NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

“Damn it, another wasted day.”

Reporter Oh Seung-hwan sighed deeply, drumming his fingers on his desk. He had once written a speculative article questioning Ryu Yeon-woo’s acting skills on the day 「Master Plan」 was released, which had been harshly critical. However, as time went on, Ryu Yeon-woo’s popularity and recognition as an actor only grew, and Oh Seung-hwan’s article became a laughingstock.

Every now and then, someone would capture his article and post it in online communities, mocking him with comments like “Typical Peninsula reporter’s foresight.” He couldn’t even refute it. The young actor, who had reached new career heights by winning the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, was now out of Oh Seung-hwan’s league.

He had even failed his promotion review and was overtaken in rank by a junior who had joined three years after him, making him seriously consider quitting his job.

Ding─.

Just then, a new message popped up in the anonymous tip channel Oh Seung-hwan had set up.

“Hmm?”

Clicking on the message, Oh Seung-hwan’s eyes widened.

“What is this? Jeon Ki-hoon?”

“What’s up? What is it?”

Screech─.

A junior reporter rolled his chair over to Oh Seung-hwan’s desk, prompting him to quickly close the message.

“Get lost, you punk.”

“What’s the big deal, senior?”

Sensing the scent of a scoop, the junior reporter peered curiously, making Oh Seung-hwan frown.

“Get out of here. Don’t even think about sticking your nose in this, or I’ll rip your tongue out. I’m ready to bite anyone these days.”

“Alright, alright. I’m going.”

Seeing Oh Seung-hwan’s fierce glare, the junior reporter raised his hands and returned to his desk. Oh Seung-hwan watched him go before quietly reopening the message in the tip channel.

The message contained a photo of Jeon Ki-hoon holding something that had been pixelated, along with a note.

[Anonymous A: Reporter Oh Seung-hwan, I believe you can tell this is a big scoop just by looking at it. If you follow a few instructions, I’ll help you exclusively report one of the top five stories of the year.]

Oh Seung-hwan’s heart pounded as he read the message.

‘This is a sure thing. I have to bite.’

He quickly began typing a response.

[Reporter Oh Seung-hwan: Of course! What do I need to do?]

A reply came back almost immediately.

[Anonymous A: Please forward the attached materials to the Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office. Isn’t it more beneficial for you to publish a confirmed article after the investigation rather than a speculative one?]

Oh Seung-hwan felt a surge of excitement. Sometimes, in the life of a reporter, everything falls into place, and all that’s left is to report it. For a reporter, it was like having a meal prepared and only needing to pick up the spoon.

‘Hehe, what a windfall.’

Grinning from ear to ear, Oh Seung-hwan quickly typed his response. In such cases, it was best to act swiftly without asking questions. The authenticity of the scoop could be determined after reviewing the attached files from the anonymous tipster.

[Reporter Oh Seung-hwan: Understood. I will report it as you instructed.]

As soon as he sent the message, an attachment was promptly sent back.

Oh Seung-hwan glanced around before quietly double-clicking the attached file.

‘Oh, wow!’

He immediately recognized the significance of the case.

‘…This is huge. Jeon Ki-hoon with drugs?’

The photos clearly showed Jeon Ki-hoon placing plastic bags filled with white powder into a paper shopping bag, taken from various angles. Oh Seung-hwan quickly transferred the files to a USB drive and stood up hastily.

‘Submitting it online could take too long. And since they asked for it to be reported to the Criminal Division 3, I should go in person.’

As he hurriedly left his desk, a junior reporter called out to him.

“Senior Oh! Where are you going?”

But Oh Seung-hwan ignored him, walking briskly out of the office. The junior reporter shook his head as he watched him leave.

“Geez, he must have caught a big one. I’m jealous.”

====

***

====

Han Hae-woon: Oh Seung-hwan has made his move.

Good job. Did you make sure to keep him on a tight leash?

Han Hae-woon: Yes. I warned him that if he reveals the source of the information, there will be no more exclusive scoops for him.

Yeon-woo smiled with satisfaction as he read the message. He had no intention of exposing himself or Han Hae-woon in this operation. Since Baek Sol had invested considerable effort into using Jeon Ki-hoon as their pawn, it was likely they would investigate if things went wrong.

This had to appear as if a scoop-hungry reporter had stumbled upon Jeon Ki-hoon’s activities by chance. Even if Oh Seung-hwan blabbed about it, the fact that the tip came through an anonymous secure channel would cover their tracks.

Yeon-woo recalled a question Han Hae-woon had asked while they were planning.

‘But, Team Leader, what if they retaliate against the reporter?’

Yeon-woo had shaken his head firmly in response.

‘No, they won’t touch civilians. It’s not out of a sense of justice; it’s simply because it doesn’t pay off.’

Their actions were driven by simple motivations: profit and eliminating long-term threats. Oh Seung-hwan didn’t fit either category.

