《The Reincarnated Cop Who Strikes With Wealth》


 Chapter 1

    If destiny takes hold of you once, it takes hold of you forever. From the moment you¡¯re born, everything happens in sequence, one thing after another. If you¡¯re born poor, chances are that you¡¯ll live poor and you¡¯ll die poor, and if you¡¯re born wealthy, chances are that you¡¯ll live wealthy and die wealthy. If you get caught up in it once, you¡¯re caught up in it until the end.


    There are exceptions, of course, but I¡¯m not one of them. Because I¡¯m a murderer, raised as an orphan with nothing to his name.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her,¡± I mutter.


    These are the words I¡¯ve been habitually muttering to myself for twenty years.


    Ho-un stops eating and glances at me. ¡°Why is he looking so down when he¡¯s about to be released?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Would


    ¡°But at least he¡¯s leaving.¡±


    ¡°I suppose. I¡¯m just glad it¡¯s not a life sentence.¡±


    I put down my spoon.


    The chopsticks of my prison family members who are gathered around the table stop moving as well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. Just eat,¡± I tell them.


    I¡¯ve had no appetite for the past few days. That¡¯s because I¡¯m not being released early; I¡¯m being released after having served my full sentence.


    I¡¯ve always dreamed that the real culprit would be caught and the false charge would be removed from my name, but now, I¡¯m soon to be an ex-convict who¡¯s paid the price for his crime. There¡¯s no meaning to leaving this hellish place.


    ***


    Twenty years ago.


    I can still remember every detail. Especially the smell of pizza that filled the entire elevator.


    At the time, I was broke and hadn¡¯t eaten for several days. I was wallowing in misery at the reality that there were others in the world who, unlike me, could easily spend tens of thousands of won on meals.


    ¡®Should I pretend I¡¯ve lost my mind and just eat it?¡¯


    This single thought occupied the entirety of my brain as the elevator traveled to the 17th floor. That was why I just grabbed the front door and opened it.


    ¡°Why did you open it? Is it normal for a delivery man to open the door if nobody¡¯s there?¡± the police detective asked me. ¡°Normally, you¡¯d ring the doorbell or call the customer.¡±


    This was where his interrogation began.


    Well, I suppose he was right. Depending on how you look at it, you


    Whatever the reason was, my eyes moved along the trail of broken pieces of a flower vase. From the dirt and clothes strewn across the floor, past the toppled-over trash can, and onto the black hair that was hanging off the end of the sofa.


    ¡°I called out to her, but she didn¡¯t respond,¡± I told the detective.


    I approached the woman, who was lying there as if asleep.


    The warm afternoon sun was spilling onto her skin. Her appearance could only be described as beautiful, and her limbs were long and slender. It was like I was looking at a picture in a book.


    I swear to God, I didn¡¯t know that she was dead. I just thought she was asleep.


    I shook her by the shoulder.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know she was dead?¡± the detective repeated, resuming his questioning. ¡°Her head was split wide open. What the hell are you saying?¡±


    How in the world had I been unable to tell that she was dead when her blood was clotted in her hair? Who knows. I didn¡¯t see it at the time. If I could be allowed to give an excuse, I¡¯d say I was bewitched by her sheer beauty.


    ¡°Oh, she was a celebrity?¡± I asked.


    I was still giving my statement when I learned who she was for the first time. She was the most famous actress in Korea, Hae-soo.


    But how could I find the time to do things like watch TV when I was struggling to even eat?


    ¡°You live in Korea and you¡¯ve never heard of Hae-soo? Are you a foreign spy or some shit?¡± the detective said incredulously.


    Under the lighting of the interrogation room, I could see his face contorted in disbelief.


    That was the first time I felt


    Everything after that happened in a hurry. Evidence started appearing out of nowhere, reporters blinded me with the endless flashes of their cameras, and my hands were put in cuffs.


    And so, the scenery of my life changed for a second time.


    ***


    I look through a countless number of scrapbooks. These are my treasures, containing the articles and information that I¡¯ve gathered from newspapers for the past twenty years. The evidence that I¡¯ve been studying over and over, in order to catch the real criminal myself if they weren¡¯t caught before my release from prison.


    Thanks to these treasures, I¡¯ve been staying well-informed about the state of the outside world despite being locked up.


    ¡°Hyeong-nim. You should have something to eat,¡± says Seong-beom, putting a spoon in my hand.


    TLN:


    He¡¯s the youngest, who only came here a few months ago, but he¡¯s a friendly guy with a good personality¡­ though he¡¯s been using that personality to swindle money from people.


    ¡°They say that the more twisted your life is, the better fortune you have in your later years,¡± says Ho-un.


    He was a famous hacker. At the peak of his career, he was arrested for leaking the sex tape of a member of the National Assembly. It¡¯s thought that he was hired by a member of the opposing party, but when someone asks him about it, he just smiles and doesn¡¯t answer. It seems that his clients paid him small fortunes for his work; he¡¯s the richest out of all of us.


    ¡°Of course! Nothing but good things are waiting for our hyeong once he¡¯s out of here!¡± says Dal-gon, a former gangster who¡¯s put that life behind him.


    ¡°Koreans need to eat to stay strong. No matter what you do, you need to eat,¡± says Ha-seong, a guy who can steal anything you could think of, save the heart of a woman.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t come back in here just because the food¡¯s good, got it?¡± says Jackson, who was the most famous host in Gangnam District.


    One by one, my prison family members add some food on top of my rice.


    I start to get a little choked up. Having grown up without anyone to call my flesh and blood, these guys were my first family.


    I hastily cram my rice into my mouth.


    ¡°What are you going to do when you get out? Is there anything you want to do?¡± says the youngest guy, giving an innocent smile, not knowing anything.


    There is something I want to do. The thing that I¡¯ve always wanted to do. The thing that I, an orphan, have always thought about doing: Become a police officer.


    I¡¯ve always thought about how awesome they are, wearing their uniform and upholding justice.


    The dream that I¡¯ve nurtured since I was young still remains in my mind. But as a criminal, it¡¯s a completely impossible dream. A dream that will forever remain just that ¨C a dream.


    ¡°Hyeong-nim, you¡¯re in good shape, so you should open up a gym,¡± one of my brothers who knows of my circumstances says, changing the topic.


    ¡°Y-yeah. You¡¯re the strongest out of all of us,¡± says another.


    I give a bitter smile as I scoop up the rest of my rice.


    ¡°Inmate 2110. You finished eating?¡± says a voice.


    Warden Kim has appeared at the window.


    Isn¡¯t it still dinner time?


    Confused, I shake my head.


    ¡°Take your time,¡± the warden says as he extends a hand, holding a white envelope. ¡°I was told to give you this.¡±


    Today¡¯s a Sunday, so mail isn¡¯t even supposed to be delivered today.


    I give the warden an odd look as I take the envelope.


    ¡°Just take it,¡± he says with a shrug. ¡°I was just told to pass it on to you.¡±


    A personal delivery means that whoever sent this paid good money. But I don¡¯t have any family or friends on the outside. Who would do such a thing?


    My prison family gathers around me curiously; this is the first time anything like this has ever happened.


    I examine the envelope. The sender¡¯s name isn¡¯t written on it; only mine.


    ¡°Hurry up and open it. Hyeong-nim, you had a girlfriend?¡± says one of the younger ones.


    ¡°How the hell would I get a girlfriend?¡± I say.


    ¡°Then who is it? I¡¯ve never seen you get a letter in twenty years.¡±


    ¡°Nah, he got plenty from Hae-soo fans, remember? Letters full of curses.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I say.


    With tears in my eyes, I rip open the end of the envelope.


    Despite the elaborate effort taken to have it delivered to me, there¡¯s not a lot in it. Just a piece of paper with two short sentences: ¡®I have something to tell you about the Hae-soo case. I will be waiting at the entrance on the day of your release.¡¯


    ¡°What? Waiting on the day of my release?¡± I repeat.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Hyeong-nim. You get to eat tofu!¡±


    ¡°Who gives a shit about the tofu, you idiot! It says they¡¯ve got something to tell him about the case!¡±


    TLN: In Korea, eating tofu after being released from prison is an act that symbolizes turning over a new leaf.


    The voices of my clamoring prison family members grow faint, and my body begins trembling.


    Who is it? Just who in the world has sent me this letter?


    ¡°Maybe they know who really did it,¡± says Ho-un.


    His eyebrows are slightly crooked. It¡¯s a habit of his when he¡¯s deep in thought about something.


    He¡¯s right. I can¡¯t imagine any other possibility.


    Whoever sent this letter knows who the real culprit is, or they¡¯ll confess the reason as to why the investigation was so absurd.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Your life is going to have a happy ending, Hyeong-nim,¡± says Ho-un.


    I calm my racing heart and give a nod. ¡°Thanks for everything,¡± I say.


    ¡°What are you getting all emotional for?¡± says one of my other brothers.


    ¡°I at least need to thank you for letting me fill our cramped room with all these books.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be refreshing to not have to look at these scraps of paper.¡±


    I embrace my family and give a bright laugh.


    Two days before my release, I quickly pack my belongings and put the letter away safely.


    With my mind burning with questions to ask whoever sent it, the next two days feel longer than the entirety of the past twenty years.


    ***


    Five in the morning.


    The sky is still dark.


    Today is the day I leave for the outside world.


    After a guard checks my belongings, I follow him to the inmate release waiting room. I take off my inmate uniform, fold it neatly, and put it in the storage cupboard.


    My hands are shaking.


    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to put on ordinary clothes, clothes that aren¡¯t a prison uniform. What¡¯s more, the piece of clothing in front of me is a jacket with a pizza brand¡¯s logo on it. Because I was imprisoned so suddenly, this is what I was wearing when I came here. I remember it being in the news, because the logo was even visible in the photographs that the reporters took. Something about the company¡¯s stocks plummeting.


    I change and stand in front of the mirror. I¡¯ve changed from a young man to a middle-aged one, but it feels like I¡¯ve gone back to those days.


    ¡°Have you finished changing?¡± asks the guard. ¡°We¡¯ll be checking your identity next.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± I tell him.


    I pick up my bag and swing it over my shoulder. Everything from the last twenty years of my life is packed into this one small bag.


    ¡°Your inmate number is 2110. Is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Please confirm that the name and date of birth written here are correct.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re correct.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for serving your sentence. Mr. Bae Min-soo, as of today, the 1st of April 20XX, you are officially released from this facility.¡±


    The other inmates being released along with me walk towards the front gate.


    Perhaps because of the early morning air, my mind is strangely calm¡­ even though I¡¯ve stayed up the entire night.


    After one last ID check, the gate opens.


    ¡°Let¡¯s never see each other again,¡± the guard jokes.


    I smile as I take the world in with my eyes. The families of the other released inmates are crowding around. The warm smell of tofu is in the air.


    Anyhow, where is the person who sent me the letter?


    Ah. That man over there who¡¯s watching me. He¡¯s standing in a dark spot, and he¡¯s even wearing a hat that¡¯s concealing his face


    I walk along the footpath towards him.


    He¡¯s holding a black envelope. Could there be tofu inside?


    Suddenly, the man starts to run towards me. ¡°Look out!¡± he shouts.


    I hear a loud horn ¨C


    What is he telling me to look out for?


    The moment I turn around, I see a garbage truck the size of a house.


    There¡¯s a crunch.


    I scream in pain.


    My body is thrown into the air, crashes into the ground, then rolls down the footpath. It feels like all of my vertebrae have exploded.


    The vehicle doesn¡¯t stop; it continues along its path, straight into the mysterious man. In my blurred vision, I can make out his body lying face-down on the road.


    How could this happen? I thought my dogshit life couldn¡¯t get any more fucked up. Ho-un told me my later years would be better.


    Fragments of the newspapers that I gathered over the years fly into the sky. A red sun is rising on one side of the morning sky.


    ¡°Ambulance! Call an ambulance!¡± someone shouts.


    Someone stands over me and taps me on the cheek. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he says. I can see a tattoo of a tiger on the palm of his hand.


    But this person is¡­ laughing?


    It¡¯s him. This bastard is the one who kills me.


    My consciousness blurs.


    Just what did I do wrong? Isn¡¯t this just too much?


    There¡¯s no way for me to know everything about this situation, but I¡¯m certain of one thing. If I follow this tattoo, the truth will be there.


    ¡°Mr. Go Ji-hun¡­ Ji-hun¡­¡±


    Someone is calling me by the wrong name. I¡¯m not Ji-hun, I¡¯m Bae Min-soo.


    Ah, I¡¯m dizzy. I think death is really coming for me now.


    Son of a bitch. I don¡¯t know who you are, but I¡¯ll find out, even after I¡¯ve died. I¡¯ll find out and follow you around for your whole life.


    And if there is a god¡­ please let me live normally in my next life. Don¡¯t let destiny take hold of me again.


    ¡°Please open your eyes, Mr. Go Ji-hun,¡± the voice says again.


    ¡­ Me? Are you talking to me?

 Chapter 2

    There are a lot of loud voices around me.


    ¡°Oh my god, where¡¯s the doctor?! Call the doctor!¡±


    ¡°Young Master. Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Where the hell is the doctor!¡±


    ¡°Doctor! Patient Go Ji-hun has regained consciousness.¡±


    Ugh, shut your damn mouths, all of you.


    I¡¯m in excruciating pain, as if every single one of my body¡¯s joints has been smashed to pieces.


    Can I move? No, it¡¯s hard to even open my eyes.


    Gathering my consciousness as best as I can, I manage to blink once. My blurry vision slowly becomes clearer. A groan escapes from my throat. It¡¯s the groan of a voice that I don¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go back to sleep. Keep looking at me, look at Dad,¡± says a voice.


    Dad? This guy looks like he¡¯s about the same age as me. What¡¯s he talking about?


    Still, it¡¯s a really familiar face. Ah, his face is just like President Go Dae-man of the Gogwang Group when he was young. The face of someone who¡¯s going to earn a lot of money.


    I groan again. I don¡¯t care about any of this. I just want to sleep. I feel like if I could just get some sleep, all of this pain and fatigue would disappear.


    As I close my eyes again, a high-pitched scream comes from nearby.


    ¡°N-no! Young Master!¡±


    ¡°Where the hell is the damn doctor!¡±


    ¡°Mr. President! The doctor is here.¡±


    ¡°Please step out of the way!¡±


    Seriously. I¡¯m trying to sleep here.


    Ugh, the doctor¡¯s gone and flipped my eyelids. I scowl, but he takes no notice and continues to shake my body.


    ¡°Sir. Are you awake? Do you remember falling into the water?¡± he asks me.


    ¡°Slee¡­ Fu¡­¡± I manage to whisper.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    Unable to hear me, the doctor leans closer and shushes the others. They immediately fall silent.


    I whisper slowly and clearly into the doctor¡¯s ear. His expression stiffens, and the expressions of everyone gathered around me darken as well.


    ¡°What did Ji-hun say?¡± the man who called himself my father asks.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± the doctor says sheepishly.


    ¡°Hurry up and tell us!¡±


    ¡°¡®I-I want to sleep, so everyone fuck off¡­¡¯¡±


    I give a small nod and a satisfied smile.


    ***


    Ho-un was right. My first attempt at life was thoroughly wasted, but fortune has indeed found me¡­ though it¡¯s done so in a way that I find quite unbelievable.


    ¡°So, can we please go over this one more time?¡± I ask the doctor.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he says.


    The face looking back at me in the mirror is full of youth and charm. I see a figure that looks good even in a hospital gown, and I still can¡¯t take my eyes off the face. The more I stare at it, the more I can¡¯t help but to admire it.


    ¡°My name is Go Ji-hun?¡± I confirm with the doctor.


    ¡°Yes. That is correct,¡± he replies, his hand moving quickly to make a written record of everything I say and do.


    I let out a sigh. ¡°Jesus Christ.¡±


    There¡¯s only one Go Ji-hun that I know of.


    The third son of the Gogwang Group.


    Go Ji-hun was born to Go Dae-man, the heir to the Gogwang Group, and an actress who was up-and-coming at the time. Though Go Dae-man already had a wife and two sons, he lost his mind and fell head over heels for the actress, perhaps for political reasons.


    He told his family that he would forfeit his place as heir to the conglomerate, and nothing more needed to be said.


    The winds of his actions fed into a typhoon, and things ended with spilled blood. The actress was stabbed and killed by a robber.


    The public and Go Dae-man believed that the Gogwang Group had killed her.


    But the investigation process revealed that the perpetrator had no ties to the Gogwang Group, and everything returned to how it should have been. Go Dae-man returned to being the heir to the conglomerate and the father to a family. Go Ji-hun followed him to become the family¡¯s third son.


    It was the incident that became the topic of conversation of everyone in the conglomerate world.


    After returning to the main conglomerate family, Go Ji-hun became extremely socially withdrawn and later committed suicide by drowning himself in the swimming pool at his house.


    Someone who was born into a wealthy family but lived a life full of turmoil. That¡¯s the Go Ji-hun that I knew of.


    ¡°Doctor. How old am I?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The date has changed, so you are now twenty-six years old,¡± the doctor replies.


    Then this is nineteen years ago. My first year in prison.


    I¡¯m certain of this: Go Ji-hun is supposed to be dead.


    No, he did die. The one alive right now is me, after all.


    I look down at my scarred hands.


    I¡¯m¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be dead as well,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± says the doctor.


    The mood in the room chills in an instant. The expressions of the medical team and even the guards darken.


    ¡°Umm, i-it seems that he is suffering from retrograde amnesia,¡± the doctor stammers. ¡°Sir, can you tell me your father¡¯s name?¡±


    Go Ji-hun¡¯s father, that¡¯s ¨C


    ¡°Go Dae-man,¡± I answer.


    The individual who turned the Gogwang Group into the greatest conglomerate in Korea. The media portrays his personality in a good light, so he has a pretty good reputation for a businessman.


    Of course, his past scandal has left the public an impression that he¡¯s a man of passion.


    Ah, Gogwang¡¯s stocks should be soaring right about now. This is the period of time where Gogwang Electronics¡¯ mobile device business was booming.


    ¡°What about your mother¡¯s name?¡± the doctor asks.


    ¡°The person over there, Lee Mi-sook¡­ Ms. Lee Mi-sook,¡± I say, correcting myself.


    Lee Mi-sook, Go Dae-man¡¯s lawful wife.


    Most of her parents¡¯ family members wear the badge of the National Assembly. She has a beautiful, elegant appearance that makes it difficult to believe that she¡¯s a middle-aged woman. Even the way she sits on the sofa and drinks coffee is graceful¡­ although I don¡¯t think this is the kind of situation to be having a hot drink without a care in the world.


    ¡°Y-Young Master! What about me? Do you remember who I am?¡± asks a man who has been at my side the entire time, pushing his face towards me.


    His face is a mess, with tears and mucus smeared all over it.


    A little alarmed, I shake my head.


    How the hell am I supposed to know who you are?


    The man begins to cry as if his heart has been broken.


    The doctor pats the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It seems that the shock of the amnesia has made him a little confused. I do not believe that it is a cause for great concern,¡± he says comfortingly.


    A moment later, the door slides open and a familiar-looking man enters.


    President Go Dae-man.


    He has a soft appearance, but I can feel the charisma in his eyes.


    So, he had the power to make people gravitate towards him even when he was still young. It feels like he has an invisible aura that creates a suffocating air around him.


    He takes a look around the hospital room, then gives one short command: ¡°All of you, leave.¡±


    The medical team gives a polite bow before exiting quietly.


    There is a rather large Gogwang Seoul Hospital logo on my pillow and hospital gown. It seems fitting that Go Dae-man would choose a hospital that is operated by the Gogwang Medical Foundation.


    ¡°You and Chief Kim, too,¡± Go Dae-man says to Lee Mi-sook.


    Lee Mi-sook glares at me and Go Dae-man for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve had to cancel plans because of your wonderful son, and that¡¯s the first thing you say to me? To get out?¡±


    ¡°I apologize,¡± says Go Dae-man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother saying words you don¡¯t mean.¡±


    Are they really a married couple? A brutal, terrifying air chokes the room.


    Lee Mi-sook walks out the door, leaving the room and its ice-cold atmosphere behind.


    It seems that the man whose eyes are swollen from crying so much is Chief Kim. He gives me a worried glance as he follows the lady out.


    Go Dae-man and I are the only ones left in the room.


    He approaches me, and then strikes me across the cheek.


    Shit. I¡¯ve only just woken up, and this is what I¡¯m greeted with?


    Go Dae-man straightens his shirt and catches his breath. He looks like anger has filled his entire body, all the way to the ends of the hair on his head.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± he asks me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± I say.


    ¡°Why did you try to kill yourself?¡±


    No clue. How would I know?


    But seeing how this man treats his son who basically died and came back to life, I¡¯m starting to get an idea.


    ¡°You are pathetic. You spent your entire life rotting away, and then you decided to end it,¡± Go Dae-man says.


    What the hell is he on about?


    I raise my head a little and make eye contact with him.


    His eyes, betraying his emotions, are moist with tears. That¡¯s right. Even if he¡¯s the president of a conglomerate, he¡¯s still a father to his child. The child of the woman he loved most, no less.


    ¡°When you sat in the corner of your room and refused to do anything, I still believed in you. I believed that you would get a hold of yourself after some time had passed. That you were thinking of something for yourself,¡± he says.


    I thought that Go Ji-hun was just living a quiet life, but he¡¯d become a complete shut-in¡­ despite having a handsome face like this.


    ¡°I thought it was all my fault. I trusted you out of remorse for my own actions,¡± Go Dae-man continues.


    The death of his mother that was too violent to accept. Cold treatment from a family he wasn¡¯t related to. All of these things had trapped Go Ji-hun.


    A sharp gleam suddenly appears in Go Dae-man¡¯s eyes. ¡°But I see now that I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± I say.


    ¡°You spend your whole life living like a cripple, and the first thing you choose for yourself is suicide.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°I shall respect your decision. From now on, I will think of you as my son who died.¡±


    What kind of unexpected development is


    This is a problem.


    I wrack my brain to try and recall everything I know about the Gogwang Group scandal. I guess leaving things this way would be fine, but screw it. This is a second life that I¡¯ve gained after already dying once. The fact that I have good looks and youth means that I¡¯ve already got more than I had before, so I can afford to take a risk.


    ¡°I saw my mother in a dream,¡± I say.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Go Dae-man¡¯s thick eyebrows furrow in an immediate reaction to the mention of the woman he loved so much that he would have sacrificed everything in life for.


    ¡°I wanted to give up on everything. Everything was so messed up to the point of no return before I even knew it,¡± I continue.


    But I¡¯m talking about myself. I¡¯m talking about my own life that was ruined, just as I¡¯m describing. Just like Go Ji-hun, I had plenty of times in my life where I wanted to die.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Go Dae-man says.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± I say.


    ¡°So, this is the path you¡¯ve chosen in the end?¡±


    ¡°This is the path I was given. What could I do, spending every day holed up in my room?¡±


    ¡°YOU PATHETIC ¨C !¡± Go Dae-man roars, his voice ringing like thunder.


    ¡°But Mother spoke to me,¡± I continue.


    He looks angry enough to tear someone limb from limb.


    Shit. My heart is pounding.


    ¡°She told me to go back. She told me that it¡¯s not too late for anything, and I have to continue living,¡± I say.


    ¡°And?¡± Go Dae-man presses.


    ¡°I want to keep on living. People don¡¯t realize what they had until they lose it all.¡±


    ¡°Do you intend to live on like an animal that does nothing? If so, you are better off dead.¡±


    What a heartless man. How could he say something like that to his own son?


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I reply, gritting my teeth.


    ¡°If you are thinking of joining the company¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I have no interest in company work.¡±


    I don¡¯t have the ability or interest for that. There is only one thing that I wish for.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be a police officer,¡± I say.


    ¡°What?¡±


    I¡¯m going to catch that man, the one who tossed me into an abyss of misery in my previous life and make the justice that I believed in into a reality.


    ¡°I said, I¡¯m going to be a police officer,¡± I repeat.


    Completely unprepared for my reply, Go Dae-man stares at me as if trying to bore a hole through me with his eyes. As if he¡¯s trying to read the thoughts in my mind.


    I look straight back at him, not avoiding his gaze.


    ¡°Is this because of your mother?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to be confused.


    Oh yeah, Go Ji-hun¡¯s birth mother was killed by a robber.


    I wasn¡¯t expecting him to ask that, but oh well. As long as I get what I want, it doesn¡¯t matter how I do it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do something so futile. Go to university. Once you have graduated, join the company and work under your brothers,¡± Go Dae-man says.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not capable of being a police officer?¡± I ask.


    I suppose it¡¯s not that surprising. Not just anybody can become a police officer. And someone who¡¯s been spending his life in the corner of his room is obviously going to be considered incapable.


    Honestly, it¡¯s surprising that Go Dae-man is even suggesting that I join the company. After neglecting his son his whole life, he¡¯s offering me an opportunity to compete against his brothers.


    But the Go Ji-hun he knows is dead, and I¡¯m here in his place.


    I give Go Dae-man a quiet smile. ¡°I¡¯ll show you. I¡¯ll definitely become a police officer.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Where do you wish to go, Mr. President?¡± Go Dae-man¡¯s secretary asks tentatively from the front seat of the car.


    There is a mountain of documents that weren¡¯t taken care of left at the office, because Go Dae-man stopped his work and rushed to the hospital immediately after receiving notice that his son had regained consciousness.


    Go Dae-man thinks for a moment. ¡°Back to the office,¡± he says.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± says his secretary.


    Go Dae-man never puts off his work and deals with every matter thoroughly. He is a man with an attitude that is suited for being the president of a conglomerate, suited to having responsibility¡­ though this also causes late nights for his secretary.


    The car stops at a traffic light, in front of a pedestrian crossing.


    A family crosses. The child is laughing happily, walking between his mother and father and holding their hands. It¡¯s a sight that would make anyone smile.


    Go Dae-man is unable to take his eyes off the child.


    ¡°Let me ask you something,¡± he says to his secretary.


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen Ji-hun smile?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t believe I have, sir.¡±


    The president¡¯s secretary always accompanies him, but she has rarely met his third son face-to-face.


    After all, he always stayed in his room and didn¡¯t even go to school. It was only when he turned twenty when he started to at least take walks around the neighborhood.


    Go Dae-man nods slowly.


    He and his secretary are in the same boat. He is unable to recall the last time his son smiled or even the last time they ate together.


    And yet, his son smiled with a bright look in his eyes when he said he would become a police officer.


    Almost as if he became a different person after he came back from the brink of death.

 Chapter 3

    Go Dae-man lets out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Sir? Are you alright?¡± his secretary asks.


    Go Dae-man can¡¯t understand why Ji-hun would make things so difficult when it would be so easy to join the company.


    To put it bluntly, it would be a simple task for Go Dae-man to set up a desk for his son at the office. But wouldn¡¯t the public servant examination be a completely different hurdle?


    It wouldn¡¯t sit well with him to oppose the first thing that his son has chosen of his own will, but at the same time, he finds it difficult to approve of this choice.


    Go Dae-man manages to catch himself before he gets completely lost in his thoughts.


    ¡°Send a message to Chief Kim,¡± he says to his secretary.


    ¡®If that is what you want to do, then challenge yourself and do it. But you will have to achieve it on your own. This is your punishment for disappointing your father, and at the same time, it is an opportunity for you to make a leap forward. You have managed to come to your senses, but if you are defeated right away, then there is nothing to be done about that,¡¯ Go Dae-man thinks.


    He wants to test the will that his disappointing son has shown and see how strong it really is.


    ¡°Tell Chief Kim that he is forbidden from helping Ji-hun, so he can go through this alone,¡± he orders.


    With that, he shuts his mouth tight, as if to conceal the state of chaos that his mind is currently in.


    ***


    ¡°I am Chief Kim,¡± says the man from the hospital room, who is of about the same age as Go Ji-hun.


    ¡°I know. I heard someone say your name earlier,¡± I say.


    ¡°Do you really not remember me?¡±


    ¡°No, I do not.¡±


    ¡°It seems that way. You are suddenly speaking to me in


    TLN: In Korean, the way verbs are conjugated and sentences are ended changes the tone of speech and conveys varying degrees of politeness. The informal tone is


    Tears appear in Chief Kim¡¯s eyes again. It¡¯s embarrassing, but it¡¯s not a bad thing. There has to be at least one person who reacts like this when someone comes back to life from the brink of death.


    ¡°My mother works as a housemaid for the main family. I grew up with you, Young Master,¡± Chief Kim says.


    ¡°Together?¡±


    ¡°Our family¡¯s situation was not good, but the president took us in. He even paid my school fees.¡±


    President Go Dae-man is a curt man, but he has a kind side to him as well. It seems that the image of him created by the media isn¡¯t


    ¡°I now work for the Gogwang Group¡¯s secretarial section, and I am in charge of your care,¡± Chief Kim continues.


    ¡°Is there any separate work that I need to do?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No. I am responsible for your protection, transport, and managing your schedule.¡±


    I can understand that. He¡¯s the friend that the president put at the introverted Go Ji-hun¡¯s side from a young age¡­ though there¡¯s too much of a difference in status to say they were friends.


    In any case, he¡¯s one of the few people who felt genuinely sad over Go Ji-hun¡¯s death.


    ¡°So, you mean if I need anything, I can just ask you?¡± I ask.


    ¡°That is correct, but I¡¯m afraid you must exercise some self-control for the time being,¡± Chief Kim says.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The president has confiscated your credit card.¡±


    Shit. That¡¯s a problem. It¡¯s like having cake in front of me and not being able to eat it. Maybe I should have been more submissive when I was talking to him.


    Well, there¡¯s no helping it now. I¡¯m grateful just to be alive again, and there are plenty of ways to earn money.


    ¡°Give me my phone,¡± I say to Chief Kim.


    ¡°Phone? You don¡¯t have a phone, Young Master,¡± Chief Kim says.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because you never go outside.¡±


    ¡°Then lend me yours, Chief Kim.¡±


    I take his flip-top phone, press the Nater


    Timeline-wise, it should have been about a year since Hae-soo¡¯s death.


    Will something have changed now that I¡¯m not involved? Or is there another me that still exists?


    ¡°Park Han-dong?¡± I say blankly.


    Hae-soo is still dead, and the only thing different is the perpetrator¡¯s name.


    Other than the fact that he¡¯s a


    It¡¯s evident that this person was imprisoned on a false charge as well.


    ¡°Shit. What should I do?¡± I mutter to myself.


    My feelings are mixed. I get the feeling that I¡¯ve gained freedom by taking it from someone else who has taken my place.


    I¡¯ve gained a new life, but someone else has lost theirs.


    The real culprit is so obviously out there, so how could this happen?


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Chief Kim asks, a worried look on his face.


    I erase the phone¡¯s search history and hand it back to him.


    ¡°Chief Kim,¡± I say.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you smoke, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°I am a smoker. But you are not, Young Master.¡±


    ¡°I am starting from today. Let¡¯s go to the rooftop.¡±


    With Chief Kim following me, I look for the rooftop. I can see a lobby down a corridor on the way up.


    Maybe because this is the VIP floor, the lobby is decorated like a hotel lobby. Marble floor, a sparkling chandelier, a large television screen hanging on the wall.


    Maybe everyone¡¯s rooms are more comfortable than this place; there¡¯s nobody here. This is an insanely luxurious hospital.


    I put a cigarette in my mouth, and Chief Kim lights it for me.


    Has anyone other than my prison family ever treated me like this? No. I¡¯m an orphan and spent more than half my life in prison, after all.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say.


    ¡°When did you start smoking? It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s your first time,¡± says Chief Kim.


    I give an awkward smile and stare at the Seoul nightscape, which I haven¡¯t seen for twenty years. The bright, moving lights are beautiful.


    This is what the outside world looked like when I was locked in a prison cell. It¡¯s something that Park Han-dong will never see again. Only death awaits him after he serves his twenty-year sentence, after all.


    A tear runs down my cheek from the pity and sadness I feel for him.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Chief Kim asks me, lightly grabbing my sleeve.


    It seems that he feels uneasy to see someone who¡¯s already tried to commit suicide once crying next to a rooftop railing.


    I rub my painful noise. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ in a bit of a strange mood,¡± I say.


    The night sky is immaculately clear, and my mind blurs like the smoke of my cigarette.


    Park Han-dong.


    I don¡¯t know what his face looks like, but I know exactly what kind of life is living now and how he must be feeling. I¡¯m sure he wants to die. I¡¯m sure he sees the whole world as his enemy.


    I¡¯m sure of what I need to do now. I have no choice but to become a cop and catch the real culprit.


    This is for both my sake and the sake of the man named Park Han-dong.


    ¡°Chief. Is there any money that I¡¯ve hidden away?¡± I ask.


    ¡°You do have some checks. You didn¡¯t use them even after they were given to you, after all,¡± Chief Kim says.


    Thank God. I don¡¯t know how much I have, but it seems that I can put out the fires that need to be extinguished right away.


    I mean, I don¡¯t actually need money or anything. As I am now, I can do anything.


    ¡°Maybe I need to find an educational institution first,¡± I murmur to myself.


    ¡°An educational facility? What for?¡± Chief Kim asks, confused.


    ¡°A public servant training institution and a gym.¡±


    ¡°Why a gym?¡±


    It¡¯s too long to explain, and I can¡¯t be bothered making him understand.


    I put out my cigarette, open the door, and descend from the rooftop into the completely empty lobby.


    A newsflash is playing on the TV. Its contents sound familiar.


    ¡°Next report. An investigation into the sexual assault incidents that have been occurring all over Su-an District has revealed that all of them have been perpetrated by a single suspect,¡± the news reporter says.


    ¡°Huh,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°What is it?¡± asks Chief Kim.


    ¡°We will hear more details from the head of the Su-an Police Department at a briefing of the investigation,¡± the reporter continues.


    The Su-an Spaniel case


    This was an incident that turned the whole of Korea upside down. Now that I think about it, it happened around this time.


    As if possessed, I sit down on the sofa.


    ¡°Young Master?¡±


    ¡°Shh. Be quiet for a moment.¡±


    The head of the Su-an Police Department comes out and grabs the microphone.


    It was such a prominent case that all of the people in charge were replaced. It¡¯s unfortunate, but the same will probably happen to this man, too.


    The perpetrator assaulted thirty victims before they caught him, after all.


    ¡°Testing of DNA samples taken from the twenty victims from all over Seoul, the majority of whom are from Su-an District, has shown that they all match. These results confirm that they are all from the same perpetrator,¡± the police department head says.


    ¡°God. They¡¯re still so far off,¡± I say.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± says Chief Kim.


    ¡°I mean there have been twenty victims and all they¡¯ve shown is that they were all attacked by the same criminal. They¡¯re still so far off.¡±


    I still remember the details.


    Two of the victims were a pair of underage sisters. The older one told the guy she¡¯d do anything in order to protect her younger sister, but in the end, the fiend assaulted both of them.


    At the time, the police were aware that a serial sexual assault case was going on, as they¡¯d spent several years collecting the same person¡¯s DNA. It¡¯s just that up until then, the National Forensic Service didn¡¯t have a database to compare the samples against.


    Upon learning this, the sisters¡¯ father was enraged and spread a photograph of his daughters to the newspapers. Their identifying features were censored, but the image of their bruised and swollen faces after the abuse they had suffered at the hands of the perpetrator shocked the public, and the police were unable to avoid public backlash.


    The impact of this single image engulfed all of Korea.


    That¡¯s why they¡¯re in a hurry to prepare these briefings, too ¨C to maintain the police¡¯s public image as best as they can.


    I was busy cursing the police myself at the time, but looking at it now, I can¡¯t really blame them. What could they do when this was the level of technology they had to work with?


    Oh yeah, the perpetrator was caught by pure coincidence, too. He got arrested after he got drunk and sexually harassed an employee in a store, I think?


    ¡°As such, the Su-an Police Department and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will form a new investigation force centered around a regional investigation unit, and we officially name this case the ¡®Su-an Spaniel Case,¡¯¡± the police department head says.


    It¡¯s no use. This is the first of two times that the investigation headquarters will change.


    ¡°The perpetrator mainly targets women who live alone, breaking into their residences at night to commit his crimes. He is also demonstrating great caution,¡± he continues.


    This is the crucial part that made the perpetrator so hard for the police to catch.


    A hat, man, and gloves were a given; he even filled the gaps in the soles of his shoes with glue. The police couldn¡¯t even tell what kind of shoes he wore.


    On top of that, he was clever enough to make his victims wash themselves after committing his crimes. He was careful enough to collect every towel he used to wipe away any evidence. The little DNA the police did manage to scrape together couldn¡¯t be compared against anything.


    ¡°Please secure your homes at night, and report any suspicious individual to the police. Thank you for your cooperation,¡± the police department head says.


    I don¡¯t remember exactly how long it was, but there was a period in which the criminal was inactive. About a month, maybe?


    At the peak of the public¡¯s caution and alert towards him, he withdrew and stopped showing himself.


    ¡°A portrait of the suspect has been created based on descriptions given by the victims. We at the police department ask for the attention and support of the public at this time. We are also offering a reward of 100,000,000 won to the individual who provides the information leading to the suspect¡¯s arrest,¡± the police department head concludes.


    The sketch of the suspect appears on the screen¡­  with his hat and mask and all, so only his eyes are visible. I remember the police getting a lot of shit for this.


    ¡°How the hell can they identify him with that?¡± mutters none other than Chief Kim.


    Double eyelids, medium build, 170-180cm tall, mid-thirties. Finding him with that description would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. I could go outside right now and grab some random guy, and he¡¯d fit that description.


    ¡°Chief Kim,¡± I say.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Did I ever like exercise?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that you¡¯ve ever done anything that resembles exercise.¡±


    ¡°Not even a little?¡±


    ¡°Not even a little.¡±


    Hmm. That¡¯s a bit of a shame. Go Ji-hun was rather tall, after all. Still, he holed himself up in his room, so I suppose he wouldn¡¯t get any exercise that way.


    I start rubbing my long legs. There¡¯s at least


    ¡°Is there something wrong with your body?¡± Chief Kim asks.


    ¡°Chief Kim. Please go back home and check how many funds I have,¡± I request.


    ¡°Is this related to the training facility you mentioned earlier?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Among other things. I need to get some exercise, and there¡¯s someone I need to catch.¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to the second-born Young Master? Go Min-guk?¡±


    What is he on about, all of a sudden?


    Go Ji-hun had two brothers. The first-born, Go Dae-han, and the second-born, Go Min-guk.


    As the powerful heir to the Gogwang Group, he had a crazy amount of influence on society and the economy.


    In contrast, the second-born son of the conglomerate had a carefree image and was running a single affiliate company.


    Both are Korean in name but have American citizenship.


    ¡°Huh? Am I wrong?¡± Chief Kim says.


    ¡°Why would I want to catch my older brother?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Because things are so damn crazy between you,¡± Chief Kim says, and then he puts a hand over his mouth, seemingly shocked by the words that just came out of it.


    ¡°Are they really that crazy?¡±


    ¡°Looking at it this way, having amnesia doesn¡¯t seem to be a


    ¡°Given that I¡¯ve basically come back from the dead and still haven¡¯t seen anything of him, I¡¯m starting to get an idea.¡±


    ¡°They are both abroad for business. They will not return until next week.¡±


    They¡¯re away for business, but there¡¯s no effort to contact me personally. No matter how you look at it, my relationship with them is worse than being strangers.


    The press conference has finished, and the news anchor is making a concluding remark.


    ¡°¡­ I hope that the ¡®unfruitful¡¯ police investigation makes some progress and the criminal is caught as soon as possible,¡± she says.


    Why do I get the feeling that she¡¯s being careful to not use the word ¡®incompetent?¡¯ Ugh, I would be fuming if I were that police department head.


    ¡°By the way, do you think the Spaniel will be caught, Chief Kim?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The one who catches him will be promoted immediately, won¡¯t he? Every police officer will have their eyes peeled,¡± he says.


    It¡¯s 100,000,000 won, after all! Money is money, but it¡¯d also guarantee extra points on the police officer exam.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Catching the criminal would be a huge deal,¡± I agree with a wide smile.


    Miscellaneous notes:


    1


    2


    3

 Chapter 4

    ¡°Young Master, we have arrived,¡± Chief Kim tells me.


    I gaze out the window at the familiar scenery.


    There are a bunch of buildings that look like they¡¯re going to collapse any second, all packed together. Cars are parked in a disorderly fashion on the side of the street, and trash is scattered around under the streetlights.


    It¡¯s just as I remember it.


    ¡°I heard that the Dongsu neighborhood will undergo redevelopment too,¡± Chief Kim says.


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    The Dongsu neighborhood. This is the neighborhood I lived in before I went to prison¡­ though there were no talks of it being redeveloped when I lived here. I suppose something changed in the year or so that I wasn¡¯t here.


    ¡°The Sangsu neighborhood right next to it is so successful, after all,¡± Chief Kim explains. ¡°I¡¯m always hearing about it.¡±


    In the distance, I can see towering buildings stretching towards the sky. They¡¯re next to the Dongsu neighborhood, but it¡¯s like they¡¯re part of a completely different world. The studio apartment that Hae-soo lived in was in the Sansgu neighborhood too.


    ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Chief Kim asks.


    ¡°I¡¯m going alone. Have a coffee or something while you wait for me,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    It seems that Chief Kim has been instructed by President Go Dae-man to not leave me on my own.


    I wave a cell phone at him as a gesture that he shouldn¡¯t worry, since I¡¯ll contact him if anything happens. It¡¯s Chief Kim¡¯s second phone, which I¡¯ve borrowed. I¡¯ve decided to put it to good use for the next short while.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in an hour,¡± I say.


    ¡°You


    I go to close the car door, but then stop. ¡°Oh yeah, Chief Kim. Do you like pizza?¡±


    ¡°I love it.¡±


    ¡°Then lend me 30,000 won.¡±


    Chief Kim softly bites his lip and opens his wallet.


    As if to really prove that I¡¯m the son of a conglomerate¡¯s president, all of the checks I discovered in a bundle in my drawer were for 1,000,000 won each.


    This was one of the ways in which Go Dae-man attempted to stimulate his son when he holed himself up in his room. A way to tell him to do something, to try anything he wanted. But none of this woke Go Ji-hun from that state.


    Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean that he should be supporting his son now? It seems that I¡¯m incapable of understanding what goes on in the mind of the head of a huge enterprise.


    Well, my plan is fine for making emergency funds anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m a salaried worker,¡± says Chief Kim.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay you back double,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Just make sure to come back on time.¡±


    I grin as I close the car door.


    ***


    I walk through the alleys and find a familiar sign. ¡®Moreore


    This is the place I worked at from when I was a high school student until I went to prison. The windows are stained and messy, and all sorts of junk is strewn around inside. If someone who didn¡¯t know this place were to look at it, they¡¯d think it was closed down.


    ¡°This place hasn¡¯t changed either,¡± I murmur to myself.


    There¡¯s no motorbike outside the store. The part-timer is out on delivery.


    Feeling nervous, I open the door. What do I do if there¡¯s another me here? Even if I were to explain the situation, he wouldn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± says the chubby man sitting at the counter.


    The absolute refusal to get off his seat, even when a customer comes in. It¡¯s definitely the owner I know, my former boss.


    He looks a lot fatter than the last time I saw him.


    ¡°What d¡¯you want?¡± he asks.


    His rude tone hasn¡¯t changed, either.


    I don¡¯t feel any fear towards the young, curt owner of this place¡­ despite having been unable to say a word back when he shamelessly cut my wages.


    Looking back at it now, I was so young and just didn¡¯t know how the world worked. I mean, there were plenty of other places I could have gotten a job. The world was a small and dangerous place for an orphan like me.


    ¡°One Special Pizza, please,¡± I say.


    ¡°Eat here?¡±


    ¡°No. Takeout.¡±


    ¡°30,000 won.¡±


    I hand over three crisp, new notes.


    The owner glances at my face as he takes the money.


    It¡¯s your first time seeing a face this handsome, isn¡¯t it? It was my first time too.


    ¡°Hey boss. I have a question,¡± I say.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you know Bae Min-soo?¡±


    ¡°Bae Min-soo, you say?¡±  the owner repeats, looking confused.


    ¡°He¡¯s a young man who used to deliver on a motorbike here,¡± I say.


    ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯ve only ever had one delivery driver on our motorbike.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Here he comes now.¡±


    Through the window, I can see that a motorbike has been parked outside. Its driver, a young man with a na?ve-looking face, stares at the floor as he enters the store.


    ¡°Hey! Why were you so late!¡± the owner shouts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the young man apologizes.


    ¡°You piece of shit. The order was cancelled because of you.¡±


    These are the words the owner said so often, as if they were his favorite phrase. The business is actually not doing very well, and he¡¯s just venting his anger.


    The young man gives an embarrassed smile and disappears into the back of the store.


    ¡°Seriously, the only thing he knows how to do is ride a motorbike, and he can¡¯t even do that properly,¡± he grumbles to himself, despite the fact that his voice is certainly audible even from further inside.


    Looking at the situation, it seems that my past self isn¡¯t here, though I¡¯ve been replaced by someone similar.


    ¡°Then do you know about the Hae-soo murder case?¡± I ask the owner.


    ¡°There¡¯s not a single person in the Dongsu neighborhood who doesn¡¯t,¡± he replies.


    Park Han-dong. All of his circumstances are the same as mine, except that he was a delivery boy for a Chinese takeaway place. I¡¯m sure he lives near the area.


    ¡°I heard that the criminal was a delivery boy for a Chinese takeaway place. Which one?¡± I ask.


    ¡°That place? Out of business. They tried to keep doing business in the neighborhood, but it was a little rough,¡± the owner says.


    Originally, it was this pizza place that was supposed to go out of business.


    It seems that the owner is happy to have a conversation with a customer for the first time in a while, seeing as he keeps readily answering my questions.


    ¡°I heard he grew up with just his two siblings,¡± the owner continues.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°You can really tell when someone¡¯s grown up with no parents. Our delivery boy¡¯s an orphan as well, and he¡¯s missing a screw or two, you see.¡±


    I sink into a shocked silence as the owner deftly packages the pizza.


    He wasn¡¯t a good person in my previous life either, but now that I look at him from a third-party perspective, I can see that he¡¯s actually human trash.


    Through the frosted window, I can see the young man¡¯s head tilted downwards as he looks at the ground.


    Did I always look like that? So miserable and tired? I could have done my best to cheer up a bit, but I never knew at the time.


    I take the neatly-packaged pizza.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I say loudly towards the back room. ¡°You there, inside.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± the young man responds.


    ¡°Could you please come out here for a moment?¡±


    The young man comes out, wearing a bewildered expression.


    ¡°Your boss never pays you on time does he?¡± I say.


    ¡°What?¡± the boy says blankly.


    ¡°He cuts your hourly wage by more than half, too.¡±


    ¡°Look here. What the hell are you saying!¡± the owner says angrily.


    ¡°He even tells you to pay for the motorbike¡¯s repair costs, right?¡± I go on.


    The young man¡¯s eyes are wide open, as if to ask, ¡®How do you know all that?¡¯


    Meanwhile, the owner¡¯s face has turned bright red, as if someone just shoved him into an oven.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been through all of this before, so I can tell you that people like this don¡¯t change very easily,¡± I say to the young man.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind!¡± the owner bellows at me before turning to the young man. ¡°Hey, Cheol-yong. This someone you know?¡±


    ¡°N-no,¡± the young man says hastily.


    ¡°There are plenty of other places you can work, so quit this job, go out and look for another one,¡± I say, and I take two checks out of my wallet and hand them to the young man.


    2,000,000 won. With the amount I was paid back then, this is three months¡¯ worth¡­ and even that cheap pay was subject to the owner¡¯s wage cuts.


    ¡°Use this to pay for your living expenses for the next little while as you look for another job,¡± I tell the young man.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Uh¡­ Thank you,¡± he says, giving a furtive glance at the owner as he takes the checks.


    If only I was visited by such fortune in the past.


    On a sleepless night in prison, I once had a conversation with my prison family. About whether the ¡®fortune¡¯ that people received once in their lives would ever visit us. About what we could have possibly done so wrong in our previous lives for our current lives to be like this.


    Though we chuckled, we had mixed feelings and wished that there would be one moment ¨C just one ¨C that could change our lives.


    ¡°Make sure to buy yourself some pizza when you feel like it. Don¡¯t starve yourself,¡± I say to the young man with a smile as I leave the store.


    I don¡¯t know what choices he¡¯ll make from this point, but I hope he finds a good opportunity somewhere. Looking back at the past, I know just how much of an impact each little choice has.


    ¡°That¡¯s an expense I wasn¡¯t expecting to pay,¡± I murmur to myself as I look through my wallet for no particular reason.


    It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s money left over from my budget anyway. If I really need money, I¡¯ll just sell the expensive objects in my room.


    Still, life really can be changed completely by a single event. I¡¯ve gone from living in prison and not even being able to afford a biscuit to handing out checks like they¡¯re nothing.


    I start walking in the direction of the road where Chief Kim is.


    But a moment later, I hear what sounds like a dying scream. A short one that stops very suddenly, as if it were nothing but an auditory hallucination.


    I look around me, but I see nothing. The red houses are packed closely together, but they¡¯re surprisingly quiet.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I call out.


    I walk around the alleyways, looking for the source of the scream. The yellow street lights flicker.


    Hmm. Was I just hearing things?


    I look at my watch and see that the one hour limit Chief Kim and I agreed on is approaching.


    The moment I turn to leave, I hear a suppressed groan of pain.


    I have a strange feeling about this.


    The half-open window of one house catches my eye. The windows of every other house have been shut to keep out the chilly night air.


    Feeling suspicious, I approach the house.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I say loudly as I ring the doorbell.


    But I don¡¯t hear any voices or movement, even though I feel like someone is present.


    Looking closer, isn¡¯t the front door open?


    I open the door, but hesitate.


    ¡°Bae Min-soo. Get a hold of yourself,¡± I whisper to myself.


    Twenty years ago, I became a criminal for doing exactly this. Why do I never learn?


    Just as I think better of it and decide to leave, I hear it.


    ¡°Help¡­ me,¡± a woman¡¯s sobbing voice says.


    I¡¯m absolutely certain I heard it. It¡¯s not an auditory hallucination or a figment of my imagination.


    After just one more moment of hesitation, I kick the rusty iron door, sending it flying open with a loud, creaking noise.


    I leave the pizza hanging from the handrail of the stairs outside, pick up a nearby broom and enter the house.


    I¡¯ve spent half my life living with criminal bastards, but I¡¯m scared.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I call out.


    Now that I think about it, I¡¯m not the Bae Min-soo who was locked up in prison. I¡¯m the weak-bodied Go Ji-hun who spent his life holed up in his room.


    ¡°Someone is in there, right?¡± I call out again.


    Silence.


    Something slips onto the other side of the frosted glass of the front door, and stops there.


    With the door between us, neither I nor the mysterious shadow move a muscle.


    Feeling a sense of taut tension, I extend a hand towards the door¡¯s handle. As soon as I do, the door swings and crashes into my face, causing me to shout out in pain. The man on the other side of the door has made the first move just a moment before I could.


    The man, who is wearing a black hat, shoves me out of the way and tries to run out the door. As I fall, I grab his ankle.


    He tumbles down the stairs, along with miscellaneous objects that fall down with him. There¡¯s a loud noise as the flowerpots lined up outside shatter on the ground.


    ¡°Ugh, that hurts,¡± I mutter as I stand up, rubbing my stinging chin.


    The other man also groans in pain. He seems to have fallen at a bad angle; he¡¯s clutching his right wrist.


    A black hat, a black mask, and eyes with double eyelids. A face I¡¯ve seen somewhere before.


    ¡°What are you, a thief?¡± I say to him.


    Instead of responding, he throws sharp flowerpot fragments and dirt at me.


    As I raise my arms to protect my face, the man flees.


    The stairs are a mess. It¡¯s as if a violent storm just swept through. Despite all the noise that¡¯s been made, nobody is showing their faces from inside their houses.


    After regaining my senses, I peer into the inside of the dark house.


    ¡°Excuse me. Is anyone here?¡± I call out.


    I don¡¯t hear anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming in! Just letting you know!¡± I declare.


    The kitchen is right next to the entrance, and there¡¯s one small room further inside. A woman is lying face-down on the ground.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I ask her, bending down.


    The left side of her face is swollen and red, and there¡¯s a little blood flowing down her neck. It looks like she¡¯s been lightly cut by a weapon that was held to her throat. Her clothes are disheveled, but it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s suffered anything worse.


    I fumble around and take out my phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to call the police. What¡¯s the address of this place?¡± I ask the woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°I said¡­ don¡¯t call the police,¡± the woman whispers, taking the phone out of my hand.


    Her hands are shaking. What the hell is she saying?


    ¡°We need to report this,¡± I tell her.


    There¡¯s a sharp look in the woman¡¯s eyes. They¡¯re wet with tears, but her gaze is full of hostility.


    Why are you being like this to me? I¡¯m the one who saved you.


    The woman boldly stands up, closes the window, and fastens the latch to lock it.


    ¡°This is fine, right? I¡¯m going to lock my door now, so you don¡¯t need to worry about me,¡± she says defiantly.


    What a rude person.


    I dust off my hands as I stand up. They¡¯re a mess, covered in dust and scratches from falling over earlier.


    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m after riches and fame over this; I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s making such a fuss.


    ¡°Yes, lock your door. But I¡¯m still going to let the police know about this. I don¡¯t know what your circumstances are, but if you don¡¯t report it and then there¡¯s another victim, you¡¯ll be responsible as well,¡± I tell the woman.


    She flinches at my words, and tears begin flooding out from her eyes¡­ despite having not cried even when she was being attacked by the mysterious assailant.


    ¡°If someone were to see us, they¡¯d think I¡¯m the one who made you cry,¡± I say.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But the police¡­¡±


    At this point, it¡¯s beyond my understanding, so I¡¯m getting curious. But considering this atmosphere in the room, it doesn¡¯t seem that she¡¯s willing to explain.


    I frown and let out a sigh. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just tell them that I saw someone suspicious. That¡¯ll be fine, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Thank you,¡± the woman mutters, putting a hand on my back.


    Hmph. I have no idea what circumstances are making her act like this.


    I continue dusting my hands off as I leave the house.


    There¡¯s a box cutter at the bottom of the stairs. Did that bastard drop it earlier?


    ¡°A box cutter. A rusty box cutter¡­¡± I mutter to myself.


