his arms and shouted, "Give me back the innocence of a legitimate businessman and a public figure!"

"Lee Seung-ri! What nonsense are you talking about?" Kim Yong-min came to his senses and was furious. "Who told you to reopen this nightclub so casually?"

"What groundless rumors? We can't operate until the rectification is complete!"

"Your business will be shut down for a year for this kind of behavior!"

"do you understand?!"

The police continued to shove Jin Rongmin and the other two. Jin Rongmin could no longer bear it. "Also, who are you? Which department are you from? Don't you know that this place is sealed off according to the law?"

"What do you mean by according to the law? Guard Kim Yong-min!" Another policeman got out of the police car. He was wearing a windbreaker and looked like a police officer.

"Captain Park?" Jin Rongmin's eyes were filled with shock. This man was none other than the chief of their police station. "What are you doing here?"

"Why am I here? If I hadn't come, I wonder how long you'd continue to enforce the law so recklessly?!"

Director Park looked serious, his winter police uniform was straight and majestic, and he looked upright.

"Me?" Jin Rongmin couldn't believe it.

"That's right! There was a problem with your inspection procedures last night. It was an invalid inspection, and the punishment is naturally invalid. I've already told the merchant, so they resumed business. What are you looking for now?"

"Is there a problem with the procedures? What problem?" Jin Rongmin couldn't help but ask.

"If you have any questions, tell us when you get back!" Director Park walked over to Kim Yong-min and whispered through gritted teeth, "Deputy Director Zhang from the Municipal Bureau has called. How long are you going to make such a fuss?"

"Director Zhang?" Jin Rongmin's eyes widened. "My inspection permit was signed by Director Zhang. How could there be a problem with the paperwork?"

"If Director Zhang says there's a problem, then there's a problem!"

Jin Rongmin was stunned.

"The people I'm with today were assigned to me by the Municipal Bureau," Director Park said in a cold tone, his eyes flashing with threats. "If you still don't understand what to do now, you can expect to go to Nanshan to see the reservoir tomorrow!"

"Now it's time..."

"Now is the time to protect the law-abiding merchants of Seoul!" Director Park saw that he was stubborn and unyielding. "Sooner or later, you will be ruined by your restless nephew!"

"Get back here now and don't get in my way."

"Do you want to disobey orders?!" He glared at Jin Rongmin.

Jin Rongmin clenched his fists in anger, but he was helpless. He could not do anything by himself. Even the only penalty notice he could rely on had been declared invalid.

He stood there angrily for a while, then walked away helplessly.

"Alright, alright!" Director Park turned to look at the protesters and waved his hands. "This is a critical traffic area. If you want to protest, you must apply in advance. If you can't produce an application, leave immediately!"

The police linked arms, forming a cordon, firmly guarding the entrance to the nightclub. Li Shengli raised an eyebrow, shook his head, laughed silently a few times, and turned back into the nightclub.

Then the door closed tightly, the neon lights upstairs continued to flicker, and the deafening sound of music drifted faintly from the crack in the door.

------

The crowd seemed to have lost its spirit and gradually dispersed, leaving only a dozen or so people sitting on the ground at the door, holding protest signs.

Their protests revealed confusion, and the police seemed too lazy to care. Director Park and his men continued to guard the door.

"Let's go." Liu Zhimin seemed to have lost interest. "Minyu, there's nothing to see anymore."

Jin Minyan, who always responded to requests, remained silent.

Liu Zhimin turned her head and saw Jin Minyue's tightly pursed thin lips.

"Ouni, why is this happening?" Kim Min-hyuk looked at Liu Zhimin.

Still childish and innocent, she was really angry.

"Why? Isn't Lee Seung-ri obviously a bad guy? Why is this happening?"

Liu Zhimin's expression was much calmer. She said softly, "Some people, no matter what bad things they do, will never be guilty."

"People who are rich and powerful cannot be guilty."

"Why?!" Jin Min-woon widened her eyes. She couldn't accept it.

"No reason, because that's how it is. You will see more of it in the future. Just get used to it." Liu Zhimin shook his head, raised his hand, and gently touched Jin Minyue's head.

"Having money is innocent, having no money is a crime." She murmured softly.

"Okay." She looked at Jin Min-yeon's angry expression and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry for bringing you to see these things."

"Let's go? I'll take you home."

"No! I won't leave!" Kim Min-won, who is usually obedient, pushed Liu Zhimin's hand away.

"Isn't uncle gone too? How about we go out and have something delicious?" Liu Zhimin asked.