‘The risks of eliminating a civilian, especially a journalist, in this country far outweigh any potential benefits.’

Of course, there was another reason for choosing Oh Seung-hwan. As they continued to clash with Baek Sol, there would inevitably be times when they needed a controllable reporter. By slowly training Oh Seung-hwan with the lure of exclusive scoops, the “media” could become a powerful weapon.

After some time, another message from Han Hae-woon arrived.

Han Hae-woon: Oh Seung-hwan has made the report. Moving on to the next phase.

Got it. Make sure to send someone reliable.

Han Hae-woon: This guy’s nickname is Pitbull. Once he bites, he never lets go. And he’s the most trustworthy prosecutor I know.

***

In movies and dramas, prosecutors often walk in confidently with a search and seizure warrant, showing it before starting their investigation. However, in reality, it’s rare for prosecutors to personally conduct such operations. Usually, police officers or prosecution investigators handle it.

However, Prosecutor Kwon, known as “Pitbull,” was unusually present at the scene himself. An investigator approached him and whispered.

“Prosecutor, we found syringes in the house, but no drugs. The suspect claims he has diabetes and uses them for insulin injections.”

Prosecutor Kwon chuckled at the investigator’s words.

“They all have the same excuse.”

Insulin had its own specific syringes, but drug suspects often used this as a cover.

‘Nothing found in the house… It must be in the car.’

The tip they received included photos suggesting the drugs were taken from the trunk, so naturally, they had checked the trunk first. However, all they found were numerous new sneakers, and even the spare tire compartment only contained emergency tools.

“Hmm…”

While Prosecutor Kwon was pondering, Jeon Ki-hoon came down to the parking lot.

“Prosecutor, I don’t know what nonsense you’ve been fed, but I can’t just stand by and let this happen.”

“…You can’t stand by?”

Jeon Ki-hoon glared at Prosecutor Kwon, his face contorted with anger and his hands trembling.

“You’ve turned my house upside down and are treating me like a drug criminal. I have people I can contact too.”

Jeon Ki-hoon knew that ‘Chief Joo,’ the person who supplied him with drugs, had the power to deal with a mere prosecutor swiftly. However, he was hesitant to contact him out of fear.

Seeing that the prosecutor and investigators had no intention of leaving even after searching his house and car, Jeon Ki-hoon reluctantly decided to make the call on his smartphone. At that moment, Prosecutor Kwon quickly approached the trunk of Jeon Ki-hoon’s car again.

“Hey, you’ve already searched it several times! I’m telling you, there’s nothing there!”

As Jeon Ki-hoon, face red with anger, approached, Prosecutor Kwon extended his hand to stop him.

“Hold on. There’s something odd about this car.”

Prosecutor Kwon closely observed the roofline and trunk line from the car’s roof to the taillights.

“The heights don’t match.”

The height of the trunk’s inner lining was lower than the roofline of the car, indicating a discrepancy.

Thump, thump─.

Prosecutor Kwon knocked on the upper part of the trunk with his fist.

“Bring me a crowbar.”

Sensing the urgency, Jeon Ki-hoon hurriedly approached.

“Hey! Do you know how much this car costs? If you damage it even a little, your salary won’t cover it!”

As the investigators restrained him, Jeon Ki-hoon struggled desperately to prevent them from touching the trunk. Ignoring him, Prosecutor Kwon took the crowbar handed to him by an investigator. Jeon Ki-hoon’s frantic behavior confirmed his suspicion.

The crowbar was typically used to force open doors when a suspect refused to cooperate during a raid. Prosecutor Kwon inserted the crowbar between the trunk’s inner lining and used leverage to pull hard.

Crack─.

The sound was not typical of a car’s interior. It was the sound of a wooden structure breaking. Along with the sound, a gap opened in the upper part of the trunk, and a plastic bag filled with white powder fell out.

A hidden compartment in the trunk. There seemed to be another way to open it, but Prosecutor Kwon had forcefully pried it open with the crowbar, and it worked.

“You hid it well, like a rat. Arrest him.”

The investigators moved in to apprehend Jeon Ki-hoon.

“Yes!”

The investigators swiftly moved in and cuffed Jeon Ki-hoon’s wrists, catching him off guard.

“Mr. Jeon Ki-hoon, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.”

Prosecutor Kwon, looking at Jeon Ki-hoon with contempt as if he were a bug, recited the Miranda rights while approaching slowly.

“Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?”

“Y-yes?”

Jeon Ki-hoon, his face flushed with confusion, stammered. Prosecutor Kwon pointed to his smartphone with a dispassionate gaze.

“You just said ‘yes,’ didn’t you? So you understand. And go ahead, make that call. I’m really curious to see how your higher-ups plan to get you out of this mess.”

Jeon Ki-hoon’s face turned even redder with panic, and he stood there, mouth agape like a fish, unable to say anything.