    I suddenly remember the Su-an Spaniel case. His appearance and clothes were similar, and most importantly, this box cutter.


    The weapon he used for his crimes was a box cutter.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± I whisper.


    To think that I would encounter the Su-an Spaniel like this!


    I quickly run down the stairs, but he¡¯s already vanished like a ghost. The whole alleyway is empty, as if it¡¯s a part of the city that¡¯s just been discarded. There aren¡¯t any people here and definitely no functioning CCTV.


    The reason he was inactive for a month was because he was injured!


    The crimes will continue once his wrist heals.


    I put the box cutter in my pocket and return to the car. Chief Kim is drinking coffee in the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°It has been a little


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the Su-an Police Department, immediately,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°The police department, all of a sudden?¡± he repeats, examining me through the back mirror. ¡°What happened to your face? Did you get into a fight?¡±


    ¡°No. Let¡¯s get going. It¡¯s urgent.¡±


    ¡°But Young Master.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You said you were going to buy pizza.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Hurry up and drive.¡±


    Even if I bring this information to the police, the investigation won¡¯t progress much further, because the key to solving this case is knowing the identity of the owner of the DNA collected at the crime scenes.


    But I can¡¯t pretend to not know anything when this piece of evidence has been dropped in front of me, and there¡¯s someone I need to meet at the Su-an Police Department while I¡¯m there.


    And anyway, the one who will catch the Spaniel is me.


    Miscellaneous notes:


    1

 Chapter 5

    The Su-an Police Department.


    I open the door to the Criminal Affairs Division, which is on the second floor. This is the very place where I was detained and interrogated twenty years ago.


    Actually coming here again makes the memories pop up in my mind, one after another. Ugh, I¡¯m getting shivers in my spine.


    I take a hesitant look at my surroundings.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this bastard started it!¡± one man says angrily to a detective.


    ¡°I really did not do anything at all, officer,¡± the man next to him says calmly.


    ¡°Do you know who the hell I am?¡± the first man shouts.


    ¡°Excuse me, please be quiet over there,¡± another detective says loudly in their direction.


    The whole place is noisy with the sounds of ringing phones and loud voices.


    I grab the arm of a detective that¡¯s walking past. ¡°Excuse me. Who is in charge of the Su-an Spaniel case?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°Go further inside,¡± the detective replies, pointing somewhere further in.


    He seems to be in a rush; he practically runs as I let go of him.


    I push my way through the crowd of people to reach the back, but all of the detectives of this area seem to be out on duty; nobody¡¯s here.


    Violent Crime Task Force 2 is next to it. All the desks here are empty as well, save for one.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I call out to the man standing in front of that desk.


    There¡¯s a musty smell coming from somewhere.


    The man is staring intently at some low-resolution footage. I think it¡¯s a crime scene, but it¡¯s hard to even discern people¡¯s faces.


    ¡°Jesus Christ. Can you even call this footage?¡± the man mutters under his breath.


    ¡°Detective?¡± I say, calling out to him again.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He turns around and looks up at me.


    Wow. He¡¯s a good looking, muscular guy. Tanned skin, broad shoulders¡­ Incredible. He¡¯s in better shape than the average sportsman.


    ¡°I have information about the Su-an Spaniel,¡± I say.


    ¡°The Spaniel? Take a seat,¡± says the detective, pulling out the chair in front of him.


    Holy shit. I just saw the man¡¯s rotten socks on his feet. This must be the source of the rotting smell in the office.


    ¡°What information do you have?¡± the detective asks.


    ¡°I saw a suspicious man in an alleyway near Moreore Pizza House in the Dongsu neighborhood, and I think he was the Spaniel.¡± I pull out the box cutter from my pocket. ¡°The man dropped this.¡±


    The beast-like detective stops scribbling and puts his pen down. He looks at the box cutter, then back at me, with a confused look on his face.


    ¡°Thank you, but what makes you think that the man was the Spaniel?¡± he asks.


    The fact that the Spaniel¡¯s weapon is a box cutter isn¡¯t known yet. If I explain all of the circumstances of the incident, they¡¯ll definitely try to track down the victim, but if my explanation is too loose, I¡¯ll cause unwanted misunderstandings.


    ¡°He was wearing a black hat and mask. His eyes looked like the sketch made by the police,¡± I say calmly.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything unusual?¡± the detective asks.


    ¡°I bumped into him in the alleyway, and he took off in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Is that all?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s suspicious?¡±


    The detective sniffs. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± he says with a polite smile.


    In the next moment, he examines me closely with a sharp stare.


    ¡°How did you get the injuries on your hands and face?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Those are personal circumstances,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Uh-huh. Could you please show some identification, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    I confidently hand him my ID.


    ¡°One moment, please,¡± the detective says.


    He¡¯s being polite, but I¡¯m certain that he thinks I¡¯m suspicious. Though there seems to be nothing wrong on the surface, he¡¯s probably intuitively sensed something¡­ though it looks like that intuition has led him in the wrong direction.


    Thinking about it that way, it pisses me off a little. I¡¯m just looking out for the police and doing my best to help, after all.


    Suddenly, a loud voice comes from the next team over, on the other side of a divider.


    ¡°What? How does that even make any sense?¡±


    The voice is coming from a place labelled ¡®Violent Crime Task Force 1.¡¯


    I pretend I didn¡¯t hear anything, but I listen in.


    ¡°What is it?¡± another detective asks.


    Wondering what¡¯s going on, a bunch of them crowd around that area.


    ¡°The National Forensic Service has the DNA data from yesterday¡¯s jewelry store robbery.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. The culprit will be arrested soon.¡±


    ¡°But the guy is in prison right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This says he was imprisoned a year ago, and he¡¯s still in jail. What the hell?¡±


    What is all this about?


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t there been some kind of mistake?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯ve told them to redo the tests, but this is very strange.¡±


    ¡°What about the possibility that he¡¯s done labor outside the prison? Has he ever been outside?¡±


    ¡°No. It looks like the prison¡¯s warden is willing to testify for that.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way there was something wrong with the evidence. It was collected right there at the scene. There must have been a mistake in the process of analysis.¡±


    ¡°Shit. What the hell is going on?¡±


    The atmosphere in the whole station has flipped upside-down.


    A certain case suddenly comes to my mind. I don¡¯t remember the name of the case, but it was such an unusual case that it was used in future forensic investigation textbooks.


    I stand up and stick my head over the partition.


    ¡°Excuse me, detective,¡± I say to the man sitting closest to me.


    Totally confused, the detective turns around and looks at me absent-mindedly.


    ¡°Should I tell you?¡± I offer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± the detective says, looking at me blankly.


    ¡°Should I tell you what happened in that case?¡±


    All the detectives gathered in the office stare at me as if I¡¯m insane. I can hear whispered voices wondering who the hell I am. I can even see one guy blatantly sneering at me.


    I pretend not to hear them. ¡°Do you not want to know what happened?¡± I ask the detectives.


    ¡°Are you saying you know more than the National Forensic Service? Are


    For a moment, I half-consider not helping them, but I grit my teeth and smile. ¡°DNA is the identifying characteristic of the criminal, but he¡¯s locked in prison, so you¡¯re all stumped. Am I correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± agrees one of the detectives.


    ¡°Then he could be an identical twin.¡±


    The office is engulfed in silence.


    ¡°Identical twins aren¡¯t too common, are they? Maybe only one percent of the total population?¡± I continue.


    All of the detectives look skeptical, but their opinions differ.


    ¡°What are the chances that both identical twins are serious criminals?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not


    ¡°Why the hell are you agreeing with him!¡±


    Well, now that I¡¯ve given them the correct answer, I suppose these police detectives will take care of the rest.


    I turn my back to them to sit in my seat again, leaving them to it.


    ¡°Junior,¡± says the voice of the man who looked like he was the leader of Violent Crime Task Force 1. ¡°You go to the neighborhood office and check.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    A young detective runs out of the office, holding his jacket.


    It¡¯s 5:30 now. The neighborhood office is open until 6, so it¡¯s going to be a close call.


    ¡°Detective Kang, call the prison again. I¡¯m going to the National Forensic Service.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Sir! Please take care of this as well while you¡¯re there.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s suddenly so busy, despite the fact that they were all sitting down a minute ago.


    Being a cop is an occupation that needs you to move, but the heat and energy they¡¯re giving off is amazing.


    I¡¯m just sitting in the middle of all of them, watching everything unfold.


    You know¡­ What if I never made that delivery that day? Would I be among these people right about now? Would I have achieved my dream of being a police officer?


    I feel it again now. The reality of the fact that my life was crushed by the very police that it was my dream to join.


    The muscular detective who took my ID returns. A background check on me wouldn¡¯t turn up anything, so he doesn¡¯t have a choice, does he.


    ¡°Thank you. We will take the evidence into our custody for reference,¡± he says.


    ¡°Please do,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Could you please leave us your phone number? We might contact you if we have any further questions.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re working so hard around the clock, so it¡¯s the least I can do.¡±


    I write down my phone number on a piece of paper.


    ¡°Ah. Detective,¡± I say.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Is there a Detective Wang Ong-gu here?¡±


    This is the other reason I came to the police department. Wang Ong-gu was one of the people in charge of the Hae-soo case, the one who interrogated me.


    I¡¯ve been looking around but I haven¡¯t seen him, so maybe he¡¯s out on duty.


    The muscular detective gives a small, involuntary frown. ¡°Detective Wang? He¡¯s in the narcotics unit,¡± he says.


    The narcotics unit? At the very least, he was working on violent crimes up until a year ago.


    It¡¯s common for officers to transfer departments or have their team structures reorganized under the instruction of their superiors. But a detective who was entrusted with something as important as the Hae-soo case, transferring to another department less than a year later?


    Something is off. I¡¯m not outright suspicious but disconcerted nonetheless.


    The muscular detective gives me a strange look. ¡°Is there something you need to report there?¡±


    ¡°No, I just owe him a little something,¡± I say.


    ¡°Would you like his contact details?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll come back and find him another time.¡±


    I have plenty of time, and I can learn the details in a more natural manner once I become a police officer.


    I bid the detective farewell and leave the police department building. I can see Chief Kim looking restless, like a dog waiting for its owner, even from a distance.


    ¡°Young Master. Did your business go well?¡± Chief Kim asks.


    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry about it. It really was nothing important,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Would you like to go home now, then?¡±


    I silently get into the back seat. I lean against the window and look up at the shining police logo on the police department building.


    To tell the truth, I have mixed feelings after going and seeing the police with my own eyes, going about their daily lives as if nothing¡¯s wrong despite having imprisoned an innocent man.


    My instincts tell me that there¡¯s a tangled web of strings out there, and I¡¯m certain that it¡¯s going to be hard to untangle it. I¡¯ll have to untie twenty years¡¯ worth of knots, after all.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± says Chief Kim, tilting his head a little and peering into his side mirror.


    There¡¯s a man running desperately towards us. He¡¯s looking around, trying to find someone.


    ¡°He appears to be searching for you, Young Master,¡± Chief Kim says.


    Looking at his face, I recognize him as the young detective who said he was going to the neighborhood office.


    I open the window and look at him. He gives me a broad smile as he spots me and runs up to the car.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t left yet,¡± he manages to say, panting.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been to the neighborhood office,¡± he says, still breathing heavily.


    The young detective is very preoccupied with trying to catch his breath. It looks like he¡¯s been running for a while; a bead of sweat drips from the end of his hair. But his flushed, red face looks so happy.


    ¡°The criminal really was an identical twin,¡± he tells me.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± I say.


    ¡°Thank you. We would have been stumped without you.¡±


    With that, the young detective bows and runs off back towards the police department building.


    For some reason, I feel a twinge of sadness in my chest as I watch him leave.


    He¡¯s living the youth that I always wanted to live. Running around, sweating with passion. These people have attained what I was never able to.


    Maybe it¡¯s my age; my eyes are getting damp over such stupid things.


    ¡°Young Master?¡± says Chief Kim.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I can see both of our faces reflected in the mirror. We¡¯ve just passed the mid-point of our twenties; we still have our youth.


    That¡¯s right. I just need to start over. I¡¯ve been given a new life, after all.


    ¡°Shall I take you home now?¡± Chief Kim asks.


    ¡°No. There¡¯s another place I want to go to,¡± I reply.


    I¡¯m going to live my new life in a magnificent fashion. Getting emotional is a waste of time.


    Let¡¯s catch the Spaniel. Let¡¯s catch this bastard and get a good start to this.


    I happen to know of an exceptional individual who can help me.


    ***


    The first floor of an apartment building that¡¯s falling apart.


    A high school student returns from studying until late at school and checks the mail. There is a health insurance bill, utility bills, and advertising flyers.


    He also discovers an unfamiliar-looking envelope.


    The boy hesitantly takes the white, crumpled, folded envelope out of the mailbox. There are three checks inside, each of them for 1,000,000 won.


    ¡°Huh,¡± he mutters with a small frown.


    He examines both sides of the envelope, but there are no contact details written on it. In that case ¨C


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be doing any work for a while,¡± he sighs as he turns towards the dark staircase.


    As he does, a handsome man emerges from the darkness.


    ¡°Hi, Ho-un,¡± the man says.


    ***


    ¡°How did you know my name?¡± Ho-un asks as he sips his green tea, his eyes full of suspicion.


    He seems to feel uneasy, despite the fact that we¡¯re in a crowded caf¨¦.


    It looks like he liked green tea ever since he was young. It¡¯s the only thing he ever drank in prison.


    I enjoy a sip of my coffee as I examine the boy closely.


    Every facial feature is the same as the Ho-un that I knew. It¡¯s like I¡¯m face-to-face with his hidden child.


    ¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you,¡± I say in reply to his question.


    ¡°I won¡¯t work for you if you don¡¯t tell me,¡± he says.


    ¡°You said you won¡¯t be doing any work for a while anyway.¡±


    Ho-un curls his lip and looks away. Despite his words, his hand is holding the 3,000,000 won very tightly.


    How can your words be so different from what your actions are saying, man?


    ¡°Just tell me where you heard my name,¡± he says, seeming worried about how his personal information was leaked.


    A guy who went by the alias of ¡®Ant¡¯ as he messed with people¡¯s information would certainly feel vulnerable now that his own information has been revealed.


    I raise my eyebrows and look at his chest. ¡°It says on your name tag, right there. Kim Ho-un.¡±


    Ho-un stares blankly down at his own chest for a moment, and then he suddenly gets onto his feet. He hesitates, then puts the envelope on the table.


    ¡°Thank you for the green tea. Bye,¡± he says.


    ¡°This is because of your mother, right?¡± I say.


    Ho-un¡¯s eyes widen like a rabbit¡¯s. He¡¯s past the point of suspicion; his face has a look of pure worry.


    ¡°How did you know that?¡± he whispers.


    The first time Ho-un earned money was when he was in middle school. His first commission was from a woman requesting him to hack into the cellphone of her husband, whom she suspected of having an affair.


    He then kindly gave 500,000 won to his mother. He expected her to praise him, but what he received instead was her cane. She was certain that if a young child was earning money without working, it was undoubtedly coming from illegal activities. A fearsome person, she forced Ho-un to burn the cash as he cried.


    But his nature never changed. From then on, he would secretly take on occasional requests whenever he needed money, up until his mother passed away when he was twenty years old.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you don¡¯t know,¡± Ho-un remarks.


    ¡°As it turns out, I know a lot about you,¡± I say.


    ¡°But why did you come looking for me? If you¡¯re skilled enough to do that, go and solve your problems on your own,¡± Ho-un sighs.


    ¡°I have no idea how to use computers,¡± I tell him with a grin.


    Ho-un is wearing an expression as if he¡¯s just tasted a mouthful of shit.


    So, there was a time when you were na?ve too, huh?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing big. Just find one person for me,¡± I say.


    ¡°Nothing big? You make it sound so easy,¡± says Ho-un.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s an easy job for you, after all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re paying me three million for an easy job?¡±


    This will be the highest-paying commission that Ho-un has received so far. Up until now, he¡¯s probably only done small, secret investigations¡­ though in the future, he¡¯s going to become a hacker that shakes the foundation of the nation.


    ¡°Of course. And you can even take some pride in this one,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a job that will save people.¡±


    His words are protesting and saying that he won¡¯t do it, but I know Ho-un. I know how much he loves money.


    I push some documents and a business card towards him. The documents contain all of the Spaniel¡¯s personal details that I could scrape from the corners of my memory, and the business card is Chief Kim¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯m not completely certain about some of this information, but it should be mostly accurate. Find the man that it describes,¡± I say.


    ¡°What is this business card?¡± Ho-un asks.


    ¡°Show it to your mother when she asks where the money came from.¡±


    Chief Kim belongs to the secretarial section of the Gogwang Group.


    Ho-un compares my face to the one on the business card. ¡°This isn¡¯t you, though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, just use it. If she keeps asking, tell her you got a part-time job with Gogwang. Treat her to a nice meal,¡± I say.


    I don¡¯t have the heart to tell him that his mother will pass away when he becomes an adult. I can¡¯t tell him to take good care of her.


    ¡°Seriously, who are you? Are you the son of a conglomerate leader or something?¡± Ho-un asks.


    I silently get up from my seat. It¡¯s almost midnight already. His mother would worry if I kept him any later.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an unemployed guy with a lot of money,¡± I reply.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Ho-un says.


    ¡°I have faith that you¡¯ll find him soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do the work you paid me for. Don¡¯t worry, Boss.¡±


    Ho-un extends a hand towards me. His friendliness hasn¡¯t changed.


    I smile and take his hand.


    Just you wait, Spaniel. I¡¯ll catch you soon enough.

 Chapter 6

    A residence spanning over a thousand square meters, located in the heart of Seoul. It has a well-maintained garden and antique-like stone tiles. The house is softly lit from the outside.


    To think that such a house, the likes of which I¡¯ve only ever seen on TV, is now my house.


    Chief Kim and I open the front door and enter together.


    My eyes are greeted by an interior that radiates sophistication.


    I also see Go Dae-man, who is sitting on a sofa, reading a book.


    ¡°You are late,¡± he says.


    ¡°You have not retired to your chamber yet?¡± Chief Kim says in surprise, bowing.


    It is rare for Go Dae-man to still be awake past midnight. He maintains his routine immaculately, so his sleep pattern is very regular.


    Go Dae-man puts his book down and adjusts the position of his glasses on his face. He looks tired, but his eyes still show his sharp intelligence.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± he questions.


    ¡°Just taking care of some things here and there,¡± I reply.


    ¡°What happened to your face and clothes?¡±


    Hmm. How should I answer this one? Do I tell him that I had a run-in with the Spaniel?


    As I hesitate, Go Dae-man clicks his tongue and puts an envelope on the table in front of him.


    It¡¯s an invitation card, decorated beautifully with gold leaf. It reads: ¡®The honorable presence of Mr. Go Ji-hun is requested at the informal party celebrating the foundation of Gunbaek Construction.¡¯


    ¡°You said that you will not live as you did before, so you will earn your keep,¡± Go Dae-man says.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me to attend this?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It will be beneficial.¡±


    ¡°For who? For me? Or the Gogwang Group?¡±


    ¡°Where is the meaning in that question? You are the Gogwang Group, and the Gogwang Group is you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested. I have two older brothers for that, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°If you break your obligations, you will have no freedom. Your card is not the only privilege that you have previously enjoyed.¡±


    Wow. That¡¯s low. It¡¯s a half-threat, warning me that he can cut off my access to things other than my card.


    Seeing as I¡¯ve already spent 5,000,000 won, I can¡¯t say much, though.


    ¡°People don¡¯t realize what they had until they lose it all,¡± Go Dae-man says, repeating the very words I said to him the first time I met him. ¡°But once they have, it is already too late.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± I ask.


    I can¡¯t read his face. His expression is stern and yet soft at the same time.


    Go Dae-man closes his book and stands up. ¡°Consider this advice from Dad. Make the correct choice before it is too late,¡± he says.


    ¡°¡­ Do you not want me to become a police officer?¡± I ask.


    Chief Kim¡¯s eyes open wide; it¡¯s the first time he¡¯s hearing of this.


    I can¡¯t figure out why Go Dae-man is opposing me. Is it because I want to be a mere officer rather than something like a prosecutor? Is it because his son has come to his senses but doesn¡¯t want to join the company? Or¡­?


    ¡°Is it because you think I will break down again?¡± I ask.


    Go Dae-man pushes his glasses up and stares at me.


    Go Ji-hun would never have been able to read his father¡¯s thoughts. But as a forty-year-old third-party, I can see that Go Dae-man is worried in some way.


    I smile softly and observe the changes in Go Dae-man¡¯s expression. It¡¯s as if there¡¯s a raging ocean storm swirling in his eyes. As if he¡¯s suddenly been overwhelmed.


    But as expected, he quickly crafts a thin smile. ¡°How humiliating would it be for a son of the head of the Gogwang Group to fail at something such as being a mere public servant?¡± he says.


    As I thought, he¡¯s stubborn. He¡¯s thrown a punch and shot down my suggestion.


    ¡°If I become someone you can be proud of, someone who isn¡¯t a disgrace to the Gogwang Group¡­¡± I say.


    I carefully examine Go Dae-man¡¯s expression before finishing my sentence.


    ¡°Please grant me one request.¡±


    ¡°¡­ It is getting late,¡± Go Dae-man says.


    With his book in hand, he disappears into his bedroom.


    Given his nature, the fact that he did not give a certain answer essentially means that he has agreed.


    I sigh with relief and go up towards my room on the second floor.


    As if today wasn¡¯t busy enough without this conversation. I¡¯m so damn tired.


    Chief Kim shuffles up the stairs.


    ¡°It seems that the president is very concerned about you, Young Master,¡± he whispers quietly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± I say.


    ¡°He stayed up late to wait for you. He even gave you advice.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Make sure you remember too, Chief Kim. I¡¯m not going to the party. There¡¯s a mountain of things I need to do.¡±


    ***


    Several days later.


    I¡¯m watching the night cityscape drift by slowly through the window of a cruise ship. I pull at the suffocating tie around my neck.


    ¡°Why throw away a good thing that¡¯s been so well-prepared?¡± Chief Kim says with a small smile, as if reading my mind.


    I thought he was looking elsewhere, but he was watching me out of the corners of his eyes. He¡¯s quite incredible in a lot of ways.


    ¡°You look very sharp today,¡± he says.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Thank you,¡± I say.


    With my hair tidily combed over, I look handsome, like a foreign model.


    A sharp nose and eyes that capture the gaze. A perfectly fitting suit.


    Go Ji-hun lived every day looking at this face. No matter what anyone says, it¡¯s a good life.


    The lighting on the ship is quite dark overall, but I can feel the surrounding gazes directed towards me.


    ¡°It¡¯s freezing outside. We¡¯ll freeze to death, having a party on a boat,¡± I say.


    ¡°But it¡¯s warm inside,¡± says Chief Kim.


    Shit. Money is the root of all evil. As someone who is financially dependent on the president, I had no choice but to attend the party. It seems that I have to tread carefully around him until I become a police officer¡­ No, at least until I catch the Spaniel.


    ¡°The night view is nice, though,¡± I say.


    I can see the Dangjeong Bridge through the window. The tall reinforced concrete arches stretch upwards, its lights shining like the stars that decorate the night sky. This is considered to be the most wonderful bridge built by Gunbaek Construction.


    ¡®All bridges across oceans were built by Gunbaek Construction.¡¯ This ¡®fact¡¯ circulated as a joke, but it¡¯s partially true. That¡¯s how crazy an influence the company has in Korea.


    Chief Kim leans his head towards me and points somewhere with his chin. ¡°Do you see, over there? The one with the ribbon.¡±


    There¡¯s a woman with a large ribbon on her waist, drinking champagne.


    ¡°That¡¯s the youngest daughter of the head of the Jayeong Group. She has recently graduated from university, and there are talks of marriage between her and the second-born Young Master,¡± Chief Kim says.


    ¡°Which makes her my future sister-in-law,¡± I say.


    ¡°As long as there are no unexpected complications.¡±


    Unexpected complications seem likely. If I remember correctly, Go Min-guk marries a lawyer from a family of prosecutors.


    ¡°And the one with the gold-rimmed glasses is the second son of the Airit Company. The one with the blue necktie is the nephew of the president of Su-eon Pharmaceuticals. The oldest son of the CEO of Uguk Life Insurance and his wife are here, too,¡± Chief Kim continues.


    I take a look around as I listen to his descriptions. This really is a world of stars.


    ¡°But they¡¯re all young,¡± I remark.


    All of them are young adults; there¡¯s not a single white hair to be seen. The oldest along them is probably the oldest son of Uguk Life Insurance¡¯s CEO, accompanied by his wife.


    ¡°Well observed. Today¡¯s party is essentially an announcement of who is going to be the next head of Gunbaek Construction. After all, they have appointed a fresh, green, young man as the head of their entry into the shipping industry,¡± says Chief Kim.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that they¡¯ve gathered us here to meet each other ahead of the actual succession?¡± I say.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Chief Kim nods. ¡°The second-born Young Master should be here somewhere as well.¡±


    ¡°What about the oldest?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The


    I clear my throat. ¡°I mean, my oldest hyeong-nim,¡± I correct myself.


    So, this is a gathering of the people who will lead Korea in the next generation. The formalities were prepared, but the event wasn¡¯t made publicly known. It¡¯s a party held for building relations.


    The lights turn off, and lights turn on over a stage instead. A well-dressed man in a suit takes the mic.


    His face looks like he¡¯s in his mid-thirties. He has a smooth and tidy overall appearance. His narrow eyes are attractive, but they also look a little cold.


    ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Nam Sae-ha, an executive director at Gunbaek Construction and head of Gunbaek Shipping,¡± he says.


    Nam Sae-ha. The second son of the president of Gunbaek Construction.


    He graduated from an elite overseas university and immediately joined Gunbaek Construction. This caused controversy and accusations of nepotism, but he was recognized as a capable individual for his work ethic and drive for success. There were rumors that one of his friends from university was the connection that allowed Gunbaek Construction to get a commission to build a bridge for the Arabic royal family.


    Is this why living overseas is such a good thing? Where the hell did he go to make friends with an Arabic prince?


    Through this commission, Gunbaek Construction made great progress in the Middle East, and Nam Sae-ha rose through the ranks very rapidly. There were many different opinions about him within the company, but he was a man who produced tremendous results.


    ¡°There are some faces that I have not seen for a long time, and others that I have not seen before at all,¡± Nam Sae-ha continues. ¡°Thank you all for coming here today. It is thanks to you that I feel that Korea and Gunbaek are prospering.¡±


    A few laughs come from here and there in the audience.


    Nam Sae-ha raises a glass of wine in his right hand. The people watching him from below raise theirs.


    Chief Kim raises his own glass and gives me a nod.


    Yeah, yeah. I know. I¡¯ll play along.


    I lightly raise my glass.


    Nam Sae-ha looks around, then gives a satisfied smile. ¡°To our nation, the Republic of Korea.¡±


    ¡°To the Republic of Korea!¡± the audience repeats, and the clinking of glasses rings out.


    As expected, Chief Kim tips his glass towards me. I smile and touch my glass to his.


    Finally, music starts playing and waiters begin walking around with food and glasses of beverages.


    I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s because they¡¯re all young or because they all know each other, but I feel like there is a sturdy wall being built between me and everyone else. Not that I want to be included in the first place.


    I lean against the corner of the room and look around the party venue, listening to Chief Kim tell me about the people.


    ¡°Do you see that man and woman over there? They were dating and then broke up, but then their siblings married each other, so they are family now.¡±


    ¡°What a dysfunctional family.¡±


    ¡°The one over there recently divorced after his past affair with an actress was revealed, and the one over here blew his half of the stocks that he inherited. The leadership of his company was taken from him by his younger brother.¡±


    I thought this was a world of stars, but looking at how they¡¯re living, I can see that they¡¯ve got as much on their plate as ordinary people, if not more.


    Chief Kim takes his cell phone out of his inner pocket.


    ¡°Young Master. Please stay here for a moment,¡± he says.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I ask.


    Chief Kim runs out without replying to my question. Maybe it¡¯s a personal call. His girlfriend, perhaps?


    I just stand there awkwardly, sipping my drink.


    Suddenly, I spot a face that I recognize. Go Min-guk, the second son of the president of the Gogwang Group.


    Cunning-looking eyes, small features, and slightly thinning hair. He strangely resembles Ms. Lee Mi-sook, but not really in a good way .


    It looks like he¡¯s spotted me; he makes a surprised-looking frown ¨C as if wondering what I¡¯m doing here.


    I know we¡¯re only half-brothers, but isn¡¯t this treatment a little cold towards someone who basically died and came back to life?


    I just give a small nod and then look elsewhere.


    Hmm. It seems that my familial relations are completely dogshit.


    But it seems that Go Min-guk finds my reaction to his behavior offensive.


    ¡°Go Ji-hun. Come over here,¡± he says.


    He¡¯s beckoning me over.


    I sigh. I feel tired already.


    The people around Go Min-guk stop their conversations and look at me.


    Realizing that I have no intention of moving from where I am, he leads his colleagues over to me.


    ¡°None of you have ever met him, have you? He¡¯s my younger brother, Go Ji-hun,¡± he says.


    ¡°Mr. Min-guk¡¯s brother? He¡¯s so good-looking that I thought he was a model,¡± says one of the women.


    ¡°His face is tiring to look at,¡± says one of the men.


    The women are showing some interest in me, but the men are openly wary. It¡¯s probably because of my appearance. In a world where people only meet in the same closed groups, men who are as good-looking as me are very rare.


    Among the group is Go Min-guk¡¯s fianc¨¦e, the youngest daughter of the head of the Jayeong Group. I think her name was Park Hwa-seon?


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Well then, I¡¯ll excuse myself now,¡± I say as I try to leave.


    But Go Min-guk grabs my arm. ¡°Where are you going? Crawling back to the corner of your room?¡±


    What is this son of a bitch thinking?


    The atmosphere is awkward and unpleasant.


    I try to shake his hand off, but a woman from the group grabs my arm as well, though for a different reason. Her alluring gaze is undoubtedly trying to entice me to stay.


    ¡°Alright, then. Who knows when I¡¯ll get the chance to see you again?¡± I say.


    ¡°Hey,¡± says Go Min-guk, calling out to a waiter. ¡°Bring one more drink over here.¡±


    ¡°Still, he looks nothing like Min-guk. He¡¯s really good-looking,¡± remarks one of his friends disinterestedly.


    The atmosphere turns cold. It¡¯s objectively clear that Go Min-guk has inherited all of the worst genes of his family. This is a fact that everyone knows, but nobody has said it out loud.


    He¡¯s getting hit by life from all directions. I¡¯m sure he has a lot of his own problems.


    ¡°Where did you go for university?¡± another friend asks me in an attempt to break the tension.


    Go Min-guk¡¯s friends should know full well what kind of lifestyle I¡¯ve been living, though.


    ¡°He¡¯s only got a high school education. A general equivalency diploma at that,¡± Go Min-guk says with a laugh before I can reply.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± asks his friend.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know that myself. Maybe he¡¯s given up on life or something.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°He holed himself up in the corner of his room and wasted his time away like a vegetable.¡±


    Everyone here either studied overseas or graduated from prestigious universities.


    For one short moment, I feel their gazes on me, filled with disgust.


    I¡¯m an illegitimate third child with a mere high school education. Even with the halo of the Gogwang Group¡¯s business over my head, I appear considerably inferior among these people.


    In any case, Go Min-guk is quite the bastard. I¡¯ve heard a few things about him as well, and he wants to bring up university education? Pretty shameless from a guy who only got into his university after having a building built for them.


    ¡°Is one¡¯s educational background really that important these days?¡± says the woman from the Jayeong Group, raising her wine glass towards me. ¡°Life expectancy is high these days. You have to live while doing the things you want to do.¡±


    Someone gives a small laugh. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. We¡¯re still young, after all.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, you¡¯re graduating soon, aren¡¯t you, Ms. Hwa-seon?¡± says someone else.


    The topic of conversation has shifted in an instant.


    Park Hwa-seon, the youngest daughter of the president of the Jayeong Group. I guess she was chosen as a daughter-in-law candidate because she has an innocent appearance, is graduating from a prestigious university, and is well-mannered.


    Go Min-guk, you son of a bitch. You¡¯ve managed to get a woman who¡¯s way too good for you.


    The topic of conversation gradually broadens.


    ¡°I met the director at the last general shareholders¡¯ meeting, and¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the French wine business. There¡¯s a really fine one called Lemans Cronet¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard about that too. Oh yeah, our company is¡­¡±


    Blah blah blah economy, blah blah blah world. They¡¯re talking about how their businesses are going. Most of them gained their positions through nepotism, and yet they¡¯re bragging as if their companies belong to them.


    Their conversations go into one of my ears and out the other as I enjoy my drink and snacks. These delicacies that I don¡¯t even know the name of melt in my mouth before I can swallow them.


    ¡°You heard that, didn¡¯t you, disabled person?¡± Go Min-guk suddenly says in my direction.


    The topic of conversation has shifted to a corporate regulation that is going into effect this year. It¡¯s an ambitious bill proposed by the new government to gain public popularity. It stipulates mandatory hiring of disabled people, welfare recipients, and veterans.


    ¡°In any case, this is why it¡¯s such a pain when the government changes.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just mess around after investing so much money.¡±


    ¡°I mean, even if we elect people who have lived overseas before, companies are barely running.¡±


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not bad for improving companies¡¯ public images.¡±


    ¡°We can improve company image as much as we want with other methods.¡±


    ¡°If we have to pay expenses either way, wouldn¡¯t it be better to hire them?¡±


    All of them are expressing their thoughts and chewing out the government¡¯s new bill.


    As for me, well, it doesn¡¯t concern me.


    But not saying anything actually causes another shot to be fired my way.


    ¡°Mr. Ji-hun hasn¡¯t said anything for a while. Is he the quiet type?¡± one of Go Min-guk¡¯s friends asks.


    ¡°He¡¯d have to know something first if he wanted to speak,¡± says Go Min-guk.


    His friend laughs. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re speaking a foreign language, Min-guk.¡±


    ¡°This son of a bitch doesn¡¯t even understand Korean,¡± Go Min-guk smirks.


    His closer friends giggle.


    You¡¯re not a child. What are you doing? In front of your fianc¨¦e, no less.


    I surreptitiously put down my glass and look around.


    Where is Chief Kim and what is he doing? I still don¡¯t see him.


    I think it¡¯s about time for me to go. But before I do, I have to wrap up this conversation with these rude dimwits, don¡¯t I?

 Chapter 7

    ¡°What would I know? Especially compared to my


    The truth is that I have no intention of doing anything like that, but there¡¯s no problem with getting a nice, twisted expression from Go Min-guk, is there?


    ¡°Still, you should have picked up a thing or two,¡± says one of his friends.


    ¡°You¡¯re already twenty-six, so you have to be able to think for yourself,¡± another chimes in.


    Look at these guys. Even bringing up my age despite the fact that they¡¯re about the same age as me. There will always be idiots no matter where you go.


    Everyone is looking at me with expressions of anticipation, waiting with bated breath to hear the stupid response I¡¯m about to give.


    Someone laughs. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s too hard for you to think of anything to say?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Then can I just say one thing?¡± I say.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°First of all, I think that the employment of disabled people is a good thing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    My stance is the exact opposite of the majority of the people here, who have been criticizing the new bill despite the fact that the government has already announced it, and nobody can prevent it from coming into effect at this point.


    If one looks at it pessimistically, it¡¯s a bill that makes things that were previously accepted unacceptable.


    ¡°What I mean is, I can understand small and medium-sized businesses not being happy over the new bill because of the expenses it brings, but large businesses don¡¯t need to worry at all. These people are already ¡®there,¡¯ after all,¡± I say, unable to stop a sharp edge from finding its way into the tone of my voice. ¡°People who work despite being disabled are stronger-willed than the average well-off person. They¡¯re honest and hard-working, you see. They have no desire to drink, smoke, slack off, or pocket things that don¡¯t belong to them. They¡¯re happy to just be doing honest work.¡±


    You people would have needed to see this for yourself to know this.


    I recall the disabled people I met while doing labor in prison. Every single one of them was sincere and diligent.


    ¡°And it¡¯s something that isn¡¯t normally visible that¡¯s the most valuable,¡± I continue.


    ¡°Are you talking about its effect on businesses¡¯ public images?¡± Go Min-guk says incredulously.


    ¡°No. The market.¡±


    Go Min-guk frowns. It¡¯s an expression that tells me that he has no clue what I¡¯m talking about.


    What would I know, huh?


    If the best he¡¯s come up with after thinking his hardest is the public images of businesses, he won¡¯t have anything else to say.


    ¡°Do you know how many disabled people there are in the Republic of Korea?¡± I ask.


    ¡°How the hell would I know that,¡± Go Min-guk retorts.


    ¡°2,500,000. That means that one in every twenty people has a disability.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s less than I thought. You call that a market?¡±


    I smile as I continue. ¡°What if you include their families? There is a non-insignificant number of people who are related to disabled people. What¡¯s more, disabilities need a combination of medical care and welfare. If the policy succeeds, the progress society makes towards the improvement of life for disabled people will create a new market. That will provide new opportunities for businesses.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in freeing up money to try and earn money. You end up right back where you started,¡± says one of Go Min-guk¡¯s friends in rebuttal, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°Do you need to free up money to offer them places to work? It¡¯s just a reasonable wage for their labor. Money is only money if you know how to use it,¡± I say.


    ¡°What about the expenses that come with hiring disabled people? We¡¯ll need twice as much time and money needed to train them, and the welfare we¡¯ll need to provide will double as well. The numbers don¡¯t add up,¡± someone else retorts.


    I was right in that they only ever meet each other in their closed groups. They¡¯re a bunch of shiny kernels that are completely empty on the inside.


    ¡°The expenses are monthly payments, and the welfare is a deposit,¡± I say.


    ¡°What bullshit are you talking about now?¡± says Go Min-guk.


    ¡°I mean that the expenses you pay every month is lost money, but the welfare you pay will definitely come back eventually.¡±


    It¡¯s not just Go Min-guk¡¯s group here now; others have gathered around in interest. Like a mudfish turning clear water murky, I¡¯m disrupting their world, little by little.


    ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t want to directly use disabled people or pay these expenses, it¡¯s not


    ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s a way?¡±


    ¡°Make sports teams of disabled people. There¡¯s an international competition called the Paralympics, after all. This would definitely improve your business¡¯s image and form international relations. It also simplifies day-to-day business administration, something that you¡¯re always so concerned about, while reducing the amount of welfare you need to pay to disabled people within the company.¡±


    Of course, this is a trick that companies actually employed after the bill came into effect. Many companies actually did get around the bill by forming sports teams. But this isn¡¯t a solution that the people gathered here would easily think of.


    ¡°From a personal standpoint, I hope that companies will just do as our nation tells them and take responsibility for creating a united society. We are currently on a cruise ship, drinking alcohol that is worth hundreds of millions of won. Is it not thanks to the citizens that we can enjoy such luxuries?¡± I add.


    Even the music stops right at that moment, and my surroundings are completely silent.


    Everyone is probably thinking about how they need to rush home and tell their parents about the alternative method that I just described.


    Someone tips his glass towards me. It¡¯s Nam Sae-ha of Gunbaek Construction, the host of this party.


    ¡°Responsibility for unity. These are great words, but they are also terrifying,¡± he says.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pay too much attention to my shallow insight,¡± I say.


    ¡°I hope to see you more often at future parties. Interesting ideas always bring progress, after all.¡±


    ¡°I prefer soju.¡±


    Nam Sae-ha laughs. ¡°I like soju myself.¡±


    Go Min-guk and his friends gulp down their drinks without a word. They can¡¯t say anything, not with everyone¡¯s attention on us.


    You sons of bitches. No matter how much you¡¯ve struggled, I¡¯ve gained a lot of experience. If you take into account the time that I¡¯ve been in prison, how much experience do you think that would be?


    ¡°Well then, Hyeong-nim, please enjoy yourself. I¡¯m a little tired, you see,¡± I say.


    With that, I stroll leisurely out of the room with my glass in my hand.


    Out on the deck, I find Chief Kim talking on the phone with a smile on his face.


    It¡¯s definitely his girlfriend.


    He spots me, hastily ends his call, and runs over.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold out here; why did you come out?¡± he asks.


    ¡°The person I came here with wasn¡¯t around, so I came looking for him,¡± I reply.


    Chief Kim laughs awkwardly. ¡°My apologies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can continue your call. I¡¯ll just be over here,¡± I tell him.


    Chief Kim sheepishly returns to his corner and takes out his cellphone.


    It looks like things are going well for him. I¡¯m jealous!


    The wind outside is cold, but I¡¯m a little tipsy, so it feels refreshing. Seoul¡¯s night cityscape is wonderful.


    I finish my drink in one go and then take out a cigarette.


    As I do, I hear someone behind me.


    ¡°Hey,¡± a voice says.


    I turn around and see Go Min-guk. I can smell the stench of alcohol coming from him, carried in my direction by the wind. He¡¯s completely drunk; his face is bright-red, and he¡¯s struggling to keep his eyes open. He was actually getting dangerously tipsy even before he gulped down his last drink.


    ¡°You motherfucker. You¡¯re not even gonna answer me?¡± he spits.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re quite drunk,¡± I say.


    ¡°Why is a son of a bitch like you, who fucked around in the corner of his room for half his life, arguing and talking back?¡±


    ¡°I was just answering the questions that I was asked.¡±


    ¡°You piece of shit. Did your brain swell up when you fell in the water?¡±


    Talking like a tough guy.


    I ignore him and lean against the handrail. From my experience, having a conversation with a drunkard is one of the most foolish and tiring things you can do. It¡¯s better to spend that time smoking a cigarette instead.


    The ship slowly changes direction. It seems that the party is drawing to a close. The night¡¯s just getting started for the young people, though.


    ¡°Why? Why didn¡¯t you die?¡± Go Min-guk shouts.


    ¡°Hyeong-nim,¡± I say, trying to calm him down.


    ¡°Hyeong-nim my fucking ass, you filthy half-blood.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your whore mother.¡±


    What the hell is he on about now?


    I frown and raise my chin a little, indicating for Go Min-guk to continue.


    ¡°She went and seduced our father with her body, just as you¡¯d expect of a dirty actress,¡± he says.


    ¡°You speak too harshly,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°I speak too harshly? And what are you going to do about it?¡± Go Min-guk says loudly, and then he spits in my direction.


    ¡°I suggest you stop.¡±


    A strand of saliva drips from Go Min-guk¡¯s chin.


    How out of your mind do you have to be to speak so cruelly about someone who¡¯s dead? I feel a twinge of sympathy for Go Ji-hun¡¯s birth mother, whose face I don¡¯t even know. How guilty must she feel for leaving her son in a family like this?


    ¡°So you should have just died. Why didn¡¯t you? When you got to the afterlife, did your dear mother tell you to go back?¡± Go Min-guk continues.


    ¡°Look here -¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re a useless piece of shit. A retard who can¡¯t even kill himself properly. A son of a bitch who has brought nothing but humiliation and instability to the family.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps my oldest hyeong-nim has the right to say that, but I don¡¯t want to hear it from you.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°It was funny to see you being so conceited about your education when you paid your way into university. It¡¯s because there¡¯s nothing inside that head of yours that you got torn down even by an insignificant piece of shit like me, isn¡¯t it?¡± I say with a smirk.


    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Go Min-guk shouts.


    ¡°And you should pull out of the Passion brand¡¯s launch. Having only confidence and no ability is a one-way street to ruin. Even if the money isn¡¯t important, how will you regain our father¡¯s trust? It¡¯s a job beyond your ability, and if you¡¯re honest with yourself, you know it as well, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The Passion brand, the only brand of Gogwang Produce.


    It was launched ambitiously with Go Min-guk in charge of it, but it ended up in total failure. The project was immediately scrapped, but Go Dae-man absorbed Go Min-guk¡¯s losses and handed Gogwang Produce over to him.


    It was an entity that was too large to be done away with, but it wouldn¡¯t have brought in enough revenue to make the capital investment worth it even if it were continued. Go Min-guk was not allowed to join the main company and was forced to stay with Gogwang Produce.


    Of course, the bastard standing in front of me now would never believe me.


    ¡°What the hell are you saying? You¡¯ve really lost your mind, haven¡¯t you?¡± he shouts, scowling at me.


    ¡°Just mind your behavior. Your fianc¨¦e night not be pleased,¡± I tell him as I toss my cigarette out onto the river.


    There¡¯s no value in engaging in this conversation any longer. I¡¯ll just have to stand between some people and try not to get talked to.


    As I try to go back inside, Go Min-guk grabs my shoulder.


    ¡°Y-Young Master!¡± shouts Chief Kim as he runs towards us and grabs Go Min-guk¡¯s arm. ¡°You mustn¡¯t do this,¡± he says.


    ¡°Chief Kim? You¡¯ve grown big, haven¡¯t you?¡± says Go Min-guk, staring at the hand that¡¯s holding back his own raised fist.


    ¡°M-my apologies,¡± says Chief Kim as he lets go.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to hit this bastard, you can take it instead,¡± says Go Min-guk.


    He throws his fist into Chief Kim¡¯s face.


    Chief Kim clutches his cheek and staggers.


    Go Min-guk lets out a satisfied sigh. ¡°Hey, Go Ji-hun, try getting under my crotch.¡±


    ¡°Second-born Young Master, you mustn¡¯t do this¡­¡± Chief Kim groans.


    ¡°It¡¯s only getting between a guy¡¯s legs, just like your whore mother did. No big deal, right?¡±


    Go Min-guk, you piece of shit. Did you always live like this?


    My patience reaches its limit. I hit the son of a bitch in the face with all my strength.


    He shouts in pain. I might have hit him pretty good; there¡¯s blood dripping from his right nostril. His lower lips trembles.


    ¡°Y-y-you son of a bitch!¡± he screams.


    ¡°Please calm yourself!¡± shouts Chief Kim, wrapping his arms around him.


    ¡°Let me go! Let me go! Fuck! Chief Kim, do you want to die first?!¡±


    Jeez, shut the fuck up.


    Chief Kim is clinging onto Go Min-guk¡¯s waist with everything he has. Go Min-guk¡¯s so frantic in trying to escape his grasp that his pants are about to come off.


    Good. Very good.


    ¡°Chief, please keep holding him like that,¡± I say, and with that, I throw out another full swing.


    My target this time is his left nostril. I¡¯ll make both nostrils bleed.


    My fist connects.


    Chief Kim gasps, lets go of Go Min-guk and puts both hands over his mouth in shock.


    Go Min-guk groans and falls to the ground, clutching his nose. Blood flows steadily through his fingers. The ivory carpet quickly becomes stained, and the air is quiet, the only sound being his pained whimpers.


    Chief Kim looks at me with a thunderstruck expression.


    I¡¯m sure Go Min-guk is going to be wide awake after taking a punch from someone who¡¯s been through the hardships of prison.


    ¡°Y-Young Master,¡± Chief Kim stutters nervously.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I say, putting a finger to my lips.


    I¡¯m signalling to him that we should keep this a secret. The skills I gained from fighting other prisoners without the warden knowing haven¡¯t gone anywhere. If the Chief helps me out here, we can handle this without a problem.


    Chief Kim nods his head up and down furiously to tell me that he understood.


    Go Min-guk gets unsteadily onto his feet.


    ¡°Motherfucker¡­¡± he groans, fuming as he comes at me.


    He¡¯s drunk and angry. He can probably barely even see.


    A fist flies towards my left side. I move my head to the right and give him a light slap on the cheek. Not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to make him feel bad.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he shouts, throwing another fist, this time at my right side.


    I dodge it and slap him again. Another punch to my left, dodge, slap. Another punch to my right, dodge, slap.


    This son of a bitch is pretty drunk, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s really swinging at me in earnest with both fists.


    I¡¯m taking a step backwards each time I smack his face.


    Just as I¡¯m considering hitting him one more time, I hear some voices in the distance.


    ¡°Wow, today has a really good vibe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coming for another round after this, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Make sure every single person is coming.¡±


    Some people have come out onto the deck to cool off from the heat of the party. This changes things.


    I stop hitting Go Min-guk and stand still.


    ¡°You ¨C !¡± Go Min-guk mutters, perceiving this moment as an opportunity and charging at me with all the strength he has left.


    I deftly turn my body out of his way, and his upper half goes over the handrail. He shouts in alarm; his center of gravity is off-balance. His legs flounder about and kick at empty air, and then his lower body slides over and vanishes over the edge of the deck.


    There¡¯s a loud splash.


    ¡°H-help me!¡± his voice screams from beneath.


    ¡°Oh my god! Is there nobody there? Please help!¡± Chief Kim shouts.


    People gather around.


    ¡°Oh my. What happened?¡±


    ¡°It looks like he¡¯s fallen into the water.¡±


    ¡°Guards! Guards!¡±


    The guards rush out from the party room in response to the commotion and fish Go Min-guk out of the water.


    Go Min-guk lies limp on the deck like a wet cotton ball and throws up. Everyone can see exactly what he ate during the party.


    Yuck. The people gathered around grimace.


    He really has caused a lot of trouble.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± says a voice from behind me.


    It¡¯s Nam Sae-ha, and Park Hwa-seon is standing next to him. The party host and the fianc¨¦e have arrived.


    Perfect, just perfect.


    I grab the sobbing Go Min-guk¡¯s arm and lift him onto his feet.


    Park Hwa-seon¡¯s mouth is wide open in shock at her fianc¨¦¡¯s unsightliness.


    Ah, could it be that this is what changes her mind about him? From what I can see in her expression, she looks totally put off.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Hyeong-nim has had a little too much to drink,¡± I say.


    ¡°Is he alright?¡± Nam Sae-ha asks.


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    It seems that we¡¯ve reached the docks; the cruise ship comes to a stop.


    Great timing, thank God.


    ¡°We¡¯ll excuse ourselves now. I¡¯m sorry that Hyeong-nim has spoiled the mood. Please pass on my regards to the other guests,¡± I say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Please get to the hospital quickly,¡± says Nam Sae-ha.


    Even with these words, there¡¯s no way that there won¡¯t be rumors. You can¡¯t possibly have more interesting conversation topics than the second son of the Gogwang Group¡¯s president getting drunk and falling into the river at a party.


    They say that one bad apple spoils the barrel, but I think the Gogwang Group is going to have Go Min-guk take all of the shame.


    Oh well. You reap what you sow.


    ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll take our leave, then,¡± I say, bidding everyone farewell.


    Nam Sae-ha glances at the guards, gesturing with his eyes.


    They take over for me and carry Go Min-guk as we go down to the docks.


    The bastard is still spitting out the remains left in his stomach. Absolutely disgusting.


    Park Hwa-seon has simply left.


    I take my cell phone out to call an ambulance and see that I received a text at some point during the party.


    It¡¯s from Ho-un, the text that I¡¯ve been waiting for.


    ¡®I¡¯ve found a man who matches the personal details you gave me.¡¯

 Chapter 8

    ¡°Hello?¡± I say as the call connects.


    ¡°Why is it so hard to contact you?¡± says Ho-un¡¯s frustrated voice on the other end.


    I had about ten missed calls from him; he must have been pretty desperate to contact me.


    ¡°I was a little busy,¡± I reply.


    ¡°I thought you said you¡¯re unemployed,¡± Ho-un says.


    ¡°Are you looking down on unemployed people? Unemployed people are busy with their own things.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. His name is Lee Yeong-tae, right? A day laborer at a factory in his mid-thirties. Resides somewhere in the Su-an area. Married, no children. His wife has a category 3 intellectual disability.¡±


    This is the Spaniel¡¯s personal information that I gave to Ho-un. I did my best to scrape that information together from memory, but listening to it read out like that, it¡¯s pretty damn incomplete.


    To think that Ho-un found him so quickly despite that. As expected from a genius hacker. No wonder he managed to leak the private sex tape of a National Assembly member.


    ¡°I know you paid me three million, but you really have no shame. I¡¯m pretty proud that I managed to find him. Do you know that Su-an District has a population of 500,000?¡± he says.


    ¡°Yes, yes. You¡¯re incredible. You¡¯re gonna make it big, Ho-un,¡± I tell him.


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten to praise himself. They say that if you plant a bean, a beanstalk grows; he really is no different from the Ho-un that I know.


    ¡°First, I looked for all the women who are receiving disability allowances at each region¡¯s neighborhood office. From there, I narrowed it down to the people who matched the age range, then I found the ones whose husband¡¯s name is Lee Yeong-tae,¡± Ho-un explains.


    Wow. He used his head a little, didn¡¯t he? It¡¯s definitely easier to track down his wife, who has more distinguishing characteristics.


    ¡°You did well,¡± I say.


    ¡°There were about five matching results. I think it¡¯ll be faster for you to check which one is the one you¡¯re looking for yourself from this point.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Send me the pictures.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Once you find him, my job is done.¡±


    ¡°Alright. And one more thing, Ho-un.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Once you graduate, don¡¯t do this kind of work. Get a job. You¡¯ve got the ability, so you¡¯ll be welcomed no matter where you go.¡±


    Ho-un laughs. ¡°It¡¯s funny to hear that from the one who just paid me for this job.¡±


    ¡°You ungrateful rascal. I¡¯m just looking out for you,¡± I say.


    There¡¯s no way a guy who can earn millions or even tens of millions from a single job will be satisfied with a company salary. This kid knows himself too well.


    I hang up, take out a cigarette, and put it in my mouth.


    Go Min-guk, who is lying on the floor as comfortably as if it were a bed in a five-star hotel room, groans.


    This is why alcohol is your enemy.


    My cell phone¡¯s shutter clicks as I take photos of his face from multiple angles. His ugly face, his dried saliva and the food particles on his clothes are appalling to look at.


    Go Min-guk¡¯s secretary shows up.


    ¡°Oh my god. Young Master!¡± he says.


    With Chief Kim¡¯s help, the secretary puts Go Min-guk on his back.


    Wow, everyone is really going through a lot.


    My phone vibrates. Ho-un has sent the photos. I scroll through them slowly and stop on the fourth photo.


    Dim, unfocused eyes and crooked facial features. A memory that remained as a fading stain in my mind suddenly becomes fresh and vivid.


    I¡¯ve found you, Su-an Spaniel.


    ¡°Young Master, we have seen the second-born Young Master off. We should take our leave as well,¡± says Chief Kim.


    ¡°Good work,¡± I say.