“No!” Jin Min-yeon simply plopped down on the ground and joined the crowd in front of him who were still refusing to leave. “If you want to leave, go ahead!”

"Dad is not a man! He just ran away like that! He is not a man at all!"

Kim Min-woong was so angry that he kept saying something that denied his biological existence, "I don't want to leave! Besides, Yongjun-oppa isn't here yet!"

"He will definitely find a way when he comes."

"Do you trust Editor-in-Chief Pei so much?" Liu Zhimin bent down and asked.

"Yeah!" Jin Minyao nodded vigorously.

"why?"

"I don't know! Anyway, he's very good. I'm going to wait for him here." Jin Minhee said confidently with unfounded expectations, "Ouni, he will definitely come, right?"

Liu Zhimin straightened up, looked at Burning Sun, and said nothing.

Yes, he will definitely come.

The background behind Lee Seung-ri now looks shocking. The only victim turned against him after being threatened by Lee Seung-ri. His senior may not be able to protect him.

If he was rational, he would never come here now. Instead, he would find a middleman with status and then secretly negotiate with Lee Seung-ri. After a heated exchange of words, both sides would take a step back, make concessions, stop reporting, and Lee Seung-ri would no longer retaliate against him, and the matter would end peacefully.

That would be best.

In short, she will never ruin her own future and will continue to pursue Lee Seung-ri.

This is reality, this is what a journalist is like.

This is what a sane person should do, and this is what she has been told to do since she was a child.

However, she looked at Kim Min-won, who was pouting, sitting on the cold ground with tears in his eyes, but she did not say what was in her heart.

"Min-joo," Liu Zhimin also sat down and leaned next to Jin Min-joo, "Then let's go together."

“…Thank you, unnie. You are the best.” Kim Min-woon muttered twice and leaned on her shoulder.

Liu Zhimin touched her hair.

"Ouni, will Yongjun oppa come?" After a long time, Kim Min-woon asked in a low voice.

"……meeting."

"Really?"

"real."

"why?"

"I said that, otherwise I would scold him."

"OK, all right."

Liu Zhimin raised his head and looked at the shining neon lights above the nightclub, thinking silently in his heart.

Editor-in-Chief Pei, will you really come?
The night sky of Seoul is filled with bright lights, and no stars can be seen.

------

The box door was pushed open.

Queen Eun-bi looked up and saw Lee Seung-ri walking in.

"Boss, you're back?" Several subordinates in the room quickly surrounded him and asked him about his well-being.

"Okay, okay." Li Shengli waved his hand.

He glanced at Consort Quan Eun-bi, who was sitting on the sofa with her hands tied, and a smile appeared on his face. "Consort Quan? Right?"

"It's only been a day, and we meet again."

"Sorry, we can't shake hands today."

"You saw what happened just now, didn't you?"

Concubine Quan Eun-fei lowered her eyes, looked at the coffee table, pursed her lips tightly, and said nothing.

On the coffee table in front of the sofa, there was a tablet computer. The picture displayed on it was the surveillance camera at the entrance of the nightclub. Director Park was guarding the entrance of the nightclub with the police.

She couldn't escape and was tied here by three men, but she didn't see Li Shengli. They only gave her a tablet computer. She didn't know why, and then she saw the scene that happened at the door just now.

Kwon Eun-bi saw everything Lee Seung-ri did, what Julia said, and how Director Park forced Kim Yong-min away.

"If you don't say anything, I'll assume you saw it."

"I won't say more. If you want to leave safely, it's very simple, very simple." His leather shoes tapped on the floor again and again. Lee Seung-ri slowly walked in front of Kwon Eun-bi and raised a finger. "Just do me a favor."

"Call Pei Yongjun, find out where he is, and then arrange a meeting with him."

"Did you hear that?"

"...How can I get a date with him?" Quan Enfei finally spoke.

She raised her head and looked at Li Shengli with a frightened and helpless expression on her face. "I'm just an intern. I have nothing to do with him. You, you are mistaken..."

"Would anyone spend tens of millions on a set of designer clothes for an intern who has no connections? Or were those clothes stolen by a little rat in the gutter like you?"

Li Shengli leaned over, his eyes flashing dangerously, "Queen Kwon, I'm telling you, don't play tricks. If you don't accept my toast, you'll have to drink the penalty."

"If you don't want your life to be ruined, behave yourself. Understand?"

Concubine Kwon's hands, tied behind her back, were clenched into fists.

(End of this chapter)