    I get into the car and fall deep into thought.


    If I report the Spaniel, he will definitely be arrested. After all, his DNA is in the database of the National Forensic Service, waiting for its owner like Cinderella¡¯s glass slipper.


    And then they¡¯ll question me, of course. Asking me how the hell I knew he was the Spaniel. I can¡¯t exactly tell them, ¡®I¡¯m from the future,¡¯ can I?


    The report has to be made under circumstances that the police will understand. That¡¯s the only way I can get the reward money and bonus points towards my exam. With that being the case, catching him in the act would be best.


    That¡¯s going to come with all sorts of dangers, but it doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t a way.


    ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± Chief Kim asks, seeming concerned by the frown on my face.


    ¡°Huh? No. I¡¯m alright,¡± I say.


    ¡°Did you get hurt earlier?¡±


    ¡°Earlier?¡± I repeat. ¡°Oh.¡±


    He¡¯s talking about my fight with Go Min-guk. I didn¡¯t even get hit once, though.


    I give Chief Kim a smile and shake my head, and he returns a giddy-looking expression.


    ¡°You saw that, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ve never seen the second-born Young Master in such a state,¡± Chief Kim says.


    ¡°Thinking about it makes my heart pound again,¡± I say.


    Chief Kim gives a small laugh. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to show his face anywhere for a while. It feels good.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Are


    His left cheek is slightly swollen as proof of the punch that he took for me.


    Chief Kim waggles his eyebrows at me as if to say that there¡¯s nothing wrong. ¡°You have no work tomorrow, so get a good night¡¯s rest,¡± he says.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s somewhere I need to go. You can stay at home, Chief,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Yongsan. I have some things to buy.¡±


    ***


    Autumn rain is falling on the street. There are quite a few shopping districts that have closed up early. The stores mostly deal in electronics, so on days like this, they use the rain as an excuse to stop business. That¡¯s how the back streets of Yongsan are.


    Maybe because it¡¯s a space for elderly people, the liveliness typically seen in marketplaces is absent here.


    I slowly make my way through the streets with an umbrella over my head.


    There are two old men sitting on a bench, drinking


    ¡°Excuse me, sirs,¡± I say, calling out to them.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± one of them responds.


    ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a Chief Ju around here.¡±


    I haven¡¯t been told anything of the sort, but the old men don¡¯t show any signs of surprise. They just continue chewing their yellow, well-cooked


    ¡°Mr. Ju? There¡¯s a few Mr. Jus around here,¡± one of them says.


    ¡°I must be getting old, my memory¡¯s terrible these days,¡± says the other.


    ¡°Really? Me too.¡±


    ¡°Time really flies.¡±


    As I expected, they know the neighborhood well.


    I smile and take out my wallet.


    These cheeky old bastards won¡¯t have to worry about feeding themselves for the rest of their lives.


    I put down four checks next to their


    The old men smile, revealing their yellow front teeth.


    ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re so quick to get your money out, it seems that you came prepared.¡±


    I laugh. ¡°It¡¯s a good day to be drinking


    ¡°Chief Ju is on the third floor of the third building if you go into that street,¡± one of the old men tells me.


    ¡°He¡¯ll probably still be in the store if you go now,¡± the other adds.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say.


    I head in the direction that the old men pointed me in.


    Alias: The old man of Yongsan. A boss who is famous among certain ¡®professionals.¡¯


    On the outside, he deals in security electronics, but in secret, he deals in equipment used to breach security systems. He¡¯s a merchant who sells both spears that can penetrate through any defense and shields that can¡¯t be penetrated by any attack.


    I open the old iron door. At the top of the steep staircase behind it, there¡¯s another door.


    I press the button on the heavily worn-out intercom machine. I hear a beeping sound twice, and then it stops.


    ¡°Hello? Chief? Are you there?¡± I say.


    There¡¯s no response.


    There¡¯s a tiny camera above the button I pressed, and the light is blinking. He¡¯s using this to get a look at my face.


    I bow to the lens and smile. ¡°Hello, Chief.¡±


    I understand. A man he doesn¡¯t know has turned up on his doorstep without notice. As a man working in this field, his life depends on being cautious.


    But I have some magic words that can open this door.


    ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Ha-seong¡¯s,¡± I say.


    There¡¯s a pause, and then a response.


    ¡°What do I call Ha-seong?¡±


    ¡°¡®Ugly bastard.¡¯¡±


    There¡¯s a click, and the door opens.


    Ha-seong is one of my prison family members. A legendary thief who would steal anything other than a woman¡¯s heart. I would repeatedly correct him to say that it isn¡¯t that he


    Goods are stacked against the wall up to the ceiling, and the room is lit by just a single yellow bulb. Ha-seong wasn¡¯t exaggerating when he told me that they had almost everything you could imagine. The room is packed with items that are clearly not ordinary.


    ¡°You¡¯re Ha-seong¡¯s friend, you say?¡± says Chief Ju, who is a dwarf, as he looks up at me from a hunched-over position in his seat.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I say.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing a handsome friend of his.¡±


    Chief Ju looks at me through thick glasses that make his eyes look tiny in comparison to the magnified ridge of his nose.


    He reminds me of dwarves of folklore that watch over houses.


    ¡°You and Ha-seong look very much alike, just as I heard,¡± I say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult me straight to my face,¡± he sighs.


    ¡°And you are funny, just as I heard.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. What nonsense.¡±


    Chief Ju isn¡¯t Ha-seong¡¯s real father. He¡¯s the second son of his third cousin¡¯s grandfather¡¯s younger brother. In other words, they may as well be unrelated.


    But through this distant connection, when Ha-seong lost his parents in an accident and his relatives were contacted, Chief Ju¡¯s house is where he ended up.


    Given the environment he grew up in, Ha-seong spent his time playing around by opening safes ever since he was young.


    Chief Ju examines me from head to toe. ¡°Alright. Doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re here to beg me for food. What¡¯s your business with me?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I want to buy some products,¡± I reply.


    ¡°What kind of products?¡±


    ¡°A tracking device and a concealable microphone.¡±


    ¡°Jeez. Like two peas in a pod, aren¡¯t you,¡± Chief Ju says, clicking his tongue.


    But still, he opens his storage closet and places some devices of a variety of sizes on his desk. They range from the size of an old-school laptop to the palm of a hand.


    ¡°Do you have anything smaller?¡± I ask.


    ¡°How much smaller?¡±


    ¡°Something that can be put on someone¡¯s clothes.¡±


    ¡°Look here. Do you have any idea how much that¡¯d cost you?¡± Chief Ju growls, curling his lips.


    I take out an envelope that I¡¯ve prepared beforehand and hand it to him.


    His small hands begin counting the money inside.


    One large check, two, three¡­


    Chief Ju leers at me suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re not a friend of Ha-seong¡¯s, are you?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I assure him.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t make friends with rich people. He¡¯s too busy stealing from them.¡±


    ¡°We became close when I had nothing to my name.¡±


    I give Chief Ju a sly smile.


    His expression doesn¡¯t get any less suspicious, but he moves his wheelchair across the room and opens the safe on the other side. A few moments later, he tips a bunch of machines the size of rice grains into my palm.


    To someone who isn¡¯t familiar with such devices, like myself, they are quite amazing. How can electrical components be assembled inside such a tiny space?


    It looks like the old man of Yongsan¡¯s reputation didn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere.


    ¡°You need to be within 100 meters of the microphone if you want to listen, and the tracking device needs to be linked to your cell phone,¡± Chief Ju tells me.


    ¡°Does it provide me with an exact address?¡± I ask.


    ¡°That one is only accurate within a radius of 30 meters. If you want more accuracy, use a bigger one,¡± Chief Ju says.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t use a bigger one,¡± I tell him. ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A stun gun. One that¡¯s nice and strong, but less than 60,000 volts.¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard,¡± Chief Ju snorts.


    Despite those last words, he has everything I need.


    I pay what I owe him and pack the goods carefully. They are going to be put to very good use. I¡¯ll need them, since I have no colleagues to rely on and no stamina of my own.


    ¡°By the way, do you know what that rascal Ha-seong is up to?¡± Chief Ju asks casually, as if not really interested.


    Ha-seong is always moving from place to place, so it seems that Chief Ju hasn¡¯t seen him for a while.


    I rack my brains to try and think of what Ha-seong would be doing right about now.


    Hmm, I have no idea.


    ¡°Who knows. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s robbing some rich family somewhere,¡± I say.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that he might be locked up,¡± Chief Ju sighs.


    He feels something similar to guilt towards Ha-seong. He thinks that things would have been very different if Ha-seong had grown up in an ordinary household. That Ha-seong learned to be a thief because he grew up in this environment.


    Naturally, this is all stuff that I heard all when I was in prison. But despite Chief Ju¡¯s worries, Ha-seong was a kid who was very satisfied with his life. Or rather, satisfied with his work. It¡¯s a calling that fits his talents and interests perfectly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. He¡¯ll be roaming free for another ten years at least,¡± I assure Chief Ju.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asks suspiciously.


    ¡°I can see a little of the future. He won¡¯t go to jail for a while longer.¡±


    That might change if we cross paths at some point, though.


    ¡°I was wondering what you meant, but you¡¯re just talking nonsense, huh,¡± Chief Ju sighs.


    ¡°It¡¯s your birthday soon, isn¡¯t it? You should be seeing him soon,¡± I tell him.


    Ha-seong is a good son; he never fails to show up at Chief Ju¡¯s on his birthday.


    A small smile creeps onto Chief Ju¡¯s tightly-shut lips. ¡°You really are Ha-seong¡¯s friend,¡± he says.


    I give a small laugh. ¡°Goodbye. I¡¯ll visit you again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not welcome, you bastard,¡± Chief Ju grunts.


    I leave the store and come out of the shopping district. The pouring rain is steadily getting heavier.


    It¡¯s time to give my body a workout.


    I get on a bus that¡¯s headed towards the Su-an Spaniel¡¯s house.


    Miscellaneous notes:


    1


    2

 Chapter 9

    The next day.


    It¡¯s a drowsy afternoon. The neighborhood that the Spaniel lives in is quiet. The adults have left for work, and the children went to school early in the morning.


    Of course, Lee Yeong-tae is one of them. The only one at his house now is his wife, who suffers from an intellectual disability.


    I push my cap low over my face and sling a toolbag over my shoulder. I clear my throat and ring the doorbell.


    There¡¯s a long pause, followed by the sound of a middle-aged woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    She¡¯s not speaking very clearly; it¡¯s as if she¡¯s just woken up.


    I smile brightly towards the doorbell. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m from the welfare center,¡± I say.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the woman asks.


    ¡°We¡¯re providing free housing inspections for welfare recipients. Have you not heard from us?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about that.¡±


    ¡°It will be very quick. If I go back now, I would have to make another visit later.¡±


    There¡¯s no way she would have heard from anyone. I¡¯m making all of this up, after all.


    I make a very troubled expression and scratch my chin.


    ¡°We¡¯re also offering free fruit to the houses we¡¯re inspecting, so I¡¯ve brought some with me,¡± I add.


    ¡°Just a minute.¡±


    With a rattle, the gate opens.


    I confirmed the Spaniel leaving with my own eyes, but I¡¯m cautious as I step onto the property.


    The front door opens and a woman in pajamas comes out. She¡¯s wearing a baggy T-shirt and floral-patterned pants. Her face is oily and filled with freckles.


    The moment she sees me, she holds out her hand.


    ¡°Where is the fruit?¡± she asks.


    How impatient.


    ¡°Here,¡± I say, handing her the mango set that I bought at the fruit store earlier.


    It¡¯s the smallest set that was available; there are only five mangoes in total.


    The woman makes no effort to hide her disappointment. ¡°Is this all?¡±


    ¡°Our budget is very tight,¡± I reply.


    ¡°It¡¯s so little. I could eat all of this by myself.¡±


    She has an intellectual disability, but you wouldn¡¯t notice unless you paid attention. Her speech has maybe a small lisp at most, and her behavior seems just a little rude and disinterested.


    With great effort, I stop myself from grimacing and maintain my smile. ¡°Excuse me, Ma¡¯am. I¡¯d like to go in and perform my inspection.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± the woman replies.


    The house consists of just the kitchen and one main room, laid out in such a way that the toilet is visible as soon as I enter.


    The woman hurries into the room with the mangoes and a knife. She begins to peel them one by one as she watches television.


    ¡°Please excuse me for intruding,¡± I say as I hastily poke at the visible electrical sockets with a lineman¡¯s voltage detector typically used by property managers.


    It doesn¡¯t look like the woman has any interest in what I¡¯m doing. That¡¯s a relief. It would be problematic if she were to watch me too closely.


    I take out the concealable microphone from my tool bag and attach it to the side of the door so that it fits between the door and its frame.


    I then quietly open the shoe closet. There are five or six pairs of men¡¯s shoes inside. I take only the ones that aren¡¯t covered in dust and flip them over to check the soles.


    This is it! There¡¯s one pair of shoes that have the gaps in the soles filled in with glue. These are the shoes the guy wears when he¡¯s carrying out his crimes.


    I attach the tracking device to the bottom of one of the soles so that it won¡¯t be noticeable when he¡¯s wearing them and then close my toolbag.


    ¡°I¡¯m finished, Ma¡¯am,¡± I say.


    ¡°Already? That was quick,¡± says the woman.


    ¡°That¡¯s because the house is being well-maintained.¡±


    This is exaggerated flattery. The house is filthy, with dust and grime everywhere.


    The woman, whose mouth is covered with mango juice, gives me a nod. ¡°Close the door when you go,¡± she says.


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am. Thank you for your time.¡±


    I take off my hat the moment I get out of the house.


    The preparations are complete, so all there¡¯s left to do is to wait until Lee Yeong-tae makes a move.


    ***


    One week later.


    My alarm clock goes off as it always does, at 5:30am.


    With my eyes still only half-open, I turn the alarm off.


    It¡¯s before sunrise, so it¡¯s as dark as night outside.


    I quickly throw on some clothes and slowly make my way downstairs.


    ¡°Why are you awake so early?¡± a voice says without warning.


    I shout out in alarm. ¡°You gave me a fright!¡± I say to Chief Kim, who is glaring at me from the sofa with his arms crossed. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you still asleep?¡±


    ¡°I was the first to ask. Where is it that you are going every morning?¡± he questions.


    ¡°I told you, I have various bits of work to do.¡±


    ¡°You leave before the sun comes up and come back after it¡¯s gone down.¡±


    ¡°Shh. Please be more quiet. You might wake people.¡±


    ¡°What are you, a high school student, Young Master?¡±


    Chief Kim blinks several times. His eyes are bloodshot. It looks like he¡¯s stayed up all night rather than having woken up early. He¡¯s really making the most of his day.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how uncomfortable it is for me to be stuck in the house alone without you here?¡± Chief Kim continues.


    ¡°I told you to think of it as taking some time off. You could get a hotel room,¡± I suggest.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Then what


    ¡°I mean that I feel like I¡¯m being put on standby for 24 hours a day.¡±


    He means to say that he¡¯s worried about what I might be doing. Does he think I¡¯m Go Min-guk, making a mess of things wherever I go?


    Damn it. A man who¡¯s never rested before wouldn¡¯t know how to rest.


    I look at Chief Kim and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m doing good things, so please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Young Master!¡±


    ¡°See you later, then.¡±


    With that, I hastily stuff my feet into my shoes and run out the door, slamming it shut behind me. If I get held up any longer, I¡¯ll miss Lee Yeong-tae leaving for work.


    After a week of observing him, I¡¯ve learned that his life isn¡¯t just monotonous; it¡¯s downright tedious.


    He wakes up at 6 in the morning. I see his haggard silhouette at 6:30. His workplace is a shirt manufacturing factory that¡¯s half an hour away by bus. He works from 8 in the morning to 8 at night, and then he returns straight home. He appears to be a textbook example of a diligent worker who is always either at work or at home, but¡­ he can¡¯t fool me.


    I got a strange feeling when I was tailing him on his commute to and from work. He doesn¡¯t take the shortest route. He gets off the bus a few stations early or a few stations late. He walks around the streets ¨C as if taking a stroll ¨C before heading to work.


    He should be dead tired from working, and yet he spends an hour every day just walking around some neighborhoods? If it were anyone else, I¡¯d have no idea why he¡¯d do that, but there¡¯s only one reason for the Spaniel.


    He¡¯s seeking out his next victim.


    The problem is, it¡¯s very hard to tail him on public transport during rush hour. There were several times when I lost track of him. But today, I¡¯m definitely going to stay on him no matter what!


    But something¡¯s strange. I can¡¯t hear anything coming from my earphones. He should be getting ready to leave at around this time.


    I hear someone mumbling in their sleep. And then ¨C


    ¡°Go back to sleep. You said you have the day off today.¡±


    ¡°I just woke up for some reason.¡±


    ¡°What about your wrist? How¡¯s it feeling?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Shit. He has the day off today? I was wondering why he was working for a week straight.


    I lean against a telephone pole and scratch my head.


    I guess I¡¯ll have to find a nearby internet cafe. That¡¯s the best place to keep quietly to myself with my earphones in my ears for a day. I might have to stay all night until he leaves for work the next day, after all.


    I lean back against the chair in the internet cafe and stare blankly at the white screen. Maybe I¡¯m a little tired? My eyes are starting to close¡­


    I¡¯m woken up by the sound of people snickering at me.


    ¡°Hey, check that guy out. I¡¯ve never seen anyone snoring in an internet cafe before,¡± one voice whispers.


    ¡°Sounds like my dad,¡± another laughs quietly.


    I¡¯m so out of it that I have no idea how long I was asleep. It looks like I¡¯ve accumulated a fair amount of fatigue over the past week.


    I can still hear sounds from inside the house through my earphones. Is that what¡¯s known as ASMR? Listening to it makes me sleepy.


    I wipe the saliva off my chin and begin tossing and turning in my chair.


    I could only hear the sounds of a television from my earphones earlier, but various other forms of background noise are audible now.


    The rustling sound of a blanket being folded. The sound of running water coming from a shower. The sound of bowls clattering. It seems that Lee Yeong-tae is getting ready to go out somewhere.


    ¡°That¡¯s funny. Why is he calling you out at this time of night?¡± says his wife¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s a guy I see every day, though,¡± says Lee Yeong-tae.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stay out too late. You have work again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you a call if I need anything, so go ahead and go to bed first.¡±


    I¡¯m still half-asleep, but I can hear their voices clearly.


    But in the next moment, my phone vibrates. I look at the screen to see a logo that I¡¯ve never seen before, and then a map pops up.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± I murmur to myself.


    My drowsiness is blown away in an instant.


    This is a notification that the tracking device I put on the sole of one of Lee Yeong-tae¡¯s shoes is moving. Not the ones he always wears, but the ones that have the gaps in the soles filled in with glue.


    I spring to my feet and run out of the internet cafe. The map on my cell phone¡¯s screen is expanding; it looks like he¡¯s gotten in a taxi or something.


    I definitely can¡¯t afford to be late. I can¡¯t let another person fall victim to the Spaniel.


    ¡°Taxi!¡± I shout, running into the middle of the road to stop the nearest taxi I can see.


    ***


    Lee Yeong-tae gets out of the taxi and takes a look at his surroundings. Lately, he¡¯s had the strange feeling that someone is watching him.


    He normally enjoys such a strangely exhilarating feeling, but today is a special day. It would be problematic if someone were watching him.


    After surveying the area and feeling satisfied to see that there is nobody around, he walks into the alleys as he always does.


    He stops in front of a single-storied house. This is the prey that he has put in a great deal of effort over the past few days to find.


    ¡®The same as always,¡¯ he thinks to himself as he sees the half-open window, just as it is every other day.


    A piece of white fabric is hanging out of the window. It¡¯s probably underwear owned by the woman who lives here.


    Lee Yeong-tae found out that the woman lives alone through mailed items and discarded boxes.


    Diet supplements purchased from a shopping website used by young women. Utility bills that don¡¯t total to more than 30,000 won. The credit card balance statements and every other piece of mail are all addressed to one person.


    Lee Yeong-tae doesn¡¯t know what her face looks like, but that¡¯s part of the thrill. As long as she¡¯s young and she¡¯s a woman, she already meets more than half the criteria he needs to enjoy himself. And the best thing is that her guard is down, leaving her vulnerable.


    Lee Yeong-tae laughs quietly to himself. His body trembles uncontrollably with excitement.


    He checks his surroundings one last time, then climbs over the brick wall outside.


    A stinging pain suddenly comes from his right wrist, causing him to grimace. He sprained it due to an unfortunate incident that occurred during his previous crime.


    ¡®That son of a bitch,¡¯ he thinks to himself.


    A passerby happened to get involved, ruining everything. Thanks to him, Lee Yeong-tae was forced to stay celibate for a while.


    But he¡¯s going to make sure to enjoy himself plenty today.


    He pushes his head into the window.


    ¡°¡­ Challenge! Good evening, ladies and gentlemen¡­¡± says the voice of a variety show announcer from a television.


    Lee Yeong-tae can see someone, covered completely by a pink blanket. It seems that she fell asleep while watching TV.


    His belt buckle clatters as he undoes it, and he puts his hand on the waistband of his trousers. He wants to hold the woman down and insert himself into her as soon as he enters the house.


    ¡®I wonder what kind of a response I¡¯m going to get from this one?¡¯ he wonders in anticipation, smiling to himself.


    Hat, mask, gloves, towel, shoes with the gaps in the soles filled in with glue. The box cutter isn¡¯t the same one that he¡¯s been using, but everything is perfect.


    He grabs the windowsill and climbs in. He straddles the sleeping woman and seizes her throat. She lets out a small, muffled scream.


    ¡°Shh!¡± Lee Yeong-tae hisses.


    He quickly extends the blade of the box cutter, ensuring that she can hear it clicking. It¡¯s the easiest way to make her quickly understand the situation.


    ¡°Stay quiet if you don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    The woman sobs quietly. Her voice is a little hoarse, perhaps because she has only just woken up.


    Lee Yeong-tae thrusts a hand under the blanket. He feels soft, warm legs and laced underwear. It¡¯s exactly as he imagined.


    He covers the woman¡¯s face with the blanket and doesn¡¯t let go. He¡¯s wearing a mask, but it¡¯s safer this way.


    Unable to breathe, the woman claws at the blanket that¡¯s covering her face and pulls it away. ¡°Please¡­ Please¡­ Save me¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you to stay quiet!¡±


    The woman cries out as a thick fist strikes her head.


    The Spaniel pulls at her long legs, drawing her closer to his lower body. ¡°Relax, sweetheart,¡± he says with a smile.


    That¡¯s when it happens.


    Lee Yeong-tae hears a noise from the place where he entered the house.


    ¡°Who in the hell¡­?!¡± he shouts, startled as he feels a cold wind entering from behind him.


    The shadows created by the TV screen flicker as he makes eye contact with a familiar-looking man.


    ¡°Who the hell do you think I am?¡± says the man.


    With that, he climbs over the windowsill and throws himself at the Spaniel.


    Lee Yeong-tae is armed with a box cutter, but his mind is unable to process this unexpected situation in time, and he feels a fist landing on his face through his mask.


    ¡°I¡¯m an aspiring cop,¡± says the mysterious man.

 Chapter 10

    I breathe heavily as I look around the room.


    The woman is holding her blanket tightly and crying. Thankfully, her clothes are just a little disheveled; it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s suffered anything worse.


    This piece of shit GPS. A 30-meter radius is a bigger margin of error than I thought. I would have been too late if the window hadn¡¯t been open.


    The woman¡¯s hands are shaking as she begins to understand the situation.


    Lee Yeong-tae is cursing under his breath as he clutches his face.


    ¡°Excuse me, Ma¡¯am,¡± I say to the woman.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I lightly toss my phone towards her. ¡°Call the police and stay back.¡±


    As the woman catches the phone with shaking hands, the Spaniel runs towards the entranceway. It looks like he¡¯s given up on the window, since I¡¯m standing in the way.


    ¡°Lee Yeong-tae!¡± I shout, before he can grab the door handle.


    Sorry, but you¡¯re a rat in a trap now.


    The Spaniel slumps onto the ground and turns around to look at me. ¡°How did you know my¡­¡±


    ¡°You want to get cuffed in front of your wife?¡± I ask him.


    His eyes open wide in shock.


    The only light in the dark room is coming from the television¡¯s screen.


    He stares at me. ¡°You¡¯re that son of a bitch from that other time, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m that son of a bitch from the other time,¡± I reply simply.


    It seems that he remembers his unsuccessful rape attempt in the Dongsu neighborhood. Though his mask covers his face, his eyes are gleaming with rage in the darkness.


    Refusing to give up, he picks up a kitchen knife from the rack by the sink. Since I know his name and exactly who he is, it seems that he¡¯d rather kill me than try to escape.


    Hmm. Shit. A box cutter isn¡¯t so bad, but a kitchen knife is problematic.


    ¡°Y-you motherfucker! Why are you always getting in my way?!¡± he shouts, agitated.


    ¡°Sorry. You just bother me,¡± I say with a shrug.


    ¡°Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!¡±


    The woman screams.


    ¡°Die!¡± the Spaniel bellows as he runs towards me with his knife.


    I make no attempt to avoid his attack.


    Since he has a knife, it would be a dangerous situation even if I were a black-belt martial artist. I need another method if I want to apprehend him with Go Ji-hun¡¯s body.


    I take the stun gun out of my pocket. The moment he gets close, I thrust it hard, into his face.


    As he raises his hands instinctively to protect his face, the knife travels upwards in a curve. I thought it just grazed my clothes, but a moment later, I feel a stinging sensation.


    Ugh. I wanted to catch him without getting injured.


    Still, in a way, it¡¯s a good thing. No matter what happens now, I won¡¯t be at fault.


    There¡¯s a buzzing sound, and Lee Yeong-tae lets out a cry of pain. He starts to sway in a strange manner, as if his body¡¯s gone stiff.


    ¡°Oh, oh my god,¡± the woman gasps.


    ¡°Ah. It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s set to the weakest voltage,¡± I tell her.


    Still, it must be pretty shocking for someone who¡¯s never seen someone being hit with a stun gun before.


    I grab Lee Yeong-tae¡¯s throat and thrust my knee into his solar plexus. It seems to be a good hit; I hear him gasp.


    Using that momentum, I grab his face and throw it against the floor. His nose must have crashed into the floor; blood is dripping from it.


    As he curls up into a fetal position, I kick him in his stomach and at his sides. Strangely, hitting him makes me feel a lot better. I feel an excitement that¡¯s a mysterious combination of anger and joy.


    Breathing hard, I give him one final kick that snaps his ankle, causing him to scream in pain. I can¡¯t afford to have him get away if I get careless, after all.


    I straighten my bloody, dusty clothes as I catch my breath.


    My beige clothes have become filthy. In contrast, this bastard¡¯s black clothes remain exactly the same.


    These are the kinds of people who ruin other people¡¯s lives and continue to live their own as if nothing happened.


    I seize the son of a bitch¡¯s hair. ¡°Hey, Yeong-tae. I¡¯m only going to tell you this once.¡±


    His face is glistening with saliva and blood. His swollen eyes move slightly. There¡¯s fear in his black pupils. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the same fear that he saw in his victims.


    ¡°Swear that you won¡¯t do anything like this ever again, and make an earnest apology to your victims,¡± I say.


    I¡¯m giving him an opportunity. It¡¯s my way of making a small apology for coming from the future and changing the present.


    No matter how much of a piece of garbage he is, he had his own life.


    Lee Yeong-tae looks at me and nods.


    I let go of his head and dust off my hands. I take the tracking device off the bottom of his shoe and crush it. With a crunch, it breaks into tiny pieces.


    I turn around to see that the woman is huddled up in the corner of the room.


    ¡°Have you called the police?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Huh? Y-yes, just a minute ago,¡± she stammers.


    ¡°Phew. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you. I¡¯m unharmed, thanks to you.¡±


    That¡¯s a relief. I feel terrible just imagining if my greed had stopped me from preventing another victim falling prey to the Spaniel. I was lucky this time, but I¡¯ll be more careful from now on.


    ¡°Ah, b-behind you!¡± the woman stutters all of a sudden.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I turn around to see Lee Yeong-tae crawling towards the kitchen knife.


    It¡¯s so unbelievable that I can¡¯t help but let out a laugh. What happened to the guy who just swore that he would lead a good life from now on?


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I say to him.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Fuck¡­ you¡­¡± he groans.


    Okay. If that¡¯s your answer, there¡¯s nothing more to be said.


    I walk over and kick the knife away, and then I take the stun gun back out of my pocket and press one of the buttons. It emits a crackling sound, like an electric fly swatter.


    The highest voltage is pretty damn strong, so I didn¡¯t want to have to use it.


    I flip the Spaniel over and pull him towards me.


    His face turns pale. He freaks out and tries to wriggle away. It seems that he knows what I¡¯m about to do.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll sue you,¡± he whispers.


    I calmly press the stun gun into his groin, causing him to scream in agony.


    ¡°Sue me, then. I have a lot of money,¡± I tell him.


    I can hear sirens in the distance. The Su-an Spaniel has been caught tonight.


    ***


    ¡°What in the world¡­?!¡± mutters Chief Kim as he grabs the back of my neck.


    My face and my clothes are a mess.


    I¡¯ve been charged with assault. How does that even make sense? All I did was catch a guy who forced his way into someone¡¯s home.


    But the Spaniel was in too terrible a state to be explained by just those circumstances.


    Chief Kim looks at the refreshments I¡¯m holding as if he can¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°Why, in the middle of all of this mess, do you have bread and milk?¡±


    ¡°The detective gave them to me. He said I did a good job,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Are you happy? Pleased with yourself?¡±


    I shrug.


    People were treating me like a violent criminal when I first got here, but the atmosphere changed when I told them it was the Su-an Spaniel. After that, the people passing by were praising me, and even the people in the cells were cheering for me from behind the bars.


    It was tough having to stay sitting in a chair for hours because my guardian wasn¡¯t here, though.


    ¡°Why weren¡¯t you answering your phone, anyway?¡± I ask Chief Kim grumpily.


    ¡°It is four in the morning.¡±


    ¡°You said you felt like you were on standby 24 hours a day.¡±


    ¡°Enough. Please give me a concise explanation of the situation.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I caught the Su-an Spaniel, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Caught the Su-an Spaniel, out of nowhere? You?¡± Chief Kim says incredulously.


    ¡°Things just turned out this way.¡±


    ¡°And how exactly did things turn out this way?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I just happened to be passing by the woman¡¯s house at the time.¡±


    ¡°Why would you be passing by that area? At that hour, of all times?¡±


    I¡¯m rendered speechless by Chief Kim¡¯s inquisitive interrogation.


    Chief Kim falls deep into thought, and then his face suddenly turns pale.


    ¡°Have you been stalking women every night?¡± he whispers, sounding horrified.


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t, then how could you have been there with such perfect timing?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Wait a -¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s as if you were watching them.¡±


    ¡°I kind of was watching


    ¡°My god. So that is the reason you were leaving early and coming home late every day.¡±


    ¡°Chief Kim,¡± I say loudly.


    ¡°That¡¯s a crime. What would happen if the president were to find out?!¡± Chief Kim shouts.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that¡¯s not how it is. Hello?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god. Oh my god.¡±


    It¡¯s like Chief Kim can¡¯t hear me at all. He¡¯s just shaking his head and muttering to himself.


    Hmm. Let¡¯s blame it on the fact that he was sleeping and just woke up.


    Lee Yeong-tae was taken straight to the hospital. It was magnificent to hear him moaning that he had no feeling in his most important regions. It was also astounding to watch him act like he did nothing wrong.


    Chief Kim sighs and takes out his phone.


    The family has its own dedicated lawyer, but if things go down that route, Go Dae-man will hear of it. It¡¯s a situation of damned if I do, damned if I don¡¯t.


    Chief Kim grinds his teeth as he glares at me.


    I laugh. ¡°Just make the call. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Fine? What¡¯s fine? Do you


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the opportunity to become independent.¡±


    ¡°Those are empty words. You¡¯ve started to take an interest in spending money these days.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. Just hurry up and get this sorted out quickly. My whole body is aching,¡± I say, patting Chief Kim¡¯s shoulder.


    He sighs and gives me a pitying, sympathetic look. ¡°Should I go and buy some tofu?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating things. I¡¯m not a criminal being released from prison, am I?¡± I laugh.


    ¡°Ugh. I don¡¯t want to go home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to be scolded, so why are you the one who doesn¡¯t want to go home?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get back. Get in the car.¡±


    After arriving at the police station in the middle of the night, I¡¯m finally able to leave after the sun has already come up.


    ***


    The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency headquarters.


    The chief of the National Police Agency is starting his morning by wiping down the surfaces in his office, just as he always does.


    Sitting in front of him are the head of the Su-an Police Department and the leader of the investigation team.


    Though the two of them are restless, the chief¡¯s hands are very relaxed as he goes about his cleaning.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been told that the Su-an Spaniel has been caught?¡± he says.


    ¡°The Hakgeum Patrol Division received a report yesterday and transferred it to us. The person making the report said that it seemed to be the Su-an Spaniel. The DNA test results were a match,¡± says the police department head.


    ¡°The press are asking if there will be an incident briefing today. What should we do?¡± asks the investigation team leader.


    ¡°What should we do? Did


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± says the investigation team leader as he hastily stands up out of his chair to pick up the cloth.


    The chief¡¯s anger is understandable. The Spaniel being caught is not necessarily a good thing.


    In situations like this in particular, the most important thing is


    But that opportunity is now gone because of a single young man who came out of nowhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s problematic that someone caught the criminal for us,¡± the chief mutters as he crosses his arms.


    The case is solved, but there¡¯s no telling how the public will react. In the worst-case scenario, there will be voices criticizing the police for their incompetence, and if that happens, the chief¡¯s position will be at risk.


    ¡°How about making the story a little more dramatic?¡± he says.


    His suggestion is to slightly embellish the story of how the criminal was caught.


    ¡°Offer a little cash to the person who turned him in and tell him to stay quiet,¡± he continues.


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a guy who came across the crime by chance and made the report, and it¡¯s the police who recognized him as the Spaniel.¡±


    It¡¯s not


    ¡°And don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be a waste to give him the whole hundred million? So much of it would go to taxes,¡± the chief says.


    ¡°Chief. There¡¯s a small problem with that,¡± says the police department head.


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°The person who turned the criminal in seems to be the third son of the Gogwang Group¡¯s leader.¡±


    ¡°The Gogwang Group?¡± the chief whispers through thin lips.


    Why the Gogwang Group, all of a sudden?


    ¡°That hasn¡¯t been reported to the press yet, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. And the method he used to restrain the criminal was somewhat extreme¡­¡± said the investigation team leader.


    ¡°Have you ever seen a proper physical struggle? Restraining criminals always involves extreme methods,¡± the chief snaps impatiently.


    ¡°A stun gun was used, but it was applied to¡­ the ge¡­ the genitals.¡±


    The chief drops his cloth as he hears this last piece in the series of shocking news. The cloth hits the floor with a soft thud as the office turns silent for a few moments.


    ¡°But there is no legal issue, as the voltage was below 60,000 volts,¡± the police department head adds.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received word from the hospital that his sexual organs no longer function. He has no sensation in his lower parts,¡± says the investigation team leader.


    The chief laughs in disbelief. ¡°Is that son of a bitch out of his mind?¡±


    ¡°Things have turned into a mess because all of this information, excluding the identity of the person who turned the criminal in, has gone public. I believe that making the story more dramatic would be impossible,¡± says the Su-an Police Department head.


    ¡°The third son of the Gogwang Group¡¯s leader, it¡¯s the guy I¡¯ve heard of, right?¡± says the chief.


    The child who lived a life of seclusion after his birth mother¡¯s death at a young age. The child who was known as the only stain on the life of Go Dae-man, a man who had everything.


    The chief clicks his tongue and nods. ¡°In any case, the Gogwang Group¡¯s leader should be watching what his kids are doing. The Gogwang Group is going to be in trouble as well now.¡±


    ¡°No. It seems to be the opposite,¡± says the investigation team¡¯s head.


    ¡°The opposite?¡± the chief repeats.


    ¡°It¡¯s a very hot topic, with people saying things like ¡®justice had been served.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. The internet is going wild over it. The public opinion seems to be that this outcome was better than what the law could have¡­¡±


    ¡°Since when have the opinions of this country¡¯s citizens been such bullshit?¡±


    The other two remain silent in response to the chief¡¯s question.


    But all of this is true. In addition to their outrage, the public is praising Go Ji-hun¡¯s actions, from the morning news to entertainment TV shows and radio stations. They are all talking about the news of the Spaniel¡¯s arrest and the identity of the mysterious hero.


    Of course, nothing is known about the latter, so discussions about that topic are nothing more than widespread speculation.


    ¡°We have also been told that he helped in solving the ¡®Twin DNA incident¡¯ that became a topic of conversation a little while ago, and he handed in the weapon that was previously used by the Spaniel,¡± says the police department head.


    ¡°How?¡± asks the chief.


    ¡°The detectives say that he¡¯s the one who told them the perpetrator could have a twin. I heard it from them personally.¡±


    The chief puts a hand on his forehead and begins to think.


    He¡¯s a man who started all the way at the bottom, but he climbed all the way to the position of chief of the National Police Agency. This is something that definitely couldn¡¯t have been achieved by results and a sense of justice alone. He made it here through insight and politics. So isn¡¯t there a way to protect this position as well?


    ¡°He¡¯s in his mid-twenties, isn¡¯t he?¡± the chief asks calmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± says the police department head.


    ¡°And his face is not bad-looking.¡±


    ¡°It is not just ¡®not bad-looking,¡¯ he is very handsome. He is tall, too.¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, he has completely withdrawn from doing any business, am I correct?¡±


    ¡°I believe so. He has two older brothers who are already working in that field.¡±


    The chief strokes his chin with a satisfied expression on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s make him a cop.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± the other two say in unison.


    ¡°I said let¡¯s make him a cop. Let¡¯s use Go Ji-hun to improve the police¡¯s public image a little. The dreamboat cop who caught the Spaniel,¡± the chief declares.


    ¡°Chief. People don¡¯t say ¡®dreamboat¡¯ these days,¡± the investigation team leader points out.


    ¡°What do they say, then?¡±


    ¡°¡®Hot.¡¯ Or ¡®gorgeous.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Whatever!¡± the chief shouts impatiently. ¡°What do you think! Not bad, right? Since he¡¯s related to the Gogwang Group, everyone¡¯s going to be talking about it. Let¡¯s take some attention off ourselves.¡±


    ¡°But will he agree?¡± the police department head questions. ¡°He has plenty of money. He¡¯s young and good-looking. I can¡¯t imagine him having any hardships¡­¡±


    ¡°Making him an honorary ambassador would be fine, too. Just get Go Ji-hun on our side, no matter what.


    The police department head quietly takes out his cell phone. He has known the chief for a while, and he knows that he is a boss whose orders must always be obeyed when he uses the phrase, ¡®no matter what.¡¯


    He also knows that the chief is secretly proficient at these kinds of methods. The fact that he kept his position despite the change of government speaks for itself.


    The police department head sends a text message to a reporter that he is acquainted with. He still has the police¡¯s reputation to protect, so he needs to be a little vague¡­


    ¡®The one who caught the Spaniel is Go Ji-hun, the third son of the Gogwang Group¡¯s leader. The same one who was born from a scandal in the past. He takes after his actress mother and is extremely good-looking. There is a large

 Chapter 11

    As soon as the front door opens, I¡¯m met by my family¡¯s frigid stares. There is a cold atmosphere that¡¯s a stark contrast to the pleasant, comforting smell inside the living room.


    ¡°Breakfast has been prepared,¡± says the kitchen lady, Chief Kim¡¯s mother, as she comes out of the dining hall.


    It looks like everyone was waiting for breakfast. But is that because of me?


    Everyone has read the atmosphere; nobody looks like they¡¯re even thinking of moving¡­ Ah. That¡¯s because they¡¯re wary of Go Dae-man¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Long time so see,¡± says a man I recognize as Go Dae-han, the eldest of the Gogwang Group leader¡¯s three sons.


    He was forced to cut his business trip in China short and return to Korea. He¡¯s able to be here because Amazin


    Naturally, I already know how things will end up. This contract will solidify Go Dae-han¡¯s position as heir to the conglomerate and his position as a leader in the business world.


    If we were on good terms, I¡¯d tell him there¡¯s nothing to worry about


    I respond with just a curt nod. I¡¯m tired as hell, so I can¡¯t be bothered with the proper greetings and everything else.


    ¡°Why are you looking like that? Are you spending your time getting into fights, now?¡± Go Dae-han says.


    He is deliberately making his tone of voice sound like he¡¯s worried, but I can hear the thorns in his words. They do say that the ones who treat you nicely on the outside are the ones who hate you most on the inside.


    I look at myself in the mirror in the entrance hall. My clothes are a mess, covered in dust and blood, and there are scratches on my skin that I don¡¯t even know how I got. I really am a wreck.


    Go Dae-man¡¯s eyes are cold.


    I roll my eyes and slowly enter the house. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful morning,¡± I say.


    ¡°Sit,¡± Go Dae-man commands.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Go Dae-man¡¯s teacup makes an audible tap as he puts it down. It¡¯s such a small movement, but it¡¯s enough to make my whole body flinch.


    The atmosphere is deadly. The warm morning sun spills in through the windows, but it can¡¯t disperse the cold air in the room.


    Go Dae-man¡¯s charisma really is impressive. He is able to pressure someone intensely without even speaking a word.


    ¡°Try and explain yourself. Explain exactly what situation we are in,¡± he says, his anger tangible in every syllable.


    The lawyer in charge of the family¡¯s legal affairs is Lee Mi-sook¡¯s older cousin. I don¡¯t know how exactly he told Go Dae-man about the situation, but it doesn¡¯t seem like he explained it in a good way.


    I have nothing to say, so Go Dae-man opens his mouth to speak once more.


    ¡°You said that you would become a police officer, did you not?¡± he says, his frustration leaking into his voice a little.


    ¡°I did,¡± I reply.


    ¡°And you said that you would not live as you did before.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I did.¡±


    ¡°I did not know that this meant that you would go about creating messes,¡± Go Dae-man continues, a sharp gleam appearing in his eyes. ¡°You said that you would become a police officer, but you wasted day after day wandering about outside.¡±


    I thought that he wouldn¡¯t be concerned with what I was doing, but it seems that he knew everything.


    Well, there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t notice someone not coming back when he used to spend every day holed up in the house. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m attending a private tutoring school, either. To others, it would only appear as if I¡¯ve been wasting my time.


    ¡°Are you planning to make frequent visits to the police department¡¯s cells, now?¡± Go Dae-man sighs.


    ¡°I had no choice,¡± I say.


    ¡°You rendered the man impotent! What in the world were you thinking!¡± Go Dae-man bellows thunderously.


    He closes his eyes, as if trying to regain control over his anger.


    Mr. Lawyer. That may be true, but did you really tell him that while leaving out the important details of the context?


    I can understand why Chief Kim didn¡¯t want to come home. An angry Go Dae-man, two asshole brothers, and a misunderstanding-generating situation were waiting for us.


    I take a deep breath. ¡°He was the Su-an Spaniel. He had a knife, so I had no choice,¡± I explain calmly.


    Go Dae-man¡¯s gaze travels to my arm.


    The cut wasn¡¯t deep enough to need stitches, but it was still a proper cut. It¡¯s wrapped in a bandage now. A long wound, from my elbow to my wrist.


    At the time, with the situation being what it was, I didn¡¯t really feel it. Just a little sting a few moments afterwards.


    Go Dae-man bites his lip, disconcerted for a moment. He¡¯s probably ashamed that he didn¡¯t even notice his son¡¯s injury.


    Ha. It¡¯s going to be alright!


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± says Ms. Lee Mi-sook. ¡°How did you know that he was the Spaniel?¡±


    I¡¯m amazed by the fact that her appearance is so orderly this early in the morning. She¡¯s wearing her rings, necklaces, and even her make-up.


    She takes another sip of her tea and continues. ¡°You act as if you know everything. I consider that to be dangerous.¡±


    She¡¯s not wrong. The DNA test results haven¡¯t been reported yet, after all.


    ¡°If something goes wrong, you are going to have to take all responsibility,¡± Ms. Lee says.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s not going to happen,¡± I say confidently.


    Ms. Lee frowns. ¡°I heard that you caused a disturbance at the Gunbaek founding anniversary party as well?¡±


    What the hell is she talking about?


    I shoot Chief Kim a bewildered look, but his eyes tell me that he doesn¡¯t know anything either.


    Go Min-guk, who¡¯s sitting in front of me, lowers his head a little. He¡¯s deliberately stiffening his face to stop himself from smiling.


    Aha. Look at this son of a bitch. It looks like he¡¯s twisted the story a little, doesn¡¯t it?


    Go Dae-man straightens his neck, as if searching for words to say.


    ¡°I heard what happened,¡± he says, but he isn¡¯t speaking in the harsh, scolding tone that he used earlier. ¡°Even if there are misunderstandings, brothers should not fight with one another. And Min-guk is your hyeong.¡±


    The president¡¯s tone is softer than anyone expected.


    ¡°Adequate rewards and punishments are necessary to maintain discipline in the house,¡± Ms. Lee says hastily. ¡°We have been too passive for too long.¡±


    That¡¯s because Go Ji-hun, whom his parents left on his own, was incapable of functioning as an ordinary person. He was self-destructing already; there was no need for them to step in and interfere.


    But things are different now. As I have shown a will to do something, Go Dae-man has been forced to take an interest in me. If I were to suddenly say that I would take part in the family¡¯s business, Ms. Lee and my two brothers would be very displeased.


    Adequate rewards and punishments? Those are good words.


    I smile at Miss Lee. ¡°That is correct. Min-guk-hyeong and I had a disagreement. Or maybe it¡¯s more accurate to say that I punched him a little.¡±


    You want to test my limits?


    I¡¯m done playing the good son of a conglomerate leader. For a criminal who grew up an orphan, being called ¡®Young Master¡¯ every day was enough to make me happy. I¡¯ll just rely on my reward money to join the police if I have to.


    Lee Mi-sook gives me a horrified look. ¡°Oh my goodness. You vulgar¡­¡±


    ¡°Vulgar? I think the vulgar one is the second-born hyeong-nim,¡± I say.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Go Min-guk called my mother a whore, you see.¡±


    Go Min-guk¡¯s eyes suddenly begin looking around in panic.


    This is something that the Go Ji-hun he knew would never have had the courage to say. As someone who simply lived in this house as if he were dead, Go Min-guk¡¯s words would have just eaten at him on the inside.


    Sorry, but I¡¯m not the stupid pushover that you knew. I¡¯m someone who died and came back to life; I have nothing to lose.


    ¡°To be more precise, he called her a whore who ¡®seduced our father with her body,¡¯¡± I add.


    You piece of shit. If you tell on me to your mom, I¡¯ll tell on you to our dad.


    With their mouths agape, Go Min-guk and Lee Mi-sook glance at the president.


    Go Dae-han doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, so he keeps his mouth shut.


    ¡°W-what are you talking about. That¡¯s definitely not true,¡± Go Min-guk stammers.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Min-guk would never say such things,¡± Lee Mi-sook says, and then she looks at me. ¡°How dare you tell such lies!¡±


    I¡¯m still as relaxed as ever. ¡°I¡¯m lying? Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lee Mi-sook says blankly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something I¡¯m sure about.¡±


    Hmm. This is a bit childish, but I have no choice.


    I take out my phone and show everyone a photo of Go Min-guk passed out on the ground.


    This is how decisions are made. When the truth of the situation can¡¯t be established quickly, the side that has some form of evidence, no matter how crude, will win.


    It¡¯s just a photo so there¡¯s no audio, but it¡¯s enough to shake my opposition.


    ¡°Hyeong-nim had a lot to drink that night. I think it was a verbalization of his true thoughts rather than an error of judgment,¡± I say.


    ¡°Go Min-guk!¡± Lee Mi-sook shrieks.


    ¡°Enough, all of you!¡± shouts Go Dae-man, his voice echoing against the walls like two simultaneous roars of thunder.


    The only woman he ever loved is likely his only weakness, his Achilles¡¯ heel.


    The president¡¯s face slowly turns into a dark red color. His presence is overwhelming and menacing, as if he¡¯s the Grim Reaper himself.


    Everyone cowers, as if a bomb is about to go off.


    Just at that moment, the inner front door opens and the president¡¯s secretary comes in.


    ¡°M-Mr. President,¡± she says, a clear look of bewilderment on her face.


    ¡°¡­ What is it?¡± asks Go Dae-man, his eyes fixed on Go Min-guk.


    ¡°There is a crowd of reporters outside.¡±


    ¡°Reporters?¡±


    ¡°There are so many that we cannot even leave by car. It seems that it is not just reporters; townspeople have gathered as well.¡±


    Finally, Go Dae-man turns his head to look at his secretary.


    There is something strange going on. He knows that even if the son of a conglomerate did get involved in an incident, this is too large a reaction.


    I swallow and take a deep breath.


    I have a feeling about this. The kind of feeling I would have if I were about to win the lottery and was listening to my numbers being read out one by one. I feel nervous and I¡¯m trembling slightly.


    Suddenly, the silence is broken without warning by the sound of a cell phone¡¯s vibration ringing out from somewhere, but nobody moves. Everyone has a vague idea of where it¡¯s coming from.


    Go Dae-man slowly reaches into his jacket¡¯s inner pocket and takes out his personal cell phone. His expression contorts as soon as he sees who is calling him.


    There wouldn¡¯t be many people who know the personal phone number of the Gogwang Group¡¯s head. Normally, people would choose to contact him through his secretary.


    Go Dae-man looks around at all of his family members, and then he answers the call.


    ¡°It has been a while, Chief


    Chief? These people really do live in a different world. I could barely make an appointment to see the warden when I was in prison.


    Go Dae-man concentrates on what is being said to him on the phone and stands up from his seat. He approaches the window and checks the situation outside.


    ¡°¡­ Reporters have gathered in front of the house,¡± he mutters.


    I wonder what he¡¯s being told.


    It¡¯s not just me; everyone in the living room is focused on his conversation.


    Go Dae-man stops talking for a moment and turns around. He looks at me and gives a small nod, indicating for me to come to him.


    I tentatively stand up from my seat and walk towards him.


    The street is filled with a horde of reporters and onlookers.


    Holy shit. The bright camera flashes are a magnificent sight to see.


    ¡°Here. Speak,¡± says Go Dae-man as he hands me his cell phone.


    Lee Mi-sook and my brothers are wearing confused frowns. They must be wondering what¡¯s going on.


    I¡¯m just as confused as you, you bastards.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I say, my voice trembling against my will.


    ¡°Go Ji-hun? Nice to meet you. I am Gong Mun-gap of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency,¡± says the voice on the other end of the phone.


    The chief goes on to explain the meeting that he had this morning. I¡¯m unable to stop my smile from growing wider and wider as he continues talking.


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s how it is. We are offering you a special appointment, but if that is inconvenient for you, I have been told that we can make you an honorary ambassador,¡± the chief says in a very smooth tone.


    It¡¯s clear as to why he¡¯s bowing his head to a jobless person like me. It¡¯s because I¡¯m Go Dae-man¡¯s son and because I¡¯m the key for the police to take some public attention off of themselves.


    ¡°Not at all, Chief. I would be honored to accept your offer,¡± I say as I straighten my neck and look out the window once more.


    I see. So that¡¯s why there are reporters gathered outside.


    All I can think about this morning is how lucky I am. I didn¡¯t know that it was even possible for things to go this well.


    In my previous life, the Spaniel¡¯s arrest didn¡¯t attract such a huge amount of attention. He was caught in a moment of carelessness while sexually harassing someone at a bar, so it didn¡¯t make for a dramatic story.


    But still, a special appointment!


    I was going for the reward money so that I could become a police officer, but I don¡¯t care about the money anymore.


    ¡°So¡­¡± says the chief.


    ¡°But I have one request,¡± I say.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Please ensure that my face isn¡¯t revealed to the public.¡±


    There¡¯s a silence as the chief finds himself unable to immediately respond to this unexpected request.


    I¡¯m fully aware of their true intentions. They¡¯re trying to use my face to divert the public¡¯s attention. A showy appearance is needed to change the directions that eyes and ears are facing.


    I¡¯m not a celebrity, but I¡¯d become as famous as one the moment they use me as bait for the public¡¯s attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­¡± the chief begins.


    ¡°How would a police officer whose face is known be able to work in government affairs?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I know what you mean, but that would be a little problematic.¡±


    ¡°Because you need to send my face to the press?¡±


    I can hear the chief laughing on the other side of the phone.


    ¡°It seems that there is an aspect to you that I haven¡¯t been told about.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ll offer you something else in return,¡± I say.


    ¡°Something else?¡±


    ¡°A story that you can give to the press instead of my face.¡±


    The chief stops trying to dodge the issue. He seems curious as to what I¡¯m talking about.


    ¡°I was already making preparations to join the police. I¡¯m thinking of applying for the Criminal Affairs Division,¡± I say.


    ¡°Hmm. I didn¡¯t know that,¡± the chief murmurs.


    ¡°I will also donate the full sum of the reward money that I will be getting.¡±


    ¡°The full sum? Where to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll donate it towards the aid of sexual assault victims. Of course, it will be under the name of the Gogwang Group, not under my own name.¡±


    Go Dae-man looks at me with a fascinated expression.


    I smile and move away slightly. Not so far that I¡¯m out of his sight, but far enough that he won¡¯t be able to hear me very well.


    ¡°This is a secret, but the Gogwang Group has secured an exclusive contract with Amazin for supplying semiconductors,¡± I say quietly into the phone.


    ¡°What? Congratulations. Damn, I should have bought some stocks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late now,¡± I say with a laugh. ¡°In any case, if we leak things in the correct order, we will be able to turn the tide smoothly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll agree for now. But you won¡¯t be able to completely avoid your face being exposed. The people are very curious, you see,¡± says the chief.


    ¡°As long as the newspapers don¡¯t print my ID photo over the front pages, it will be fine.¡±


    They¡¯ll slowly forget about everything as time passes, after all.


    ¡°Well then, it sounds like I need to get an award plaque ready. There¡¯s likely to be a conferring ceremony. We¡¯ll send the details to your secretarial section,¡± says the chief.


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll see you then,¡± I say.


    With that, I end the call and hand the phone back to Go Dae-man.


    ¡°What is this talk about a donation?¡± he asks.


    ¡°They say that when an opportunity presents itself, you should take it. The press will have its attention on the Gogwang Group for the next short while. The most simple and effective thing to do in that situation is to make a donation,¡± I explain.


    A public image established by a company becomes an irreplaceable unique characteristic.


    Many companies strive to be recognized in a positive way ¨C for being friendly to the people, for being an exemplary business, for being environmentally aware.


    The Gogwang Group stands to acquire an even more distinctive image than these ¨C the image of a company that stands for justice. A company that is warm-hearted and considerate towards the vulnerable members of society.


    It¡¯s only 100,000,000 won, but it¡¯s a worthy investment.


    As expected, Go Dae-man is well aware of that. ¡°You may proceed in the company¡¯s name,¡± he says.


    ¡°The source of the money is another important factor,¡± I say.


    A tiny smile appears on Go Dae-man¡¯s stiff, boulder-like face.


    Lee Mi-sook and the two brothers look like they¡¯re unable to keep up with these crazy developments.


    Things are going well. I¡¯ll stop pressing Go Min-guk here. I¡¯ll break his spirit again later if need be.


    Go Dae-man slowly gets out of his seat. ¡°Let us have breakfast. The morning is almost over,¡± he says.


    I follow him towards the dining hall. It looks like I¡¯ve managed to earn a meal today.


    Ugh, I feel like I could stretch my legs out and just sleep until the conferring ceremony.


    The morning sun is bright and brilliant. Just like my future.


    Miscellaneous notes:


    1


    2

 Chapter 12

    A luxurious foreign car worth hundreds of millions of won.


    I¡¯ve been told that this is the car that Go Dae-man saves for when he needs to read documents on the move. The spacious interior and smooth leather seats don¡¯t vibrate at all while the car is moving.


    Everything about it is perfect, but it¡¯s not completely comfortable.


    I turn my head slightly and look at Go Dae-man. There is a stack of heavy files between me and him.


    ¡°We will arrive in ten minutes,¡± says the president¡¯s secretary from the passenger seat.


    That¡¯s the first time anyone inside the car has spoken since we began this journey thirty minutes ago.


    Go Dae-man finally closes the folder that he is reading.


    We are currently headed for the Su-an Police Department. Today is the day of the conferring ceremony where I¡¯ll receive my award and plaque. I¡¯ve also been told that some active police officers will be promoted at the ceremony as well.


    ¡°¡­ Is your arm feeling better?¡± Go Dae-man asks me.


    It seems that he is still bothered by the fact that he didn¡¯t notice it that morning.


    I nod to ease his worries. ¡°It¡¯s almost completely healed.¡±


    ¡°Ji-hun,¡± he says, calling my name in the most affectionate tone he can manage.


    This is the most gentle tone that I¡¯ve ever heard him speak in. It once again reminds me of the fact that Go Ji-hun is me.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I say.


    ¡°I am sure that you have heard about what the atmosphere inside the company is like right now.¡±


    I kind of know and kind of don¡¯t.


    I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s in a festive mood, unlike the atmosphere in this car. The exclusive contract with Amazin is already a cause for celebration, and the company has also attracted positive public attention for its stance on social issues on top of that. The company has ranked second on company popularity polls for many years, but it¡¯s now ranked first for the first time. The trend of people jokingly telling each other that they should all buy one of the Gogwang Group¡¯s products has become like a movement, increasing sales by 20% from the previous month. There¡¯s a huge buzz surrounding the company, which is reflected in the stocks as well.


    I don¡¯t know how long the excitement will last, but it¡¯s not a bad thing to enjoy it while it¡¯s here.


    ¡°I have only heard good things,¡± I say politely in response to President Go Dae-man¡¯s question.


    He hands me the report that he has been reading. It¡¯s an analysis of all the various benefits that the Gogwang will receive as a result of this whole incident.


    ¡°When I first joined the company,¡± Go Dae-man murmurs, closing his eyes as if reminiscing about the past.


    He is talking about a time that was at least thirty years ago.


    A small smile appears on his face. It looks like his dormant memories still stir his emotions.


    ¡°Do you know what Gogwang Electronics used as its main driving force?¡± Go Dae-man asks.


    ¡°Televisions. Of course, all of the other electronics companies were producing them furiously as well,¡± I say.


    The Chun Doo-hwan government. Under the 3S policy, cultural enterprises experienced explosive growth, and screen-manufacturing businesses expanded alongside them.


    TLN for background context: Chun Doo-hwan was president of South Korea from 1980-1988. The 3S policy (the 3 S¡¯s being Sex, Screen, Sports) was a large political reform under his presidency to appeal to the Korean public¡¯s political demands. It involved forming professional sports teams, beginning the broadcasting of color television across the entire nation, decreasing censorship on dramas and movies, making school uniforms voluntary, etc.


    Gogwang Electronics was late in getting involved, but it was a case of burrowing into a niche market. It broke the notion that televisions were for family use, manufacturing both miniature televisions and extra-large-screen televisions.


    To this day, this remains President Go Dae-man¡¯s greatest achievement.


    ¡°Everyone was skeptical,¡± Go Dae-man continues.¡±It was known that 16-inch screens were the most common in Korea, and 25-inch screens were the most common in the United States. People asked me why I was taking my eye off the ball when these were selling so well.¡±


    ¡°That point does make sense,¡± I remark.


    ¡°Indeed. It does make sense. But I thought differently. I proclaimed that without failure, there is no innovation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you were able to do that because you weren¡¯t the president at the time.¡±


    Go Dae-man gives a laugh that is thoroughly infused with the emotions of years of experience. ¡°You are right. I was too young. I thought that anything I did would work. And at that time, your grandfather said one thing to me.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡± I ask.


    ¡°He said, ¡®Do it. It is my duty to give you opportunities.¡¯ My father has never looked as great to me as he did that day.¡±


    Go Dae-man falls silent for a moment and looks into my eyes, as if to draw out everything from inside me.


    I make no attempt to avoid his gaze.


    ¡°I followed in my father¡¯s footsteps, and I am now in the position of giving opportunities,¡± he says. ¡°That is why I have entrusted Dae-han with being the director of Gogwang Electronics and Min-guk with the launch of the Passion brand. I am giving them opportunities.¡±


    He has good intentions, but there¡¯s a problem. There¡¯s no hope for the Passion brand.


    ¡°But you are the only one that I have not been able to give such an opportunity,¡± Go Dae-man continues.


    ¡°That is because of my own foolishness,¡± I say.


    ¡°If you wish for it -¡± Go Dae-man says, but then he stops mid-sentence.


    A forest of tall buildings passes by behind him. I can occasionally see the bright sky between the buildings.


    There is no child that is not dear to his parents. This is the kind of son that Go Ji-hun is to Go Dae-man.


    His gaze is direct, but warm. Like sunlight.


    ¡°Mr. President. We will be arriving shortly,¡± says the secretary.


    The car smoothly pulls into the Su-an Police Department¡¯s parking lot.


    There are quite a lot of reporters and people who have come to watch. Due to my request, the photography area is off in the distance.


    The moment one of the bodyguards slowly opens the car door, I hear the clicking sound of camera flashes and the shouting of reporters.


    ¡°Mr. President! I have a question here!¡±


    ¡°Is Director Go Dae-han¡¯s succession confirmed?¡±


    ¡°Do you support your third son¡¯s choice to become a police officer?¡±


    ¡°Next to him! Go Ji-hun is the one next to him!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Go Ji-hun! A word about the incident, please!¡±


    President Go Dae-man gives a small smile and heads towards the Police Department¡¯s main building.


    I wonder how many businessmen ever receive welcomes like this in their lifetimes. In front of a police station, no less.


    Naturally, I follow behind him, but ¨C


    ¡°Just one moment!¡± shouts a woman as she runs through from the photography area and grabs my arm.


    A bodyguard removes her hand with ease, but she is still frantically reaching towards me with both hands outstretched.


    ¡°I need to tell you something!¡± she says desperately.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, stopping the bodyguard from forcing her back.


    She doesn¡¯t seem to want to harass me.


    She suddenly takes hold of my hand. ¡°I¡¯m the mother of one of the Spaniel¡¯s victims,¡± she says with a trembling voice.


    ¡°Ah,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡­¡± the woman stammers.


    More camera flashes.


    ¡°Mr. Go Ji-hun! Please look this way!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t push!¡±


    Having seen one person get through, everyone else is running in after her.


    Reporters and cameras have surrounded me in an instant, and the woman¡¯s voice is drowned out by the camera flashes and chaos.


    I shield the woman¡¯s back and lower my head towards her so she can speak to me.


    The woman¡¯s rough hand reaches up to my shoulder, and tears fall from her eyes.


    ¡°My daughter shut herself inside her room, not listening to anyone or saying a word. She barely slept and ate. It was as if she were just waiting for her body to eventually stop breathing,¡± she says.


    I can hear her voice clearly, and it feels like time is slowing down with every word she speaks.


    She pauses for a moment. ¡°But when she heard that the criminal was caught, she cried out loud. It was like she had come back to life.¡±


    Time stops.


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you for saving my daughter.¡±


    I suddenly feel something hot rising inside of me. The sound of everything around me slowly begins to return, like winter turning gradually into spring. People¡¯s voices and the sound of the wind brush against my ears. I can feel the woman¡¯s warm hand.


    I realize that this is the moment that I¡¯ve been waiting for my whole life. The moment that I can hear someone thanking the nobody that is me. The moment that I find my own role to play.


    I feel alive.


    Over the woman¡¯s shoulder, I can see Go Dae-man standing in front of the Police Department¡¯s main building, as if waiting for me to follow him.


    But a moment later, he turns back around and heads into the building without me.


    In the multipurpose room on the sixth floor of the main building, the staff look busy as they make preparations for the award ceremony. With the exception of a few reporters, everyone is related to the police.


    ¡°Mr. President. Over on that side. The third-born young master will be the first to be called upon,¡± says a secretary, directing us to seats right at the front.


    Go Dae-man and Go Ji-hun¡¯s names are on cards attached to the two chairs on either side of the chief of the National Police Agency.


    As the chief spots us, he straightens his clothes and smiles as he approaches. ¡°It has been a while, Mr. President,¡± he says.


    It looks like the chief and Go Dae-man are acquainted with one another, though it¡¯s as if they¡¯re no more than alumni of the same school and only barely recognize each other¡¯s faces.


    In any case, both of them are aware of each other¡¯s existence, so they shake hands in a friendly manner.


    ¡°Yes. It has been a while,¡± says Go Dae-man.


    ¡°We meet due to one of your exceptional sons once more,¡± says the chief.


    ¡°You flatter me.¡±


    With the polite greetings finished, the chief leads us to our seats.


    ¡°Still, I did not think that Go Ji-hun would want to join the police,¡± the chief remarks.


    ¡°Even I only learned that recently,¡± says Go Dae-man as he looks at me with an expression that conveys his inability to understand my choice.


    I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m not Go Ji-hun.


    The chief pats my shoulder proudly. ¡°How unfortunate it must be for you. He would have been such a great asset to your company.¡±


    Go Dae-man said something similar before. He told me to stop things here, to just join the company and take the opportunity he was offering. I think he did that because he feels that Go Ji-hun only has one precious life, and it was nearly lost.


    ¡°Serving the country is also an honorable thing,¡± Go Dae-man says calmly before I can speak.


    ¡°You are absolutely right,¡± the chief agrees.


    ¡°Chief,¡± Go Dae-man says suddenly.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We met five years ago. It was when our company made a pledge to donate communication radios to the police, was it not?¡±


    ¡°Indeed it was.¡±


    ¡°Electronic devices must be replaced over time. This is necessary to ensure safe usage and drive their continued production.¡±


    ¡°I am not so sure as to what you are talking about,¡± says the chief, looking confused.


    ¡°The Gogwang Group and I will provide support to the police in any kind of equipment they may need, such as radios and stab-proof vests.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± the chief and I say at the same time in surprise.


    But the president doesn¡¯t elaborate. He simply finds his chair and sits down.


    He is a father. A father who has seen his son venture out into the world for the first time. This is his own way of saying that he is willing to let go of his son¡¯s hand, one that he has been tightly grasping all this time.


    ¡°It does break my heart, but he is still my son, is he not? I cannot put a hole in his ship,¡± he says.


    The chief gives a small laugh. ¡°That is a good one. I will remember that expression to use in a future speech.¡±


    The award ceremony begins soon after, and the chief goes up onto the stage and gives a short greeting to the audience.


    His well-organized script will change slightly to include news of the Gogwang Group¡¯s offer to provide equipment.


    As he gives his speech, Go Dae-man leans in towards my ear.


    ¡°Do me proud,¡± he whispers.


    This is the first time I¡¯ve had a father, someone who is always watching over me from behind. I have never felt so reassured and confident.


    ¡°If there is anything you need, just ask. I will let Chief Kim know,¡± Go Dae-man adds.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will do my best,¡± I say.


    I hear the master of ceremonies saying my name.


    ¡°¡­ The Citizen¡¯s Award. Mr. Go Ji-hun, please come onto the stage.¡±


    I straighten my necktie and go up onto the stage.


    The lighting, shining on me directly from the front, is blinding. The chief¡¯s voice echoes around the room as he reads my award, and I¡¯m soon holding my certificate and a bouquet of flowers.


    And so, I become a police officer.


    ***


    One year later.


    The Criminal Affairs Division on the second floor of the Su-an Police Department.


    Feeling restless, I straighten my necktie.


    I came here for the first time as a suspect and for the second time as a witness. But this time, I am neither.


    As I try to control my breathing, I hear a voice from behind me.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here.¡±


    It¡¯s a warm-mannered, well-built man who gives off a friendly-next-door-neighbor type of impression. This is Hwang Joong-Woo, the leader of Violent Crime Task Force 2.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming in? Have you committed a crime?¡± he jokes as he walks past me and opens the door to the Criminal Affairs Division.


    Nothing in the Criminal Affairs Division has changed ¨C not the detectives running about, not the suspects making a fuss, not the endlessly ringing phones.


    The detectives of Task Force 1 notice me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Is it a new recruit?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s damn good looking. What¡¯s a guy like that doing here?¡±


    ¡°But I feel like I¡¯ve seen his face a lot somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Ah. The Spaniel? The one from Gogwang.¡±


    The year I spent in police school was enough to erase the memory of me from most people¡¯s minds. Still, I¡¯m recognized by the detectives, who need sharp eyes to earn their money.


    The public¡¯s love and attention for me have faded long ago.


    I duck my head down and walk past Task Force 1.


    ¡°Now then. Attention,¡± says the task force leader.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this you¡¯ve got following you?¡± says a detective I recognize.


    It¡¯s the beast-like detective I gave the Spaniel¡¯s box cutter to.


    It looks like his body¡¯s gotten even wilder since I last saw him. Even the smell of his feet has grown more terrible.


    ¡°Oh, the Spaniel?¡± he says as he recognizes me as well.


    If someone were listening, they¡¯d think that I were the serial rapist.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I say with a smile.


    There¡¯s another detective with pale skin that is in clear contrast to the skin of the beast-like detective that he¡¯s sitting in front of.


    I see his childlike face among the documents that are stacked up to his waist. He¡¯s wearing a very excited expression, like he¡¯s really enjoying himself.


    Ah, it¡¯s the youngest detective.


    The task force leader looks across the office disinterestedly. ¡°This is Officer Go Ji-hun, who has been assigned to our task force. That¡¯s all.¡±


    What? That¡¯s it?


    I give a confused look at the task force leader.


    The beast-like detective looks displeased. ¡°What are you trying to do, bringing a clueless kid here? We¡¯re busy as hell.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re busy as hell, so we can use every hand we can get,¡± says the task force leader.


    ¡°So bring some good hands, not the hands of a newborn baby.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Black. How long do you want to keep talking back to me like that?¡±


    ¡®Black.¡¯ It seems that¡¯s how people refer to the beast-like detective around here. It¡¯s a nickname that¡¯s fitting of his brown skin.


    The task force leader and Black continue to argue fiercely¡­ with me standing right between them. They seem to be close; they¡¯re very busy swearing at each other.


    It seems that the other detectives sitting on the other side are used to this situation. None of them are even paying attention.


    All of their faces look so young. Dressed in my police school uniform, I don¡¯t look any older than them.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Seong-joon,¡± says the youngest detective.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Seonbae-nim,¡± I say.


    TLN: Seonbae means ¡®senior,¡¯ equivalent to the Japanese term senpai.


    A spark appears in his eyes in response to me calling him ¡®seonbae.¡¯ What a cute guy.


    The Violent Crime Task Force 1 detectives come over around the dividers.


    ¡°Hey, Mong-Doo,¡± one of them says.


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± the youngest detective responds.


    It seems that his nickname is ¡®Mong-doo.¡¯ It rolls off the tongue, like the name of a puppy.


    Hmm. If I were to rank everyone, the task force leader is the big hyeong, then it¡¯s Black, then Mong-Doo right?


    The detectives of Task Force 1 examine me closely and shake their heads.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this for your sake,¡± says the detective talking to Mong-Doo. ¡°Stop dreaming.¡±


    ¡°About what, sir?¡± Mong-Doo asks, looking confused.


    ¡°This is a place that people come to from all over, but so many drop out because they can¡¯t handle it. Do you think he is going to last?¡± the other detective says, looking at me. ¡°I¡¯ll give him a fortnight, max. How sad will you be to go back to being just the youngest again after being called ¡®Seonbae?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Hey. Manage your own damn team,¡± says Black, pausing his argument with the task force leader.


    It seems that he¡¯ll at least take my side in this, since we¡¯re going to be working together from now on.


    But another detective is quick to insult him in turn. ¡°Wow. Tough, aren¡¯t you? Just like the smell of your feet.¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Hey. Come over here and say that again,¡± Black says angrily.


    I can understand the other task force¡¯s detectives¡¯ reactions. After all, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been specially appointed to represent the nation or anything; I¡¯m just a guy who became a police officer after catching one rapist and pumping up the media. In a way, this is to be expected.


    ¡°I intend to devote myself to my work at this place,¡± I say loudly.


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s awesome!¡± Mong-Doo exclaims with shining eyes, clapping his hands.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding,¡± another detective sneers.


    The other detectives from Task Force 1 are all smirking at me.


    But I mean it. I am going to use every ability at my disposal to solve cases ¨C whether it be through persistence, knowledge, or money. And I will make sure that the true criminal of the Hae-soo case is brought to justice.


    Black stares at me in disbelief at my brazen words.


    ¡°In any case, please take good care of me,¡± I say humbly.


    As soon as I finish this sentence, the entire office is filled with the sound of vibrating and ringing of phones. It¡¯s not just a few of them ¨C every single landline phone in the office and every detective¡¯s personal cell phone is going off.


    The laughter-filled atmosphere evaporates in an instant. Everyone has instinctively sensed that this is no ordinary event.


    Black puts his phone back in his pocket and looks at me with a stiff expression. ¡°Get ready. There¡¯s going to be one hell of a rite of passage for you.¡±


    Mong-Doo, on the other hand, is excited. ¡°Rite of passage, let¡¯s go!¡± he laughs.

 Chapter 13

    Goomoon, which is right next to Su-an, is the center of the whole nation¡¯s adult entertainment industry. An astounding 20% of Seoul¡¯s alcohol consumption takes place here.


    As one would expect, dozens of cases and incidents arise in this district every day. It¡¯s a place of endless disturbances caused by troublesome drunkards, fights between customers, and sexual assaults.


    It is also therefore the dispatch area that is most often avoided by the Goomoon Patrol Division.


    But things are on another level today.


    My sweaty hands are clasped tightly together.


    The inside of the car is ripe with tension.


    ¡°Take a right turn here. It¡¯s faster this way,¡± says the task force leader.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± says Mong-Doo, obeying the instruction and turning the steering wheel smoothly.


    Our destination is a nightclub on Goomoon¡¯s main street. We¡¯ve received information that two gangs operating in the district are simultaneously making movements.


    The Fork Gang and the Guma Gang. They¡¯re infamous not just in Su-an, but other regions as well.


    ¡°Judging from the atmosphere, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a gang fight?¡± the task force leader mutters, a worried expression on his face.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± says Black.


    ¡°Man, that¡¯s really strange. I don¡¯t think they have anything to gain by bumping shoulders.¡±


    Since both gangs have huge influence, they don¡¯t have conflicts over unimportant things. Bloodshed would just give opportunities to other organizations that are clawing their way up.


    ¡°In any case, it¡¯s a good thing for us,¡± says Mong-Doo, grinning. ¡°Let¡¯s use this opportunity to round them all up.¡±


    He¡¯s really happy; that grin has been on his face since the moment we moved out.


    The voice of one of the Task Force 1 detectives, who set out before us, comes through the radio.


    ¡°The West and East Patrols are going to be late,¡± he reports.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± asks our task force leader.


    ¡°They said they¡¯re chasing rape and murder suspects.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll join us when they¡¯re finished.¡±


    ¡°The incidents are overlapping for some reason, so a lot of them have been dispatched out there today.¡±


    The task force leader sighs. ¡°Have they figured out how many Fork and Guma members there are?¡±


    ¡°It looks to be about 150 of them in total.¡±


    ¡°A, a hundred and fifty?¡±


    The task force leader¡¯s mouth opens in surprise. Black gently reaches over and closes it for him.


    ¡°Those crazy sons of bitches. What are they thinking, starting this shit in the middle of the day?¡± Black mutters as he wraps bandages around his fist like a boxer preparing for a match.


    ¡°I guess they¡¯re doing it because the weather¡¯s nice,¡± says Mong-Doo, humming happily to himself.


    The task force leader sighs, looking pale. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m having a bad dream.¡± He glances at me with a worried look, as if wondering if I¡¯ll be able to handle this. ¡°Do you do any exercise?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t go around losing fights,¡± I say.


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s good to hear. Very good!¡±


    I¡¯ve spent the past year in police school devoting myself to exercise. I¡¯ve been focusing on boxing in particular, as it can be applied to actual fights.


    Go Ji-hun had a good physique but lacked stamina, and boxing was the best method for me to get back the sense for fighting that I had in my previous life.


    Thanks to that, my body that was smooth like a model¡¯s now has an impressive layer of muscle on it.


    Of course, I¡¯m still a long way off being like Black, though.


    He wraps his bandages around his hands meticulously and grinds his teeth. ¡°In any case, those Fork bastards are in for it now. We¡¯ve been waiting for this.¡±


    Does he have some kind of grudge against them? I¡¯m starting to feel a little sorry for the Fork Gang members whose faces I don¡¯t even know.


    The Fork Gang. Its leader is Song Dae-Ak. It¡¯s an organization that relies on brute force, originating in the slums of Yongyeok.


    Its members are known to stab their enemies with forks and whatever else is in reach when they¡¯re outnumbered. This behavior, which was seen often when the gang was still growing, is the origin of their name. But as I¡¯m shown a photo of Song Dae-Ak, a different image is more prominent in my mind.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t ¡®pork¡¯ more appropriate?¡± I murmur.


    TLN: In Korean, there is no F consonant, so it is replaced by a P consonant. As a result, ¡°fork¡± and ¡°pork¡± are pronounced exactly the same.


    I see a stubby nose, greedy-looking eyes and a body with plentiful mass. The image that I get is one of a wild boar.


    ¡°Take a better look at his face. It looks far worse than pork,¡± says Black.


    ¡°Why are you carrying a photo of him? Did something happen?¡± I ask.


    Black shows me his neck. I can see three white, dot-shaped scars on the right side. Could it be?


    ¡°I got stabbed not even by Song Dae-Ak, but by one of his underlings. Fucking hell. I was halfway across the river to death but managed to swim my way back,¡± Black says.


    Mong-Doo looks at the scars in awe. ¡°Wow. They¡¯re very clean stab wounds.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and drive. Don¡¯t take your eyes off the road,¡± Black scolds him.


    The task force leader laughs. ¡°You said they¡¯re a rare kind among the gangsters in Su-an, didn¡¯t you? The only ones who rely on muscle to earn them money. What was their slogan again?¡±


    ¡°¡®Protect the tradition of violence.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. What a bunch of funny guys.¡±


    I don¡¯t know much else about them, but it seems that they¡¯re the most unsophisticated organization out there.


    ¡°But why is the Guma Gang at it as well? They normally don¡¯t even show themselves,¡± the task force leader mutters.


    The Guma Gang, also known as the Gusan Drug Gang. They¡¯re a bunch of guys who operate mainly in Goomoon, and as their name suggests, they make their money from drugs.


    They¡¯re relatively new compared to the Fork Gang, but perhaps due to the large amount of money they have, they¡¯re growing at a considerable pace. They¡¯re a large organization and their drugs circulate across the entire country.


    But they deal in so many different kinds of drugs, and it¡¯s hard to get a good understanding of the whole situation ¨C who the leader is, where the drugs come from, where they arrive at. The organization is structured in such a way that the guys who have been caught so far were nothing more than small fry who didn¡¯t have any information to reveal.


    The Guma Gang seem more well-organized than the Fork Gang.


    I don¡¯t know which of them is going to come out on top, but I¡¯ll make sure their dinner tonight will be a meal in jail.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Please check that you¡¯re all wearing your stab-proof vests properly,¡± says Mong-Doo.


    The task force leader runs his hands over his body. Despite all the experience he has, it looks like he can¡¯t help being nervous.


    I wrap bandages around my hands, holding my police baton.


    It looks like I¡¯m in for a proper rite of ritual.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± says Mong-Doo.


    Thankfully, the adult entertainment district is quiet during the day. Few stores are open, and there aren¡¯t many people passing by, either. In fact, most of them seem to be residents on a stroll, curious at the arrival of the police.


    Mong-Doo gets his own police baton from the boot of the car.


    ¡°Wow. This reminds me of the old days,¡± says the task force leader.


    There¡¯s a sign that reads ¡®Gogo Nightclub.¡¯ It¡¯s a neon sign that isn¡¯t lit at the moment, but it¡¯s still a large, flashy sign that catches the eye.


    There are police officers and detectives gathered around the front door. Some of them are from Task Force 1 who left at the same time as us, and it seems that some are from other police departments. They¡¯re all disorganized; it seems like they came here in a hurry.


    ¡°It looks like all the support response teams are here,¡± one detective says as he looks around and sighs.


    ¡°Are we the last ones?¡± our task force leader asks.


    ¡°The other teams that got here earlier are on standby at the other doors.¡±


    ¡°Other doors?¡±


    There are three known exits to the building. A front door for customers, a back door for staff, and an underground parking lot that is connected directly to an elevator.


    ¡°We think the elevator is for VIPs. It¡¯s towards the inside of the building,¡± one of the detectives explains.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have been on standby in the underground parking lot. We¡¯re thinking of entering through both the front entrance and back entrance at the same time,¡± says another.


    The plan is simple.


    The first part of the plan is, we blockade every way in and out of the building, and then we enter and suppress the fighting.


    The second part is, we focus on arresting the middle-ranking members of the gangs, prioritizing the securing of Guma Gang members. We already have an almost-complete understanding of how the Fork Gang is structured; it¡¯s more urgent that we get a better idea of the scale of the Guma Gang.


    I can see in the detectives¡¯ expressions that they¡¯re determined to make the most of this opportunity.


    A short while later.


    Reports come in by radio.


    ¡°The lockdown of the parking lot is complete.¡±


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯re entering through the back entrance.¡±


    The detectives at the front door entrance open the doors.


    ¡°We¡¯re entering through the front entrance as well,¡± one of them says into his radio.


    The corridor leading further into the club doesn¡¯t have a single light; it¡¯s pitch-black. We¡¯re navigating by following the sounds of the indistinct, eerie screams. It feels like we¡¯re venturing into a cave to clear it of monsters.


    We descend a floor to see bright lighting flickering on and off. After passing through a corridor, we can clearly see the stage below.


    ¡°These crazy fuckers,¡± our task force leader mutters under his breath.


    Under the lighting, there are dozens of young men caught up in a free-for-all brawl, screaming at the top of their lungs.


    ¡°Die! Die! Die, you son of a bitch!¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Furniture of all kinds is flying across the room. The gray floor is splattered with dark-red blood and unmoving men. It¡¯s total madness. I¡¯m unable to take my eyes off this chaos.


    Black slaps my shoulder, bringing me back to my senses. ¡°Don¡¯t panic and get yourself killed. Be alert,¡± he says.


    ¡°¡­ Yes, sir,¡± I respond.


    The team who came in through the back entrance reaches the stage first. It looks like they¡¯re bewildered by the extreme scene before us as well.


    ¡°Police! Everyone stop where you are!¡± the detective leading the other team shouts over the screaming.


    But nobody stops. The men don¡¯t even show any signs of hesitation as they continue fighting¡­ though they¡¯re very loud, so it is possible that they didn¡¯t hear the detective.


    The detective unholsters the pistol at his waist and points it at the ceiling.


    ¡°Can you not hear me telling you to stop?¡± he shouts.


    He hesitates for a moment, then pulls the trigger. There¡¯s a loud bang as the blank round in his gun is fired.


    About half of the brawling men stop fighting for a few seconds.


    But that doesn¡¯t last long. The half that didn¡¯t hear the gunshot throw their next punches, and the fight continues.


    ¡°What the hell? What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± the detective next to me whispers to himself, looking confused.


    It¡¯s common sense for gang members to stop fighting and whatever else they¡¯re doing to try and flee when the police did show up. After all, they¡¯re going straight to jail if they get caught.


    But these guys have shown a somewhat different response. Half of them are trying to escape, but the other half are throwing themselves at others as if they¡¯ve lost the ability to reason¡­ as if they¡¯ve really gone insane.


    A thought suddenly occurs to me.


    ¡°Be careful! The Guma Gang! They might be on drugs!¡± I shout in warning to the detectives below.


    Getting into a fight while drugged up would certainly cause a loss of one¡¯s ability to think with reason.


    Several of the men begin to run away in fear, right into the back entrance team. The detectives flounder about, getting caught up in the fight as if being swept up into a wave. This really is a top-notch mess.


    The detectives of the other teams hastily run down the stairs.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    ¡°We need to move too!¡±


    ¡°Be careful not to get hurt!¡±


    ¡°You bastards! We told you to stop!¡±


    Black stands there, watching the scene with a look of concentration on his face.


    ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t we going as well?¡± I ask.


    But he continues surveying the area with an intense gaze.


    A moment later ¨C


    ¡°Found you,¡± he murmurs, and then he leaps over the handrail.


    Black reaches the stage before the detectives who took the stairs. He really is a strong guy.


    Mong-Doo regains his senses and pulls on my arm for us to follow him. ¡°I guess he found the guy who stabbed his neck.¡±


    Is that really possible in such a short amount of time?


    Shaking my head, I follow Mong-Doo down.


    Mong-Doo is holding his police baton in a peculiar way, using both hands. His face looks innocent, but he is impressively nimble and his strikes are powerful. With swift, two-handed swings, he brings the nearby gang members crashing into the ground one by one like leaves in fall.


    So, Mong-Doo was short for ¡®club.¡¯


    TLN: Club/cudgel in Korean is mongdoong-i.


    One of the men hit by Mong-Doo shouts out in pain, and the others look around for a place to escape.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± one mutters.


    ¡°The bank door! Get through the back door!¡± another one shouts.


    The guys who are running away crowd around the back door that is the closest, most obvious exit. They¡¯re probably the guys from the Fork Gang. They¡¯re resisting, but they¡¯re currently trying to escape rather than fight, so there won¡¯t be any big problems in restraining them.


    The real problem is the druggies.


    ¡°Stay down!¡± I shout as I throw my fists mercilessly at the men who lunge towards me like zombies.


    One of the bastards charges at me with a broken beer bottle. This is one of those moments where I wish I had the stun gun that¡¯s currently on my bookshelf.


    I turn my body outwards to avoid the attack and counterattack with one fist.


    I¡¯ve already done this dozens of times, and my body is starting to feel tired.


    Black looks like he¡¯s finished with his business. He¡¯s holding a guy by the hair with a satisfied look on his face.


    ¡°Hey! Where are you from?¡± he demands. ¡°The Bangmun neighborhood? Gusan?¡±


    He¡¯s going around asking the gangsters whether they¡¯re members of the Fork Gang that¡¯s based in the Bangmun neighborhood or the Guma Gang that¡¯s based in Gusan.


    The moment that gangsters name their organizations, beating them during questioning is against the Punishment for Violence Act. That¡¯s why Black isn¡¯t asking for the name of their gangs.


    ¡°Th-the Bangmun neighborhood,¡± the guy he¡¯s questioning replies.


    That means he¡¯s from the Fork Gang.


    Black smiles in satisfaction. ¡°Take a few more hits, then.¡±


    The gangster cries out in pain as he receives another punch.


    With Black in the lead, we begin separating the gangsters that are crowded together and attached to one another. The guys who are senselessly punching each other, being punched and trying to run away. This can only be described as complete pandemonium.


    And then ¨C


    ¡°Hey! That bastard, that bastard is Song Dae-Ak!¡± a voice yells from somewhere.


    It¡¯s a nearby detective, and he¡¯s pointing towards the VIP area behind the stage.


    Song Dae-Ak is trying to get out of this place under the protection of his subordinates.


    As I try to chase after them, a bunch of other guys run at me from behind and grab me.


    ¡°Hey, let me go!¡± I shout in frustration.


    ¡°Hyeong-nim! Please get out of here!¡± one of the gangsters holding me shouts.


    ¡°Please stay safe!¡± says another.


    Wow, this is amazing. It sounds like a conversation from a third-rate movie.


    I try to shake the gangsters off me with all my strength, but they are incredibly stubborn. Or maybe it¡¯s because they¡¯re huge.


    The heavy bodies wrap themselves around me like the legs of an octopus, not letting me go.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell are you doing!¡± says Black as he comes to help me out.


    The gangsters change targets. Black looks more threatening than me, so they all dive on him, making him unable to move freely.


    ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re not going to let go of me?¡± Black says to one of the gangsters holding him.


    The gangster groans as Black¡¯s fist connects with his skull.


    ¡°Hold on! We have to keep holding on!¡± one of the other gangsters shouts.


    As Black struggles to get the gangsters off him, I chase after Song Dae-Ak.


    The elevator¡¯s going to be blocked off anyway.


    The VIP area consists of rooms connected to a central corridor, like the chambers of a beehive. The corridor is so narrow that two adult men would barely be able to pass each other if walking in opposite directions.


    At the end of the corridor, I see the detectives who ran over here ahead of me. They seem to be blocked off; they¡¯re just stomping their feet in frustration at being unable to advance any further.


    ¡°Seriously, fuck you, you pieces of shit!¡± one of them shouts.


    ¡°Hey! Song Dae-Ak! Stop struggling and come quietly!¡± another one yells.


    The five bulky men have set up a blockade in this tiny corridor. They¡¯re tall and are clinging onto the detectives, preventing them from getting through.


    I can see Song Dae-Ak and a familiar-looking man behind the scuffle. But I can¡¯t really see properly because the lighting is dark.


    The two of them quickly disappear up the stairs to the second floor.


    But that face¡­ It was definitely¡­

 Chapter 14

    ¡°Get out of the way. Come on!¡± one of the detectives shouts, frustrated.


    ¡°How about you go and eat shit,¡± says one of the men blocking the corridor.


    ¡°Wow, what the fuck are these guys eating to get this heavy?¡± another detective grunts.


    There¡¯s no way through with five huge men stubbornly standing in the way. Or rather, squeezed together and stubbornly pushing against the detectives. I can¡¯t see a gap that even a sheet of paper could fit through. We might need to call the fire department.


    The detectives look defeated.


    ¡°Go and get some more men,¡± one of them orders.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll need a machine rather than more men,¡± says another.


    ¡°I wish we could just push them all down,¡± a third says with a sigh.


    ¡°We¡¯re sure there¡¯s no other exits, right?¡± someone asks.


    There¡¯s silence. Nobody can answer this question.


    From the way that Song Dae-Ak is putting up so much of a fight, it¡¯s clear that there must be another way out. There¡¯s no other possible reason for him to drive himself into what seems to be a dead end.


    Shit. I need to hurry.


    Just as I¡¯m about to turn around back towards the stage, I hear a shout from behind me, and a man appears in the corridor.


    It¡¯s none other than Black. Those guys must have been clinging onto him pretty hard; his undershirt is all stretched out and disheveled. The bloodstains here and there¡­ probably belong to the gangsters.


    ¡°What is this? What are you all doing here?¡± Black asks.


    ¡°Ah, about that,¡± I say.


    But he seems to have grasped the situation before I can explain.


    He pulls the detectives out of the way and stands in front of the Fork Gang guys.


    The gangsters gulp nervously as they look at Black¡¯s bulky body. A fierce mental battle unfolds between them and Black.


    Black turns away from them and exhales. He locks his fingers together, puts his hands near his stomach and bends his knees a little.


    The detectives and the thugs stare at him with puzzled expressions. They have no idea what¡¯s going on.


    Black was engaged in a mental battle a moment ago, and now he looks like he¡¯s mentally preparing himself?


    But I know what he¡¯s planning to do.


    I run quickly towards Black.


    ¡°Lift me!¡± I shout.


    I plant my foot on Black¡¯s hands and leap into the air. I feel his strength as he lifts me up.


    Finally understanding what¡¯s going on, the detectives throw themselves at the gangsters with everything they have.


    There¡¯s a lot of shouting.


    ¡°You sons of bitches!¡±


    ¡°Push!¡±


    As I run across the thugs¡¯ shoulders, the detectives use their bodies to distract them so they can¡¯t stop me.


    Someone grabs my ankle, causing me to lose my balance.


    But I¡¯ve already run across the shoulders of all five of the men blocking the corridor. As I get all way over, I see the bare floor beneath me and roll across to land safely.


    The detectives and big gangsters are still grappling with each other and scrambling around.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t let him get to Hyeong-nim!¡± one of the gangsters shouts.


    ¡°Stop him!¡± yells another.


    ¡°¡®Stop him¡¯ my ass!¡± a detective says as he throws a punch.


    ¡°Go on ahead!¡± another detective shouts at me.


    They¡¯re all pulling at each other in a chaotic mess.


    I hastily run up the steep stairs.


    There¡¯s nothing notable on the next floor. A pile of miscellaneous items stacked up in one place and a half-open door.


    Through the door, I can see two men moving busily. They¡¯re taking something out of a safe and putting it into a bag.


    ¡°Police! Stop what you¡¯re doing and put your hands up!¡± I shout as I point my pistol at them.


    Song Dae-Ak slowly puts his hands into the air. It seems that he¡¯s finished what he was doing; there¡¯s a heavy sports bag hanging from his shoulder.


    I see. He was packing his money and ledgers.


    And there¡¯s a familiar face next to him. Seeing a peculiar burn-mark around his neck, I recognize him with certainty. It¡¯s a guy I know very well.


    ¡°Dal-gon,¡± I say.


    Song Dae-Ak grabs Dal-gon¡¯s throat with his thick hands, his face twisted in a frown that expresses a raw, wild anger. ¡°What the fuck, Dal-gon. You ratted me out?¡±


    ¡°N-no, Hyeong-nim. I¡¯ve never seen him before!¡± Dal-gon stammers.


    ¡°Then how the fuck does he know who you are?¡±


    Dal-gon turns his head backwards and stares at me in disbelief.


    It¡¯s a bit sad, but it can¡¯t be helped. He doesn¡¯t know me, after all.


    I nod to calm Song Dae-Ak down. ¡°That¡¯s right. He doesn¡¯t know me.¡±


    ¡°What kind of bullshit is that?¡± Song Dae-Ak spits.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you. So just put your hands above your head.¡±


    Song Dae-Ak glares at Dal-gon and mutters something to him. It looks like he¡¯s suspicious, but he¡¯s left with no other choice but to trust him.


    ¡°Got it?¡± Song Dae-Ak says.


    ¡°Of course, Hyeong-nim,¡± says Dal-gon.


    ¡°I trust you, Dal-gon.¡±


    ¡°Please be careful.¡±


    Dal-gon stands between me and Song Dae-Ak.


    Meanwhile, Song Dae-Ak pulls on the emergency escape rope.


    I have a pretty good idea of what he¡¯s planning to do.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that. You¡¯ll just make things exhausting for all of us,¡± I say, waving my hands to indicate for him to stop.


    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go and take a fucking nap,¡± Song Dae-Ak sneers.


    With that, he throws himself at the window.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I mutter.


    The window is built in a way that it shatters easily, like a biscuit. It looks like this was all set up with a scenario like this in mind.


    My gun was pointed towards him, but with Dal-gon standing in the way, I couldn¡¯t pull the trigger.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop Hyeong-nim from leaving,¡± Dal-gon says.


    The wheel of the pulley that Song Dae-Ak¡¯s rope is attached to is turning rapidly.


    I look out the window to see him tumbling onto the ground. Despite using a pulley, it seems that he landed in a bad way; he¡¯s limping now.


    I take out my radio to inform the detectives outside about the situation. ¡°Song Dae-Ak has escaped from the second floor window on the right side. He¡¯s heading towards the subway station -¡°


    Suddenly, Dal-gon dives at me, knocking the radio from my hand. I feel a dull pain in my wrist.


    I grimace and grab Dal-gon¡¯s neck.


    This isn¡¯t the same guy that I met in prison. His plump, soft body that I knew is a mass of muscle now. He was really fit when he was younger. He used to always brag about it, and I never believed him.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve kept a better eye on me,¡± Dal-gon breathes.


    ¡°Stop talking bullshit!¡± I mutter.


    Dal-gon kicks me hard in the stomach.


    I¡¯m going to get hurt really badly if I keep underestimating him. In my previous life, he was one of the skilled guys who ruled the prison.


    Holding his neck, I exchange punches with him as we roll across the floor. I can feel pieces of broken glass burying themselves in my neck and back.


    But it¡¯s not just me. Dal-gon¡¯s face is covered in small cuts from the glass fragments.


    He intends to kill me. His eyes are full of agitation and anger.


    Come to think of it, the Dal-gon I knew was from a different violent gang, not the Fork Gang. Why¡¯s he here?


    I kick him hard to get him off me and get some distance.


    Breathing hard, I examine him carefully. I stare at his smooth, wrinkle-free face and shining pupils. It¡¯s hard to believe that this is the same Dal-gon who would always lament about having lived such a bitter life.


    If I remember correctly, when he was young¡­


    ¡°Dal-gon,¡± I say.


    ¡°How the fuck do you know my name, you son of a bitch!¡± he spits.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be doing this. I have a pretty good idea about your situation¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you know!¡±


    ¡°That bastard Song Dae-Ak isn¡¯t the kind to keep his promises.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I vaguely remember. When Ho-un made green tea, the prison family would gather and exchange stories. Dal-gon¡¯s life story was particularly popular because of all the hardships he went through.


    He was a born fighter and brawler. It was said that there was something deadly behind his fists, and he would always draw blood with them in a fight. But he was notably friendly and loyal to those he viewed as his companions.


    After graduating high school, he was invited to join an organization by an older guy he hung out with, and that¡¯s how he got into that life.


    Dal-gon spoke candidly as he sipped his green tea. About how he regretted it all. About how he was too immature.


    And the thing he regretted most about his life was¡­


    ¡°Song Dae-Ak told you that he¡¯s going to pay your mother¡¯s hospital bills, didn¡¯t he?¡± I say.


    ¡°How did you¡­ know that¡­¡± Dal-gon whispers in shock, his fists uncurling.


    I know what is going on. Song Dae-Ak is holding the money and forcing Dal-gon to play puppet master. He¡¯s told Dal-gon that he¡¯ll pay his mother¡¯s hospital fees if he shoulders all of the illegal activities that take place in the club.


    He believed the promise of his gang¡¯s leader without question, and that¡¯s why he went to jail. Like a damned fool.


    But all he got for his loyalty was hospital bills that were three months overdue and the news that his mother¡¯s condition had worsened.


    After getting released from jail, he looked for the organization that had lied to him so he could take revenge, but it was too late ¨C the organization had already disbanded and vanished.


    After that, he used his history to find a place in yet another organization.


    This is crazy. How could things get so tangled up like this? To think that the organization he joined afterwards was the Fork Gang.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take too long to explain,¡± I say. ¡°First, we need to catch Song Dae-Ak and -¡°


    Just at that moment, the door slams open and police officers rush inside. They approach Dal-gon, force him onto his knees, and put handcuffs on his wrists.


    Our task force leader and Black rush in and take a look at the situation. It looks like they¡¯ve gone through a bloody fight as well; blood is splattered on them here and there.


    ¡°What about Song Dae-Ak?¡± the task force leader asks.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. He broke the window and escaped. I contacted the others by radio, so they should be chasing him,¡± I say.


    Dal-gon quietly accepts his arrest. His goal was to allow his leader to get away safely, after all. I guess he thinks that he¡¯s done what he needed to do. Or maybe he¡¯s confused by my words.


    He¡¯s looking straight down, so I can¡¯t see his face. As a result, I can¡¯t tell what he¡¯s thinking.


    Considering the personality of the Dal-gon that I knew, he probably won¡¯t throw away his loyalty so easily. He¡¯s a guy who believes that loyalty and trust are everything in relationships with others.


    A situation report suddenly comes through on the radio.


    ¡°Affirmative. We¡¯re currently determining Song Dae-Ak¡¯s escape route and chasing after him.¡±


    That¡¯s a relief. They haven¡¯t caught him, but they haven¡¯t lost him completely, either. There will be plenty of chances to catch him.


    I go out back to the stage to see that things have been mostly cleaned up. The detectives are rounding the gangsters up.


    ¡°Come on. Walk slowly and stand in line.¡±


    ¡°You there. Stop that.¡±


    ¡°Hey, would you look at this guy. Where¡¯d you come from?¡±


    ¡°Stay still. It¡¯s hard to tie you up.¡±


    Mong-Doo is sweating profusely as he ties the gangsters up.


    The Fork Gang members are quiet, but the Guma Gang members are just the opposite, frothing at the mouth and still trying to resist. Of course, they¡¯re all tied up, so they can¡¯t do much other than making a lot of noise.


    The task force leader takes a look at me and pats my shoulder.


    Ouch. I¡¯m starting to feel the pain of the cuts that I¡¯ve sustained.


    ¡°I¡¯d say that if you lose blood while arresting someone on your first day, you¡¯re probably pretty good at catching criminals. Good job,¡± the task force leader says.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing our youngest kid thinks quickly on his feet,¡± says Black, smiling as he puts a hand on my shoulder as well.


    He¡¯s praising me for the move that I made earlier.


    Hmm. Youngest kid, huh? Me, a guy who lived to the age of 40 and is now going through Life: Part 2, the youngest kid.


    Whatever. I suppose it¡¯s not a bad thing. It gives me the sense that I¡¯m getting a fresh start.


    ¡°Are all of these gangsters going to be handed over to us?¡± I ask the task force leader.


    ¡°Most of them should go to the Gumun Police Department, since this area is under their jurisdiction,¡± the task force leader replies.


    ¡°There¡¯s too many to handle in one place, so some of them will be allocated to other departments,¡± says Black.


    That means that it is very likely that I won¡¯t be able to take care of Dal-gon.


    I run after Dal-gon, who is heading towards the suspect transport vehicles.


    He frowns, as if I¡¯m the last person he wants to see. I guess it¡¯s because the more he looks at me, the more his trust in his boss is shaken.


    I¡¯m going to help you, man. I¡¯ll make sure that you only end up paying the price for the crimes you committed, and nothing more.


    ¡°Dal-gon,¡± I say.


    ¡°¡­ Piss off. And don¡¯t talk like you know me,¡± he mutters, checking his surroundings.


    If rumors spread that he has a connection with the police, he might stop receiving Song Dae-Ak¡¯s support.


    But I don¡¯t back down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Dal-gon says nothing.


    ¡°Your life, I¡¯ll take responsibility for it,¡± I say.


    Still nothing.


    ¡°See you soon,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°You crazy son of a bitch,¡± Dal-gon finally mutters as he gets into the transport vehicle.


    Where has the friendly Dal-gon I knew gone?


    The incident has concluded with Song Dae-Ak¡¯s escape.


    The nine o¡¯clock news reports the large gang fight, and my task is decided.


    I need to catch Song Dae-Ak and save Dal-gon.


    Song Dae-Ak¡¯s future is already set, but I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t matter if it gets changed a little. Changed so that I¡¯m the one who catches him, that is.

 Chapter 15

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this shit. I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Black mutters.


    That¡¯s all he¡¯s been saying for a while.


    The large-scale incident that took place, involving over 150 suspects and victims, is the main piece on public news channels as the ¡®Gogo Nightclub mass gang fight incident.¡¯ There¡¯s no sign that it will come off the news anytime soon.


    The fact that the Guma Gang got high and started a fight seems to have drawn the public¡¯s interest.


    Every other case will be set aside while we¡¯re busy dealing with this.


    There are waist-high piles of documents stacked on the floor because they can¡¯t all fit on our desks.


    The total amount of time required in the arrest of a single suspect is, on average, 181 hours. Analysis of information, the actual arrest, the issuing of warrants, investigations to determine the validity of warrants, and so on. In other words, in order to clean up the mess of this incident, we need to put in a whole week¡¯s worth of work hours for each and every guy that was involved.


    Most of them were transported to the Gumun Police Department, but we took a fair number of them as well.


    Mong-Doo suddenly starts dry-heaving. It looks like he¡¯s starting to feel sick from having eaten nothing but cup ramen for the past few days.


    The fortunate thing is that the Guma Gang is related to drugs, so their paperwork has been handed over to the narcotics unit.


    I turn and stretch my stiff neck.


    ¡°Hey, kid. Have you got their statements?¡± the task force leader asks me, his nose still practically pressed against his computer¡¯s screen.


    I hand the statement transcriptions over towards his desk. ¡°I¡¯ve combined them with the statements we received from the other teams.¡±


    The task force leader continues tapping away at his keyboard, looking like a breathing corpse. Preoccupied and seemingly having no time, his eyes are still glued to his screen.


    I quietly take the statement transcriptions back. It looks like it¡¯d be better if I read them.


    ¡°Tell me why you started fighting. Why you decided to fight and caused us all of this trouble, you sons of bitches,¡± Black mutters in a murderous tone.


    ¡°If it was for your organization¡¯s honor or some shit like that¡­ I¡¯ll kill all of you, I swear to god,¡± the task force leader whispers under his breath.


    Their eyes are bloodshot; they really look like monsters of some kind. People would think they were zombies, not police officers.


    ¡°About the Gogo Nightclub, it was apparently jointly operated by the Fork and Guma Gangs,¡± I say calmly as I look at the statement transcriptions¡­ without stopping writing my report with my other hand, of course.


    ¡°Those Fork Gang bastards. From the look of it, they were selling alcohol, too,¡± Black mutters.


    ¡°The Guma Gang would transport drugs and alcohol by plane, and the Fork Gang ran the place that sold them¡­ Well, that¡¯s basically what¡¯s written in the statements,¡± I say, summarizing the information.


    ¡°But?¡± the team leader presses.


    ¡°But they suspected each other of hiding a second set of financial records.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    This seems to pique everyone¡¯s interest; all three of them turn around to look at me.


    Of course, the interesting part about this is that the two gangs were suspicious of each other.  After all, suspicion regarding finances by one side is something that will certainly be felt by the other.


    My colleagues raise different opinions on what could have happened.


    ¡°So, that means that one of them was lying to the other.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe both sides were hiding financial records.¡±


    ¡°They operated on separate turfs, so that¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Their market share was significantly reduced last summer. That¡¯s when the conflict began. It seems that there was also a problem with how the revenue was split,¡± I continue.


    ¡°Which side was the one that has a problem with it?¡± asks the task force leader.


    ¡°The Fork Gang. They were running the establishment and handling everything except the supply of the products, but they were receiving only 30% of the revenue.¡±


    Business is best done by the experts. It¡¯s clear that the Guma Gang, which already specialized in the illegal sale of alcohol and human trafficking, made all of this happen. It seems that the Fork Gang joined because they were offered good money for their services, but it¡¯s still unclear how they got involved in all of this mess. The information we can get out of the small fry that we caught is limited, after all.


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s the overall gist of the situation behind this case,¡± I say in conclusion.


    ¡°So on the surface, the gangs did this over their stake in the nightclub,¡± says the task force leader.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Make sure to secure the financial records.¡±


    ¡°The narcotics unit is investigating them. They said they¡¯ll leave them for us after they register them as evidence.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The hidden financial records that caused the conflict between the gangs¡­ just more material that needs to be analyzed.


    ¡°But if you had to say, which side won the fight?¡± asks Mong-Doo.


    ¡°That¡¯s a pointless question to ask,¡± Black says dryly.


    But Mong-Doo carries on, sounding genuinely curious. ¡°If you go by body count, the Guma Gang came out on top. If you go by the number of people who were seriously interested, it¡¯s the Fork Gang. The middle-ranking guys of the Guma Gang got caught, but Song Dae-Ak of the Fork Gang got away. Isn¡¯t it the Fork Gang who won?¡±


    ¡°Shit, you call that a victory? The real winners are the guys in the narcotics unit. Sitting around and eating without having to go to the crime scene,¡± Black mutters.


    ¡°What about us?¡±


    ¡°Why do you need to ask that? We¡¯re just the hard workers.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I think we¡¯ve gone past the point of working hard.¡±


    Suddenly, the task force leader looks up. He looks refreshed; it seems that he¡¯s just finished the report that he was writing.


    ¡°Come to think of it, what about Song Dae-Ak¡¯s whereabouts?¡± he asks.


    ¡°We¡¯re analyzing CCTV footage. We¡¯ve already confirmed that he¡¯s moved to the outskirts of Seoul. We¡¯ve put out an alert for his car¡¯s registration number,¡± I report.


    ¡°I see. Good work. Let¡¯s eat something before we continue.¡±


    We all stand up from our seats immediately, as if we were waiting for these exact words the whole time.


    Clutching my growling stomach, I switch my computer¡¯s monitor off.


    The only breaks we get are for food. It¡¯s really no different from just eating in order to survive.


    Damn. I should go and check on Dal-gon again. As Song Dae-Ak instructed, he confessed to being responsible for the nightclub. And gathering the gang for the fight that took place. And the nightclub¡¯s tax evasion schemes. Even the suspected drug-dealing and prostitution charges have become his crimes.


    That idiot.


    There¡¯s a way to clear Dal-gon¡¯s name, but it¡¯s too early now. There¡¯s still time until he faces court, so I should find a good opportunity before then.


    Just as I begin to head for the cafeteria, the phone on my desk rings.


    In my experience, calls that come right before meals are either pointless or extremely important.


    In any case, if the phone rings, I have to answer.


    I hesitantly pick up the receiver. ¡°Violent Crime Task Force 2.¡±


    ¡°Narcotics unit here. Did you say you needed the financial records?¡± says the voice on the other end.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the financial records for the Gogo Nightclub, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I was gonna hand them to the accounting team, but then I remembered that you guys wanted them.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    We don¡¯t absolutely need them right now.


    My team members are watching me, wondering what kind of call it is.


    I wave them off to tell them it¡¯s nothing important and raise the receiver back to my ear.


    This detective on the other end of the phone¡­ I¡¯ve heard his voice a lot somewhere.


    ¡°Come up now and take them,¡± he says.


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll be right there,¡± I reply.


    I hang up.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Black asks.


    ¡°It was the narcotics unit. They told me to go and pick up the financial records,¡± I say.


    ¡°The financial records? They¡¯ve finished investigating them already?¡±


    ¡°So it seems.¡±


    ¡°How did they do it so fast? Did they speed-read through all of them?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°Go on ahead and eat. I¡¯ll be down there after I get the financial records.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t take too long,¡± Black says.


    My task force family heads down to the cafeteria, while I head upstairs to the narcotics unit.


    The suspects here are probably quieter than the violent, wild suspects that we deal with¡­ Never mind, I take that back.


    I hear an ear-piercing scream as I enter.


    Most of the suspects here are on drugs and are either half-crazy or totally out of it. Every single one of them has sunken eyes and dark complexions.


    I can hear the intermittent sounds of people convulsing. Is this a hospital or a police department?


    It¡¯s lunchtime, so there¡¯s only one detective here.


    ¡°I¡¯m Go Ji-hun from Violent Crime Task Force 2. I¡¯ve come to take the financial records,¡± I say to him.


    ¡°Financial records?¡± the detective repeats blankly, as if not knowing what I¡¯m talking about.


    An awkward silence passes, but the person I spoke to on the phone soon arrives.


    As I thought, I know his face as well.


    ¡°Ah, I called him here, Detective Son,¡± he says.


    It¡¯s Wang Ong-Gu.


    This is the detective who was in charge of the Hae-soo case. He was asked to carry out his investigation based on eyewitness testimony and ended up making me suffer through an interrogation that made no sense.


    I can¡¯t erase the image of him smiling as he watched me suffer.


    Still, I didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d encounter him like this. The police department is big and work outside the office is frequent, so this meeting was unlikely to happen.


    I look at his drooping eyes and lips that look like they¡¯re sliding off his face. His keen, sharp expression hasn¡¯t changed.


    ¡°Why the financial records?¡± asks the man named Detective Son with a frown.


    ¡°Hmm? Why do you ask?¡± says Wang Ong-Gu.


    ¡°It¡¯s been barely a week since we started investigating the incident, and you¡¯re already handing the financial records over?¡±


    ¡°A week is enough. We¡¯re doing as much as we can, right?¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu hands me the financial records with a sly smile.


    I see an incredulous anger in Detective Son¡¯s eyes as they follow the documents being passed into my hands.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just get them back if we need them again. Our brothers say they need them, so how can we say no?¡± Wang Ong-Gu says, still smiling.


    We¡¯re not the first ones to ask for them, though.


    Detective Son silently grabs his jacket and cigarettes and leaves. He¡¯s probably headed for the smoking area on the roof.


    The door slams shut so hard it almost breaks, causing the drug offenders lying around in the office to flinch.


    Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s expression hardens now that Detective Son has left. ¡°What a bad temper,¡± he mutters.


    ¡°Excuse me, Detective Wang Ong-Gu,¡± I say.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu turns and examines me.


    These are the eyes that I saw in the interrogation room twenty years ago. There¡¯s something nasty about his gaze, and yet it has a quality that grips at something inside the person he¡¯s looking at.


    Holding my breath, I stand and face him.


    My body is getting all nervous. Is it because of the trauma of my past?


    ¡°Ah. You¡¯re the youngest kid, right? The new one,¡± Wang Ong-Gu says.


    I¡¯m a topic of conversation at the police department. A handsome face, the track record of having caught the Spaniel, and the halo of the Gogwang Group over my head to boot.


    Wang Ong-Gu extends a hand towards me in a friendly gesture. ¡°By the way, where did you hear about me?¡± he asks.


    He¡¯s sharp after all. He gives the impression that he¡¯s messy when it comes to dealing with his work, but his intuition as a detective is incredible.


    I smile, showing no sign of disconcertion. It¡¯s important to maintain consistent behavior.


    ¡°You were the detective in charge of the Hae-soo incident, weren¡¯t you? I was a Hae-soo fan,¡± I say.


    ¡°Ah, that,¡± he says.


    ¡°The culprit denied his guilt until the very end, but you tidied up the case very nicely. It¡¯s very inspiring,¡± I continue, doing my utmost to conceal my sarcasm.


    Thankfully, Wang Ong-Gu doesn¡¯t seem to have picked up anything strange. A fishy smile appears on his face.


    ¡°It was pathetic how he kept struggling to maintain his innocence despite the airtight evidence,¡± he says.


    The definition of ¡®evidence¡¯ seems to differ to you based on who is about, doesn¡¯t it, you bastard?


    Curses that I want to shout at Wang Ong-Gu rise up in my throat, but I swallow them back down.


    I can¡¯t take this anymore.


    Holding the financial records firmly, I nod my head. ¡°I see. Thank you for the evidence documents. Enjoy your lunch.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Wang Ong-Gu says suddenly.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You went out to the night club as part of the support team, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu leans in. ¡°Has there been any actual progress on the investigation?¡± he asks in a very quiet voice, as if he were discussing some kind of secret information.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I mean exactly what I said. I¡¯m asking if you¡¯ve learned anything. The Guma Gang were involved, so I was wondering if there are going to be any more drug-related cases.¡±


    I have a bad feeling about this. Why is this question being directed at me, the newest person in the police department?


    I construct an innocent smile. Smiling is the best thing to do in a situation like this. It is a defensive move that minimizes the amount of hostility towards me.


    ¡°We¡¯re still chasing Song Dae-Ak, but there¡¯s been no further progress,¡± I say.


    ¡°Anything other than Song Dae-Ak?¡± Wang Ong-Gu presses.


    ¡°Forgive my ignorance. If it wouldn¡¯t be too impertinent of me, could I ask what exactly it is you¡¯re referring to?¡±


    ¡°Nah, never mind. I was just asking. Just curious, as a member of the same ¡®family,¡¯ you know.¡± Wang Ong-Gu glances at the clock and clicks his tongue. ¡°Lunch time is almost over, and that goddamn Detective Son is gone all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°If the others are going to return soon, I¡¯ll stay here for you. Please go and eat,¡± I say.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do that? I guess you have my thanks.¡±


    And with that, Wang Ong-Gu leaves, not even turning around to look back at me.


    Hmm. The grumbling in my stomach is no joke. But I¡¯ll have to bear with it, since I won¡¯t get a good opportunity like this again.


    I walk over to Detective Wang¡¯s desk and go through the stuff I can see.


    But there¡¯s nothing of interest here. It¡¯s surprisingly tidy, and there¡¯s nothing but work-related documents.


    The pocket of the jacket draped over his chair catches my eye.


    I put my hand in the pocket. I hear the rustling of the plastic material and something inside.


    I take it out. It¡¯s a bank receipt. It¡¯s for a withdrawal of 2,000,000 won. The remaining balance is 30,000 won.


    I put the receipt back in the pocket and go through Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s bag.


    Shit. It¡¯s totally empty. Nothing¡¯s going my way.


    Just then, all of the narcotics unit detectives return from their lunch.


    ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you the new guy in one of the violent crime teams?¡± one of them says.


    ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± another asks.


    The detectives stare at me while picking their teeth.


    Hmm. The spicy smell that has wafted into the office tells me that today¡¯s lunch at the cafeteria is yukgaejang.1


    I casually get up from the chair and dust off my hands. ¡°I came to pick up some evidence, and Detective Wang said he was off to eat.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? You should hurry. Today¡¯s yukgaejang is pretty good,¡± one of the detectives tells me.


    My nose is pretty damn accurate.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m probably too late,¡± I say with a small laugh. ¡°Well then. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    With that, I exit the narcotics unit.


    I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any hope of me getting any lunch.


    Clutching my grumbling stomach, I return to our office, where I¡¯m greeted by Black¡¯s scowling face.


    ¡°Did you have to write the financial records yourself? What took you so long?¡± he asks.


    My fellow task force members are patting their full bellies and drinking coffee.


    Wow. There¡¯s bread and milk from the convenience store on my desk. I¡¯m so touched.


    I smile awkwardly and hold out the financial records. ¡°I got a bit held up.¡±


    ¡°There was yukgaejang today, but it was really shit. You¡¯re better off eating that,¡± Black says, nodding towards the items on my desk.


    ¡°And upload those records as evidence,¡± says the task force leader.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± I respond.


    I eat my bread and sip my milk as I go through the papers.


    They¡¯re just ordinary financial records. Packed with numbers, accounts and people¡¯s names.


    Hmm? There¡¯s a name written in small letters in the corner.


    ¡®DK.¡¯


    A celebrity who started out as a child actor and then gained popularity as an idol. He was popular, but everything came crashing down for him in an instant because of drunk driving and sexual assault charges.


    In my previous life, he was buried in all of that stuff, so it was hard to even know how he was doing.


    ¡°To think I¡¯d see this name here,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°Who?¡± asks the task force leader.


    ¡°DK. The former child actor.¡±


    ¡°He was supposed to make a return to cinemas last year, but it looks like that¡¯s gone down the drain. There¡¯s no more news about it now,¡± says Black.


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Hae-soo was the female lead in that movie. So they had to cancel the filming, obviously.¡±


    Even after her death, Hae-soo¡¯s face was occasionally seen in theaters. She was a popular actress, so there were a lot of unreleased works featuring her.


    Hmm. DK and Hae-soo. This means that they were connected right up until her death, right?


    ¡°Should I try contacting DK?¡± I suggest. ¡°We can see if his account records match these financial records.¡±


    ¡°Huh. You know his contact details?¡± Black asks in surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, our newest member is the son of a conglomerate leader,¡± Mong-Doo reminds him.


    ¡°Oh yeah. Wow. It must be nice, knowing celebrities¡¯ numbers,¡± Black says.


    I laugh. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    It really isn¡¯t. But there¡¯s no need to reveal everything here. I need to meet him in person, after all. I need to meet him and hear what he has to say about Hae-soo.


    I go out into the corridor and call DK¡¯s management agency.


    ¡°This is Detective Go Ji-hun from Violent Crime Task Force 2 of the Su-an Police Department. I have some questions for Mr. DK regarding the incident at the Gogo Night Club.¡±


    1Yukgaejang is a spicy Korean beef soup.

 Chapter 16 - As for the Celebrity’s Circumstances (1)

    As for the Celebrity¡¯s Circumstances (1)


    Dust Entertainment was located in Gangbook, Seoul.


    It might be due to the fact that they mainly managed actors, but the place¡¯s atmosphere was pretty decent for an agency.


    Inside the spotless interior, it was crammed full of stands displaying trophies and awards.


    Black and white photos of the actors associated with the agency hung tastefully on the walls.


    While making an effort to look like I was taking in my surroundings, I swiveled my head.


    ¡®Ugh, so awkward. I¡¯m dying. Literally.¡¯


    On one side there was a president sipping tea with a stoic face and, on the other side, a helpless DK.


    Then, there I was stuck in the middle.


    DK carefully started the conversation.


    ¡°Excuse me, but the name of the nightclub was¡­?¡±


    ¡°It was Gogo Nightclub.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Gogo Nightclub! Of course, of course. I know all about it. Ah, but what am I saying. It¡¯s the one in Anyang, right?¡±


    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s actually in Goomoon.¡±


    ¡°Ahehem¡­¡±


    With an exaggerated gesture, DK noisily cleared his throat.


    It was a groaning noise, packed full of distress.


    Along with this, the light in the agency president¡¯s eyes chilled considerably.


    Although we were definitely drinking hot tea, goosebumps were crawling over my skin.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s really nothing serious, would you mind if I have a private conversation with DK? Please, President?¡±


    ¡®For god¡¯s sakes, please say yes,¡¯ screamed DK¡¯s expression.


    I found him really pitiful.


    ¡°That might be the case, but¡­¡±


    In the face of my soft heart, the president refused to back down.


    Instead he squeezed out a reply from jaws clenched as tight as a steel trap.


    ¡°That is not possible. For DK to have gotten involved with a case outside of his schedule, and without the agency¡¯s knowledge. As the president, there is no way I can turn a blind eye to this.¡±


    So he had actually snuck off on his own to do this.


    I got a rough measure of the situation.


    If an actor who had already ruined his reputation with a DUI and an assault case was caught giving bribes as well, then he might as well be considered ancient history.


    The final strand of rope that they were hanging on to would definitely be severed with a snap.


    Ah. Could it be that in my previous life, he ended up in complete obscurity because of something like this?


    No matter how much of a has-been celebrity he had been, I hadn¡¯t seen his face pop up even once during the whole 20 years.


    It seemed like there was a need to help him out a bit.


    In any case, it would be difficult to interview him when the mood was like this.


    I spoke up with as much politeness and determination as I could muster.


    ¡°Mr. President.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Although I understand that this concerns your company¡¯s internal affairs, regulation states that all interviews need to be one on one. No matter what the reason, if there¡¯s another participant, it will be hard for us to concentrate.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to stop you getting a detailed report from Mr. DK himself after our talk, so could you please give us some space for now.¡±


    Now that I¡¯ve said this much, there¡¯s no way he can still hold out.


    After staring down DK, the president rose from his seat.


    A wordless warning can sometimes be the most brutally effective.


    Until the door had completely shut behind him, DK stayed frozen solid.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    ¡°Do you smoke?¡±


    I offered him a cigarette.


    ¡°When you¡¯re in this kind of business, it¡¯s hard to not end up smoking.¡±


    He said this with a sly laugh.


    He appeared to have lost all of his tension with the relief of having overcome his crisis.


    It was only now that I started to see the appearance of the DK as I remembered him.


    Soulful eyes and a friendly face that looked like it was always smiling.


    Although it seemed that his behavior wasn¡¯t as clean as his looks.


    He took a deep drag of the cigarette before smiling refreshingly.


    ¡°Thank you so much. If I get caught out this time, then it¡¯ll be my third and final strike.¡±


    So this wasn¡¯t the first time that he had snuck out.


    He wouldn¡¯t have a leg to stand on even if the company did kick him out.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m just here to do my job.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. You have such modesty, detective. And you¡¯re quite the looker too.¡±


    After this is over, he¡¯ll probably have come up with an excuse for why he larked off to play around at a nightclub.


    Well. That was none of my business.


    It wasn¡¯t like anything would directly splash back onto me, and it would only be beneficial if someone ended up owing me a favor.


    With an unburdened expression, DK asked me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point. Just what do you want to know?¡±


    Alright. Well said.


    I took out a recorder and laid it down on the table.


    ¡°Sounds good to me. Firstly, I am informing you that this conversation will be recorded. This recording cannot be submitted as evidence, and will only be used as reference material for this investigation.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. Why am I feeling so nervous about being recorded when I haven¡¯t even committed a crime?¡±


    I began by routinely throwing him a few questions about his relationship with Gogo Nightclub¡¯s management.


    ¡°So how did you become an investor?¡±


    ¡°A bro I know went to the same school as one of the managers and he asked me for a favor.¡±


    ¡°And the cost?¡±


    ¡°Four big ones. It might be because the joint was hopping, but the price per share was pretty high.¡±


    ¡°Your method of payment?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know the usual thing for this sort of dive is to pay in cash.¡±


    Other than this, the rest of his testimony matched what was written in the ledgers.

 Chapter 16.2 - As for the Celebrity’s Circumstances (2)

    As for the Celebrity¡¯s Circumstances (2)


    The books obtained by the police were the ones overseen by the Fork Gang. It seemed like there wouldn¡¯t be any particular errors cropping up in these files.


    If that¡¯s the case, in order to find any real clues, it looks like we first needed to find the ledgers that Song Dae-Ak had escaped with.


    Though from the start, there were doubts about whether this second set of books actually existed.


    They may have just been a pretext that the gangsters had created in order to start a fight.


    While pretending to read what I had written down in my notebook, I got to the real point of this meeting.


    ¡°By the way, did you have some sort of relationship with Ms. Hae-Soo?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Who?¡±


    ¡°The movie actress, Hae-Soo.¡±


    DK appeared to be absorbed in the past as he took a deep drag of his cigarette.


    Then he frowned and nodded.


    It seemed like he had confirmed something.


    ¡°Rather than saying that we were ¡®close¡¯, we were more like ¡®acquaintances¡¯. Since we were guests on the same variety show in the old days and we were even preparing to film a movie together.¡±


    They were also on a variety show together?


    I didn¡¯t know that.


    ¡°But why are you asking about Hae-soo all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°No real reason. Just because her name came up in the course of the investigation.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    With a rough explanation, I changed the subject.


    He must not have been truly interested, as he didn¡¯t follow it up with any more questions.


    Although even if he had asked, I could just keep my silence by claiming that the investigation was confidential.


    DK shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°In any case, even in death she still manages to impress.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Just look at how her movies are shooting up in the box office even though she¡¯s dead. While a certain someone is left like this even though he¡¯s alive. Ahhh. Why couldn¡¯t she hang on for just a bit longer? If only, then I¡¯d also be able to make a comeback with that movie.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she died because she wanted to? Ms. Hae-Soo was an unfortunate victim.¡±


    ¡°So you were a fan of Hae-Soo, Mr. Detective?¡±


    His fingers, still wrapped around a cigarette, were pointed right at me.


    Cheeky bastard. Just who does he think he¡¯s pointing those fingers at?


    Perhaps noticing my annoyance, DK carefully lowered the cigarette.


    ¡°Ahem. Although I shouldn¡¯t say this about a dead person, she had a real temper on her.¡±


    That claim definitely did not match her public image.


    She was none other than the personification of purity and gentleness.


    Although each of her characters had their differences, she had such a shining reputation that she had never been asked to play a villain.


    ¡°She was swapping out her coordinators once a month. They just couldn¡¯t handle her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a surprise to someone who wasn¡¯t in the know. For those of us in this circle,  we were honestly expecting that someone would someday go after her with a knife.¡±


    How amazing.


    Hae-Soo was certainly incredible, not just for managing to keep this sort of talk from spreading until she died, but also for forcing DK to only have these kinds of things to say about her.


    I silently recorded all these details in my notebook.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, she must have had many enemies.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Especially because her sponsor was just that huge. The fact that the president of her own entertainment agency was left helpless to rein her in tells you all that you need to know.¡±


    ¡°Her sponsor?¡±


    ¡°Though no one will say who it was, there are rumors that it was the president of some major company or even someone high up in politics. Of course that¡¯s how rumors always work.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Why, I¡¯ve even heard that she was on drugs.¡±


    Drugs?


    She really was partying hard.


    Although I don¡¯t know what background her sponsor might have, if he could cover up something like that, then he most likely had to be a high-ranking official.


    ¡°Although she was a hit from the start, after she got her sponsor no one else stood a chance. Just look at Jo Ah-Yong. While Hae-Soo was alive she was left without a prayer, but now it¡¯s like she¡¯s flying high.¡±


    Like flowers blooming from a grave, actresses were rising up to fill the gaps Hae-Soo had left in the fields of advertisement, dramas, and movies.


    I guess you could say her death had its silver lining.


    Although it might sound bad, that was the only way that I could put it.


    ¡°Still, she really had one hell of a beautiful face.¡±


    Right. She really was quite a beauty.


    Although twenty years had passed, I could still vividly picture her shocking appearance.


    Every single one of her features were so superb, that she felt like something out of a dream.


    Her beauty also had the effect of making every memory of her feel like it was just made yesterday.


    Without realizing it, I muttered.


    ¡°In all my years I have never seen such a beautiful person.¡±


    ¡°Haha. I was right, the Detective really is Hae-Soo¡¯s fan!¡±


    Damn. Just thinking about that day made me feel strange.


    I flipped my notebook closed and stood up.


    It seemed like this was about as much info as I could squeeze out from DK.

 Chapter 16.3 - As for the Celebrity’s Circumstances (3)

    As for the Celebrity¡¯s Circumstances (3)


    ¡°Thank you for meeting with me today.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. If my president ends up asking you what we talked about, please keep it quiet for my sake.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s something you two will need to work out between yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. Really Detective! If you need anything else just give me a call. I¡¯ll do my best to help you out.¡±


    DK pushed a card with his personal number onto me.


    The card might have been printed out for business purposes as it had tasteless glitter glued all over it.


    Is he trying to beg for some mutual help?


    If that¡¯s the case, I also had something to ask of him.


    ¡°Actually, is there something you could find out for me?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The location of Hae-Soo¡¯s sponsor.¡±


    Considering how small the world of entertainment was, he should be able to find out just by rubbing a few shoulders.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too difficult, then forget about it.¡±


    DK was someone who had become stuck with the label of a has-been.


    I don¡¯t know if my words had hurt his pride, but the way he snuffed out his cigarette was a bit violent.


    ¡°Difficult, as if. It¡¯ll be a piece of cake. But you know what it¡¯ll take, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    In exchange, he wanted me to thoroughly keep everything a secret from the president of his entertainment agency.


    That wasn¡¯t a difficult condition for me to accept.


    Leaving DK behind, I exited the building.


    Now I only had to return to the police station and take care of the remaining backlog of work.


    Fortunately, the case was already in its final stages, so I had room to breathe.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The cherry blossoms on the sidewalk swayed in the breeze.


    In this kind of weather, do I really need to be shut in an office?


    At that moment a single, black car slowly pulled up beside me.


    At first I didn¡¯t pay it any attention and kept on walking, but I soon realized that the car was following me.


    What was going on?


    Screech-


    As soon I stopped walking, the car braked as well.


    The dark-tinted window lowered smoothly.


    Whiiir-


    ¡°Are you Detective Go Ji-Hun?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s it to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so good to meet you. My name is Ma Eun-Tae.¡±


    Ma Eun-Tae.


    I hadn¡¯t heard that name before.


    He had fierce, snake-like eyes along with an abnormal atmosphere.


    Despite the brightly lit outdoors, the inside of the car seemed dark and dim.


    From just a casual glance, he didn¡¯t look like someone in an ordinary line of work.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°By any chance, do you have some time to spare?¡±


    ¡°No way. I¡¯m busy. Got lots of stuff to do.¡±


    ¡°It will really only take a moment of your time. It¡¯s just that I have a stake in the Gogo Nightclub.¡±


    Well now. What does he mean by that?


    Sticking a hand into my pocket, I bent down to get a better look.


    Apart from the two in the driver and passenger¡¯s seats, I couldn¡¯t see anyone else.


    Did it mean that, for something like this, he felt that he only needed three people¡­


    Just as this thought passed through my head, I spotted the other black cars ominously idling along the sides of  the road.


    One, two, three¡­


    That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way a fucking ganster would want to meet a detective without this much backup.


    While keeping calm, I asked Ma Eun-Tae a question.


    ¡°Where are you from? Bangmoon? Goomoon?


    The Fork Gang or the Guma Gang.


    If he had a stake in the Gogo Nightclub, that meant he must be one of the two.


    This guy knew what I was really asking.


    He replied with a grin.


    ¡°I come from Gomoon.¡±


    The Guma Gang.


    Just looking at his attitude and behavior, he must be an executive.


    I¡¯ve caught a big fish.


    Although I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to reel him for now.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you are quite close to the man called Dal-Gon¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just something that I managed to overhear from here and there.¡±


    Someone must have eavesdropped on the conversation I had with Dal-Gon while I was escorting him.


    But why on earth was the Guma Gang here instead of the Fork Gang?


    Ma Eun-Tae craned his head out of the window and looked over at the empty lot on the other side of the road.


    ¡°Since the weather is so good, why don¡¯t we have a short conversation over there. Over drinks, of course.¡±


    Hah. Just look at this bastard.


    He must have rotted away his own liver1 while tending the bar.


    For him to fearlessly go looking for a detective on his own accord.


    Fine. Let¡¯s get drinks.


    Bang-!


    As a sign for him to follow me, I lightly kicked his car.


    Apart from Ma Eun-Tae, the rest of the Guma Gang bastards reacted with fierce grimaces.


    In truth, I was actually a bit nervous¡­.


    But there was no way that I was going to lose in the war of nerves.


    With a calm look in my eyes, I tossed a one-liner.


    ¡°You¡¯re buying the drinks.¡±


    Then as I turned around, I pressed the button on the recorder.


    1 In Korean, instead of the heart, the liver is the organ that¡¯s used to describe when someone is afraid. If a man¡¯s liver is shaking, that means he¡¯s afraid. So for Ma Eun-Tae to have rotted away his liver, is a way to say that he must have lost all sense of fear.

 Chapter 17.1

    The Snake¡¯s Proposal (1)


    It was a leisurely afternoon


    On one side of the empty lot sat the elderly, filling in their remaining years with joy whilst playing Baduk.


    On the other side, you could see young kids holding hands as they excitedly slid down the playground slide.


    And then there were the men dressed in black suits emanating a dark aura.


    Haaah. They stand out so much that there¡¯s no way to make this scene seem natural.


    Apart from a few who were manning their cars, the rest were all keeping an eye on me.


    It looked as if they were prepared to escape at any time should anything happen.


    Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s subordinate brought over two cans of cola, still cold from a vending machine.


    ¡°Are you okay with Cola?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to ask something like that before you buy it?¡±


    Hiss.


    I popped open the can and took a refreshing gulp.


    Even in my wildest dreams, I¡¯d never thought that I would end up sharing a bench with an executive of the Guma Gang.


    ¡°Haha. You must be quite the casual person, Detective. You¡¯re not treating me as an elder at all.¡±


    Ma Eun-Tae should be in his mid-to-late thirties.


    On the other hand, Go Ji-Hun was only in his mid-twenties.


    Thanks to his flawless skin, he looked even younger than his actual age.


    I puffed up my shoulders.


    ¡°From where I¡¯m standing, you¡¯re only a bit older than me.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Is that so.¡±


    While there weren¡¯t any changes in his expression, by now he must be thinking that I¡¯m really full of myself.


    While checking my watch, I pressed him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we keep things simple? Because of the guys from your family, I really have a lot to do.¡±


    ¡°From my family? I¡¯m afraid that I don¡¯t know those kids at all.¡±


    So he¡¯s washing his hands clean of them.


    Then again, the Guma Gang was the type to be made up of many different branches instead of a single brotherhood.


    There really could be guys that he didn¡¯t know mixed up with the kids we¡¯ve gotten in custody.


    ¡°It seems that you have a close relationship with that guy, Dal-Gon.¡±


    Mhmm. A close relationship was right.


    However, it would be awkward to say that we knew each other under the current circumstances.


    Since it¡¯s a one-sided knowledge of him on my part.


    I replied with a crude contraction.


    ¡°Think whatchu want.¡±


    ¡°I usually deliver a small selection of certain items to the Gogo Nightclub.¡±


    ¡°Certain items?¡±


    ¡°Well. You can just think of them as products to be used for after-drinks amusement.¡±


    Ma Eun-Tae grinned coolly.


    It was exactly like the smile of a snake.


    The last smile seen by many a prey who had gotten caught in a pit of vice.


    He kept on speaking.


    ¡°However due to the sudden turn of events, I wasn¡¯t even able to collect any payment before my products vanished into thin air.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°The person responsible for this was Dal-Gon. I am sure of it.¡±


    So Dal-Gon had played the role of a figurehead.


    It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Song Dae-Ak had managed to push everything onto Dal-Gon.


    By placing him in such a position, it made the lie believable.


    ¡°Regretfully, after he was placed in prison, the means to contact him disappeared. It was at that junction that I learned of Mr. Detective, and that¡¯s why I¡¯ve come to see you today.¡±


    So it¡¯s for his products.


    If  it was alcohol or bar snacks that had disappeared, there was no way he would risk doing something as dangerous as this.


    Since that¡¯s the case, there was a high probability that he was talking about drugs.


    It looked like some of the drugs he supplied had been lost in transit.


    I felt a shudder of excitement run up my spine.


    If this works out well, this might just end up being a really big catch?


    I quickly tried to calm my pounding heart.


    If before I was shaking with nerves, then now I was shaking in anticipation.


    ¡°Mr. Detective?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening¡±


    Ma Eun-Tae had turned to face me after I failed to reply to him.


    ¡°So are you saying that you want me to go ask Dal-Gon where these ¡®products¡¯ are?¡±


    ¡°That is the case.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    I carelessly crumpled up my empty can.


    Acting as if I had no interest or concern in this matter.


    Ma Eun-Tae must have predicted my attitude since he waved over one of his subordinates who was standing at a distance.

 Chapter 17.2

    The Snake¡¯s Proposal (2)


    The man who was waiting on standby held two bags in his hands.


    A common black backpack and a paper bag.


    A single business card was pinned to the front of the backpack.


    It looked like it was either Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s personal business card or one of his numerous subordinates¡¯.


    So he was saying to use this card if there was ever a need to contact him.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not asking you to do this for free.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm.¡±


    ¡°As a businessman, I believe that a favor without any strings attached might come to bite me in the back.¡±


    I could roughly tell what would be inside of the backpack.


    Probably a stack of cash, right.


    However I didn¡¯t have a clue what was in the remaining bag.


    ¡°Honestly those thuggish bastards, don¡¯t they just keep crawling back out even after they¡¯ve been caught. They¡¯re just like cockroaches.¡±


    He really is talking about them like he¡¯s not one himself.


    I nodded my head as if I was telling him to go on.


    Ma Eun-Tae took out an object from the paper bag.


    He did so carefully, as if to show that the object was very precious.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    It was a hammer. On top of that, one that was covered in blood.


    The dark red blood looked sticky, like melted ice cream.


    While my face had twisted in disgust, I was still examining it thoroughly.


    Short head hairs were stuck to it in bloody clumps.


    It was an item that naturally emanated a terrible aura.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re pulling?¡±


    ¡°Song Dae-Ak. If he gets put behind bars this time, how many years do you think he¡¯ll get?¡±


    According to the violence punishment laws, he could possibly be sentenced to less than 10 years.


    Although it was possible for the head of a syndicate to receive the death penalty, that would only happen if they could be said to have exceeded the limits of public tolerance.


    If Song Dae-Ak could get hold of a good lawyer, he¡¯d have no problems getting off scot free.


    Of course, that would only happen if Dal-Gon agreed to pay the price


    Well, the only way to know the outcome of a wedding or a trial is to go through with it.


    ¡°If we compare it to all the effort that you detectives put in, the outcome is just too disappointing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the ones that are aware of this who always get themselves into trouble.¡±


    ¡°I have a person planted at Song Dae-Ak¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°A person?¡±


    ¡°Mm. Let¡¯s see. If we wait a little longer, a corpse is going to be found.¡±


    Ma Eun-Tae muttered under his breath as he checked his watch.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know this once you¡¯ve checked it with the National Forensic Service, but that hammer is clearly stained with both Song Dae-Ak and the corpse¡¯s DNA.¡±


    ¡°Hey! You¡­¡±


    ¡°Just so that you don¡¯t get the wrong idea, it¡¯s not a piece of fabricated evidence. That thing is the real deal.¡±


    It was like I was dealing with a purveyor of luxury goods.


    ¡°What kind of nonsense is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense, it¡¯s an offer. An offer that will let you have your cake and eat it too. We are also searching for Song Dae-Ak¡¯s location in our own way, but it¡¯s proving difficult. Since he¡¯s a very cautious gentleman.¡±


    Song Dae-Ak was someone who had survived for decades in a life of organized crime.


    He could be seen as someone who mastered the art of escaping sticky situations.


    ¡°So in place of the rat, we have prepared a consolatory piece of cheese. Is this to your liking?¡±


    Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s subordinate handed me the backpack.


    I opened the zipper and took a glance inside.


    Instead of greenbacks, all I could see was yellow.


    It was heavy and packed full of their generous sincerity.


    ¡°Think of the money as a tip. The hammer is a present from me. If you catch Song Dae-Ak, you should be able to put him behind bars for sure. Ah. If you happen to catch sight of Song Dae-Ak¡¯s hiding spot while you¡¯re keeping an eye out for the location of our missing products, please hand him over to us as well.


    ¡°All this cash. It¡¯s really too much.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, too much. People who work hard for the country deserve to have a little extra on their plates. In business, if you keep your eyes open while making deals, you¡¯ll see this kind of thing all the time.

 Chapter 17.3

    The Snake¡¯s Proposal (3)


    ¡°If there¡¯s no issues, let¡¯s help each other out. Won¡¯t that be nice?¡±


    This was an apple.


    The whisper of the snake that seduced Eve.


    As if I was struggling internally, I bit my lip while thinking deeply.


    If we just do a good job persuading Dal-Gon, this might work out even better than I had thought.


    Since a way to catch all of these guys in one go has fallen right into my lap.


    A ruse that will scoop up both the Fork Gang and the Guma Gang into the same trap.


    ¡®Especially this fearless bastard.¡¯


    From his words and actions, I didn¡¯t think this was the first time he had pulled such manipulations.


    Hmm. In any case I was grateful. Since he had willingly delivered himself to me on a plate.


    While rising from my seat, I burst out laughing.


    ¡°No. I meant that it¡¯s too much for you to try and buy me with just this.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Let¡¯s put an end to this now and head back to the station.


    I should let my team know about this first.


    Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s eyes shifted to follow me.


    ¡°Just what do you have for brains that gangster bastards like yourself would come looking for a police officer.¡±


    ¡°Is our sincerity not enough? Something like this should be a fortune compared to a policeman¡¯s paltry salary. If you just let us know the location of the drugs, I¡¯ll double the amount.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you didn¡¯t do a thorough background check?


    I flipped the bag upside-down and poured out all the cash.


    Then I used my foot to kick it up into Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s direction.


    His face was colored red with perplexity and displeasure.


    ¡°You will regret this.¡±


    ¡°Regret shit. I¡¯m loaded. And civil servants aren¡¯t allowed to have two jobs. Anyhow, there should be a limit to your ignorance. Phew.¡±


    In the distance, the Guma Gang lackeys were opening their car doors and climbing out.


    It felt like they were on the verge of running over.


    I held a hand out towards them.


    ¡°Hey hey. No need to come on over. I¡¯m leaving anyway.¡±


    I¡¯ll let them off for today.


    Ahem. It was definitely not because of the looming paperwork.


    However it felt like we would see each other soon.


    While smiling at Ma Eun-Tae, I gave my farewells.


    ¡°Since the hammer is a present, I¡¯ll take it with me. Goodbye for now. Next time we meet, you¡¯ll be getting dressed in stripes. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. Because I don¡¯t believe that there will be a next time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something for me to make sure of.¡±


    Leaving the Guma Gang mooks behind, I exited the vacant lot.


    For a piece of evidence to be turned in before a body has even been found.


    It seemed like this would become a pretty interesting case.


    Buzzz- Buzzz-


    At that moment the cellphone in my pocket vibrated.


    The caller was Black.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Hey. Newbie. Did the interview with DK go well?


    I heard the voices of the Team Leader and Mong-Doo coming through from beside him.


    They must have been in the middle of going somewhere as the background noises were loud.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve just finished and I¡¯m in the middle of heading back.¡±


    -Good work. But don¡¯t return to the office, head over to Hwanak River.


    ¡°Hwanak River?¡±


    -A body has been found. We¡¯re all on our way to the crime scene.


    No way. Already?


    Things are going faster than I had thought.


    I caught a taxi and headed to the scene.


    The Hwanak River wound a long path from the lower reaches of the Han River into the Suan borough.


    Cops and gawkers formed a thick crowd around the scene.


    ¡°Nobody is allowed to enter.¡±


    I took out my official identify badge and showed it to the officer blocking my way.


    Detective Go Ji-Hun, assigned to Su-An Police Station


    It was one of the few moments that really made me feel like a cop.


    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±


    Black, who was wearing a mask, called out to me and waved me over.


    I saw the swollen thick hands and feet of a corpse sticking out from beneath a white cloth shroud.


    The dark blue spots raised up on the corpse¡¯s skin looked horrific.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It wouldn¡¯t make a difference if you had come here earlier.¡±


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve got something-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve found a shoe!¡±


    I heard someone shout in the distance.


    Then the investigators that had been gathered here began to flow over there in a slow trickle.


    Black picked up and examined the sneaker that had been placed in a plastic bag.


    The shoe was covered in mud and pondweeds.


    On closer inspection, the corpse¡¯s left foot was also missing a sock, leaving it bare.

 Chapter 17.4

    The Snake¡¯s Proposal (4)


    ¡°One of the shoes was missing, so we were looking for it.¡±


    Snap- Snap-


    As if he was accustomed to corpses, the Team Leader was casually hanging around and taking pictures.


    He was taking photos because we needed to leave the evidence as intact as possible until the forensic investigation team came to remove the body.


    Mong-Doo passed over a mask for me to wear.


    ¡°A report came in about a corpse some time after lunch. Some grade-schoolers were playing with a ball nearby when they found it.¡±


    ¡°Looking at the body¡¯s condition, it seems like it¡¯s been a day or two since he drowned.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t there too many wounds on the exterior for that? These are the marks of a physical assault.¡±


    ¡°Especially this. The depression in the occipital region here.¡±


    Black pointed his finger at the back of the corpse¡¯s head.


    Although I couldn¡¯t see it very well from where I was standing.


    ¡°There are traces of being struck here, but it¡¯s hard to see while it¡¯s swollen from the water.¡±


    The three of them put their heads together and examined the state of the corpse from head to toe.


    My brows were furrowed, but no one seemed to notice.


    ¡°Although we¡¯ll need an autopsy to know for sure, there¡¯s a good chance this is a homicide.¡±


    ¡°First we¡¯ll need to see if the background check works out. Since his fingerprints are ruined.¡±


    ¡°Get me a copy of the latest missing persons report.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Although the body had become swollen, the features hadn¡¯t collapsed.


    Aside from the clothes that had been stained by foreign substances, the hair and facial hair were in a clean and tidy state. That meant he couldn¡¯t have been a wandering homeless person or the victim of an organ harvesting.


    If there weren¡¯t any issues, they would probably be able to identify him soon.


    ¡°It looks like he was carried here by the river current, right? So the actual crime scene should be somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Until the autopsy results from the National Forensics Institute comes out, let¡¯s start by focussing on checking his identity.


    ¡°Okay. Oi, Newbie. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Ah, yes. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Since I was standing there silently, it must have created the false impression that I was feeling unwell.


    Of course that might have been part of it, but I just couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from the corpse¡¯s head trauma.


    From the skin that has collapsed inwards and the pale, blood-drained flesh surrounding it.


    While frowning, I asked.


    ¡°Team Leader. About the wound on the back of his head. By any chance, could you tell what kind of weapon caused it?¡±


    ¡°The murder weapon? Hm. Give me a sec.¡±


    Team Leader, who was seated in a squat, nodded his head.


    He might not be a coroner, but he was someone who had seen countless corpses during his career.


    That meant he was able to make a rough guess by drawing on his accumulated knowledge and experience.


    ¡°Unlike a knife¡¯s sharp profile, it looks like it was made by something that was heavy and narrow. If I had to give an example-¡±


    The end of Team Leader¡¯s sentence suddenly cut off, as if he couldn¡¯t think of the word he was looking for.


    Unable to withstand the short silence, I blurted out.


    Like a hammer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. A hammer. That¡¯s it exactly.¡±


    ¡°Wow, newbie. How did you guess?¡±


    This was the corpse Ma Eun-Tae was talking about.


    He was serious when he said that it would be discovered soon.


    It looked like that bastard also knew how the body had ended up here and where it had come from.


    It seemed that the person he had placed in the Fork Gang had found themselves in quite an important position.


    They must be one of Song Dae-Ak¡¯s right-hand men if they could retrieve the hammer from the aftermath of the murder.


    ¡°-Newbie?¡±


    I wordlessly handed Black the paper bag.


    Inside was the hammer that was covered in blood.


    He gave me a curious look.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hammer. The murder weapon for this corpse.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Black froze just as he was reaching in to grab the hammer.


    Both Mong-Doo, who was scribbling something in his notebook, and the Team Leader, who was still circling the corpse, turned to look at me.


    Then even the other investigators in the vicinity followed suit.


    The members of my team furtively edged closer to me and loudly whispered.


    ¡°-just what is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°No way. Did you kill him, newbie?¡±


    Was he messing with me?


    However Black¡¯s eyes looked serious.


    For someone like this to be my senior.


    With a sigh, I shook my head.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, instead¡­¡±

 Chapter 18.1

    The Connection Between Us (1)


    ¡°Ma Eun-Tae? I haven¡¯t heard that name before.¡±


    ¡°What a crazy bastard. It¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t know the meaning of fear.¡±


    ¡°Rather than crazy, he¡¯s just another cocky bastard. This fucker, once we catch him, let¡¯s put the squeeze on him. Raargh!¡±


    The team¡¯s reaction was more fiery than I expected.


    Black¡¯s fury was especially explosive


    The shout that he used to vent his temper sounded like the roar of a beast.


    ¡°Oh my gosh. What¡¯s with that. They look like gangsters.¡±


    ¡°Shhh. Be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Why should I? Right now there are police officers everywhere.¡±


    These were the comments made by the passing-by high school girls when they saw us.


    As four tough guys standing around and spitting curses, I suppose we could have been seen like that.


    Mong-Doo surreptitiously stubbed out his cigarette butt and took out a notebook.


    ¡°To sum things up, some of the drugs that were being sold off at the Gogo Nightclub have gone missing?¡±


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know if it was just some of it or not, it should be quite a lot considering how much money he was offering as a reward.¡±


    Team Leader held the tape recorder to his ear as he mused.


    ¡°Hm. No matter how you see it, he¡¯s quite the cunning guy. Even if he does have a man on the inside, it would still be quite difficult to retrieve the hammer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all the better for us. Now we don¡¯t need to identify the suspect either.¡±


    That¡¯s how it was.


    We had found a body and discovered the identity of the culprit, all in one go.


    Mong-Doo continued to responsibly record all the details of the case in his notebook.


    This was because he was the best at arranging the information gathered from briefings and the like.


    Unlike Mong-Doo who was using a ballpoint pen, Black was scribbling on the ground with a stick.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, did he also tell you who the victim was?¡±


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t hear anything about that. He only spilled the fact that it seemed like the body would be found soon.¡±


    ¡°That bastard. He¡¯s sneakily made a backdoor for himself.¡±


    ¡°Since you met him in a vacant lot, we can¡¯t be sure where he¡¯s really based out of, right?¡±


    The team leader took deep puffs of his cigarette.


    ¡°A Guma gang executive. He¡¯s the real deal alright.¡±


    I felt like I could hear the gears turning in his head from here.


    It might be because he¡¯d definitely be in line for a promotion if he managed to nab an executive.


    To be honest, considering the Team Leader¡¯s seniority, he really should be eyeing the position of a section chief by this point in his career.


    Mong-Doo looked up at him and asked.


    ¡°Should we inform the narcotics unit?¡±


    ¡°¡­what else can we do?¡±


    Despite Team Leader¡¯s ambitions, it looked like he couldn¡¯t see any other options at the moment.


    I shook my head firmly.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Dal-Gon is sitting on all of the clues. From the inside scoop on the Fork gang to the location of the products.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Since the rest of the brats we¡¯ve caught were kept from knowing too much.¡±


    ¡°If we let anyone else know, they¡¯ll definitely interrogate Dal-Gon, but that guy isn¡¯t the type to give in under pressure. A guy like that, he would neither bend nor break no matter how strong the wind blows.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that it would be useless?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, newbie, just what kind of relationship do you have with that guy? Back at the nightclub, it seemed like you might be acquainted with him.¡±


    The Team Leader asked me.


    I hesitated slightly before telling the truth.


    Of course, I left out all mention of my reincarnation.


    ¡°We were friends.¡±


    ¡°So it was a past relationship.¡±


    I carefully presented my opinion.


    I was the only one who could unravel the loose thread that was lying in front of us.


    ¡°If you just leave it to me, I¡¯ll try and convince Dal-Gon.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you can do it?¡±


    ¡°In any case, from my perspective we have nothing to lose.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    ¡°And if things go well, we might be able round them all up in one go.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you have a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Nothing certain yet. I¡¯ll have to meet with Dal-Gon first before I can be certain.¡±


    Team Leader stared at me silently.


    Then he shook the ashes off his cigarette and cocked his head.


    Like I had said, at the moment we had nothing to lose.


    We already knew the victim¡¯s murderer, so we just needed to do the usual work and hunt down Song Dae-Ak.


    The Team Leader stood up.


    ¡°Mong-Doo, go to the vacant lot and get a picture of Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s face from the CCTV.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Black, continue tracking down Song Dae-Ak.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Once Mong-Doo gets the video, he¡¯ll join forces with Black. Lastly, newbie.¡±


    In the distance, I spotted the vehicles of the CSI unit.


    They were here to retrieve the corpse.


    The time had come for us to scatter.

 Chapter 18.2

    The Connection Between Us (2)


    ¡°You go meet with Dal-Gon and give it your best shot.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just trust me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll accompany the forensic unit with the body. I¡¯ll return after we find out its identity.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±


    ¡°Well then. Let¡¯s give it all we¡¯ve got!¡±


    Team Leader picked up the hammer and headed over to where they were loading the corpse.


    It looked like Black and Mong-Doo were thinking of heading out after they handled the cleanup of the site.


    I ducked past the police line and called Chief Kim.


    ¡°Hello, you there?¡±


    -Yes. Greetings, young master.


    ¡°I need you to do something. Please prepare a spot at Gogwang¡¯s Seoul Hospital.¡±


    Gogwang¡¯s Seoul Hospital was the place where I had first opened my eyes as Go Ji-Hun.


    So it was a hospital managed by the Gogwang Medical Foundation.


    -A spot? What kind of spot?


    ¡°A spot for a patient who is being treated for cancer. Make sure it¡¯s in a nice ward. Okay?¡±


    -As you wish, but who is this for?


    ¡°A friend¡¯s mother. If I recall correctly, at this time she should still be in the early stages.¡±


    -What do you mean by ¡®at this time¡¯ and ¡®still be¡¯? In any case, I understand your orders. I will get started on the admissions procedures.


    ¡°Thanks a lot.¡±


    -Besides that, are you eating well? Would you like me to send you some side-dishes?


    He¡¯s just like a mother whose child has moved out.


    By the arrangement of the Suan Police Station, I had received a small apartment near the station.


    Thankfully, I no longer had to see the bitchy faces of that lady and my two brothers.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m eating well so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    -The President¡¯s birthday is coming soon. Make sure to visit the main house when the time comes.


    ¡°Okay, okay. I know already. After you take care of things, please send me a confirmation message.¡±


    I hung up the phone and headed to the Suan Jail.


    Hospital fees. The chains that were literally holding Dal-Gon down.


    In order to break Song Dae-Ak¡¯s ill-fated relationship with Dal-Gon, I first had to get rid of the cards he was holding.


    Dal-Gon wouldn¡¯t be shaken no matter how strong the wind. Since that¡¯s the case I would find some other way to shake him.


    Suan Jail¡¯s Visitation Room.


    The room had been converted from a multi-purpose room with the installation of several large desks.


    Apart from the guards who were sitting in the corners of the room, I saw the back of a man who was dressed in a yellowish-green prison uniform.


    I dropped the moon cakes and milk on top of the desk.


    A full black plastic bag¡¯s worth of them.


    I¡¯d cleaned out everything that the convenience store had on their shelves.


    ¡°So here¡¯s where you were.¡±


    Dal-Gon looked up at me without surprise.


    He didn¡¯t have a personal defendant, and there were very few people who would be willing to visit him after he had been arrested.


    So it looked like he had been expecting me.


    ¡°Eat.¡±


    I pushed the cakes and the milk over to him.


    A few cracks formed in his stoic expression.


    If it was for mooncakes, this guy would even trade the meat in his meals for them.


    On the inside, he must be resisting the impulse to jump straight to eating.


    ¡°Eat them while you¡¯ve got them. Since you won¡¯t be able to eat another one for a while.¡±


    ¡°How the hell do you know about something like this as well?¡±


    ¡°Just cause. I could simply tell that you would like them from the way you look.¡±


    At my frivolous excuse, he clamped his lips shut.


    However he soon began to grab the cakes and start chowing down.


    It might have been because he had been going in and out of juvie ever since he was young, but Dal-Gon seemed used to this sort of situation.


    Once he was nearly finished gobbling up all the cakes, I took out my pen and notebook.


    After all, you¡¯ve gotta do what you¡¯ve gotta do.


    ¡°You can keep eating, just listen.¡±


    Dal-Gon narrowed his eyes as drew up his guard.


    ¡°I know everything. Like I said before, Song Dae-Ak must have promised you that he was going to pay for your mother¡¯s medical bills. Just so as long as you took the blame for everything happening behind the doors of the Gogo Nightclub.¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t figure it out. The only people who should know about that is me and my Hyong-nim.¡±


    ¡°For now, just keep listening.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°A body has been discovered. The murderer is Song Dae-Ak. No matter what happens with you, that guy is going down, and with him gone the gang is going to fall apart.¡±


    It¡¯s not a ¡®prediction¡¯, it¡¯s a ¡®certainty¡¯.


    In the end, even if it wasn¡¯t our team that did it, the fact was that Song Dae-Ak was going to get caught.


    And since the future was heading in that direction.

 Chapter 18.3

    The Connection Between Us (3)


    ¡°Do you really think he¡¯ll be able to take care of your mother after he¡¯s tossed in jail? Or do you think he¡¯ll think to give someone else the order to look after her?¡±


    Dal-Gon was left in a state of confusion.


    Although he wanted to reject it, the reality of the situation had been laid out right in front of his eyes.


    I didn¡¯t cut him a break and continued speaking.


    ¡°Dal-Gon-ah1. I can help you out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s medical bills. I¡¯ll take care of them for you.¡±


    ¡°Stop messing with me. On a government salary? You should quit and make a living with that silver tongue of yours.¡±


    I took out both Chief Kim¡¯s business card and my own license.


    ¡°A civil servant¡¯s salary might just be chicken feed, but I¡¯m loaded.¡±


    Dal-Gon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the words ¡®Gogwang Group¡¯ that were embossed onto Chief Kim¡¯s business card.


    Then, as if vaguely recalling my public identity, he frowned.


    ¡°Could it be, the third son?¡±


    ¡°Gon-ah.¡±


    The tone of my voice had grown softer.


    Gon-ah, Gon-ah.


    Involuntarily, I had reverted to the habitual way that I used to call Dal-Gon.


    ¡°When you¡¯ve got a chance like this, you have to grab hold of it. Opportunities like this don¡¯t come into life very often. Especially such a life-changing one.You still need to open up that small garage of your dreams, so that you can take care of your mother.¡±


    Back in prison, this was something that he had talked to me a lot about.


    He should have grabbed hold of the chance when he had it, but he had missed it.


    It was something that he had already learned at a young age, but he was so regretful that he never managed to put it into practice.


    And if he had the chance, once he was released, he told me that he definitely wanted to open up a small garage.


    Because his only hobby and passion in life was cars.


    Dal-Gon¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You¡­ who are you?¡±


    ¡°Who else could I be. I¡¯m just a police officer.¡±


    ¡°¡­stop telling lame jokes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. If you want, I¡¯ll even get you a competent attorney. He can take care of everything else, so you¡¯ll only need to bear the burden of your own sins.¡±


    Dal-Gon kept his lips shut as he thought about it for a while.


    The minute hand of the clock on the wall kept moving slowly on its round journey, but I didn¡¯t rush him.


    Eventually, the guards who were sitting in the corners stood up.


    That meant visiting hours were almost over.


    I finally gave him my last words for the day.


    ¡°Think of your mother. Because your decision won¡¯t affect only you, it will even influence your mother¡¯s future.¡±


    This should do for today.


    Now I have no other choice but to come back and persuade him when I have the time.


    As I was standing up, Dal-Gon¡¯s lips parted.


    The words poured out slowly, as if they were having difficulty rising from his throat.


    ¡°¡­make sure to take care of it. My mother¡¯s hospital bills.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s of course.¡±


    I raised my hands to intercept the guards.


    I was asking them for just a little more time.


    ¡°Also, keep this confidential.¡±


    ¡°Not a word will pass my lips.¡±


    ¡°Okay. So what were you after?¡±


    ¡°Our first priority is to find the location of Song Dae-ak and the drugs lifted from the Guma Gang.¡±


    ¡°Since you already knew everything before you came here, I guess I can¡¯t leave anything out.¡±


    Having made up his mind fully, he nodded his head.


    ¡°Even I don¡¯t know Hyong-nim¡¯s location. He would likely only let one or two of his closest comrades know how to contact him. And since he changes his residences every so often, even they don¡¯t usually know where he lives.¡±


    As expected. It¡¯s because of this that the spy sent in by Ma Eun-Tae can¡¯t find out Song Dae-Ak¡¯s location.


    If things stay like this, it could really end up as a long-term standoff.


    It would take way too much time and effort to track him down by using the footage from the cctvs.


    ¡°However, Hyong-nim has several lovers.¡±


    ¡°Other than his wife?¡±


    ¡°Since they¡¯ve separated, their marriage is a sham. Anyway, among these lovers, there¡¯s someone that he¡¯s kept on seeing for a while now.¡±


    ¡°And who might that be?¡±


    ¡°Madam Shim.¡±


    ¡°Madam Shim?¡±


    ¡°A woman who manages a club in Gangnam called Exodus. According to the rumours, it seems like that woman is in control of Hyong-nim¡¯s slush fund.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that there is a second set of books.¡±


    ¡°¡­well I can¡¯t say that there aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well. At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    Madam Shim.


    A woman who might just be the key to catching Song Dae-Ak.


    ¡°Also, there is a company that specializes in storing drugs. I registered the drugs there under my mother¡¯s name. That¡¯s the last of it, I couldn¡¯t tell you any more even if I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. This much is already plenty.¡±


    Footnote:


    1 -ah is a diminutive and affectionate suffix added to the end of a name. Used by older relatives or close friends.

 Chapter 18.4

    The Connection Between Us (4)


    I patted the big guy¡¯s shoulder.


    Though he could be judged as having betrayed his family, I knew how much stress had been weighing down on his soul and how much courage he had needed to make this decision.


    The guards came over and stood Dal-Gon up.


    It was time for me to make my way back.


    I packed the remaining mooncakes into the plastic bag and stuffed it into his hands.


    ¡°Eat it when you get back. I¡¯ll put in a good word for you.¡±


    ¡°Why on earth are you going so far for me? Is it because of my Hyong-nim?¡±


    ¡°Hm. If you really want to know¡­¡±


    It¡¯s because you were part of my first family.


    Even though the team members of Task Force 2 are my family now.


    It¡¯s because I still cherish the years that I spent with all of you.


    Especially for those times when your mother came to visit, every time she would pack a lunchbox for all of us as well.


    For someone without parents like me, that lunchbox felt very warm.


    I laughed as I said.


    ¡°Because the egg-rolls were tasty?¡±


    Dal-Gon¡¯s brows furrowed.


    It was as if he heard some meaningless gibberish.


    I packed up all my important notes and headed back to our ace team¡¯s office.


    ***


    That night.


    All of our team members were gathered in the quiet office.


    We were crouched in a huddle as if we were in the middle of a conspiracy.


    Looking at the reports that Mong-Doo had prepared, we shared our intel.


    The meeting began with an introduction from our Team Leader.


    ¡°The result of the forensic test confirms that the hammer was the murder weapon, and also detected Song Dae-Ak¡¯s DNA. Even the victim has been identified.¡±


    The victim¡¯s name was Yoo Chang-Dong.


    He was 49 years old and he lived in the Hwanak Neighborhood of Su-An District.


    ¡°Hwanak Neighborhood? Isn¡¯t that the place that¡¯s going under redevelopment.¡±


    ¡°The victim was the neighborhood head of Hwanak Neighborhood.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Didn¡¯t you say that the Fork Gang has started up an architectural firm?¡±


    It felt like we could see how this incident took place.


    The neighborhood head, who was against the redevelopment, was resisting the architectural firm, and Song Dae-Ak decided to take care of the problem by murdering him.


    It was too mindless and cruel for words.


    ¡°What about the cause of death?¡±


    ¡°The direct cause of death was a strong impact to the head. As there was water in his lungs, we can either assume that he was tossed in the river while he was still alive, or he may have been waterboarded before he died.¡±


    ¡°Looking at the timing, he couldn¡¯t have been murdered while Song Dae-Ak was on the run. So he was probably waterboarded.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. What happened with the guy called Dal-Gon or something?¡±


    Black asked as he flipped through the report.


    ¡°We¡¯ve grasped the location of the drugs and found out about a person of interest named Madam Shim. As Song Dae-Ak¡¯s secret mistress, they¡¯re close enough that he¡¯s put her in charge of his secret slush fund.¡±


    ¡°Madam Shim? Is she a call girl?¡±


    ¡°She manages a place called ¡®Exodus¡¯ in Gangnam.¡±


    ¡°Exodus. Ex-o-dus.¡±


    Black searched for the club on the internet.


    Its approximate location popped up, but there wasn¡¯t a single review or any kind of post with helpful information. At the very least there were a few photos.


    The club might have been incorporating Japanese culture as it had a stage in the middle of a large hall, and with sofas surrounding the stage, it looked gorgeous and luxurious.


    ¡°At first glance it looks top-class.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t appear chintzy.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Look at the costs. It¡¯s several hundred for just the basics.¡±


    Mong-Doo and Black mumbled as they looked at the photos.


    ¡°Should we go looking for him tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°If we act too soon, we might end up losing the trail.¡±


    Team Leader shook his head.


    From now on we really had to be careful.


    Because the outcome of a case could be decided when the truth was still only barely visible.


    Black spoke up as he was looking at photos of the bar.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, should we just hang around over there?¡±


    ¡°Can you hear the wind whistle through the empty space you call a brain?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean! Is there any better method than that?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to shell out for it? This guy who has to beg sister-in-law for pocket money.¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me instead of the investigation support staff?¡±


    ¡°Just how are we supposed to ask for the money? Tell them that we want money to go have fun at a club?¡±


    ¡°I guess that won¡¯t work? In that case why don¡¯t you say something big man. Do you have a better idea?¡±


    Black and Team Leader bickered and tore strips off each other like an old married couple.


    Hmm. So it¡¯s a high-class club.


    Is it the sort of place where you get treated like a king as soon as you flash your cash?


    I crossed my arms while smiling.


    I just had a great idea.

 Chapter 19.1 - The Taste of Money (1)

    The Taste of Money (1)


    One night in Gangnam.


    A matte-black sports car was racing down the crowded main road.


    It attracted so much attention that even people in the distance turned their heads to stare.


    After smoothly pulling into an alleyway, the car arrived in front of a certain building.


    ¡®EXODUS¡¯


    Unlike a normal storefront, Exodus only had a small neon sign.


    As if enticing people to come inside, while also willing to let the ignorant pass by.


    A man who was stationed in front of the building approached the sports car.


    ¡°Welcome to our store.¡±


    Two young men exited the car from the driver¡¯s and passenger¡¯s seats.


    Both had a good build and style, but the driver was especially eye-catching.


    His looks could easily be mistaken as having been chiselled from marble.


    ¡°Hey. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha. Stop joking with me, Sir. After all, you just visited us last week.¡±


    The owner of the car laughed lightly as he tossed a key to a valet.


    Then he followed the man who had greeted him, heading down the stairs into the basement.


    Boom-Boomboom-Boom


    They passed through a corridor into a hall that was lit up by red lights. The lights wavered in time with the drumming of a slow and strong beat.


    Inside the hall that was packed full of tables, the two men had reserved special seating.


    They had the ideal front-row seats to the stage.


    ¡®Every time I come here, I just can¡¯t get enough of the view.¡¯


    On the inside, the two men were already drooling.


    Exodus deserved to be called a pioneer of innovative entertainment culture.


    Although there were clubs and show venues, this place had the best of both, and you got to enjoy it with the company of the ladies employed by the store.


    Frankly speaking, the store had merely mixed together all the various different characteristics of nightlife entertainment, but it wasn¡¯t to the extent of being overly lascivious.


    As soon as the two men entered, girls dressed in party clothes flocked towards them.


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    ¡°The oppas are finally here?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up. Get over here.¡±


    There was a reason why the two lone guests had reserved group seating.


    They wanted all these enticing ladies to be able to sit on the sofa with them.


    As tips were their main source of income, the girls¡¯ wishes were no different to those of the two men.


    Because they could earn more than their daily wage just by picking up the scraps from their table, the top of which was loaded with champagne and snacks made from all sorts of delicacies.


    While receiving this passionate hospitality, the two men took their seats.


    ¡°We were a bit late today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The show should be starting soon.¡±


    On the stage, women started dancing while dressed in skimpy clothing that barely covered the vital parts and looked like it belonged to a circus.


    A performance that toed the line between art and obscenity shone under the spotlights.


    How much time had passed?


    As the hours rolled on, the atmosphere livened up until no one in the hall was left without a smile.


    Colorful confetti floated down from the roof as small torches burst into light.


    Drunk on excitement, one of the men held money-guns in both hands and showered the money onto the stage and the audience.


    Whiiiing- Whiiiing-


    ¡°Kyaaaa-!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Cheques rained down like confetti.


    It wasn¡¯t play money or 10,000 won notes, but the white of 100,000 won cheques that fluttered in the air.1


    At this endless flow of money, the hostesses and waiters stopped working and started to crawl on the floor.


    The women who had been assigned to other tables could only look at that sight while enduring the bitter taste of regret.


    ¡°Hey. At least keep pouring the drinks.¡±


    ¡°Yeeees.¡±


    The other customers who noticed this felt their moods sour uncontrollably.


    Although they had come here to be treated like kings, a real king had arrived and shown them all up.


    This frenzied episode passed and the main show finally came to an end.


    In place of the music with a strong beat, a slow and tasteful song that matched well with drinking began to flow.


    The two men lounged in their seats imperiously, as if they had the whole world at their feet, and tossed back their shots.


    ***


    Footnotes:


    1. 10,000 won is about 8 US dollars. South Korea doesn¡¯t issue notes larger than 50,000 won, but Korean banks can issue cheques that are worth 100,000 won that can be used by anyone.

 Chapter 19.2

    The Taste of Money (2)


    -You bastards have really struck it rich.


    I heard Black¡¯s voice from inside my ear.


    Then, after swallowing a mouthful of melon, Mong-Doo said to me.


    ¡°Partying like this is also hard work. It¡¯s so tiring that I could just die.¡±


    Of course he was actually talking to Black.


    Both Mong-Doo and I had tiny earphones concealed in our ears.


    With a huff of exhaustion, I followed his lead.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Not just anyone can do something like this.¡±


    -What! These bastards. Hey! If that¡¯s the case, get out! Let me take your place instead.


    This was already the third weekend that Mong-Doo and I had come here to clock some hours.


    With work on the case filling our weekdays, it felt like we were cutting our lives short by running over here every weekend.


    ¡°How is your girlfriend these days?¡±


    ¡°Well, like usual.¡±


    By mentioning our sister-in-law2, Mong-Doo delivered a counterblow.


    While laughing, I had played along with him.


    -Cheeky bastards¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s right. What about the products? Are you keeping them safe?¡±


    -They¡¯re fine, punk. The storage stayed clear today as well.


    The team leader was keeping an eye on the drugs that Dal-Gon had told us about.


    It was in case one of the Guma gang members found a clue from somewhere else and came looking for it.


    While reclining our weary bodies on the sofa, Mong-Doo and I sipped our drinks.


    Although we had to drink because of the atmosphere, we couldn¡¯t let ourselves get drunk so it wasn¡¯t too hard on us.


    -Anyway, will today be a bust as well?


    ¡°We can¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    This was already our third try.


    Placing our faith in the saying, ¡®anything can be solved with enough money¡¯, we had put this plan into practice.


    But although we had thrown out a line to try and hook the club¡¯s manager, Madam Shim had yet to make an appearance after all this time.


    Something might even have come up to prevent her from appearing.


    Even though we needed to meet her in the first place, just to see if we could make any progress on our case.


    At first the plan had been to try and buy her favor using money, but by now it seemed like it would be enough of a success to just catch a glimpse of her.


    Because Song Dae-Ak¡¯s trail was growing increasingly colder.


    I took a gulp of my drink.


    The burning sensation slid down my throat.


    -Newbie. Give me a pan of the room.


    While pretending to tidy my shirt, I grabbed hold of a button.


    The lens that was disguised in the button had already captured every inch of Exodus¡¯s interior.


    Following Black¡¯s instruction, I swung it left and right.


    -Hm. Have they changed the stage¡¯ structure? It¡¯s a little different from the last time.


    At that moment.


    Crash-


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    ¡°This bitch!¡±


    I heard the sound of a commotion coming from a nearby table.


    That table also had group seating and several men were gathered around it.


    As wine bottles and glasses rolled off the table and smashed on the floor, it attracted the stares of the surrounding guests.


    Over there, a man was roughly pulling on a lady¡¯s hair.


    Rather than his youthful looks, the man¡¯s tacky attire was his most memorable feature.


    ¡°Oh my. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Where did Manager-oppa go?¡±


    ¡°He left for the office earlier saying that he needed to settle some accounts.¡±


    ¡°That old man. Why is he doing something like that now of all times? Did the rest of the oppas go with him?¡±


    Of all the times this could have happened, only the waiters remained in the hall and there was no one left who was able to handle the rowdy guest.


    The other guests who were with him also became flustered, and tried to pull his arm away.


    Looking at their outfits, they weren¡¯t just some hanger-ons.


    But even though they all appeared to at least be friends, it was clear who was the leader of this pack.


    ¡°Moon-Joong-ah. Let¡¯s not do this¡­¡±


    ¡°Let go. This lowly bitch!¡±


    Slap-!


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    The rough hand of the man called Moon-Joong struck the woman¡¯s cheek.


    Just as I had reflexively stood up to head over there-


    ¡°Buddy.¡±


    Mong-Doo grabbed on to me.


    ¡°Before you move, think of the big picture. Remember why we¡¯re here.¡±


    Footnotes:


    2. Black¡¯s wife if this wasn¡¯t clear.

 Chapter 19.3

    The Taste of Money (3)


    He wasn¡¯t wrong.


    Because if we get blacklisted after getting caught up in this mess, all the time and money we had spent would just go to waste.


    In the worst case scenario, it could even get our identities revealed.


    After all, we were supposed to be acting like a couple of guys with more money than sense.


    Slap!


    Once again I heard the sound of flesh striking flesh.


    The girls who had been seated nearby had all run out of the hall to find some of their colleagues.


    ¡°Cheeky bitch. How dare you look down on me?¡±


    ¡°Moo- Moon-Joong-ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Please sir, you can¡¯t do this.¡±


    The woman¡¯s head drooped down as she lost consciousness.


    Unexpectedly, a waiter tried to persuade him, but their words had the opposite effect.


    It might have been because his blood was up, or it might be the alcohol.


    But with a flushed red face, the man dismissively threw cash on the waiter¡¯s face.


    By the way, I could have sworn that I had heard the name Moon-Joong from somewhere.


    ¡°Fuck you. Take this tip and get lost before I teach you a lesson as well. Who do you poor bastards think you¡¯re touching?¡±


    Holding back his anger, the waiter could only bite his tongue.


    Without the necessary power and authority, there was nothing that he could do.


    However the waiter refused to take a step back either and continued to block the man from approaching the woman.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting out of my way?¡±


    ¡°I am very sorry, sir.¡±


    Slap-!


    ¡°I told you, get out of my way!¡±


    ¡°I am very sorry, sir.¡±


    Slap-!


    The waiter endured the man¡¯s ruthless assault in place of the woman.


    Everyone else was watching this sight while holding their breaths.


    The atmosphere had already frozen solid.


    I stopped to take a look around.


    Wait a moment. Weren¡¯t the employees talking about some kind of ¡®settlement¡¯ earlier? It had seemed pretty abrupt as well.


    I raised my head to look up at the basement¡¯s upper level.


    The people standing there were in front of some lighting, so only their silhouettes were visible.


    I could see that a few of them had started to scurry about, having noticed the brewing situation.


    Our chance had come.


    If my instincts were correct, that is¡­


    I pointed the money-guns at that guy called Moon-Joong and pulled the triggers.


    Whiiiing- Whiiiing-


    With a mechanical whirring, the checks started pouring forth.


    ¡°Whoa!¡±


    The paper crashed into Moon-Joong¡¯s upper body and immediately sent him falling onto the floor.


    The gazes from the crowd that had been fixed on him now turned to me.


    The music had also stopped in the middle of all of this, leaving only silence.


    ¡®What great timing.¡¯


    Moon-Joong¡¯s head swelled up as if it was about to explode from his own rage.


    He was so overwhelmed with disbelief that he was struck speechless.


    His lips flapping soundlessly, he thrust his finger at me.


    ¡°You¡­.what!¡±


    ¡°Aah. Sorry. Your barking was so noisy that I just had to shut you up.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    As he pretended to be trying to drag me back, Mong-Doo surreptitiously whispered to me.


    ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    -Right. Well said Mong-Doo. Are you drunk, newbie?


    Black also chimed in with an uncharacteristically serious voice.


    While pretending to be trying to pull myself free, I tilted my chin upwards.


    ¡°2 o¡¯clock. The second floor.¡±


    I tried to use something like ventriloquism to convey the message, but it seemed like Mong-Doo managed to understand it.


    His gaze turned towards the direction that I had indicated.


    Among the people gathered at the balcony, there was a woman who stood out from the rest.


    She had an imposing air that suggested she held absolute control.


    Her piercing gaze shone clearly from beneath the eyeshadow and thick make-up.


    Mong-Doo was quick as a whip.


    He figured everything out as soon as he saw the connection between my sudden outburst and that woman.


    He secretly reported the truth in my place.


    ¡°Madam Shim is on the second floor. The lens can¡¯t pick her up from this angle.¡±


    -Damn it. Isn¡¯t there anything you can do?


    Despite Black¡¯s request, it was impossible with only the camera hanging from the middle of my shirt.


    We couldn¡¯t just suddenly lean backwards, so that the camera could get a good view.


    Moon-Joong brushed aside the waiter and stomped up to me.


    ¡°You bastards, just what are you saying about me underneath your breaths?¡±


    ¡°Stop pulling on me. I¡¯m perfectly sober right this moment.¡±


    I gave Mong-Doo a signal.


    I would soon get the chance to impress that woman with my identity.


    Because everything we had done up till now was all for that purpose.

 Chapter 19.4

    The Taste of Money (4)


    ¡®I¡¯ll drag you down from the second floor.¡±


    Mong-Doo sighed with an anxious expression.


    However he stepped back and held his hands up in a show of trust.


    Moon-Joong got up right in my face and started fuming.


    ¡°This motherfucker! Ever since your cheeky little celebration earlier, you¡¯ve been getting on my nerves.¡±


    ¡°Moon- Moon-Joong-ah!¡±


    ¡°Kim-nion. Say another word and your dad is fired.¡±


    The man who was trying to pull Moon-Joong back couldn¡¯t hide his dissatisfaction.


    Hmm. If he¡¯s calling him Kim-nion, it should be short for Kim-minion right?


    It must be really tiring to be his friend.


    Moon-Joong rolled up his sleeves while scowling fiercely, showing off his thick, gold watch and chunky rings.


    ¡°Do you know just who I am? You¡¯ve messed with the wrong player today.¡±


    If I really have got it wrong, then I guess I should just roll over now.


    I crossed my legs arrogantly and turned the money-guns onto him once more.


    A storm of money engulfed him and his surroundings.


    Whiiiing- Smack- Smack- Smack-


    ¡°¡­this fucker!¡±


    ¡°What about you. Do you know who I am?¡±


    The money had already piled up on the floor in heaps.


    I stepped over them as I got up to my feet.


    ¡°I think I know who you might be.¡±


    Moon-Joong


    That means he¡¯s probably one of three brothers.


    Moon-Sang. Moon-Joong. Moon-Ha.


    Once upon a time, their family had been the epitome of a powerful dynasty that was hated across Korea.


    In the past they were a part of a conglomerate that managed department stores, but after the IMF crisis they were left with only a few outlet stores.


    Nowadays, well, they were just one of the countless companies trundling along in mediocrity.


    However these guys were still stuck in the glory days of the past.


    Employee abuse. Unfair dismissal. Salary cuts.


    Every member of this family held a record of being forced to apologize in front of the police station.


    ¡°What kind of look is that for a guy whose family sells clothing?¡±


    ¡°You, how do you¡­¡±


    ¡°It would be best if you stop your nonsense here. If you don¡¯t want to lose everything that you have left, that is.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastard. Where do you get off with that kind of mouth?¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you think that I can¡¯t back it up?¡±


    Whiiiing-


    I shot another burst of the money-gun.


    The amount of tips that I had sent flying with just that probably exceeds this guy¡¯s alcohol bill for the whole day.


    This showed that there was an implicit gap between us.


    Even though he should already know this, his teeth ground noisily as his pride was prickled.


    He¡¯s pissed off, and with so many eyes on him, it isn¡¯t easy for him to back down now.


    Moon-Joong grabbed a wine bottle from the table and drew it back to strike.


    Whooosh-


    ¡°You motherfucker!¡±


    ¡°Dear guest.¡±


    However his arm was halted in mid-swing.


    This was due to the fact that one of the club¡¯s higher-ups had run over and stepped in front of me with impeccable timing.


    ¡°We are very sorry, but we must insist that you vacate your seats.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We will make sure to arrange better seating for the next time you visit us.¡±


    ¡°This! This!! THIS!!!¡±


    They might say next time, but when would that ever happen after publicly kicking him out.


    ¡°Get the manager out here! Fuck! Do you know just how much I¡¯ve spent here!¡±


    ¡°Moo- Moon-Joong-ah. I think we¡¯ve had enough for today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. And it¡¯s not like this is the only bar.¡±


    Despite Moon-Joong¡¯s protests, his companions, who still had their senses, had already picked up their coats and were prepared to leave.


    They had probably noticed the bunch of men dressed in black clothes that were now standing behind them.


    Very soon, they were all running out of the store like they were being chased.


    The employee who had intervened came up to us and asked with a polite bow,


    ¡°Our apologies for the rudeness, but would you like to switch seats.¡±


    His words were polite, but it was difficult to discern his true meaning.


    Damn it. Could it be that he¡¯s throwing us out as well?


    I hesitated with a frown on my face.


    At that moment.


    ¡°Chang-ah. That¡¯s not how you¡¯re supposed to ask them.¡±


    The voice that spoke up then was clear and cool.


    It came from a woman who had descended from the second floor.


    ¡°Greetings. I am Madam Shim.¡±


    -Shit.


    It was Madam Shim.


    Black couldn¡¯t help his noise of surprise.


    ¡°If it is alright with you, would you like to come up to the second floor and have a drink with me?¡±

 Chapter 20.1

    The Taste of Strategy (1)


    In an office on the Second Floor.


    As the walls were made of glass, we had a clear view of the stage.


    In order to revive the chilled atmosphere, the dancers were intensifying their efforts.


    Mong-Doo and I casually cradled our glasses.


    ¡°Thank you for helping my employees earlier.¡±


    I returned Madam Shim¡¯s words with a bold statement.


    ¡°No biggie, he was just making a nuisance.¡±


    ¡°Although they come here often, my girls have quite a dislike for them since they lack manners.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t have something like a blacklist here?¡±


    While picking at some fruit, Madam Shim waved her hand, brushing away my statement.


    ¡°Since the people who come here are all specially invited, it¡¯s not so simple to do so.¡±


    Of course. After all, only those in the know would come here.


    Furthermore, the very nature of the store was that it catered to the young and the rich, and that was something to be carefully cultivated.


    ¡°In any case, it is good to make your acquaintance. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from my employees. You have single-handedly increased our sales by a wide margin.¡±


    It did feel like we had spent thousands during each of our visits.


    All while enduring the constant nagging from Chief Kim.


    So I had managed, at the very least, made a large contribution to the club¡¯s monthly revenue.


    ¡°If you want a fine drink, then you have to make sure to pay the right price.¡±


    ¡°Would it be possible for me to receive one of your cards1?¡±


    I was surprised by the sudden request, but I chose to play coy.


    ¡°Who would carry their cards with them when they¡¯re planning to get drunk?¡±


    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s right. I was just being a bit absent-minded because we¡¯re talking in my office.¡±


    She nodded her head as if she had been convinced.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, what kind of company do you work for?¡±


    ¡°We make a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Electronics are our main focus.¡±


    ¡°Ahah. And you sir?¡±


    Madam Shim turned her sights on Mong-Doo.


    However he also gave a brief, but vague reply.


    ¡°Our household receives a certain stipend2.¡±


    ¨CChuckle. Well, Mong-Doo¡¯s father does work for the Town Office.


    So at least he wasn¡¯t lying.


    Although the meaning of his words were quite distorted.


    Madam Shim smiled brightly.


    Seeing as this place was what it was, there were quite a few guests who wished to keep their identities hidden.


    Also, this group of customers were typically those who held a prominent political position.


    I felt like I could tell what she was thinking.


    On the inside, she was probably guessing just how much she could squeeze from us.


    Mhm. That¡¯s right. Carefully consider what kind of backgrounds we might posess.


    The calculations inside her head finally seemed to have finished as she invited us to keep drinking.


    ¡°Please come here often from now on. We will make sure to take good care of you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­  Unfortunately your clientele seems quite low-class. And it looks like you always have the same exact performance and girls every single week.¡±


    I muttered these words with great despondency.


    As if today¡¯s event had disappointed me greatly.


    -Newbie. Are you just going to leave it at that? You¡¯re supposed to be getting on Madam Shim¡¯s good side.


    Mong-Doo also turned to look at me in alarm.


    However, the situation being what it was, this was more natural.


    Looking at it from the outside, we appeared to be a couple of VIPs who just had our fun spoiled because of the club¡¯s mismanagement.


    Besides, these guys weren¡¯t the type to easily let go of a big catch.


    Although speaking truthfully, this kind of attitude could only be shown if you had the cash to back it up.


    If a customer other than myself had tried to intervene, they would be the ones getting kicked out instead of Moon-Joong.


    As I took out a cigarette, an employee who was standing in the back quickly offered me a light.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that it is impossible for us to change the performance. It is already regularly revised once every two months.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I should just come in once every two months as well.¡±


    Madam seemed to pause for a moment in order to think before shifting in her seat.


    ¡°Would it be possible to satisfy you with a different form of entertainment?¡±


    ¡°Different form? I¡¯ve already tried everything that there is.¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to enjoy candy?¡±


    -Gasp!


    I, Mong-Doo, and ¨C of course ¨C Black all missed a breath.


    Candy.


    That was slang for drugs that had been made into pill form, for example ecstasy.


    Its addictiveness was weaker than methamphetamines and cocaine, but the hallucinations it caused were three to four times stronger than other drugs.


    -Hey. She¡¯s talking about the products. The products.


    Black¡¯s excited voice rang in our ears.


    ¡°Of course I do. But I like sugar better than candy.¡±


    The coarse methamphetamine was called salt.


    While the finely ground cocaine was called sugar.


    Madam Shim¡¯s eyebrows rose, seemingly surprised, as she continued.


    ¡°Those aren¡¯t bad. But I prefer their cleaner alternatives.¡±


    ¡°Exodus and Ecstasy. I should have seen it sooner.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. That¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    ¡°However, why are you bringing up candy now? Are you offering to sell some?¡±


    ¡°Haha. If you so desire. The truth is that our club holds a party once a month.¡±


    A party?


    I guess she¡¯s talking about a ¡®drug party¡¯.


    Footnotes:


    1. A lot of businessmen in Asian countries carry personal business cards. There¡¯s a whole etiquette built around giving and receiving them.


    2. This is a vague way of implying that the head of the family is in politics and drawing a government salary, while potentially holding a very high position.

 Chapter 20.2

    The Taste of Strategy (2)


    A party?


    I guess she¡¯s talking about a ¡®drug party¡¯.


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a fresh type of fun, it would be my pleasure to invite you. Although the annual fee is a bit expensive.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I hesitated.


    Since I¡¯ve got the chance, I definitely have to attend and wipe them all out in one go, but the problem was my identity.


    If they were all just average Joes then there was no need for concern, but a descendant of a major conglomerate might recognize me since I had left quite an impression back at the cruise party.


    Madam Shim was quite the tactful woman.


    She understood what I was concerned about and quickly followed up.


    ¡°Of course, we understand that you might wish to minimize the exposure of your identity. After all, in such tight confines, you might just run into someone you know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I am a bit worried about that.¡±


    ¡°With that in mind, we offer the use of masks to any willing participants. Our guests are free to choose whether to wear them or not. The atmosphere at the party will be lively, so no one will care either way.¡±


    Rather than the lively atmosphere, I think no one will care because things would already be so sordid.


    In any case, with that rule in place, I should be safe.


    Otherwise, we can just send Mong-Doo in alone.


    ¡°How much is the entry fee?¡±


    ¡°For a young man like yourself, it¡¯s six large ones.¡±


    -These fucking scam-artists!


    Black exploded.


    Both Mong-Doo and I winced at the same time.


    It felt like our eardrums had been punctured.


    This may have caused her to think we were upset, as she continued speaking in a very soft tone.


    ¡°The price is a bit steep, but in return, there is no need to worry about the security. We are experts in this sort of business. We promise only the best quality.¡±


    With a sales pitch like that, there was no way we could pull out now.


    I nodded my head in agreement.


    A satisfied smile spread across Madam Shim¡¯s face.


    ¡°However it¡¯s a bit difficult to pay right now, so how about I leave my car here as collateral. Then I can pay in cash on the day of the party.¡±


    The car I had driven here was a Maserati Gran Turismo.


    A high-end sports car that cost 200 million won.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with us. Chang-ah.¡±


    The employee who was standing in the back approached me.


    I handed him the key to the sportscar.


    Madam Shim gave him a glance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you his business card. His name is Chang-I, and he is my right-hand man who manages things on my behalf. Please consider him as my representative.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, sirs.¡±


    ¡°Chang-I will of course take care of everything, from the details of the party to the after-service.¡±


    ¡°It will be my honor to serve you.¡±


    Chang-I handed out business cards to Mong-Doo and me.


    However, I had a strange sense of familiarity towards the design and lettering.


    As I was frowning in puzzlement, I was almost electrified by the memory that came to mind.


    This is¡­


    ¡°When will you be holding the party?¡±


    Mong-Doo¡¯s asked this question.


    Madam Shim replied after a glance at the calendar hanging on the wall.


    ¡°The party itself is usually held in the middle of the month, but you will be notified of the exact date only a few days in advance.¡±


    So it¡¯s in the middle of the month.


    There¡¯s about two weeks left until then.


    Mong-Doo and I got up out of our seats.


    ¡°As you are entrusting your car to us, we can offer you a lift home.¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m fine. I just need to call someone. The folks back home will only get suspicious if they see a strange car.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Since that¡¯s the case, please have a safe journey back home. We hope to see you back soon.¡±


    With the appropriate greetings, Mong-Doo and I left the drinking party.


    As we were leaving the store, a man was standing by the front door.


    It was the waiter who had been assaulted by Moon-Joong earlier.


    He bowed his head deeply to us on our approach.


    His cheeks were still swollen red.


    ¡°Thank you very much for earlier.¡±


    ¡°¡­no need for thanks. Just get yourself looked at.¡±


    After patting him on the shoulder, I left the store behind.


    Then, after a few blocks, I ducked into a back alley while pretending to call for a taxi.


    Hidden in the darkness, a van was parked.


    ¡°Any tails?¡±


    ¡°None. It seems they¡¯re all busy trying to clean up the mess in the hall.¡±


    We had backtracked slightly on the way here just to check if there was someone on our trail.


    While pulling out our earphones, we got into the van.


    Ugh. As the tension released, my insides had started to act up.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent a rough report to the boss by SMS.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Even though we finally met Madam Shim, we didn¡¯t gain much from it. If we screw this up, we might have to step aside and make way for the narcotics unit.¡±


    Mong-Doo muttered worriedly.


    I held down my inner nausea and shook my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. We had a huge harvest today.¡±


    ¡°The drug party? Although it might have a large impact ¡­. considering how much you spent, I¡¯m not sure it was worth it.¡±


    Black¡¯s voice carried an undertone of apology.


    Apart from the money that had been spent over the last three weeks, we even had to hand over the sports car as collateral.


    Even if I was from a chaebol1, in his eyes I had sacrificed too much for too little.


    In order to ease his worries, I laughed out loud.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I paid for the tab because I wanted to, and I¡¯ll get the car back in time. That aside, we¡¯ll make a huge catch on the day of the party.¡±


    ¡°A catch? Madam Shim?¡±


    ¡°Although Madam Shim is a priority, she¡¯s not the only one we need to focus on.¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The remnants of the Fork Gang and Song Dae-Ak. As well as the Guma Gang.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Footnotes:

 Chapter 20.3

    The Taste of Strategy (3)


    Mong-Doo and Black urged me to start explaining.


    From my pocket, I took out the card that Chang-I had given me.


    ¡°The moment I received this, I understood everything.¡±


    The name was inscribed in gold leaf against a black background.


    Although I couldn¡¯t recall the name or the information, I was certain about the design.


    It was the same as the card that had been pinned on Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s bag of money.


    ¡°Ma Eun-Tae? What has he got to do with this? Do you think that guy called Chang-something is his spy?


    ¡°No. After thinking it through, I believe it¡¯s Madam Shim. Because she¡¯s the only one who has a direct connection to Song Dae-Ak.¡±


    ¡°So Chang-I is one of Madam Shim¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s probably just someone who helps her with her work. That¡¯s my prediction anyway.¡±


    ¡°How did Madam Shim end up working with the Guma Gang?¡±


    Hm. There could be a few explanations.


    ¡°She could have made some sort of deal with him while they were passing the drugs, or she could even have a personal connection to Ma Eun-Tae.¡±


    ¡°So first of all, we need to keep our eyes on Madam Shim.¡±


    Acting like he had gotten the point, Black nodded his head.


    ¡°It would be for the best if they do have a personal connection.¡±


    ¡°Why so?¡±


    ¡°Since we can use that to spur Song Dae-Ak.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Grasping the idea, Mong-Doo exclaimed in surprise.


    Then he started slapping on the back in unbridled excitement.


    ¡°Hey, really! Newbie! You really are one heck of a guy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ow-ow-ow, hold- hold on!¡±


    Black was left scratching his head, the only one who had yet to understand.


    So Mong-Doo explained the plan to him with a flushed face.


    ¡°What he¡¯s saying is this, let¡¯s inform Song Dae-Ak that Ma Eun-Tae and Madam Shim have something going on, that will drag Song Dae-Ak and his guys out of hiding and into a fight with the Guma Gang.¡±


    ¡°It would be best to plan for it to happen on the day of the drug party. Since we can arrest all of them on the spot. We can even get a triple crown of charges. Violence, drugs, and prostitution.¡±


    ¡°On top of that, the guests at the party won¡¯t be your average nobodies. If we pull this off, doesn¡¯t it look like we¡¯ll all receive special promotions?¡±


    ¡°Pr-promotions?¡±


    Black wiped away his drool.


    All of the people attending the party were likely to be children of famous and politically powerful families.


    What if they could also get rid of two famous groups of violent troublemakers at the same time?


    That might just flip the whole of Korea onto its head.


    ¡°Even if there isn¡¯t a personal connection, we just need to spread a small rumor instead. What if the Guma Gang has swallowed the slush fund managed by Madam Shim?¡±


    ¡°Br-brilliant!¡±


    Mong-Doo took a few deep breaths to regain his composure.


    ¡°How can you be sure that Song Dae-Ak will make a move? After all, he¡¯s still wanted. And right on the day of the party at that.¡±


    ¡°We can just make him move. It won¡¯t be all that difficult.¡±


    In the middle of a crisis where the foundations of their organization are being shaken, they will have to make a move once they¡¯re given the opportunity.


    Because it was only by letting people know that the Fork Gang was willing to fight back, even under these circumstances, that they could give their organization the confidence to continue running smoothly despite the risk of jail time. In order to ensure the future of their gang, they would do whatever it took.


    Besides, neither Song Dae-Ak nor his gang were the type to endure a traitor.


    Ah. So that was why the Guma Gang was searching so eagerly for Song Dae-Ak.


    They needed to find him and kill him before he figured out what was going on, or they could just throw him to the police to finish him off.


    It all boils down to greed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s plan this all out properly. So that our older brothers can get promoted.¡±


    Even as Black was holding on to the wheel tightly, his whole body was trembled.


    With his eyes fixed on the vision of a rosy future that was unfolding in front of him, he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement any longer.


    Beep-beep!


    He slammed on the accelerator while beeping the horn.


    ¡°For my promotion!¡±


    Vroom-


    The van charged back towards the police station.

 Chapter 21.1

    Please Set the Table (1)


    Two men were seated, facing each other through a transparent pane of glass.


    One was dressed in a blue coverall and the other in a flashy, leopard-print shirt.


    The man in the blue coverall was the first to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Gil-Sik-hyungnim.¡±


    The man called Gil-Sik felt the gorge rise up to the back of his throat.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that this guy, who had decided to act up while they were in a serious crisis, was playing innocent.


    However for now he had to hold back for a bit in order to get what he wanted.


    ¡°That it has. Dal-Gon-ah, how are you doing on the inside?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. The most I can complain about is the floor being a bit too cold.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re having it hard.¡±


    ¡°How is Dae-Ak-hyungnim doing?¡±


    The conversation naturally turned in that direction.


    Towards the reason that Gil-Sik had come looking for Dal-Gon today.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you made Hyungnim a promise.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°So why, all of a sudden, have you gone back on your word? After Hyungnim swore that he would take responsibility for your mother¡¯s medical bills.¡±


    Dal-Gon had pleaded innocent at his trial that took place recently.


    Although it was true that he had taken part in the gang fight, he denied being involved in the management of the nightclub and claimed that he was only following the orders of his superiors.


    Thanks to the help of a competent lawyer, the trial was postponed and a lot of the blame was placed squarely onto Song Dae-Ak.


    Dal-Gon¡¯s face fell into a guilty frown.


    As the silence flowed on, he eventually seemed to have reaffirmed his decision.


    ¡°Hyungnim. My sincere apologies for that. But more than the hospital bills, when I thought of my mother having to live all alone, I just couldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°You idiot. Do you really think that Hyungnim will just let this go unanswered? As someone who knows Hyungnim personally, how could you do something like this?¡±


    Undertones of reproof and regret were buried in Gil-Sik¡¯s voice.


    Because he was aware that Song Dae-Ak would turn his anger onto Dal-Gon¡¯s mother.


    Noticing this, Dal-Gon¡¯s expression grew fearsome.


    ¡°If you lay a finger on my mother, I won¡¯t let any of you rest in peace.¡±


    ¡°Big words from a guy trapped in jail.¡±


    ¡°Despite being locked up, I still have my means. Do you really think I have no hands on the outside?¡±


    ¡°So you really want to go then?¡±


    As their voices steadily rose, the guard who was standing in the back shot them a glance.


    Noh Gil-Sik noticed the look and lowered his voice.


    ¡°This punk. Just why do you think I¡¯m here? Don¡¯t you realize it¡¯s to help you out.¡±


    Noh Gil-Sik and Dal-Gon were like brothers.


    He was the one who had picked Dal-Gon out of all the other rank-and-file and had raised him to the position of being a figurehead as well as a bookkeeper.


    Since he had taken the effort to come looking for Dal-Gon despite the organization being under police surveillance, it seemed that the care Gil-Sik had shown him wasn¡¯t just a front.


    As Dal-Gon realized this, his expression loosened up.


    ¡°That¡¯s why, during the next trial just do what you¡¯ve promised. I¡¯ve hidden your mother in a different location, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before they find it. I¡¯ll try to persuade the boss, so just-¡±


    ¡°Gil-Sik-hyungnim.¡±


    Dal-Gon interrupted him.


    Over the past few, eventful years, he had met a lot of people.


    Among these there were good friends who had sworn an oath of brotherhood with him and promised to look out for each other.


    However in a situation like this, when things had gotten rough, there was only one person who had come looking for him.


    So he wanted to repay this guy in his own small way.


    ¡°Do you know if the rumour could perhaps be true?¡±


    ¡°What? Which rumour?¡±


    ¡°The rumour that the Guma Gang haven¡¯t just taken the nightclub, they¡¯ve also swallowed up the boss¡¯ slush fund.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s spitting out such rubbish?¡±


    Noh Gil-Sik found it to be absurd.


    Although they were on the back foot, they were confident that it was only temporary, so how could such baseless rumors be spreading behind their backs.


    ¡°But it was a detective who said it.¡±


    Despite his disbelief, it seemed that the source of these rumors couldn¡¯t be dismissed so easily.


    ¡°They said that the boss has run out of money, so he won¡¯t be able to escape any longer.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. Is that why you did it? Because you heard that sort of rumour and you didn¡¯t think that we¡¯d be able to pay for the hospital bills?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just because of that.¡±

 Chapter 21.2

    Please Set the Table (2)


    Dal-Gon slowly took in Noh Gil-Sik¡¯s face.


    He looked a lot older than when they had first met.


    Although it had only been a few years, the time they had spent together had been arduous and eventful.


    Now it seemed that the time had come to bring things to an end.


    In other words, he had to set aside his label as a gangster.


    Though it might not strictly be a happy ending, at the very least he didn¡¯t want to end everything with a tragedy.


    Dal-Gon crooked his finger, gesturing Gil-Sik closer.


    ¡°Hyungnim. To all my older brothers, I can only offer one final present.¡±


    ¡°Dal-Gon-ah.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for everything up until now. Because of you all, I was able to avoid starving and live a happy life.¡±


    The visiting hours were quickly drawing to a close.


    So before the afterglow of their heightened emotions could cool, Dal-Gon whispered.


    ¡°The detective in charge of my case is a bit weird. He acts just like someone who¡¯s known me in the past. Flawlessly at that. Anyway, because of that, I managed to pick something up. It feels like the police will be making their move soon.¡±


    ¡°What kind of move?¡±


    ¡°It looks like they¡¯re going to wipe out the Guma gang. They managed to step on the gang¡¯s tail due to the drugs that I hid.¡±


    ¡°Hm. That feels good to hear.¡±


    ¡°This is not the time to be relieved. Because once the Guma gang is over, we¡¯re next. That¡¯s why you should take care of the money issues while the police are still distracted. He who laughs last, laughs longest.¡±


    ¡°¡­for now, I get what you¡¯re trying to say. I¡¯ll try my best to persuade the boss. If possible, you should also rethink your decision.¡±


    This visit had turned out to be more fruitful than Noh Gil-Sik had expected.


    After all, it was true that their organization did need time to recover from the mess that the nightclub incident had left them in.


    If Dal-Gon was telling the truth, now was the time for that, while the police¡¯s attention had been diverted.


    It was a good incentive with which to appease his enraged boss.


    Buzzz-


    ¡°Visiting hours have ended.¡±


    As a mechanical alarm sounded, the guards stepped forward.


    While exchanging melancholic gazes, the two men rose from their seats.


    Now the time had come for the two to go their separate ways.


    If it was  fated they might meet again, but it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.


    ¡°Live well. Dal-Gon-ah.¡±


    ¡°¡­take good care of yourself.¡±


    Exiting the detection center, Noh Gil-Sik climbed into a black sedan.


    The car pulled away slowly.


    For some reason, Noh Gil-Sik felt pinpricks running down his back.


    ¡®Those pig bastards. Where on earth did they pick up that sort of rumor?¡¯


    Telling everyone that the Guma Gang has taken over the Fork Gang¡¯s shares in the nightclub.


    And on top of that, that they had even swallowed up the boss¡¯ slush fund?


    However, as the police were the source of the rumour, it wasn¡¯t so easy to dismiss it. No matter how ridiculous it seemed.


    ¡°Turn the car around. Instead of the Hwanak District office, head over to the boss¡¯ place.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The car made a large u-turn to get onto a different road.


    Along with a small car that was following them from behind.


    It might have been due to the driver¡¯s skill, but the small car wasn¡¯t spotted at any point along the route to their destination.


    Which was the Emperor Motel.


    Unlike its prestigious name, its exterior showed the signs of its many years.


    Climbing up to the top floor, Noh Gil-Sik stood in front of the room at the end of the hallway.


    Knock, knock-


    The door opened cautiously, and a seedy-looking man peered out from within.


    It was Song Dae-Ak.


    ***


    ¡°Geez. Just look at me. I¡¯m really crying here. What a manly friendship!¡±


    Black clapped his hands as he admired the scene.


    Black and I had established a simple surveillance station next to the visitation room.


    Although a surveillance station might be a bit much when we were just eavesdropping on their conversation with a wiretapping device.


    ¡°But he¡¯s quite the weirdo. Even though you know him so well, he doesn¡¯t remember you at all? Could he have been in an accident?1¡±


    Avoiding eye contact, I made excuses for him.


    I felt uncomfortable whenever the topic of conversation drew close to my reincarnation.


    ¡°Who knows. I¡¯m curious about that as well. In any case, no matter what happened, it¡¯s fine as long as things go well.¡±


    Footnotes:


    1. In case it isn¡¯t clear. This refers to the trope of losing all memory of someone due to head trauma.

 Chapter 21.3

    Please Set the Table (3)


    Everything was going according to plan.


    Firstly, I had purposefully fed Dal-Gon some false information.


    The facts that the Guma Gang had already taken all of the Fork Gang¡¯s money and that the police were about to capture the Guma Gang soon.


    Even though he had pretended disinterest at the time, just look at this.


    He¡¯s spilling everything to his friend.


    Of course that¡¯s just what the Dal-Gon I know would do.


    I knew that he would want to repay the guilt that he felt due to his betrayal.


    ¡°So that¡¯s Song Dae-Ak¡¯s right-hand man? Noh Gil-Sik.¡±


    ¡°It looks that way. He¡¯s probably the only one who knows where Song Dae-Ak is hiding.¡±


    ¡°How did you know he was coming to visit?¡±


    ¡°Dal-Gon gets on well with his superiors. He¡¯s quite the charmer. So I hoped that someone would be coming, but I didn¡¯t know that it would be him.¡±


    The truth was, I knew of this visit because I had heard about it from Dal-Gon in my previous life.


    When he went to jail in place of the boss, there was only one person who had come to visit him.


    But to think that person would be Noh Gil-Sik.


    It seems like this would work out better than I had expected.


    After staring quietly at me for a moment, Black asked.


    ¡°But are you okay with this?¡±


    ¡°Me? Okay with what?¡±


    ¡°It seems like Dal-Gon is quite a precious friend to you, but are you okay with using him like this? Even though he doesn¡¯t know about it¡­¡±


    I shrugged my shoulder in dismissal.


    ¡°If I really am a true friend, then I should do my best to prevent him from going down the wrong path. Right now, I¡¯m actually helping Dal-Gon.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re right. Being friends with a cop is better than being friends with a gangster.¡±


    At that moment we heard Mong-Doo¡¯s voice through a speaker.


    -Noh Gil-Sik¡¯s car has stopped. Are they here for the Emperor Motel? Well, they¡¯re heading in that direction.


    So it¡¯s the Emperor Motel.


    That¡¯s probably Song Dae-Ak¡¯s hideout.


    While organizing the photos on the desk, I said.


    ¡°Just keep an eye on them. Until we let them know about it, they shouldn¡¯t have any proof that Madam Shim has already pocketed the slush fund.¡±


    -Ahhh. I can¡¯t arrest them even though they¡¯re right there. It¡¯s really frustrating.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. Just hold on for a bit longer. After all, you can¡¯t catch a fish without scattering enough bait.¡±


    Inside a photo were the familiar faces of a man and a woman.


    Although it was taken from a distance, you could clearly identify who the camera had been aiming at.


    Ma Eun-Tae and Madam Shim.


    The two regularly held secret meetings in the underground parking lot.


    Particularly intimate meetings at that.


    It was the shining moment of Black¡¯s hard work, having stealthily followed her for the past ten days


    ¡°Unless the Madam suddenly finds her conscience and confesses her sins, Song Dae-Ak will have no choice but to nurse his suspicions while remaining in hiding.¡±


    -Still, Noh Gil-Sik doesn¡¯t look very happy.


    We have to foster all sorts of doubts in his mind.


    Only with that will there be an immediate effect once we inform him of Madam Shim¡¯s betrayal, and it would make his entrance on the day all the more intense.


    I chose only the most provocative photos and set them aside.


    Now all we needed to do was send these to the gang¡¯s office in Hwanak District once the date of the party hds been set.


    Under Dal-Gon¡¯s name, of course.


    ¡°However, what should we say to make sure that these guys arrive exactly on the date?¡±


    ¡°We have to persuade them to go for Madam Shim and Ma Eun-Tae at the same time. As the money has already been handed over to Ma Eun-Tae, there¡¯s no way for them to get it back with just the woman in their hands.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Over the past ten days, we had been working undercover without a moment¡¯s rest.


    Team Leader was on the drugs, Black was on Madam Shim, and Mong-Doo was on the gang¡¯s office.


    And finally, I was watching Dal-Gon.


    This was the start of the most important phase.


    We needed to carefully manage all their moves like we were balancing delicate pieces of glass.


    Since we couldn¡¯t let them see a single trace of our handiwork in this.


    Anyhow, until the party date comes out, we wouldn¡¯t be able to move on to the next phase..


    At that moment, my handphone received a message.


    [Exodus is pleased to announce the date of the party.]


    Finally, the table had been set.


    ***

 Chapter 21.4

    Please Set the Table (4)


    At the Emperor Motel.


    We moved our surveillance station to right below Song Dae-Ak¡¯s room.


    It didn¡¯t seem likely that he would leave his room, but it would allow us to prepare for any unexpected accidents.


    Although I had even pretended to be a motel cleaner in order to stick a listening device to the bottom of his bed¡­


    The problem was that the only thing we had heard  all day were moaning noises.


    Mong-Doo couldn¡¯t take any more of this and threw his earphones away.


    ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be on the run, right? If you look at the way he¡¯s living it up, it seems more like he¡¯s on vacation.¡±


    At that moment, a woman entered his room carrying some delicious food.


    I breathed out a sigh while checking the time.


    ¡°It¡¯s nearly time for it to arrive. Just hold on for a bit longer.¡±


    I had confirmed that the letter we sent arrived at the gang¡¯s office this morning.


    The letter which contained the details of the VIP party and only the best of the best among all the photos we had taken of the secret rendezvous.


    Of course we had sent it under Dal-Gon¡¯s name.


    Ring- Ring-


    The call was from Black.


    He had gone out to buy some food from the convenience store, so why was he calling now?


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Newbie. Noh Gil-Sik and a few of his guys just got on the elevator.


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯re on it.¡±


    At Black¡¯s call, we put on our earphones and went on alert.


    Because our strategy might need to be modified at any time, depending on their reactions.


    Bang, bang- Stomp, stomp, stomp-


    It felt like the roof was shaking.


    They seemed to be in a hurry.


    Mong-Doo raised the previously lowered volume and adjusted the radio signal.


    [Aaaah!]


    ¡°Shit. That scared me.¡±


    The first thing we heard was a woman¡¯s coquettish moan.


    Then, in the background, there was Noh Gil-Sik¡¯s voice.


    Knock, knock-


    [Hyungnim. It¡¯s Gil-Sik. There¡¯s an emergency.]


    [¡­fuck. What¡¯s going on?]


    Pissed off, Song Dae-Ak opened the door.


    Only then could Noh Gil-Sik¡¯s voice be heard more clearly.


    [We received a letter earlier from Dal-Gon, but I think that you need to see it personally.]


    We held our breaths as we waited for his reaction.


    Claaang-! Smash! Crash!


    [Kya!]


    It wasn¡¯t long before we heard a ruckus.


    The sound of things breaking after being thrown as soon as he could get his hands on them went on for a seemingly endless amount of time.


    [Shim Mi-Yong. Where the hell is Shim Mi-Yong?!¡±]


    [Hyungnim. Why don¡¯t you calm down first-]


    [That motherfucker!]


    With a gulp, I pricked up my ears.


    Should Song Dae-Ak be unable to endure his rage and rush off to confront the Madame, then we would have to cut him off here.


    Thud-! Smash!


    Through my body, I could feel the vibrations running down from the ceiling.


    When it seemed like Song Dae-Ak wouldn¡¯t be able to calm himself down, Noh Gil-Sik couldn¡¯t keep watching and personally tried to help him rein in his temper.


    [Hyungnim. Please calm down. If Dal-Gon¡¯s right, then we¡¯re in a serious crisis right now. That bastard Ma Eun-Tae has gotten hold of our shares and the slush fund-]


    [So the rumors from last time were right. That bitch! Even though she cried and pretended to not know what I was talking about.]


    [In any case, it seems like they have been preparing for this ever since we pulled our kids out of the club. The situation is a little-]


    [From then? Wasn¡¯t that more than a year ago. Aaaargh!]


    However rather than calming him down, Noh Gil-Sik¡¯s words only served to stoke his anger even higher.


    Following this, it seemed like Gil-Sik decided that he should instead wait in silence and kept his mouth shut.


    That aside, for this betrayal to have been kept a secret for more than a year.


    It seemed like her relationship with Ma Eun-Tae ran deeper than we expected.


    A woman like her had dared to stage a tug-of-war between the heads of two different gangs.


    No matter how you looked at it, you had to admit that it was impressive.


    Even without our earphones, we started to hear tears mixed in with Song Dae-Ak¡¯s cries of rage.


    It looked like he had snapped out of it.


    [Hyungnim. Please get a hold of yourself. We still have a chance. Since we¡¯ve learned about this in advance, all we need to do is take action.]


    [By what means?]


    [According to Dal-Gon, they¡¯ll be holding a VIP Party the day after tomorrow. Since it holds an important significance, there is a high possibility that Ma Eun-Tae will also be in attendance.]


    [The day after tomorrow?]


    That¡¯s right. That¡¯s how you do it.


    Well done Noh Gil-Sik!


    Mong-Doo and I nodded as we exchanged looks.

 Chapter 22.1

    Entrance of the Players (1)


    [Let¡¯s gather the kids and get rid of the trash all in one go.]


    [Sigh¡­.]


    [In any case, since the organization is in a right mess at the moment, we do need to make an example by disciplining someone. Ever since the incident at the nightclub, I¡¯ve had a feeling that the Guma gang overwhelmed us too easily.]


    [Fuck. Really¡­]


    Song Dae-Ak regained his cool upon hearing Noh Gil-Sik¡¯s calm tone.


    He might have been smoking a cigarette, as we heard him take a few deep breaths.


    [Also, if by some chance Hyungnim gets nabbed by the police, we need to make sure that our foundation survives in order to ensure our future.]


    [That¡¯s just how it is.]


    [If we overturn their VIP Party, we¡¯ll throw a hitch into those bastards¡¯ plans and it¡¯s the easiest way to leave the lasting impression that ¡®we¡¯re not nearly over yet¡¯. I believe that now is the time for us to show this attitude.]


    [Well, it will definitely give those sons of bitches a headache.]


    ¡°Rather than Song Dae-Ak, doesn¡¯t it feel more like Noh Gil-Sik is the boss? His brain processes things really quickly.¡±


    Mong-Doo muttered with admiration.


    I also agreed with him.


    With his impressive skill at judging gains and losses, he outshone Song Dae-Ak by an embarrassing degree.


    It seems that the reason why Song Dae-Ak could maintain his organization for such a long time was because he had an outstanding eye for talent.


    From Dal-Gon to Noh Gil-Sik, and his other extremely loyal subordinates.


    In a way, that was also a strength.


    [However will Ma Eun-Tae be at the party? It will be a waste if only the grunts show up.]


    This was something that we were also worried about.


    The security experts that Madam Shim had talked about were likely to be the Guma Gang¡¯s guys.


    Although the Gogo Nightclub Incident also left them with a lot of casualties, so they shouldn¡¯t have many men left.


    They¡¯ll probably just scrape up whoever they have left and send them to the party.


    That¡¯s why I thought that there was a ¡®probability¡¯ that Ma Eun-Tae would show up as well.


    Of course, we could count it as a success if we managed to capture just the customers, Song Dae-Ak, and the remnants of his gang.


    [I¡¯ll find that out.]


    [Do you have a good idea?]


    [I know someone who will be attending the VIP Party. With his help, I can find out if Ma Eun-Tae will be in attendance. And if Ma Eun-Tae won¡¯t be coming, then I can ask my friend to arrange it so that he is.]


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy¡­.¡±


    ¡°Awesome.¡±


    This was such a lucky coincidence that we were struck speechless and left with goosebumps.


    Mong-Doo and I nodded our heads like crazy before giving each other a high five.


    It couldn¡¯t get any better than this.


    [There¡¯s someone you know? Who?]


    [I told you about him before. From when I first visited Exodus.]


    [Ah. That guy. Didn¡¯t you say he was the CEO¡¯s cousin?]


    [Yes. That¡¯s right.]


    ¡°CEO¡¯s cousin? Who could that be.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Well. I can¡¯t really tell.¡±


    It might be because it was a private conversation, but I couldn¡¯t understand half of what they were saying.


    However, so what.


    The overall flow of the situation was going in our intended direction.


    [Okay. Got it. Get the kids together.]


    [Yes sir. Also, as the police are keeping an eye on the Guma Gang, we¡¯ll have to get our hit in quickly and get out as fast as we can.]


    Hm. So they¡¯re going to use hit-and-run tactics.


    I wonder if they have something special in mind?


    I wanted to continue listening, but their conversation stopped here.


    Mong-Doo and I sent a message to the Team Leader, who was still watching over the drugs.


    Letting him know that Song Dae-Ak had decided to make his move.


    ***


    At an international hotel located in the center of Seoul.


    As a luxury car parked in front of the entrance, the attending bellboy approached to open its door.


    At the sight of my elegantly coiffed appearance, he hesitated slightly.


    It was a familiar reaction.


    Even though my skin had chapped due to hard work, Go Ji-Hun¡¯s looks hadn¡¯t faded in the slightest.


    Just as Mong-Doo and I were about to get out of the car.


    ¡°Excuse me, sirs.¡±


    We could see Chief Kim¡¯s uneasy look reflected through the back mirror.


    The hands clutching tightly onto the steering wheel were trembling slightly and his shoulders were hunched stiffly.


    So he had managed to drive all the way here while in such a state.


    ¡°Make sure to drive home safely. Thank you for driving us here today.¡±


    ¡°Everything will really be okay, right?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. You¡¯re such a worrywart. I¡¯m just going in to do some work.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t let yourself get hurt.¡±

 Chapter 22.2

    Entrance of the Players (2)


    I didn¡¯t respond to Manager Kim¡¯s plea.


    I just smiled and closed the car door behind me.


    There would probably be the VIPs¡¯ personal bodyguards, the Guma Gang, and of course the Fork Gang, all gathered in the same place at the same time.


    I didn¡¯t dare promise that I wouldn¡¯t get hurt.


    After I got out of the luxury car, it stayed in place for quite a while before reluctantly leaving the hotel.


    -Wow. Is that really our newbie? Your dashing figure is no joke.


    The Team Leader¡¯s voice rang in my ear.


    I turned my head and looked to the rooftop of the building on the opposite side of the road.


    The people on the rooftop looked as small as matchsticks.


    Team Leader and the snipers from the SWAT team were stationed up there.


    ¡°As if, you can¡¯t even see me clearly from up there.¡±


    -Not at all. Your halo is so bright that I can easily see it from here.


    ¡°Is your face feeling a bit better?¡±


    -Ah? Of course. He used to be quite a tough guy when he was on active duty, but now his fists feel like a gentle spray of water.


    Yesterday, the Team Leader received a good beating from our Station Chief.


    All while being scolded for taking action on such an important case without making any reports.


    At Team Leader¡¯s reply, ¡®I thought things would go bad if I said anything,¡¯ the Station Chief had even thrown the report he had been reading into Team Leader¡¯s face.


    Then I was almost struck a finishing blow,


    ¡°Welcome to our establishment.¡±


    when Black greeted me with a bandage stuck to his swollen red forehead.


    His uniform was on the verge of bursting at the seams due to his bulging muscles.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Mong-Doo and I stifled our laughter while pretending not to see him.


    Phew. This was an important moment, so we had to stay focussed.


    We crossed the hotel lobby and entered a hallway that was lined with elevators.


    Among these, the elevator that went directly to the hotel penthouse was located in a back corridor, so we had to go around another corner to reach it.


    This was out of consideration for the penthouse guests, in respect for their privacy.


    Although it seemed more like pointless ostentatiousness from my point of view.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    The security guard stationed in the corridor stood in our way.


    The atmosphere he emanated was too fierce for him to be from an ordinary company.


    ¡°Have you been invited here today?¡±


    Mong-Doo and I showed them the message with the directions that had been sent to our handphones.


    After checking the contents of the message, he politely bowed to us.


    ¡°It is our pleasure to welcome you. Perchance, do you require these?¡±


    He took out two simple masks.


    Although they didn¡¯t have any patterns, the lines of the masks were so exquisitely sculpted that they were captivating.


    Mong-Doo and I nodded our heads and accepted them.


    The security guard turned his head to check the elevators, only to turn back with an embarrassed smile.


    ¡°We are very sorry. There are currently guests waiting for the elevators. We must ask the guests to enter separately for privacy reasons.¡±


    Oh. It¡¯s impressive how seriously they¡¯re taking our ¡®privacy¡¯.


    If they have a system like this, we could set aside our worries and enjoy the party.


    In a few moments, we followed the security guard¡¯s directions and entered the elevator.


    -Ding Dong.


    ¡°Please enjoy your time with us.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    As we climbed up the floors, the night view of Seoul that was shining through the glass walls expanded continuously.


    It was a beautiful sight, looking almost as if the stars were beneath our feet.


    Then a signal came in from our Team Leader.


    -A SWAT team will be stationed on the floor directly below you. Our snipers are also on standby.


    Then another from Black.


    -We¡¯re waiting with the guys in the first floor lobby. Try not to lose focus and get stabbed, let¡¯s all do our best.


    Mong-Doo laughed and poked fun at Black.


    ¡°Of course we have to do our best. Unless we want to get the piss beaten out of us by the Station Chief.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Just thinking about it gives me the chills.¡±


    -Annoying twerps¡­


    While trading insults we released our tension.


    Though my heart was still racing slightly.


    As the elevator drew closer to the penthouse floor, I donned the mask.


    Team Leader, who was watching over us from a distance, started to count.


    -Three. Two. One! Now, the players have entered the field!


    Ding-Dong-


    The door opened.


    The general manager, Chang-I, greeted us at the entrance.


    Behind him, there was dense smog and an endless stream of flickering lasers.


    Following the pounding beat, we entered the hall.


    Boom- Boom- Boom-


    ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°Waaaah!¡±


    ¡°Urgh-¡±

 Chapter 22.3

    Entrance of the Players (3)


    There was a small pool surrounded by sculptures of the gods of Olympus.


    A couple had already gotten thoroughly drunk, and were now wrapped around each other in a topless embrace.


    This was probably an intentional show to get our blood pumping.


    Because the faster our blood circulated, the faster that the drugs would take effect.


    Mong-Doo and I exchanged glances and nodded.


    ¡°Looks like this¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s party hard.¡±


    Our own party was just getting started.


    -From now on Mong-Doo is linked with me, while the newbie is linked with Black.


    Seeing as the interior was so chaotic, the team leader gave this order to prevent any confusion.


    -Mong-Doo on the right. Newbie on the left. Make a big circle of the room.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, see you later.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    The penthouse was split up into different rooms that were linked together like a honeycomb.


    After Mong-Doo and I said our goodbyes, he headed to the right.


    As I moved in the opposite direction, I tapped the button on my shirt twice.


    This was to adjust the lighting of the hidden camera.


    -Okay. There¡¯s no problem with the screen. But there¡¯s way too much smog.


    Since they had let out smoke in an already dim place, it felt like I had arrived at the scene of a fire.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the lasers and occasional lights, it might even seem frightening.


    I walked forward slowly while scanning my surroundings.


    As if they were ghosts, people faded in and out of the smoke.


    There were mostly couples grinding against each other as they embraced.


    Just as Madam Shim had said, in this atmosphere there wasn¡¯t much of a reaction as to whether or not you chose to wear a mask.


    Because their only concern was the pursuit of primal pleasures.


    Also, at every turn, you could see men in t-shirts paying their full attention to the party¡¯s security.


    As I wandered here and there, I noticed that the dozens of guards, waiters, and bartenders all seemed to be part of the same group.


    -Newbie. Take a look at the top of the tables.


    A ruckus seemed to have occurred at one empty table as empty bottles and glasses were scattered haphazardly.


    I noticed an empty plastic wrapper and picked it up to get a better look.


    The trademark of the Exodus club was printed on the plastic


    When I looked closely, I spotted traces of white powder.


    -Is it sugar? Or salt


    ¡°Not sure. I can¡¯t fully tell. But I think it might have been sugar.¡±


    -But why was it marked with Exodus¡¯ brand? Could they be making it seem like it¡¯s high-quality sugar by branding it.


    ¡°Probably. Hm. So it¡¯s not just distribution, they¡¯re also involved in manufacturing.¡±


    -In any case, keep taking a look around. Let¡¯s get a hold of Madam Shim and Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s location first.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    As I went through one room after another, the atmosphere became increasingly desolate.


    Through the open doorways, I could see people laid out flat with their syringes rolling on the floor.


    -Crazy bastards. They¡¯ve lost their senses.


    I frowned as I picked up one of the discarded syringes.


    The inside of the syringe was packed full of undissolved grains.


    -Hey. Isn¡¯t she an idol? There, up ahead.


    It was a member of an idol group whose stock had been on the rise lately.


    She was a kid who had become so famous that even I, who didn¡¯t watch TV, knew about her.


    Black grumbled in a gloomy tone.


    -Shit¡­ And I even bought her latest album.


    Hm. This meant that not only the political world, but also the entertainment world was caught up in this.


    As I got farther away from the main hall, the smog slowly grew lighter.


    In the distance, I saw a crowd having a conversation near a window.


    In the center of the crowd stood the organizer of this party, Madam Shim.


    And supporting her from the side was a certain man.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ma Eun-Tae.¡±


    -So he came. Well spotted.


    I tried to keep a covert eye on them, in order to check just who happened to be in attendance.


    However I seemed to have caught Madam Shim¡¯s attention.


    She ducked her head to one side and started to whisper something to Ma Eun-Tae.


    Even though my face was covered, had she noticed it was me?


    -Newbie. Hide in the smog. It looks like you¡¯re standing out.


    I could hide my looks, but not my build.


    I hadn¡¯t thought that I was so tall and sturdy as to draw attention from a distance.


    Sigh, this was all because of Black.


    Next to him, even my over-180 cms of height looked average.


    Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he turned to stare at me.


    As if he had felt a strange sense of deja-vu.


    ¡®Shit. I¡¯m fucked.¡±


    As the two continued their hushed conversation, they soon drew closer to me.


    -Well now, what should we do?


    Black was also left flustered and feeling helpless.


    And it seemed that the Fork Gang were still on their way.


    Ma Eun-Tae slowly crept closer.


    Helplessly, I picked up a bottle of alcohol that had been placed next to me.


    If it comes to it, then I would have to make my move and strike first.


    At that moment¡­

 Chapter 23.1 - The Victor of the Three-Way Fight (1)

    The Victor of the Three-Way Fight (1)


    ¡°We meet again.¡±


    The woman who suddenly threw herself into my chest began to flirt with me.


    -Huh? What¡¯s going on? Why has the screen gone dark?


    I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but for now I wrapped my arm around her waist and pushed her against the wall.


    Then I turned my body so that my back was facing Ma Eun-Tae.


    By broadcasting the signal that I was busy, I was discouraging him from approaching.


    Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s feet came to a halt and then took a step back back.


    Because he couldn¡¯t interfere with a guest¡¯s entertainment just to satisfy his own curiosity.


    -Newbie? Newbie? Can you hear me? This fucking antique. What a piece of junk.


    ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    -Huh. I can hear someone.


    I peeled the woman off of me and took a glance at Ma Eun-Tae and Madam Shim.


    Ma Eun-Tae had taken Madam Shim¡¯s arm and was now disappearing off to somewhere else.


    It looked like the two wanted to have some alone time.


    -And the screen¡¯s ba- huh? Who¡¯s this woman?


    That was something I wanted to ask.


    No matter how I looked, I couldn¡¯t recall having seen her face before.


    ¡°Last time we met at Exodus, you were the one who saved me.¡±


    Ahah. So this was the woman who had been assaulted by Moon-Joong.


    I could only recall the sight of her back as she collapsed onto the sofa.


    The woman smiled at me seductively through half-lidded eyes.


    It felt like she was completely drunk. Or else she might be high on drugs.


    ¡°I have to thank you for back then. I wanted to greet you earlier, but I was still in recovery so I couldn¡¯t. Ah, my name is Ji-Young.¡±


    -Oh? Fuck!


    I suddenly heard Black curse.


    There was the sound of something smashing and then the signal was interrupted.


    A crackling, static noise broke out that felt like it was going to burst my eardrum.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    I was asking Black, but the woman seemed to have misunderstood and thought I was asking her.


    ¡°Shall we share a drink together? The room over there is empty.¡±


    -The Forks! The fucking Fork bastards!


    So they had finally arrived.


    I pushed the woman away and started moving to the elevator.


    Although Black would be able to block the first wave, we would have to stop those who broke through and made their way up.


    However the woman grabbed onto my arm and refused to let go.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Please get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you find me attractive?¡±


    The woman¡¯s face started to glow with a dark red blush.


    Her hands also proved somehow strong enough that they showed no signs of losing their grip as I tried to shake my arm free.


    ¡°I¡¯m just busy right now.¡±


    ¡°Even I- even I don¡¯t like to look at myself. I hate coming here and doing things like this- that son of a bitch CEO- a debut- hiccup!¡±


    ¡°Wha- What¡¯s with this all of a sudden.¡±


    Was this a side effect of the drugs?


    The woman knelt on the floor and started weeping.


    More than embarrassment, I actually felt frightened.


    While I sympathized with her garbled complaints, I just didn¡¯t have the time to leisurely sit and listen to her.


    I quickly placed her into an empty room and ran towards the entrance.


    -They¡¯ve broken through to the normal elevators and the exclusive elevator. They barged their way into the lobby by driving a freaking bus through the back doors. Special Operations Unit Team 1 are on the way. Just hold on! We¡¯ll also be there soon.


    Really, a bus. What a dramatic entrance.


    If their intention was to attract attention, it had proven effective.


    The problem with their plan was that the police were already unexpectedly waiting in ambush.


    Ding-Dong


    At that moment, the elevator doors opened and a bright light poured out.


    The guys from the Fork gang wore fierce expressions on their faces as they slowly pushed the smog while brandishing their improvised weapons.


    It seemed that they were all so wasted that they couldn¡¯t even see clearly.


    ¡°Wahoo!¡±


    ¡°Bwahahaha!¡±


    But that didn¡¯t stop them from laughing in crazed excitement, even in such a serious situation.


    Only Chang-I, and a few others who still had their wits about them, reacted with alarm and tried escaping to the back.


    However, that was a poor decision.


    The Fork gangsters ignored the people who were still partying and chased after those who were fleeing.


    One of them tripped Chang-I with a kick.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I felt the urge to cry ¡®timber¡¯ as he fell.


    I jumped in and kicked away the guy from the Fork gang.


    Chang-I crawled on the floor, trying to recover his composure.


    ¡°Th- Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°No need for thanks.¡±


    Wham!


    I fed Chang-I a fist and knocked him unconscious.


    From now on, none of these gangster bastards will be able to leave.


    ¡°Hyungnim! It¡¯s over here!¡±


    I heard a cry from inside the fog.


    Song Dae-Ak stalked forward triumphantly while being escorted by his subordinates.


    There may have been some fighting down below, as his clothes were stained with blood.


    The Guma gangsters who had realised what was going on, confronted them while holding empty wine bottles.


    Wham!


    Clang!


    ¡°Fuck off you snot-nosed little bastards!¡±


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    However they were no match for the Fork gangsters who were prepared and also high on drugs.

 Chapter 23.2

    The Victor of the Three-Way Fight (2)


    ¡°Ma Eun-Tae! Shim Mi-Young!¡±


    Song Dae-Ak¡¯s roar rang through the hall, mixing in with the music.


    I went after him, defeating each Fork gangster that I encountered one by one.


    However the numbers were overwhelmingly against me.


    Song Dae-Ak was getting further and further away, but I was running out of strength.


    ¡°Fuck. A young master like you should have just kept chugging your drinks. Unless you wanted me to tear you a new one.¡±


    One of them came at me, swinging his knife.


    Right at that moment, a baseball bat came flying past in a smooth swing right by the side of my face.


    It was Mong-Doo.


    With him came the S.O.U. team along with Black.


    They were all wielding police batons and riot shields while marching in unison.


    In the lead, Black shouted while holding up his fist.


    ¡°This is the police! You are all immediately placed under arrest on charges of assault, drug possession, prostitution, and ¡­ what was it again? Fuck it, and etcetera! You¡¯re all fucked, so get ready to call a lawyer!¡±


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    Whaaam! Bam!


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    Inside the smoke, the police clashed with the gangsters.


    Only then did the ordinary partygoers understand the direness of the situation and started running towards the exit.


    They¡¯d probably get escorted down soon by other officers and spend some time in a police van.


    Meanwhile, I chased after Song Dae-Ak¡¯s back.


    As the smoke had cleared up slightly, people¡¯s figures were becoming clearly visible.


    There was pandemonium everywhere.


    After all, it was a three-way fight between the police, the Fork gang, and the Guma gang.


    I ran down the corridor, following my feet.


    ¡°Shim Mi-Young!¡±


    ¡°Kyaak!¡±


    There was a familiar voice.


    With the two having fallen back to the innermost room, Song Dae-Ak had found them and was now confronting Ma Eun-Tae and Shim Mi-Young.


    How lucky. So they were all gathered here.


    ¡°How could you? How! How could you do this to me?¡±


    Song Dae-Ak wailed as he pulled out a sashimi knife.


    Shit. To turn his attention to me, I picked up a beer bottle and threw it against the wall.


    Crash!


    As the bottle shattered, brown liquid splashed against the wall.


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    All three of them turned towards me.


    In one¡¯s eyes shone a sense of relief, in another¡¯s a flare of surprise, and in the final pair shone a smouldering rage.


    I took off my mask.


    Aaah. It was so stifling that I had thought I was dying.


    ¡°This is the police. All of you should just stop and get ready to be put behind bars.¡±


    ¡°You, you are¡­¡±


    Ma Eun-Tae frowned as he recognized me.


    His expression showed that he didn¡¯t understand how things had come to this.


    It might be from taking drugs, but he didn¡¯t seem in full control of his body.


    I smiled widely as I greeted him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that we would see each other again?¡±


    ¡°Just what is this¡­¡±


    ¡°Gogo Nightclub 2, the sequel? Let¡¯s see who ends up on top today.¡±


    Song Dae-Ak shook himself and took a firm grasp of the knife.


    You could clearly see what he was thinking.


    The assault against the Guma gang had been going well, but an ambush by the police had come completely out of left field.


    Since that was the case, he was going to get arrested anyway, so he might as well finish things once and for all.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡±


    ¡°Kya! Oppa! Please!¡±


    Song Dae-Ak swung his knife at Ma Eun-Tae and Madam Shim.


    Mae Eun-Tae didn¡¯t have full control of his senses because of the drugs, and Madam Shim was so lost in her panic that she could only shiver uncontrollably.


    So I swiftly threw myself at Song Dae-Ak.


    But he changed the direction of his swipe, avoiding the two of them and instead thrusting his knife at me.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    However it was blocked by the stab-proof vest I was wearing underneath, the impact twisted Song Dae-Ak¡¯s wrist, and I didn¡¯t miss the opening.


    Bam!


    With all my strength, I swung my fist up into his chin.


    I followed up with an endless flurry of punches that battered Song Dae-Ak¡¯s face.


    Putting this dangerous guy into a coma until the case was finally wrapped up would be the most helpful thing I could do.


    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡±


    ¡°You son of a ¡­ bitch.¡±


    Song Dae-Ak¡¯s face was covered in sweat and blood.


    Still, he cried out in rage.


    Railing against the dual tragedy of a betrayal by the woman he trusted and the collapse of everything he had built.


    With this, Song Dae-Ak fell unconscious.


    It was only then that I was able to stop swinging my fists.


    I took a breath and turned to face Madam Shim.


    Huh? But where was Ma Eun-Tae?


    Squelch-


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The sashimi knife stabbed into my shoulder.


    Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s eyes flashed as they met mine.


    ¡°This crazy bastard!¡±


    With my remaining strength, I pushed him away.


    The blood flowing from my shoulder dripped down my arm before splashing on the floor.


    I couldn¡¯t put any strength into it. And it hurt like hell.


    Having fallen to the floor, Ma Eun-Tae got back up with a syringe in hand and rushed towards me.


    It looked like I was right, he really was crazy.

 Chapter 23.3

    The Victor of the Three-Way Fight (3)


    ¡°Like this- If I just go away like this, everything will end! We¡¯re all going to die!¡±


    Mae Eun-Tae shouted some garbled words as he grabbed hold of me and shook.


    ¡°You and- you and I, aren¡¯t we the same kind of person. Fuck! All you police bastards are the same! Hahaha!¡¯


    ¡°This guy¡¯s gone completely around the bend.¡±


    In place of an arm, I kicked him away with my foot.


    He collapsed onto the floor, foaming at the mouth.


    I thought that the pain in my shoulder was fading, but soon I noticed that my head was spinning.


    Could it be, was this because of the drug in the syringe?


    Stumbling, I crawled out into the hallway.


    From a distance, Black and Mong-Doo came running and lent me an arm in support.


    ¡°Newbie!¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with you!¡±


    In the aftermath, the party venue was brought to order.


    The kids who had been indulging in drugs and alcohol were escorted away one by one.


    ¡°Shit. Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Bring me some booze as well!¡±


    ¡°Mommy. Just call my mommy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not moving until my lawyer gets here.¡±


    ¡­this was one of hell of night.


    Once the sun rose, the whole of Korea would probably be turned on its head.


    With my shoulder all wrapped up, I leaned back against a wall.


    With the strange reaction from the drug on top of the excessive blood loss, I couldn¡¯t move a finger.


    It felt like I was the only one relaxing, while everyone else was busy working.


    It didn¡¯t feel too bad.


    My eyes slowly drooped close.


    ¡°Oi oi. Newbie. Wake up.¡±


    Black and Mong-Doo slapped my cheeks in a panic.


    ¡°I¡¯m not dying. It¡¯s because I¡¯m tired. Really tired.¡±


    ¡°This brat. You say shit like that and then you end up closing your eyes for good.¡±


    ¡°I know my body¡¯s condition well. No need to wor-¡±


    At that moment, I spotted two men who were being arrested.


    One of them was so drunk that he couldn¡¯t hold his body up, and the other appeared to be a bodyguard from the way he was supporting the first.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    But the bodyguard¡¯s palm just happened to look very dark.


    And not because it was stained with something dirty, but because a picture had been drawn on it¡­


    ¡°A tattoo?¡±


    For a tattoo to be on his palm.


    That was definitely a rare feature.


    Could it possibly be a tiger tattoo?


    If that¡¯s the case, was he the one who killed me in my previous life?


    Shit. My eyes are closing by themselves.


    I¡¯ll investigate everything once I wake up¡­


    ¡°Newbie! Open your eyes! There¡¯s a promotion waiting for you, you bastard!¡±


    Black grabbed hold of me and shook.


    It was like he was filming a movie all by himself.


    I fell asleep sleeping.


    The three-way fight that would set Korea into an uproar had now come to an end.


    With the victory going to the police.


    ***


    In the VIP suite of the Gogwang Seoul Hospital.


    With the help of a doctor, I carefully rotated my shoulder.


    ¡°Does it still feel uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°Just a bit.¡±


    ¡°It looks like the wound needs more time to heal.¡±


    The doctor spoke as he wrapped the bandage around my shoulder.


    ¡°If the knife had gone in any further, you could have lost the use of your arm forever.¡±


    I had managed to avoid a serious injury because the sashimi knife had struck the strap of the stab-proof vest and slid to the side.


    Now that I thought back on it, it even felt like the syringe had hurt more.


    ¡°Please be careful not to worsen the injury.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you very much.¡±


    Suddenly, I remembered the first time that I woke up in Go Ji -Hoon¡¯s body.


    Just like that time, I was receiving treatment in the VIP suite.


    The only difference was that I now had these guys with me¡­


    ¡°Wow. Just look at this hospital¡¯s interior design. I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s just like a hotel!¡±


    ¡°Hey Newbie. Is it okay if I turn on the TV?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m heading off to play soccer later in the evening, how about we grab a drink? Ah, almost forgot, Newbie can¡¯t drink right now.¡±


    Team Leader, Black, and Mong-Doo were lounging on the sofa, acting like they lived here.


    They had ripped open the visiting gifts of fruits and drinks that had been placed on the table.


    I munched on an apple as I took down the full dress uniform that had been hanging on the wall.


    Manager Kim had spent all night crying over this police uniform as he ironed it.


    He seemed to feel some sort of pride at me having become a proper member of society.


    I checked the time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys need to get prepared as well?¡±


    It was nine o¡¯clock in the morning.


    At this time, we would usually be arriving at the police station and taking our seats, but today was a bit special.


    Because it was the day of my discharge from the hospital, and also the day when a special promotion awards ceremony was being held.

 Chapter 24.1

    The Special Promotion Awards (1)


    Not only that, but the entire team was going to get special promotions.


    So instead of their musty t-shirts, they had all changed into their dress uniforms.


    As they say, clothes make the man, and everybody looked like they were practically glowing.


    Especially their faces, which were bright with irrepressible happiness and excitement.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve even put on a new pair of socks today.¡±


    Black bragged as he lifted his feet up for us to see.


    Instead of his usual ragged navy-blue socks, he really did have on a new pair of dress socks.


    As Mong-Doo saw these, his face stiffened as he mumbled.


    ¡°Hyungnim. Until now, it hadn¡¯t really sunk in for me. But once I saw your socks, it finally hit me.¡±


    Ever since he had become a police officer, this was his first award.


    His eyes gradually welled up with emotion.


    ¡°My wife is still celebrating the fact that I¡¯ve finally been promoted. Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, I was actually served a side-dish which had meat in it.¡±


    Team Leader felt the exact same way.


    Starting today, he would finally get to tear off his label as the eternal team leader.


    ¡°Oh yeah. I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re turning today¡¯s awards ceremony into a big deal. Even the higher-ups of the Gangnam Police Station and Joongbu Police Station will be attending.¡±


    Although Exodus was in Gangnam and the Silla Hotel was in Joongbu, they would be coming here because the operation was helmed by us.


    While doing up my buttons, I asked.


    ¡°Ah. By the way, did you find out about the thing that I asked for?¡±


    ¡°The palm tattoo?¡±


    As soon as I opened my eyes in the hospital, I had asked them to find out about that person.


    Mong-Doo shook his head in apology.


    ¡°There are a total of seven secutirty companies that are being investigated due to having a presence at the scene of the incident. As their employees are all contract workers, it seems to be taking a long time to identify that person?¡±


    Black also added on something.


    ¡°I thought he might have been one of the gangsters, so I checked all of the guys that we caught. However, although there were guys with tattoos on the backs of their hands, there were none with tattoos on their palms.¡±


    If only I hadn¡¯t lost consciousness back then, it would have been easy to pursue it.


    There was nothing for it.


    For now, I would just have to sort out this case and then start slowly investigating.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Team Leader noticed my regret, so he turned on the TV as a distraction.


    These days, he had developed a new hobby of watching the news.


    Because they were constantly reporting on the ¡®Thugs and Drugs Party case¡¯ that we had cracked.


    The announcer calmly read the latest news report.


    [It is being called the second Gogo Nightclub incident. Among the attendants of the ¡®Thugs and Drugs Party¡¯, a famous idol has been identified, creating a huge impact-]


    A love triangle between two gang leaders.


    The ugly side of celebrities.


    And the public war against drugs.


    It was probably because all of these things were good material for people to gossip about.


    From morning to night, the heat of this incident stayed high.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t there less VIPs than we expected?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Our newbie was the highest S-class VIP there.¡±


    Most of those who had been arrested were the children of prosperous, mid-sized firms.


    The companies listed on the stock market had their prices fluctuate and the politicians involved made apologies in front of the cameras.


    Our roundup had brought quite a stir to society.


    ¡°In any case, Newbie, once today¡¯s awards ceremony is over, get some rest before you return to work.¡±


    Team Leader said this without taking his gaze off the television.


    Even though I¡¯d be getting some time off as a reward anyway.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. My arm¡¯s already most of the way there.¡±


    When I rejected his offer, Black jolted in surprise and started dissuading me.


    ¡°Hey. I know this from being stabbed quite a few times, but when you first get stabbed, you have to make sure it heals properly. If you don¡¯t, then the wound will keep opening.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastard. It¡¯s like he¡¯s talking about dumpling skins.¡±


    As Team Leader mocked Black, Mong-Doo brightened up.


    ¡°Oh. Dumplings sound good. Should we eat dumplings as our beer snacks today?¡±


    ¡°Poor Mong-Doo. Do you really think dumplings are what you should eat on special occasions? On a day like this, you have to eat meat. Not just any meat, it has to be Hanwoo1!¡±


    ¡°Will it be Black-hyungnim¡¯s treat?¡±


    ¡°No? For something like this, of course the boss has to pay for it.¡±


    Everyone was making a racket and joking around like children.


    On a day like this, anything can seem like fun.


    I tucked in my shirt and picked up my usual clothes.


    Just in time, Chief Kim opened the door and came in.


    ¡°Are you done preparing?¡±


    I nodded my head.


    Our team members also got up while adjusting their indigo-coloured jackets.


    Cool. As expected, uniforms need to be worn as a group.


    Chief Kim¡¯s eyes were on the verge of tears.


    I smiled and said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Our promotions are waiting.¡±


    ***


    Footnote:


    1. Hanwoo basically means Korean beef, but it specifically refers to a high-grade breed of beef cattle that are raised only in Korea. Basically, the Korean version of Wagyu beef.

 Chapter 24.2 - The Special Promotion Awards (2)

    The Special Promotion Awards (2)


    The awards ceremony had a solemn atmosphere.


    All of the hundreds of seats that had been set up were filled.


    With tense gaits we climbed up to the stage, and faced the Police Commissioner with our backs to the auditorium.


    It had been a while since I last saw the Commissioner.


    He greeted me secretly with a smile in my direction.


    I, who had been roped in as a publicity stunt, had once again saved the reputation of the police.


    With how sweetly he was looking at me, it felt like honey was dripping from the Commissioner¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°We will now begin the awards ceremony.¡±


    As the MC spoke, we took a step forward.


    Calling out our names one at a time, the Commissioner started handing us our awards.


    Then it soon came to my turn.


    As the MC read out the contents of my introduction, his voice rang out clearly.


    ¡°Suan Station, Violent Crime Task Force, Go Ji-Hun. Today, the 22nd of April 20XX, he is promoted to the rank of Corporal. By the order of the Seoul Metropolitan Agency¡¯s Commissioner General, Gong Moon-Gab.¡±


    Clap clap clap clap-


    The sound of applause rang gracefully through the auditorium.


    Holding onto our awards, we saluted the Commissioner.


    As the last to be awarded, I was chosen to be the representative, so I shouted.


    ¡°Attention. About turn.¡±


    In unison, the team turned 180¡ã to the right.


    ¡°Attention.¡±


    In the distance, I could see Chief Kim and Go Dae-Man.


    What the. I didn¡¯t know he would be coming as well.


    I lifted my gaze slightly and shouted with full force.


    ¡°Salute!¡±


    Snap-


    Our salutes were all at the exact right angle.


    Like a storm, the cheers and flashes rolled over us.


    Clap clap clap-


    Snap-! Snap-!


    Team Leader and Black. Then Mong-Doo and I.


    We looked at each other before grinning wildly.


    ¡®From now on I¡¯m a corporal!¡¯


    After the awards ceremony was over.


    I headed over to the office by myself.


    Team Leader and Black were spending time with their families, while Mong-Doo was taking his girlfriend out to eat or something.


    Though they said that afterwards we¡¯d definitely be meeting in the evening for dinner.


    Go Dae-Man and Chief Kim?


    Something urgent came up at the company, so they disappeared.


    Go Ji-Hun, you brat. So you really had such a lonely life!


    It felt just like being left all alone on graduation day.


    Although, as it happens, I did have somewhere I needed to go¡­


    At that moment, someone stepped in front of me.


    ¡°Congratulations. Your name was Go Ji-Hun, right? Violent Crime Task Force¡¯s newbie.¡±


    It was Wang Ong-Gu.


    Unlike the last time I saw him, his face looked drastically aged.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    While keeping my head down, I tried to get past him.


    ¡°By the way. Aren¡¯t we like family?¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu suddenly burst out with something strange.


    I halted my steps and turned to look at him.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that since we¡¯re all working at the same police station, that means we¡¯re like a family. So we should all show respect for professional ethics. If you got a tip-off about drugs, shouldn¡¯t you have told us about it?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t wrong to say this.


    If we were playing by the rules, we should have tried to cooperate with them the moment that Dal-Gon told us the location of the drugs.


    However if Dal-Gon had been under the charge of another detective, the case would never have been resolved.


    I smiled in embarrassment and ducked my head back down.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. It¡¯s just that the circumstances were a bit urgent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, you team leader- No, wait, he¡¯s now a section chief. Anyway, he¡¯s being too greedy. If he does this again and keeps swallowing everything up for himself, he¡¯ll end up with a stomach ache. You should keep that in mind as well. Tch!¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu had lost all restraint and was chewing out the Team Leader to my face.


    Although it was true that the team leader had the final say, I was the one who planned out our strategy and recommended it.


    Also, what else could it be but my own capability that allowed me to see the possibility and go for it.


    I replied with a frown on my face.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have the capability, there¡¯s no way you could get promoted to section chief.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking back to me right now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I thought that this was just a bit of gossip between family members.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s face flushed an angry red.


    Then he instinctively grabbed a hold of my collar and tried to pull me closer.


    While batting away his hand, I raised my head up high.


    I was urging him to look up at the ceiling.


    ¡°Is it ok for family to be at each other¡¯s throats?¡±


    At the bright lights shining from the CCTV cameras nestled in the corners of the ceiling.


    If it came to a fight, Wang Ong-Gu was sure to lose.


    Although he wasn¡¯t a weakling, when compared to Go Ji-Hun who had both connections and fame?


    At the very least, I should stop him here before he goes any further.


    Wang Ong-Gu stared at me like he wanted to kill me then and there, but instead he just spat on the floor.


    As if he had seen something that left a bad taste in his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s set a good example. As fellow family members.¡±

 Chapter 24.3

    The Special Promotion Awards (3)


    While roughly loosening his collar with a finger, Wang Ong-Gu stomped down the stairs.


    So that¡¯s that. You¡¯d think he was a gangster rather than a cop.


    Through a window, I watched Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s back recede into the distance.


    He had a lot of secrets that I needed to uncover.


    To what extent was he involved with the Hae-Soo case?


    Why did he suddenly transfer from the Violent Crimes Task Force to the Narcotics Unit?


    Had he sincerely believed that I was the culprit in the Hae-Soo case?


    I took out my handphone and called Ho-Un.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Woah. It¡¯s been almost a year since I last heard from you.


    ¡°Have you been well?¡±


    -What kind of student would say he¡¯s doing anything other than just average? I¡¯m just getting on by.


    ¡°You sound like an old man.¡±


    -But what¡¯s up with you? Have a request?


    He¡¯s quick to notice.


    ¡°It¡¯s a background investigation. Can you do it?¡±


    -That sort of thing is my specialty, but there¡¯s a slight problem.


    ¡°Problem? What kind of problem? Has your mother said something?¡±


    -Non non. After showing her the business card, she¡¯s decided to ignore everything and let it slide. Ah, the person that you ordered me to investigate last time. Was he really the Suan Spaniel? How did things go?


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the whole story next time. Just tell me what kind of problem you have first.¡±


    If this was a serious problem, I might be in trouble.


    Where else could I find an expert who was as clean and trustworthy as Ho-Un?


    However the words that next passed his lips were as bland as flat cider.


    -I¡¯m also a bit busy these days. It¡¯s time for the midterm exams.


    Ah, that¡¯s right. So this guy was going to school properly.


    -That¡¯s why it might take a little more time. That alright?


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s nothing too urgent. Take it slowly.¡±


    -Okay. I¡¯ll just send you my invoice.


    After concluding the deal with Ho-Un, I caught a taxi.


    So far, I had been so busy with work that I didn¡¯t have the time to even touch on the Hae-Soo case.


    Even though I really should have gone to look for him already.


    ¡°Please take me to Suan Prison.¡±


    The person currently accused of the Hae-Soo murder case.


    It was obvious that I might be able to get important information about the murder case from the man himself.


    I arrived at the prison that I had spent twenty years within.


    The road where I had died, and the cement floor that was the last thing I ever saw.


    Everything was the same as that time.


    I showed my police badge to the guard stationed at the prison gate and said.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit Park Han-Dong.¡±


    After a short time, a man in a blue-grey jumpsuit appeared.


    He had a meek appearance overshadowed by gauntness.


    The first thing that I examined was his weary-looking, dark-hued face.


    Although it was his second year in prison, it looked like he hadn¡¯t gotten used to it yet.


    Of course, it would have been weird if he was doing well after having been framed and thrown in here.


    Park Han-Dong came to a halt as soon as he entered the meeting room.


    ¡°Guard-nim. Is this really the right place? I got a call that my dongsaeng was coming.¡±


    The guard flicked through his files before nodding his head.


    ¡°Number 2110. You¡¯ve come to the correct location.¡±


    Then the guard shut his mouth without any further explanation.


    After wavering helplessly, Park Han-Dong took a seat in the opposite chair.


    So it looked like his dongsaeng would be here soon.


    I should make way for her as soon as possible.


    For now, I greeted him politely.


    ¡°Hello. I am Go Ji-Hun of Suan Station¡¯s Violent Crime Task Force.¡±


    As soon as he knew my identity, the look in his eyes changed.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the pane of glass between us, he looked like he would have immediately leapt at me and torn out my throat with his teeth.


    So it was possible to convey such an atmosphere even with a meek appearance.


    However this reaction was better than I had expected.


    He should at least feel resentment for even unrelated cops, but for the Suan Station¡¯s Violent Crime Task Force in particular?


    Of course it would be the source of all his rage.


    If it were me, I¡¯d be slamming my hand against the glass window.


    He stared at me in silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come here because I have some things I would like to ask you about the Hae-Soo murder case.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡±


    It seemed that he couldn¡¯t even stand the sight of me, as he got up and turned his back to me.


    He was expressing his rejection of my visit.


    The guard¡¯s expression showed that he was wondering what to do.


    I gestured to him that everything was fine, so the guard drew back.


    Then I quickly whispered at a volume that only Park Han-Dong could hear.


    ¡°I know that you are not the true culprit behind the Hae-Soo murder case.¡±

 Chapter 25.1

    Park Han Dong and His Dongsaeng (1)


    Park Han Dong turned to stare at me in surprise.


    These words had come from not just anyone, but from the mouth of a police officer.


    He unconsciously drew closer to the glass window.


    ¡°C-could it be that the case has been reopened? Have you caught the culprit?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but no. There hasn¡¯t been any progress made on the case. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve come here looking for you.¡±


    The hope that had flared up for just a moment, looked like it had been snuffed out.


    However he soon appeared to have reconsidered the value of our conversation as he retook his seat.


    And the bloodlust in his eyes had softened slightly.


    I slowly started speaking.


    ¡°There are a lot of inconsistencies. From the motives of the accused to the strangely skewed evidence.¡±


    Setting aside the fingerprints that I had left on the door handle, and inside the room.


    At that time, the only other clues linking me to the case should have been the ones obtained from my own testimony.


    However they inexplicably discovered traces of my DNA on Hae-Soo.


    It was likely that Park Han-Dong had experienced the same thing.


    That meant that there had to be something shady going on, so by looking at the difference between his case and mine, we might be able to find some hints.


    ¡°I want to hear it personally. Everything that happened on that day.¡±


    ¡°But that should all be on the record already.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that I can trust it. Because I believe that you are not the culprit.¡±


    I adamantly stated my rejection.


    Rather than the record that had been written down by someone else¡¯s hand, hearing the testimony from the person himself was more reliable.


    Park Han-Dong¡¯s hands fidgeted as he was lost in thought.


    He was probably trying to recall what happened all that time ago.


    Then after a while, with some difficulty, he started to speak.


    ¡°I was the delivery man for a Chinese restaurant. Business was quiet that day, so I went out as soon as the order came in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Just keep going like that. Every little detail might prove helpful.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ it was sea cucumber soup and two servings of stir-fried chicken with hot sauce.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I remember it because it was an expensive order. Usually people just order Jajangmyeon or Sweet and Sour Pork.¡±


    I guess that would be memorable.


    But the size of the order seemed too big for one woman to eat alone.


    From what I recalled, Hae-Soo had lived alone.


    Was it possible that there were several people with her on that day?


    You can¡¯t really estimate the number of people who might share a pizza, but you can make a rough guess with Chinese food.


    As expected, if you want to know something, you need to hear it from the person¡¯s mouth.


    These were clues that I would never be able to get my hands on in my previous life.


    ¡°I remember thinking, ¡®They must get to eat expensive food like this because they live in an officetel¡¯.¡±


    I had felt something similar.


    It was a sort of bitterness that could only be felt when you were on the brink of starvation.


    Park Han-Dong, taking in my expression, hesitated.


    ¡°Should I skip this sort of thing?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh no. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, when I arrived, I went to press the doorbell, but the front door was already open.¡±


    This was also a bit different from my experience.


    For me, the door had been closed and I had opened it without thinking.


    Shit. Now that I think about it, it seemed really suspicious.


    Why on earth had I opened the door back then?


    Like a complete idiot.


    ¡°I entered the room, but a flower pot was shattered and Hae-Soo was lying on the sofa.¡±


    ¡°By any chance, do you remember how long the delivery took you?


    ¡°About thirty minutes? Like I said before, there were no other orders, so I left quickly.¡±


    But when I delivered it, it took me about an hour.


    It seemed like the reason for why the door was open came from this difference.


    ¡°Then after that¡­ it all went according to the record. I thought she had just collapsed, so I called 119, and after they investigated my testimony, I ended up like this.¡±


    Park Han-Dong bit his lips.


    It seemed that the resentment he held deep within him was starting to boil over again.


    The rest of the report went almost identically to my own case¡­


    Hm. If I had the time, it looked like I would need to find Hae-Soo¡¯s officetel and take a look myself.


    He carefully gave me a once over and asked.


    ¡°But why exactly do you believe that?¡±


    ¡°What? That there¡¯s a true culprit?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Especially since you¡¯re from the Suan Station¡¯s Violent Crime Task Force. It¡¯s confusing to hear something like this from the place that closed the case.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the station¡¯s official opinion, it¡¯s my personal belief. The detective who was in charge of the case has already transferred to a different section.¡±


    ¡°What was his name again, Wang¡­ Wang Ong-Gu?¡±


    Park Han-Dong frowned as he scoured his memories.


    He seemed to be having quite some trouble recalling such a hateful face.


    ¡°Park Han-Dong-ssi. What I believe doesn¡¯t really matter. The truth is that I¡¯m not in a position to speak out for your sake. But the truth is like the sky, it can¡¯t be hidden forever. I, personally, will lead you out of here.¡±

 Chapter 25.2

    Park Han Dong and His Dongsaeng (2)


    At first, I felt apologetic.


    His life had become screwed up, all because I was reincarnated.


    Then I became enraged.


    Just want kind of person would do this sort of thing to the lives of two innocent people.


    Park Han-Dong lowered his head in confusion.


    What if someone had appeared to you in your darkest hour and declared that they would save you?


    Regardless of the outcome, the joy and other emotions that were felt at that moment would be indescribable.


    ¡°Thank you so much. I¡¯ll also do whatever I can to help solve this case.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave my business card with you before I go, so if you remember something new write it down immediately and send it to me.¡±


    I pushed my card through a small gap in the glass.


    ¡°Also, if there¡¯s anything I could possibly assist you with, please say it. I may not look like it, but I am quite capable.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s just empty words, I¡¯m still very thankful. Apart from my dongsaeng, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard someone say such kind words.¡±


    Didn¡¯t I hear that Park Han-Dong also grew up without any parents, and only had a dongsaeng?


    It looked like we had more in common than I had thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just empty words. It is the truth.¡±


    After looking down at my card, he cautiously asked.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, would a cell transfer be possible?¡±


    ¡°You want to move rooms?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite get along with my other cellmates¡­¡±


    His words trailed off into silence.


    When I looked closely, the skin under his collar and around his wrists were covered in bruises¡­


    His prison number was also 2110.


    Since he had the same number as me, then he was probably assigned to the same cell as well.


    I searched my memories, trying to recall who I had bunked with at the start of my prison term.


    Ah. So it was that guy.


    ¡°Was it the Octopus?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I meant to ask, is there someone in your cell with a bald head?¡±


    Park Han-Dong¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°How did you know??¡±


    Of course I knew him.


    Because he was the guy who forced me to learn most of the skills that I had needed to survive prison.


    At the time, while I was already exhausted mentally, he had also made me feel like I was dying physically.


    Although, because of that, I was no longer afraid no matter who they stuck me with.


    As a person who had taught me how to hold on for the 20 years I spent in prison, he was¡­


    ¡®a fucker I felt grateful to?¡¯


    I let out a sigh and calmed my rage.


    If Park Han-Dong was likely to have to spend a long time in prison, then I probably wouldn¡¯t interfere.


    Rather, I would have told him to be patient, and that it would help if he just thought about his future as a free man.


    However I couldn¡¯t leave Park Han-Dong like this.


    Because I would definitely make sure that he was released sooner rather than later.


    ¡°That guy¡¯s afraid of ghosts.¡±


    ¡°Ghosts?¡±


    For now, I would make sure that he¡¯d be able to live a comfortable life.


    As I¡¯m leaving, I¡¯ll also hand some money over to the warden.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need a bit of acting talent, but you can start by pretending to have auditory hallucinations. Then you slowly act like you¡¯re starting to see something.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden¡­¡±


    ¡°If you act like you¡¯re hearing auditory hallucinations, then you¡¯ll probably get beaten more than usual. But you need to endure this. After that, things will get much easier for you.¡±


    Although Octopus was a violent guy, if you tame him well, then he couldn¡¯t be easier to handle.


    I just felt regretful that it had taken too long for me to realize this.


    Because that guy was released only three months after I had acted like I¡¯d seen a ghost.


    ¡°Have you got the gist of it?¡±


    ¡°Basically¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, just hold on for a bit longer. When I have the time, I¡¯ll come and see you again.¡±


    I checked my watch.


    Since his dongsaeng was coming for a visit, I¡¯d wrap things up here and make way for them.


    As I got up from my seat, he also followed me up.


    ¡°D-Detective.¡±


    Then he called out to me while holding on tightly to my card.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    I laughed as I left the visitation room.


    No need for thanks, I was the one who needed to apologize.


    A woman was sitting in the visitors¡¯ waiting room.


    From what I could tell, it seemed that this was Park Han-Dong¡¯s dongsaeng.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    But something about her seemed familiar.


    I was sure that I had met her somewhere¡­


    From the way she was looking at me with her head tilted to the side, the woman also seemed to share the same thought.


    We recognized each other at the same time.


    ¡°From the Spaniel case?¡±


    ¡°The pizza guy?¡±


    Back when I first met the Spaniel in the Dongsu neighbourhood, she was the woman who I had saved at that time.


    The woman who had said that she would refuse to call the police even if she was dying.


    But for her to call her savior, ¡®the pizza guy¡¯.


    ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re also Park Han-Dong¡¯s dongsaeng?¡±


    ¡°So what? Do you know my older brother?¡±


    The dongsaeng¡¯s gaze ran over me from top to bottom.


    Although I had taken off my jacket, I was still wearing the pants from my dress uniform.


    When she noticed this, the look in her eyes sharpened.


    Her resentment felt like it was trying to reach out and strangle me.


    Seeing how similar their behaviors were, she really resembled her brother.

 Chapter 25.3 - Park Han Dong and His Dongsaeng (3)

    Park Han Dong and His Dongsaeng (3)


    ¡°What¡¯s a cop doing here?¡±


    I went to say something, but instead wordlessly shut my mouth.


    I thought I could understand it now.


    Her reason for not wanting to report the Spaniel; it was distrust of the police.


    On top of that, it hadn¡¯t been long since Park Han-Dong had been thrown in prison.


    The dongsaeng growled at me threateningly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to fool my brother, I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not- Hey, wait!¡±


    Buzzz- Buzzz-


    The dongsaeng suddenly slipped past me and headed into the visitation room.


    Then, with perfect timing, my handphone started buzzing.


    The caller was Mong-Doo.


    He was supposed to be meeting up with his girlfriend, so why the sudden call?


    I had a bad feeling about this.


    Every time this sort of thing happened¡­


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Newbie. What should we do? It looks like we won¡¯t be able to go out for drinks today.


    A new case was opened.


    I took a deep breath before replying.


    If I¡¯m being called in on a day like today, that means it has to be a serious incident.


    It looked like I would have to use my paid vacation next time.


    ¡°When on earth will we get to rest?¡±


    -When we¡¯re under the earth.


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡±


    -Anyway, just get here quickly. A really crazy bastard has just come in¡­¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    I hung up the phone and took a look back at the visitation room.


    But Park Han-Dong¡¯s dongsaeng had already disappeared inside.


    That was almost the last time that I ever saw her.


    ***


    When I opened the office door, I got a feeling that something unusual had happened.


    This was because all the other detectives were missing, leaving only a skeleton crew behind.


    Of course that skeleton crew was made up of our Violent Crime Task Force, Team 2.


    ¡°Where have the other teams gone?¡±


    ¡°Turning over trash cans.¡±


    Black returned my question with a curt answer.


    For the life of me, I couldn¡¯t understand what that meant.


    Why were they out overturning perfectly good trash cans when the sun was about to set?


    Black suddenly shot up and started roaring in annoyance.


    ¡°Why on earth does our beloved Korea have so many criminal bastards? The ink hasn¡¯t even dried yet on all these damn files for the drug abuse and assault charges!¡±


    ¡°Stop complaining. These are only half of the files, we shared the rest with the Gangnam station.¡±


    Mong-Doo threw cold water onto Black¡¯s fiery rage.


    Since the number of guys we had arrested was so high, a lot had to be transferred to each of the nearby stations, creating a lot of paperwork.


    Fortunately I had been able to rest up at the hospital without a care.


    I took off my jacket and sat at my desk.


    ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s going on? Why has everyone left without even leaving behind some guys to watch the office?¡±


    ¡°Well. I can¡¯t really say whether it is or it isn¡¯t a case for us to handle.¡±


    ¡°¡­huh?¡±


    What the Team Leader had just said confused me.


    Taking mercy on my bewilderment, Mong-Doo spoke up.


    ¡°It looks like an Amsu crime.¡±


    An Amsu crime.


    These are crimes that we know have occured, but can¡¯t be processed and put on record because it wasn¡¯t recognized to be a crime by the law or because of various other problems.


    But what did he mean by, it ¡®looks like¡¯ an Amsu crime?


    ¡°Yesterday, a man came in confessing to a murder, but we only have his testimony and there¡¯s no corpse or murder weapon.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t it just a wash?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Team 1 just tried to shoo him off. After all, we do sometimes get strange kids coming in and pulling stuff like this. But this guy refused to leave no matter what and pulled something out of his pocket.¡±


    ¡°Out of his pocket?¡±


    ¡°It was a woman¡¯s shoe, a flat. He said that when he had come to his senses, it was already in his pocket.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Couldn¡¯t he just be a crazy person?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. But at the very least they needed to investigate the claim first. So the shoe was sent to the forensics unit, but a report came back saying that they had found the DNA of a woman who went missing a year ago. There were also traces of blood from five other unidentified sources.¡±


    Traces of blood from a whole five unidentified sources?


    If this was real, then this might just be a huge cae.


    ¡°So he was detained and interrogated, but he said that he threw away all his belongings before he arrived at the police station?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why everyone has dashed out. Because they need to find the evidence before the garbage trucks make their rounds.¡±


    ¡°Whether or not he¡¯s playing around, he¡¯s one crazy bastard.¡±


    It could certainly still be just a joke.


    It could be that something he had picked up by chance, just happened to match a missing person¡¯s case.


    Because the world has seen all kinds of crazy coincidences.


    But I had to say.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but I was getting a sense of familiarity from all of this.


    It seemed to fit the timing, but there¡¯s no way it could be, right¡­?


    From the depths of my memories, I recalled a certain man.

 Chapter 26.1

    The Reincarnator vs The. Psychopath (1)


    ¡°¡­.hyungnim. What¡¯s that guy¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Chu Oh-Myeong. Just like the inside of his head, his name is rather unique.¡±


    ¡­fuck. So it was that bastard.


    The most famous psychopathic bastard in all of Korea.


    Compared to other murderers, he had held a much more vicious and meticulous image.


    ¡®All because of what happened today.¡¯


    Even though he had confessed to the crime in person, he had been released due to lack of evidence.


    He only paid a fine of 500,000 won for obstruction of justice.


    At the time, the police had dismissed it as a disturbance caused by a person suffering from delusions and had closed the case.


    It took five whole years for that guy to finally be arrested.


    After more than 20 victims had been murdered.


    After being caught, the words that he said during his perp walk remain as the worst blot that had ever marred the administration¡¯s record.


    ¡®It¡¯s not that I was caught, I allowed myself to be caught. I even turned myself in 5 years ago, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for them after seeing how they still couldn¡¯t catch me. Even if you commit a murder in Korea, all you need to do to be released from the police station is pay 500,000 won.¡¯


    It was all a joke to him.


    He was a guy who derived as much enjoyment from having the police in the palm of his hands as he did from the actual murders.


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the middle of being interrogated by the criminal investigation department. I think they¡¯re trying to sic a profiler on him?¡±


    A profiler?


    Although I felt sorry for them, I knew it would be pointless.


    Chu Oh-Myeong was so difficult to read that a Japanese psychologist had immigrated to Korea just because they were interested in studying him.


    You can¡¯t defeat his tricks just by using scientific data.


    I picked up my jacket and stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Newbie?¡±


    I started running to the interrogation room.


    Despite not knowing my reason, Black and Mong-Do ran after me.


    ¡°Hey. You guys!¡±


    Team Leader, who was left behind to look after the office, shouted at our receding backs.


    ¡°If you all leave, what am I supposed to do when I need the toilet? One of you brats needs to get back here, now!¡±


    The interrogation room was guarded by a couple of investigation officers.


    After greeting them, I entered the observation room.


    A man and a woman were visible through the one-way glass window.


    With one look at the man¡¯s face, all of my memories about Chu Oh-Myeong became crystal clear.


    Possessing a neat appearance and dress.


    Rather than a murderer, he looked more like an ordinary college student.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Well if it isn¡¯t Detective Go. I heard that today was your award ceremony, so what are you doing at work?¡±


    ¡°Everyone else had to run out to do some field work, leaving the office empty.¡±


    ¡°Ouch. You¡¯ve got it hard.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your interrogation going?¡±


    Even as I asked this, my eyes were fixed on the interrogation room.


    The sounds from inside seemed to be blocked for some reason, as I couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about.


    But I could clearly feel that the two were on different ends of a struggle.


    While Chu Oh-Myeong looked unfathomably composed, the woman sitting opposite him seemed to be losing her composure.


    From her excessively upright posture, to her eyes that refused to make contact, and the way she kept crossing and uncrossing her legs.


    ¡°He¡¯s wringing her out.¡±


    I muttered in sympathy.


    The head of investigation crossed his arms and pronounced with an air of self-assurance.


    ¡°From what I can tell, this bastard looks like a mental patient. He¡¯s quite detailed when he¡¯s confessing to killing someone or other, but with anything else he stays so silent that it¡¯s like talking to a wall.¡±


    Well, there¡¯s no way that a killer could be considered in his right mind, so, in a way, calling him a mental patient was, in a way, correct.


    In any case, there was no way that I could let Chu Oh-Myeong walk out of here.


    Even before the honor of the police, it was because I had to prevent any more innocent victims.


    Appearing to have reached her limit, the woman rose from her seat and exited the interrogation room.


    ¡°What did he say? Any results?¡±


    The woman wore glasses and had her long hair tied back neatly.


    She practically overflowed with an air of intelligence.


    This was the profiler, Lee Sa-Ra.


    She roughly pulled off her police badge that was hanging around her neck.


    ¡°No matter how I look at him, while he does give me a strange feeling, I haven¡¯t been able to dig up anything.¡±


    ¡°That just means that there¡¯s nothing to find. Let¡¯s not waste any more time chatting with him and get the kids to come back in. Haaaah!¡±


    With a yawn, the head of investigation decided to close the case.


    ¡°In any case, we can open up another investigation on this guy whenever we need to. Let¡¯s focus on tracing the evidence back to its place of origin.¡±


    ¡°Please hold on a moment.¡±


    I carefully raised my hand.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, would it be alright if I popped in for a second?¡±


    ¡°Hm? In there, with him?¡±


    ¡°We need to let him go soon in any case. Before that, let me take a shot at interrogating him.¡±

 Chapter 26.2

    The Reincarnator vs The. Psychopath (2)


    The head of investigation wasn¡¯t pleased at the idea, but he couldn¡¯t seem to find a good reason to refuse my request, so he ended up nodding.


    Black gulped and patted me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Good luck. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    I felt just like a son being encouraged by his father before his first football match.


    As soon as I left the observation room, I took out my handphone.


    Then I started scouring the map of the area around Gangwon Province, scanning the names.


    If my memory was correct, then this map would be the key to prevent him from getting away.


    I took a deep breath before entering the interrogation room.


    As soon as I opened the door, I saw Chu Oh-Myeong feigning indifference.


    Although his smile seemed bright, he made it look villainous.


    Without a word, I took a seat and started rifling through the documents.


    He stared at my face in open interest.


    ¡°Hmm. Where did the pretty noona from earlier go?¡±


    ¡°I am Corporal Go Ji-Hun from the Violent Crime Task Force.¡±


    ¡°For a police officer, you¡¯re pretty damn handsome.¡±


    ¡°So you say that you¡¯ve murdered someone?¡±


    ¡°How many women have you scored?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re confessing out of a desire for retribution, then it seems like there might be quite a few victims.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re that handsome, they must be throwing themselves at you.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start with your first murder and go in order from there.¡±


    ¡°Su Jin-Yi.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You match Su Jin-Yi¡¯s tastes perfectly, Detective-nim.¡±


    Fuck. From the very start, this bastard has kept beating around the bush.


    It¡¯s a trick to try and get me caught up in his pace.


    Alright. He¡¯s asking for it.


    As I lightly spun a pen on my finger, I stared at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m the type that satisfies all sorts of women¡¯s tastes.¡±


    Chu Oh-Myeung held a strong complex against the opposite sex.


    It had developed because of the sexual abuse from his stepfather that he had suffered as a child and the devastating failure of his first sexual relationship.


    Of course, all of that wasn¡¯t important right now.


    My goal was to claw at his heart¡¯s insecurities and draw out his true feelings.


    So that things would go according to my pace, rather than his.


    Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s look of amusement hardened slightly.


    ¡°Even so, Su Jin-Yi did have quite a good eye for men.¡±


    ¡°Was Su Jin-Yi your lover?¡±


    ¡°You could call it that.¡±


    ¡°Did you kill Su Jin-Yi as well?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to start from the very first person I killed? Aren¡¯t I talking about her now?¡±


    I didn¡¯t sense even a speck of guilt from him, as he said this very calmly.


    ¡°What about the others? Where did you dispose of their bodies?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something that the police should be looking for. Why are you asking me? Are you just going to laze around on the people¡¯s dime?¡±


    The way he smiled with a broad grin as he said this was despicable.


    Although I had shaken him slightly, he must be thinking that he¡¯s found his rhythm again


    But I¡¯m sorry, did you really think that would work?


    Since I¡¯m aware of everything from the future, I won¡¯t be swayed by you.


    ¡°Mhm. Looks like the police are nothing special. You haven¡¯t even made as much progress as I expected.¡±


    ¡°How can you say there¡¯s no progress? Since you¡¯ve already confessed, you won¡¯t be able to escape once we find the evidence.¡±


    ¡°Geez. You know what¡¯s up, so why are you acting like this? That shoe, it just ended up in my pocket before I knew it. I had nothing to do with it. Hee hee.¡±


    I glanced at the window.


    I couldn¡¯t see inside the observation room at all.


    However my teammates and the investigators should be seeing everything.


    It might end up being a bit troublesome, but from now on I needed some privacy for the next step.


    I pressed a button on the table, turning off the voice recorder.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to turn it off. I¡¯ve said everything that I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°So you really think that you¡¯ve won?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably jacking off to the thought that the police, who everyone else is scared of, are nothing much in front of you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Enough. Why don¡¯t we stop here? It¡¯s getting fucking boring.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that this is something you can bring an end to just because you wish for it?¡±


    ¡°What else can you do? You have less than a day left. You¡¯re acting tough, but you¡¯re running out of time to keep me in custody.¡±


    ¡°Let me just say something. Do you know that I¡¯ve learned a little about criminal psychology?¡±


    I stared straight into Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°There is a high probability that a first-time murderer will dispose of the body by burying it.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re from Gangwon Province?¡±


    His expression was still full of undisguised amusement.


    What an absolute bastard. Let¡¯s try making him beg for mercy within a minute.


    ¡°Within Gangwon Province, you lived in the Cheongjeong County.


    ¡°So you want to search every inch of that place?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. We don¡¯t have the time, so how could we use such a foolish method.¡±


    At the word ¡®foolish¡¯, his lips quivered slightly.


    Without pausing, I kept up the verbal barrage.


    ¡°And within the Cheongjeong County, you lived in the Mokrang Village. You probably wouldn¡¯t bury the body right in the village. But it is the centre of your zone of activity since you lived there, so it should be somewhere nearby.¡±


    Good. The smile was gradually disappearing from his lips.

 Chapter 27.1

    The Child of a Chaebol vs. The Psychopath (1)


    ¡°We need to ask for support from the forces in Gangwon Province. If he gets released due to insufficient evidence, then he¡¯ll immediately destroy his traces. Since he got sloppy and handed himself in, now¡¯s our best chance.¡±


    ¡°However¡­.¡±


    The head of investigation just trailed off.


    It appeared that he wasn¡¯t fully convinced.


    Sigh. It can¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take full responsibility.¡±


    ¡°You? How do you plan on doing that?¡±


    As if he had been waiting for these words, his face brightened slightly.


    Even though he was just wasting precious time with this.


    ¡°The cost of the search operation. If there are any problems, I¡¯ll pay all of it from my salary. And if that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll even use my own savings. After all, this all started because of my arbitrary decision.¡±


    I had the resolve to take full responsibility.


    At these words, Black and Mong-Doo slammed their shoulders into mine.


    ¡°This brat. How dare the newbie try to act so cool.¡±


    ¡°While I don¡¯t know about the cash, I¡¯m the best at writing apology reports.¡±


    After these two spoke up, the head of investigation reluctantly raised a hand.


    ¡°Okay. If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯re pulling our hands off of this case. We¡¯ll hand it over to the Criminal Affairs Department, so do as you please.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Black, Mong-Doo and I ran back down to our office.


    Team Leader¡¯s face looked devastated due to the case that had suddenly fallen into his hands.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to be just looking after the office? A night-time search? And in Gangwon Province, at that?


    ¡°After the search ends, let¡¯s get some potato pancakes and raw rice wine on our way back.¡±


    ¡°Oi, you crazy baaaaaastards!¡±


    While listening to Team Leader screaming over our heads, we hurriedly began preparing for the trip.


    ¡°By the way, since it¡¯s already night, it will be difficult to see anything.¡±


    Mong-Doo spoke up in concern.


    I was also worried about that.


    Black calmly reassured us as he pocketed the car keys.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to put in a request for help from a nearby military base, so let¡¯s just do what we can. For now, just quickly get a move on.¡±


    We needed to get to Hwangmok Village.


    Fortunately for us, the village itself was not very big.


    If only we were searching during the day, I wouldn¡¯t be as worried.


    ¡°Hold on!¡±


    As Black started the car engine, Lee Sa-Ra came running over from the entrance to the station.


    She had changed out of her earlier dress shirt and into a comfortable outfit.


    She jumped into the car and immediately signalled Black to get going with a nod of her head.


    ¡°You want to tag along, Sa-Ra-ssi?¡±


    Black asked as he kept a tight grip on the steering wheel.


    As soon as the car door had closed, he had already pressed the pedal to the floor.


    Weeoo weeoo weeoo-


    As our police lights flashed, our car recklessly wove its way through the other vehicles on the road.


    Although we were all holding on to the handrests, our bodies shook violently from side to side.


    ¡°Of course I am. After all, I couldn¡¯t do anything during the interrogation earlier. That son of a bitch. After he¡¯s pissed me off so much, the least I can do is some shovel-work.¡±


    ¡°I was a little surprised. That was the first time I had ever seen Sa-Ra-ssi get flustered in front of a suspect.¡±


    ¡°Wow. That Chu Oh-Myoung guy must be something else.¡±


    Team Leader laughed as he heard what Black had said.


    Sa-Ra shook her head in apparent disbelief.


    ¡°He asked me to turn off the microphone for a bit, but once I did, he started rambling about his mother being a whore or something. Then he started spitting out all kinds of foul obscenities with a straight face. All whilst deliberately replying to my questions with all sorts of nonsense. I just couldn¡¯t communicate with him.¡±


    He was definitely an insane one.


    Vrooom-


    The city flashed past outside our windows.


    With each flicker of the car¡¯s digital clock, I grew increasingly nervous.


    If we wanted to find the corpse in time, we needed to find the right location first.


    Of course, I remembered the pictures that were taken when the body was found.


    The grave site was right between a tree and two large boulders.


    ¡®The problem is, there could be many more such sites than expected.¡¯


    Releasing a sigh, I stared out the window.


    I was left with a strangely tense and uncertain feeling.


    If only there wasn¡¯t a time limit, things wouldn¡¯t be like this.


    Lee Sa-Ra noticed my current state with a glance and lightly prodded me.


    ¡°Why are you trembling like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trembling, it¡¯s the car that¡¯s shaking.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. If that¡¯s the case, apologies.¡±


    I asked our driver, Black.


    ¡°How long will it take to reach our destination?¡±


    ¡°Probably an hour or so.¡±


    ¡°I hope that we don¡¯t get in a traffic jam.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve put in a request for support, so the search should already be underway. They said that they also have two military units active in the immediate vicinity.¡±


    That was a silver lining.


    Though, for the soldiers, it might be a bolt from the blue instead.

 Chapter 27.2

    The Child of a Chaebol vs. The Psychopath (2)


    ¡°Ask them to mainly focus their search underneath boulders. Since he said that it was difficult to dig, because of a large rock.¡±


    Of course this was a lie.


    It would be strange if I was too certain about the gravesite, so I was obscuring the facts a little.


    ¡°Okay. Phew. All because of one crazy bastard, we won¡¯t even get to celebrate our promotions properly.¡±


    Starting from the awards ceremony in the morning, today had dragged on for far too long.


    After these last words from Black, we all kept quiet.


    Because if we wanted to dig with all our might when we arrived, then we needed to save our strength for now.


    The rough roar of the engine rang loudly in the silence.


    ***


    Hwangmok Village.


    In the middle of the night, this peaceful country village had become so noisy that it was as if a war had broken out.


    ¡°There¡¯s no darn road down thataways. Y¡¯all need to be headin¡¯ around there instead.¡±


    ¡°Mah god! Oi, yer bastard. That there¡¯s my momma¡¯s grave yer digging up!¡±


    ¡°Ah! I-I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    ¡°No, no, yer can¡¯t head over thataways, neither.¡±


    Or it might be better to say that a hurricane had hit, as a storm of elderly people dressed in their pyjamas whirled around, giving orders and supervising the police officers and soldiers as they searched.


    Although it was hard to tell if this was actually helping or not.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived quickly.¡±


    The head of the Gangwon Police Investigative Division greeted us.


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky that the mountain isn¡¯t that big, but we can¡¯t do anything about the fact that it¡¯s still night, so the search is going a lot slower than it could be.¡±


    ¡°Since there¡¯s not much time, we¡¯ll also get started pitching in. We¡¯ll give them all our thanks for helping out once the sun rises.¡±


    We picked up our shovels and headed up the mountain.


    Working in groups, the cops and soldiers were searching underneath large boulders.


    Thud- Thud-


    Scatter-


    It was so dark that we could only see in the areas illuminated by our flashlights.


    On top of that, the ground had hardened up due to the cool night air.


    Ding-


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    And if you hit a stone by accident, your wrists were left tingling in pain.


    Despite this, our surroundings were filled with the ambience of people working silently.


    Dig, did, and dig again¡­


    Just how much time passed already?


    With my whole body drenched in sweat, my arms were starting to lose strength.


    Thud thud-!


    Thud-!


    ¡°Oi. You there, keep digging.¡±


    ¡°Phew. Fuck me¡­¡±


    With the guidance of some search dogs, we had managed to reduce the range of our search slightly, but there was no further progress.


    Curses mixed with annoyance and disappointment were leaking out of everyone¡¯s mouths.


    Night had already passed, and the dark sky was beginning to brighten.


    It was now bright enough that we almost no longer needed to use flashlights.


    ¡°Haaah.¡±


    The whole team shared faces full of frustration as we wiped away our sweat.


    Everyone was having the same thought.


    Could it be that that bastard, Chu Oh-Myeong, had fooled us?


    Did what we were doing now have any real meaning?


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°Th-there¡¯s signs from over here!¡±


    From higher up the hillside, I heard the cry that I had been waiting for for so long.


    Everyone threw away their shovels and ran uphill


    One of the search dogs who had moved further ahead was scrabbling at the bottom of a boulder like crazy.


    That probably meant that there was something down there.


    I lifted up my fleshlight and looked closely at the boulder.


    It was actually two rocks that were stuck close together.


    There was no mistake.


    ¡°Everyone, get over here and dig! We¡¯ve found it!¡±


    At my shout, everyone ran over and started lifting the soil away.


    Then,


    ¡°Blargh¡­ Blargh¡­.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck.¡±


    we found six bodies that had been chopped up.


    Each of them had had their limbs amputated, as if they were broken dolls.


    In terms of decomposition, they ranged from at least a month to over several years old.


    Among them, there should be a woman named Su-Jin who had once been Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s lover.


    ¡°Their condition¡­¡±


    However the most eye-catching thing about these corpses was their shrivelled skin.


    Their bodies looked as withered as a person suffering from anorexia.


    This was definitely from the method that Chu Oh-Myeong had used to torture them.


    While starving and abusing them, he had revelled in having the power over their lives and deaths.


    Lee Sa-Ra muttered with a frown on her face.


    ¡°That crazy ¡­ bastard.¡±


    That¡¯s right. Just like she said.


    This was definitely something that no sane human could have done.


    Team Leader placed a call to the Su-An Police Station with his handphone.


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ve found the corpses. Restrain that bastard, Chu Oh-Myeong, right away.¡±


    At least with this, we had stopped any more victims from occurring.


    Sigh. As the relief suddenly hit me, I felt exhaustion fill my whole body.


    We had a confession, and we had even found the corpses, so the whole thing should be wrapped up in a flash.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. After all we¡¯ve done, this should be enough.¡¯


    I believed that everything would go smoothly from here.


    However,


    ¡°What? Me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He says that no matter what, he won¡¯t talk unless it¡¯s with you.¡±


    Chu Oh-Myeong had singled me out.


    Whilst revealing that there was currently one more victim dying of starvation in his secret base.


    ***

 Chapter 27.3

    The Child of a Chaebol vs. The Psychopath (3)


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that he¡¯s refusing to make a statement.¡±


    I¡¯ve come all the way here after shovelling all night, just for the sake of Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s twisted desires.


    The detective from the Violent Crime Task Force Team 1 nodded his head in embarrassment.


    He seemed to have had some difficulties, so it appeared that Chu Oh-Myeong had played around with him as well.


    ¡°We immediately took action as soon as we got your call, but he suddenly started saying that he wouldn¡¯t say a word unless it¡¯s with you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s refusing to make a statement? The corpses have all been unearthed, but he thinks he can still refuuuse?! This isn¡¯t a blind date, so why the hell does he think that he can just pick any detective?¡±


    Black rolled up his sleeves and got ready to run wild.


    It was because of what happened on the way back.


    He had insisted on just one cup of rice wine, which then became two cups, and then finally three cups, leaving him in this state.


    Mong-Doo and I grabbed Black by the arms and stopped him in his tracks.


    ¡°Hold on a moment. Please calm down a little.¡±


    Although we couldn¡¯t trust Chu Oh-Myoung, we also couldn¡¯t just dismiss it as a lie.


    Especially since that was Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s signature method of killing his victims.


    Shit. Even though I feel so tired that I¡¯m about to drop.


    I took off my coat and laid it across my desk.


    ¡°Chu Oh-Myeong is in the lock-up, right?¡±


    ¡°He should be. But he said to come see him after 10 o¡¯clock. Since he¡¯ll be eating breakfast.¡±


    Black muttered darkly.


    ¡°After killing so many people, we still have to feed him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to get a statement. We need to know if there really is a living victim, and if so, where she is.¡±


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    Silence flowed through the interrogation room.


    Chu Oh-Myeon was tapping his finger on the table.


    He was still showing a smile, but compared to when I first saw him, it had definitely dimmed.


    This was natural, since things had turned out so much differently to what he had expected.


    Ten minutes have passed as we¡¯ve sat here facing each other.


    It was a silent struggle to see who would show their desperation by speaking first.


    Of course, I was at a large disadvantage.


    I urgently needed to find the survivor in time, while he didn¡¯t care one way or the other.


    But I needed to show that I wasn¡¯t at all nervous.


    Especially in front of this jerk who likes to toy with people.


    Buzzz-


    [Newbie. Is everything going okay? The clock is still ticking.]


    I received a message from the Team Leader underneath the table.


    Fine. This much should be enough.


    I opened my notebook and asked with feigned indifference.


    ¡°I will now begin with the offender¡¯s statement.¡±


    ¡°You really are impressive.¡±


    ¡°Check if the personal information written here is correct.¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to find them.¡±


    ¡°I will consider  the above words as confirmation.¡±


    ¡°But why do you keep going around in circles?¡±


    I stopped stalking and lifted my head to stare at him.


    Chu Oh-Myeong grinned widely and slouched back in his seat.


    ¡°The survivor. Aren¡¯t you here to ask about her? Let¡¯s just get to the point.¡±


    Showing me the back of his hand, he held out his index and middle fingers.


    He was asking for a cigarette.


    With a sigh, I glanced towards the darkened window.


    A moment later, Black came in with a fierce expression and handed me a cigarette and a lighter.


    Chu Oh-Myeong suddenly smacked Black¡¯s ass and goaded him in a cheeky tone of voice.


    ¡°Wow. Does the Detective-nim really smoke such expensive cigarettes? And the lighter is also quite high-class. Aren¡¯t you overdoing it on such a meagre salary. In any case, thanks a lot.¡±


    ¡°This fucking bastard-!¡±


    Clatter-


    I threw myself in front of Black who had fallen into a rage and tried to rush Chu Oh-Myeong.


    The jesk just snickering as he casually lit his cigarette.


    ¡°I think I need to pay a visit to the Audit and Inspection Office. Doesn¡¯t this place know anything about human rights?¡±


    ¡°Why you!¡±


    ¡°Oh? From the smell, I think he might even have been drinking?¡±


    ¡°Hyungnim!¡±


    Mong-Doo finally ran in and dragged Black back out with him.


    During all this, Chu Oh-Myeong just clicked his tongue without even a blink of an eye.


    As if he really was surprised at meeting such a peculiar police officer.


    ¡°Tch. Civil servants these days are such a mess, a mess I tell you.¡±


    ¡°Just keep talking about the previous subject.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Alright. What was I saying again?¡±


    ¡°The survivor, whether or not she¡¯s really still alive.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s right. Her.¡±


    He nodded his head and stated in an idle tone of voice.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Another ambiguous answer, I was so sick of them.


    As I frowned, he turned his gaze to the button on top of the table.


    ¡°Shall we turn the microphone off for a bit, so that we can talk freely?¡±


    Alright, that¡¯s just what I wanted.


    I pressed the button, blocking all sounds from reaching outside.

 Chapter 28.1

    The Surviving Victim in Hwanak Neighborhood (1)


    ¡°No matter how much I think about it, this still feels so unfair. There¡¯s this thing called opportunity costs, you know. Do you get how much I¡¯m losing, just by being stuck in here? I did some rough calculations in my head and it came to around a billion.¡±


    Around a billion, huh?


    A billion punches to the face maybe.


    After all, that¡¯s the real price of living a life of crime.


    I smother a smile of derision and replied to his words.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°Even so, I¡¯m aware that as people working for our country, you all are getting paid a pittance. That¡¯s why I¡¯m only asking for a bit of pocket money. If you just pay up, I¡¯ll tell you everything. Including where to find her.¡±


    He tried to entice me with sweet words.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get to close the case, and you¡¯ll save a life. Hmm? This is the chance of a lifetime.¡±


    I crossed my arms and laughed.


    It was a huff of utter disbelief.


    Chu Oh-Myeong may have been displeased by reactions, as he licked his lips and pulled out another cigarette.


    Since he didn¡¯t usually get to smoke this brand, I guess he was trying to enjoy them while they lasted.


    ¡°After all, the reason she is dying is all because of you guys.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I call bullshit.¡±


    ¡°If I was just released on time, then wouldn¡¯t she get to live even a few days longer? It¡¯s all because of you guys finding the bodies that she¡¯s going to die without me even lifting a finger.¡±


    His words were so ridiculous it couldn¡¯t even be called sophistry.


    However, his expression was sincere.


    But just thinking about it¡­


    I felt that there was something behind what he just said.


    Mhm. Why don¡¯t I just get started?


    ¡°But after looking at the corpses, it looks like they all starved to death.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that. Just think of it as my fetish.¡±


    ¡°According to you, there could be a victim who is slowly dying right now.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not ¡®could be¡¯, there really is one.¡±


    ¡°If so, then why are you telling us this?¡±


    Although Chu Oh-Myeong was asking for money, that was just a paper-thin act.


    His real intention was probably to make me ¡®eat crow¡¯.


    Because everything had fallen apart due to this detective who had suddenly popped up out of nowhere.


    ¡°After all, we¡¯ll know where your true hideout is as soon as we take a look at the CCTVs that recorded you on your way to the police station.¡±


    He laughed quietly.


    ¡°Will you really? By then, I think she will already be cold and stiff.¡±


    Chu Oh-Myeong was a drifter who lived by squatting in one vacant or abandoned house before moving on to the next.


    It was due to this that they had managed to arrest him in my previous life, but it was also because of this that it was difficult to find any evidence of his crimes.


    Because he lived by wandering from place to place, even he was confused about who he killed and where he killed them.


    Even so, wasn¡¯t he being way too confident right now?


    His attitude screamed that he was certain that we would never find her.


    ¡®After all, the reason she is dying is all because of you guys.¡¯


    Those were Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s exact words.


    No matter what method he was using to kill her, he was absolutely certain it would work.


    That she would definitely be dead before the police ever found her.


    ¡®What kind of places did Chu Oh-Myeong mainly favor again?¡¯


    They were usually remote places like a suburb or an area slated for redevelopment.


    Redevelopment¡­ If it¡¯s a place slated for redevelopment¡­


    Fuck. I think I¡¯ve got it.


    ¡°Have you been living in Hwanak Neighbourhood?¡±


    Although there wasn¡¯t a huge shift in his expression, the atmosphere around him changed completely.


    After laughing in exultation, I started tearing into him.


    ¡°You cockroach-like bastard. I¡¯ve got it now. You really thought we wouldn¡¯t be able to find it, just because it¡¯s going under redevelopment? Just because it doesn¡¯t have things like CCTVS.¡±


    Sorry. But I learned everything about you from an expert analyst¡¯s examination of you.


    ¡°What else can I do but say sorry? Because I need to go look for the victim, I won¡¯t be able to show you the sight of me desperately running around like a headless chicken. First you wanted to scam some money off of me, and then you would make a fool out of me by feeding me false information. That¡¯s how it should have gone, but since I don¡¯t have the time, I can¡¯t afford to play along with you.¡±


    He silently stared at me.


    As if he couldn¡¯t believe that there was someone like me in this world.


    Then he slowly started grimacing as if something was slowly building up inside of him.


    From one moment to the next.


    Unable to control his erupting fury, he leapt onto the table.


    ¡°Aaaaargh!¡±


    Bang!


    The cigarette butt he was smoking fell beside me as he started flailing his handcuffed hands around.

 Chapter 28.2

    The Surviving Victim in Hwanak Neighborhood (2)


    ¡°What! What! Just what¡¯s with you! You motherfucker!¡±


    Clang!


    I pulled him off the table, while pushing it away with a kick.


    The table easily slid across the room.


    With the same motion, I drove him into the nearest wall.


    ¡°Chu Oh-Myeong!¡±


    Police officers came running in and subdued the enraged Chu Oh-Myeong.


    The guy was still trying to rush at me while foaming at the mouth.


    As he was forced to lie flat on the floor, he shouted something that sounded like a curse.


    ¡°Even still, you fucker! I¡¯ve won you fucking motherfucker! That bitch is dead no matter what! Ahahahaha! She¡¯s dead. I killed her! Aaaargh!¡±


    ¡°N-newbie. What¡¯s with that bastard? It¡¯s kinda scary.¡±


    He was showing an unsurpassed level of madness.


    Black drew back and turned to look at me.


    Because of how Chu Oh-Myeong had screamed with such hate, his voice started to crack as he spoke.


    ¡°They¡¯ve already said that they¡¯re going to bulldoze the whole neighbourhood at 11 o¡¯clock today. You guys can¡¯t do anything to save her. You¡¯re acting like you¡¯re so clever, but you¡¯re just stupid bastards who can¡¯t do anything!¡±


    He shouted this at us viciously.


    I checked the time, but it was already 10:55 am.


    At best, we only had five minutes left.


    My teammates turned to look at me in bewilderment.


    ¡°The last victim is in Hwanak Neighbourhood. Since that bastard has really lost his mind, he must have hidden her somewhere in there¡­ For now, we need to stop them from demolishing any buildings.¡±


    ¡°And the exact location?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Shit! I¡¯ll take the bike there first!¡±


    With a curse, Mong-Doo ran off.


    Meanwhile, we looked for the phone number of the official construction company¡¯s office on a laptop.


    As Black dialed the phone, his hands were shaking.


    ¡°Hello? This is the Su-An Police Station-Wait! No! This isn¡¯t a voice-phishing scam. It¡¯s a long story, but we¡¯ve received a report that there is a kidnapping victim currently trapped in Hwanak Neighbourhood. I¡¯ve already told you, I¡¯m not messing with you!¡±


    The longer the call went on, the darker Black¡¯s expression became.


    ¡°They say that they¡¯re a subcontractor, so they don¡¯t have any authority. And that it¡¯s hard to get them to stop immediately, since they just finished all their preparations to get started. Then they just keep threatening to kill me if this really is a prank call. What about Mong-Doo? Is he still on his way?¡±


    I¡¯m going crazy. Even on a bike, Mong-Doo won¡¯t be able to get there in time.


    Black kept his ear glued to his handphone as he nodded his head intently.


    ¡°¡­yes, yes? Ah, really? He says that he¡¯ll help us out, if we can tell him the exact building to avoid demolishing. Since he has to do this without permission from the top, that¡¯s the most that he can do for us.¡±


    However, by the looks of things, Chu Oh-Myeong would definitely refuse to say another word. Team Leader anxiously asked another question.


    ¡°And just who are their superiors? Which company are they from?¡±


    ¡°Gu-Gunbaek Construction.¡±


    Gunbaek Construction?


    Team Leader quickly entered Gunbaek Construction¡¯s website.


    They had a multitude of departments and managers.


    It looked like he was panicking about which person he needed to call.


    ¡°The Customer Support Team? No, that¡¯s not it. Just who should I- where should I call?¡±


    I took out my handphone and dialed Chief Kim.


    -Yes, young master.


    ¡°There¡¯s an emergency, so please give me Nam Sae-Ha¡¯s number.¡±


    -Ah¡­ just a moment.


    Chief Kim was quite tactful.


    He didn¡¯t even ask what was going on.


    Was this because he was the secretary at a large company?


    All eyes, from Chu Oh-Myeong to my teammates, were focussed on me.


    After a minute that felt like an hour flew past, I heard Chief Kim¡¯s voice.


    -I¡¯ll call it out for you.


    ¡°Hyungnim. Dial the numbers I¡¯m calling out.¡±


    -0102748¡¤¡¤¡¤


    ¡°0102748¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±


    Without hanging up on Chief Kim, I also picked up Black¡¯s handphone.


    I heard the dial tone as soon as I pressed the call button.


    Please pick up, pick up, pick up¡­


    -Yes. This is Nam Sae-Ha speaking.


    It was a sophisticated, baritone voice.


    Nam Sae-Ha sounded just as I remembered him.


    ¡°This is Gogwang¡¯s Go Ji-Hun. Do you remember me?¡±


    -Ah. You¡¯re Go Min-Guk¡¯s younger brother, right? Of course. It¡¯s been a while-


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please save the pleasantries for later. Please halt the demolitions in Hwanak Neighbourhood. For the whole area. We¡¯ve received information that a missing person is being held there.¡±


    Nam Sae-Ha seemed surprised and was silent for a moment.


    -Are you sure about this information? We¡¯re spending a lot of money on the project, so if this is just a simple incident-


    ¡°I¡¯m certain of it.¡±


    I resolutely interrupted him.


    Nam Sae-Ha hesitated out of uncertainty, but soon gave his agreement.


    If he didn¡¯t, it could spell the end for an already controversial redevelopment once a body was found.

 Chapter 28.3

    The Surviving Victim in Hwanak Neighborhood (3)


    -Understood. I will take immediate action by calling them on the emergency line.


    ¡°It¡¯s very urgent. Please call them as quickly as you can. I¡¯ll personally head over to give you my thanks afterwards.¡±


    -Okay. Well then, goodbye for now.


    Click.


    The call had ended.


    Chu Oh-Myeong was staring at me blankly.


    Once my tension was released, it was replaced with rage.


    As I clenched my fists, Black held a few documents up in front of the CCTV.


    Team Leader also turned his back with a sigh of relief.


    I walked over to him and shot out my fist.


    Bam!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch. I¡¯m busy right now, but I¡¯ll deal with you when I get back.¡±


    ***


    Weeoo- weeoo-


    The noise of our sirens signalled the emergency.


    Behind our van, dozens of police cars were following, hot on our trail. With all these police cars racing down the road together, it was just like a scene from a movie.


    ¡°Mong-Doo¡¯s arrived. I got a message saying that the demolition has been put to a full halt.¡±


    Thank God. It looks like the call wasn¡¯t too late.


    I wrestled with the steering wheel as I kept my foot on the accelerator.


    Although we had prevented the buildings from being demolished, the victim¡¯s physical condition was still a concern.


    ¡°Please place a request for an ambulance as well.¡±


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯ve also got a reply from the search team. They¡¯re heading straight to Hwanak Neighbourhood.¡±


    Team Leader informed us as soon as he heard this over the radio.


    It might be because this had become a huge case after six bodies were found, but everyone was willing to cooperate.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the Fork Gang¡¯s office in Hwanak Neighbourhood?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Since they claimed that they were providing a service.¡±


    ¡°What happened to them in the end? Is the company still around?¡±


    Because I had been in the hospital from the day of the incident until the awards ceremony, I hadn¡¯t heard the full details.


    When the time comes, we might even need to force them to lend a hand.


    Appearing to have seen through my intentions, Black shook his hand in dismissal.


    ¡°They were completely wiped out. Apparently those gangster bastards just put up a signboard without officially opening up a business?¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s beyond imagination.¡±


    ¡°As soon as Song Dae-Ak was arrested, we went to search the place, but there was nothing left. Especially the ledgers. That¡¯s why the Investigation Department is in a tizzy, trying to find the missing evidence.¡±


    ¡°It looks like we may have missed a rat.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of that. Since it was an illegal business, the office might have just been an empty shell in the first place.¡±


    Hmm. This bothered me slightly.


    Team Leader shook his head in disgust.


    ¡°But the company that actually employed those bastards must have been insane. And for the parent company to be the Gunbaek Corporation? What kind of image is that for such a large conglomeration?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. How exactly did you get to know a Gunbaek executive?¡±


    Black asked in sudden realization.


    ¡°We met once at a cruise party some time ago.¡±


    ¡°A cruise party? Wow. I almost forgot. You really are from a Chaebol, aren¡¯t you? The only kind of party I¡¯ve ever been to is a birthday party.¡±


    The van gradually drove into narrower and narrower alleys.


    Steep stairs marked the end of our road.


    Everywhere around us, there were broken slate roofs and half-collapsed houses.


    The neighbourhood was shaded by a gray light that made everything seem abandoned.


    ¡°Whoa. What¡¯s with this view?¡±


    We could see the Hwanak River that flowed through the center of Hwanak Neighbourhood.


    Looking down at it from such a high vantage point was nothing less than spectacular.


    ¡°There was a rumor that the redevelopment is all because of this. The view is truly tremendous.¡±


    That¡¯s understandable.


    There¡¯s no way that those with money to burn could keep their hands off such a treasure.


    We parked our cars and entered the neighborhood.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re saying that the construction work has stopped all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°What on earth? If that¡¯s the case, could the whole project be cancelled?¡±


    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s the police. There really must be something going on.¡±


    The site of the halted demolition works was crowded.


    There was the residents¡¯ organization who had gathered together to continue their protest until the very end and there were the strike-breakers sent by the government.


    And finally there were workers who were just resting.


    ¡°Mong-Doo!¡±


    We spotted Mong-Doo from a distance as he was talking with the site foreman. He was holding a large piece of paper in his hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±


    While we were on our way, Mong-Doo had secured a map and was dividing the area into sections.


    Starting from the four entrances into the neighbourhood.


    ¡°It looks like we should tell the latecomers to head to the other entrances instead of the one we came through.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start searching from each end.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Black rolled up his sleeves and mustered his enthusiasm.


    There were far too many houses and other buildings in this neighbourhood.


    However the surviving victim was somewhere in the middle of all this.


    I would definitely find her in time, without fail.

 Chapter 29.1

    The End of Chu Oh-Myeong (1)


    At that moment, the site foreman cautiously chose to speak up.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Before we demolish anything, we always check everything to see if there is anyone or anything that might cause a problem.¡±


    He seemed to be worried about being punished for inadequate safety management.


    This was inevitable, after all, a call had come directly from Gunbaek Headquarters.


    I gave him an easy smile, and lifted his concerns.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not that sort of problem. We think that the criminal may have locked the kidnapping victim somewhere out of sight. If by any chance, you receive an unfair punishment, please give me a call. I¡¯ll explain everything.¡±


    ¡°Phew. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll owe you my thanks.¡±


    ¡°Well then, we¡¯re a bit busy, so-¡±


    ¡°Hold on a moment!¡±


    I was about to split up the police force when the foreman grabbed my arm.


    ¡°That is, if you¡¯re looking for someone, wouldn¡¯t it help if you had plenty of hands? We¡¯ll help out as well. Isn¡¯t that right, everyone?¡±


    At the foreman¡¯s words, all the workers who were sitting around got back up.


    Then they nodded their heads in agreement.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s life is on the line, of course we¡¯ve got to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We weren¡¯t going to get any work done anyway.¡±


    ¡°Park-ssi! Kim-ssi! Get over here. There¡¯s an emergency!¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°You say that someone¡¯s been locked up? That¡¯s crazy. Oi, Kang-ssi! Grab your hammer and come over here!¡±


    After all the workers who had been spread out around the site gathered together, we had dozens of men with us.


    Each of them held their tools in their hands and grimly determined expressions on their faces.


    ¡°Okay then. Detectives. Just tell us where to start.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­. If that¡¯s the case, starting from this supermarket, Black will take the right. Mong-Doo will take the left. Team Leader will take this alleway¡­¡±


    Hwanak Neighbourhood covers an area of 0.7 square kilometres.


    Although we could count on further support from search and rescue, the neighbourhood looked far too large when seeing it all laid out on the map.


    At the very least, we were fortunate in that most of the buildings were only one-story high.


    Also, I knew Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s criteria for choosing his preferred housing.


    ¡°It has to be a large house, but one that no one is living in. The perp doesn¡¯t care about cleaning up after himself, so he¡¯ll want to change to a different room when the one he¡¯s living in gets dirty. Whether it¡¯s a yard or something else, somewhere with a wide, open area has priority.  Also, avoid places that have people living next door. Places that have basements or rooftop access are good too.¡±


    ¡°Hm. If that¡¯s the case, then it should be a little easier. All the houses in this neighbourhood are pretty similar, so there¡¯s only a handful of large houses or ones with the other features.¡±


    While we had our heads together, dividing the neighbourhood into areas, a man approached us.


    He had a red bandana with the words ¡®Oppose the Redevelopment¡¯ wrapped around his head.


    ¡°Excuse me, detectives. By any chance, are you from the Su-An Police Station?


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right, and?¡±


    ¡°My name is Yoo Chang-Su. Yoo Chang-Dong was my older brother.¡±


    Yoo Chang-Dong?


    If it¡¯s Yoo Chang-Dong, wasn¡¯t he the neighbourhood chief of Hwanak Neighbourhood, the one who was murdered by Song Dae-Ak.


    ¡°Thank you so much for solving his case. Thanks to you, my brother is able to rest in peace.¡±


    He earnestly gave us his thanks.


    ¡°I happened to hear that you¡¯re looking for someone. Although I¡¯ve lost my home due to this redevelopment¡­ No matter what, I believe that people¡¯s lives come first. I¡¯ll try to ask the locals to help out as well.¡±


    It seems that Yoo Chang-Soo had inherited his older brother¡¯s position and become the representative of the former Hwanak residents.


    When the demolition was stopped due to the current crisis, for the forcefully evicted residents, it surely must have felt like a heaven-sent miracle.


    But for them to give their all to resolving this crisis anyway?


    I couldn¡¯t feel any more thankful than I already was.


    On top of that, these were people who knew every corner of this neighbourhood like the back of their hand. They would certainly be of huge assistance.


    Weeoo- weeoo-


    From afar, I heard the sounds of police sirens as the latecomers arrived.


    It was time to start the search.


    So with utmost sincerity, we earnestly bowed to everyone that had gathered.


    ¡°We look forward to your kind cooperation!¡±


    We had already organized all the civilians into search parties.


    They all also raised their fists in a show of determination.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Make sure to search every corner!¡±


    Team Leader, Black, Mong-Doo, and I scattered in all directions.


    The police and civilian search teams followed after us.


    Bang-!


    Clatter!


    ¡°Over here. We need to open the door from the inside.¡±


    ¡°Just break it open.¡±


    Locked doors were broken down with hammers, and if that didn¡¯t work, windows were shattered.


    We left a red mark on each of the locations that had been thoroughly searched and confirmed empty.


    Racing up stairs, knocking on doors, and jumping over fences.


    As we did all this, time kept marching on.


    Eventually our clothes were drenched in sweat and after everyone had run out of stamina, we squatted on the spot to replenish our fluids.


    -The area over here is finished.


    Meanwhile, the search in Mong-Doo¡¯s area had finally ended.


    The sun was already setting and was now resting on the peak of a nearby mountain.


    Hwanak Neighbourhood had been cut from the electricity grid.


    This meant that once it got dark, we might have to withdraw and come back the next day.


    Although it would just be a few hours for us, it could feel like an entire lifetime for the surviving victim.

 Chapter 29.2

    The End of Chu Oh-Myeong (2)


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head to the next house!¡±


    With determined hearts, we entered the next residence.


    It was full of evidence that someone seemed to have been living here until recently.


    One of the civilians who had come in with me cocked his head out of curiosity.


    ¡°Huh. This is Old Man Gang¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Old Man Gang?¡±


    ¡°Yep. But he sold his lease and left early on.¡±


    I first checked around the kitchen sink.


    There were a lot of food leftovers that had been thrown away half-finished, but nothing that was fully rotten or decomposed.


    This meant that they hadn¡¯t been thrown away for very long.


    ¡°Call in everyone from outside! Let¡¯s all search this place together!¡±


    At my order, the other officers joined me to search the house. With each door we opened, we found further proof that someone had been living here.


    From this, it was clear that we were in Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s hideout, but we couldn¡¯t find any traces of the person we were looking for.


    Even though this was the place, the victim was still missing.


    With a frown of concentration, I scanned everything in the house.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see, if I was Chu Oh-Myeong, how would I hide the victim?¡¯


    Throats that were parched from thirst, and hunger that had transformed into agony.


    As someone who derived joy from my victim¡¯s pain, there was no way he would choose to imprison her in some normal fashion.


    If that¡¯s the case¡­


    As the thought struck me like a lightning bolt, I raced up to the rooftop.


    ¡°I am a police officer!¡±


    While shouting this, I opened the door to the rooftop.


    The night view of Suan from the rooftop was exquisite.


    The only flaw was the towering water tank erected in front of it.


    With a trembling heart, I approached it.


    As soon I opened the lid, what I saw was,


    ¡°¡­¡±


    a woman who had been reduced to nothing but skin and bones.


    Her hands were bound and tied to the top of the water tank.


    Whilst lacking the strength to stand up, and unable to sit because of the restraints, she had been left in a torturous position.


    The tape around her mouth and the rope around her wrists had been on her for so long that they had sunken into her flesh.


    She stared up at me with eyes that were almost swollen shut.


    As soon as our eyes met, I gulped as I felt something rise in the back of my throat.


    The woman was left without the strength to struggle, or even speak, and could only blink slowly.


    She had the look of someone who had seen her world collapse around her.


    ¡°Hold on for just a moment.¡±


    I climbed into the water tank.


    The water within was waist-deep.


    Just how much had she yearned to take a sip of all this.


    Once the tape was removed, the woman muttered feebly.


    ¡°S¡­ve¡­ Save¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s all over now.¡±


    At these words, a single tear fell from the woman¡¯s eyes.


    I poured a touch of water onto the woman¡¯s lips and then lifted her up gently.


    A police officer who had followed me up, saw this scene and ran over to help.


    ¡°We¡¯ve found her! We¡¯ve found the missing person!¡±


    ¡°Call the paramedics!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! Is she alright?¡±


    While we were descending from the roof, the woman who I was carrying in my arms whispered softly.


    ¡°Thank¡­. you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m even more grateful that you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    The red lights of the police cars and ambulances filled the Hwanak Neighbourhood with light.


    And on that night, I finally won the fight against the psychopath.


    Then a few days later.


    It didn¡¯t long for the case to be sent to the prosecutor¡¯s office.


    There was a confession, there was evidence, and finally we even had a surviving victim.


    The people¡¯s anger and lamentations pierced the sky after the case drew explosive media attention.


    In order to see Chu Oh-Myeong before he left, I headed up to the detention center.


    From today onwards, he would be placed in jail to await his sentencing in court.


    Of course, he would definitely be sentenced to life imprisonment.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    As soon as he spotted me, Chu Oh-Myeong spat on the floor.


    Sucks to be him. Because of me, everything had gone wrong for him.


    ¡°Could you two please leave your stations for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    At my request, the two police officers who were waiting for the prison transport left the room.


    ¡°What are you trying to pull? Fuck. Just let them hurry up and escort me to jail already. Just looking at this son of a bitch makes me sick.¡±


    ¡°Usually, you would think that my job would just end here. You¡¯d also be led to believe that this would be the last time you ever saw me. That this would be the end of our relationship.¡±


    ¡°Just get to the point.¡±


    ¡°You. I just can¡¯t send you off like this. I just can¡¯t let things end like this.¡±


    At these unexpected words, Chu Oh-Myeong frowned.


    It might have been because my words had a strange nuance, but he even looked strangely expectant.


    ¡°So what if you can¡¯t bear to send me off? Are you going to let me go free?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    I replied with a wide smile.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, I won¡¯t let you die no matter what.¡±


    Bewildered, Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s eyes darkened with fear.


    Rather than a police officer, it was like he was looking at a strange, otherworldly predator.


    Chu Oh-Myeong had committed suicide only three months after he entered prison.


    In his will, alongside words mocking the families of the bereaved, it was written that he had made the decision to commit suicide the moment he had handcuffs slapped on him.

 Chapter 29.3

    The End of Chu Oh-Myeong (3)


    ¡°It¡¯s a fact of life that trash belongs in a trash can. You should look forward to all the friends you¡¯ll meet in prison. Because they¡¯ll make you taste hell both day and night. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Until your body and mind can¡¯t take it any more, and decides to end things naturally. Got that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never get a chance to end things on your own accord. I¡¯ve made sure of that.¡±


    There were a few memorable ones among the prison guards that I had met in my previous life.


    Demons whose personalities were such that even the other guards felt ashamed of them.


    ¡°Even though you¡¯ll want to die, I¡¯ll make sure that you never ever get to. All the pain that you¡¯ve inflicted on your victims, it will all be returned twofold.¡±


    My heart still ached for her.


    The poor victim who was forced to stare at the water lapping at her waist, whilst she was dying of thirst.


    Even though the water was right in front of her eyes, the rope tying her wrists left her unable to drink any of it.


    All because of this evil bastard¡­.


    ¡°All your screams of pain and agony will be completely ignored. Even if you talk to the guards, that will only increase the beatings from your friends. Since that¡¯s the case, you should just take good care of yourself. Do your best, and live in hell for the rest of eternity.¡±


    Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s face was ghostly pale.


    My words were like a curse that had fallen on him from the heavens.


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Please get ready to escort the prisoner.¡±


    I cut him off and called for the police officers waiting outside.


    ¡°Fuck! Hold on a minute!¡±


    I heard his desperate cry, but I ignored it and headed back down to our office.


    Lee Sa-Ra was waiting for me in the hallway.


    ¡°Go Ji-Hun-ssi. Can we talk for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. That¡¯s fine with me. But please keep it short, I¡¯m taking a half-day off today.¡±


    ¡°What was your college major?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a high school graduate.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, have you ever studied psychology from somewhere else? I¡¯m asking because I just can¡¯t understand. Chu Oh-Myeong scored 36 points on the PCL-R. How on earth did you manage to con someone like that?¡±


    The intelligent Lee Sa-Ra¡¯s eyes were sharp,


    On the PCL-R, a diagnostic test for psychopaths, a score of around 25 is usually enough to determine that an individual may show recidivism and personality disorders.


    ¡°Wow. 36 points? That¡¯s quite something. Even for that bastard.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t talk in circles.¡±


    He was a guy that even a reputed profiler like her wasn¡¯t able to see through.


    So she was curious about how I had managed to dig up the information, just by entering the interrogation room.


    However I had nothing that I could say to her.


    ¡°I just read it in a book.¡±


    ¡°Which book?¡±


    ¡°It was so long ago that I can¡¯t remember. It just said something like, ¡®do this sort of thing to that sort of person¡¯, and such and such.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lee Sa-Ra¡¯s expression twisted in dissatisfaction.


    Then she sighed and waved her hand.


    ¡°Enough. I was a fool to expect anything. It¡¯s just that there¡¯s a similar technique in profiling. Where you speak as if you know the future¡­¡±


    This is why smart people are so exhausting to be around.


    I smiled and lightly poked fun at Lee Sa-Ra.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting. Weren¡¯t you someone who values objectivity over everything else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how the technique works. Anyway, my master happens to be an authority on this sort of thing. Because of this incident, he said that he would like to meet with you, is that okay with you?¡±


    ¡°If I get the time, I don¡¯t mind meeting with him. But I¡¯m usually so busy that I don¡¯t know when that will be.¡±


    In a roundabout way, I was expressing a refusal.


    However, Lee Sa-Ra simply turned around as if she didn¡¯t care in the slightest.


    ¡°If you change your mind, please contact me. I¡¯ll make your excuses to my master. Ah, and enjoy your half-day.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Well then. Keep up the good work.¡±


    As soon as I entered the office, Black started chuckling.


    Every time, it was the same thing. He was bringing ¡®that¡¯ up again.


    ¡°Yoooo, has the ¡®hero¡¯ arrived?¡±


    Ugh. If only he wasn¡¯t my hyung, I¡¯d pop him a good one.


    ¡°Stop it with all that ¡®hero¡¯ nonsense. You¡¯re giving me goosebumps.¡±


    ¡°What, it¡¯s not like I stuck that title on you? What¡¯s wrong with me repeating what everyone on the internet is saying?¡±


    Mong-Doo, who was sitting beside him, also added to his words with a laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a case of a handsome clothes-hanger making any sort of outfit look good. They took a lot of photos, but they all came out looking like movie posters.¡±


    Someone had filmed my appearance as I ran out of the house, holding the victim in my arms.


    A woman wrapped up in a blanket and my own desperate figure. All while the siren lights were illuminating the surroundings.


    The angle had come out surprisingly well.


    While doing my best to ignore them, I set down some documents.


    ¡°All done. You guys know I¡¯m taking a half-day off right? I¡¯m heading out after I tidy everything up.¡±


    ¡°Oh man. That sounds good. Did you say that today was your dad¡¯s birthday?¡±


    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s been a while since we last saw each other, so I thought that I¡¯d go.¡±


    Even without Director Kim¡¯s insistence that I had to attend, I was already thinking about going.


    Because although he was a stranger to me, he still treated me like I was his own son.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Is Gunbaek doing okay? I heard the redevelopment was delayed.¡±

 Chapter 30.1

    Simultaneous Disappearances (1)


    Hwanak Neighbourhood, which had become the site of an incident, had its redevelopment temporarily suspended.


    This was due to awareness of the conflict between Gunbaek and the original residents becoming widespread after the media had focussed their attention there.


    ¡°No need to worry. As they say, behind every crisis lies an opportunity. I¡¯ll be meeting with them soon to give them my thanks.¡±


    There shouldn¡¯t be anything that could overturn the plans for redevelopment.


    However this would all depend on how the Gunbaek Construction would choose to  stabilize their image following this controversy.


    ¡°Hm. In any case, please give them a few words from us as well. Tell them that we¡¯d like to thank them for their cooperation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that. Okay then, guess I¡¯m the first to finish work today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Take care on your way there.¡±


    Now that Chu Oh-Myeong¡¯s case was wrapped up, I could finally rest a little.


    With a skip in my step, I caught a taxi.


    ***


    At a mansion in Seoul.


    Although I hadn¡¯t spent long here, it still felt like my childhood home.


    ¡°Young master!¡±


    Chief Kim came running out to meet me in house slippers.


    All because there was someone here who was waiting for my return.


    ¡°Please come in. I was just about to call everyone to come and eat.¡±


    I had heard that Go Dae-Man would discreetly hold his birthday at his own home every year.


    Since everyone in the family was usually busy, I guess this was the best way to get all of us together.


    The moment I entered the door,  I could see the rest of the family sitting in the living room.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    As I called out a greeting, the godfather of all Korea lazily turned his head towards me.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    As always, Go Dae-Man had a warm voice.


    ¡°Many happy returns on your birthday.¡±


    I said this, while placing a fruit basket on top of the table.


    In the next moment, I was surprised by Madam1 Lee Mi-Sook¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°How thoughtful of you, but this is too much. Have you eaten yet? Let¡¯s have something to eat first before we talk.¡±


    Huh? What¡¯s going on?


    Although these words might sound normal if anyone else was hearing them, when they were directed to Go Ji-Hun in particular, it felt very strange.


    ¡°We were all waiting for you.¡±


    What on earth? These words were the last straw.


    I turned to stare at Chief Kim in utter bewilderment.


    He waved his hand, beckoning me to just head on to the dining room.


    A sumptuous feast had been laid out on the table. A full spread of all sorts of delicacies covered the tabletop.


    After having eaten cup noodles for my meals every day, my whole body felt like it had been salted dry.


    So I gulped down the food without even stopping to chew.


    When I was about half-way through, the Madam suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°How has your work been?¡±


    Really, what¡¯s going on with her?


    Although I was suspicious, I replied without making a fuss.


    ¡°Just so-so. It¡¯s busy, but nothing I can¡¯t handle. And it¡¯s also very rewarding.¡±


    ¡°I saw the article. It said that you had rescued a kidnapped person?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it alone, the whole team put in a lot of hard work to get it done.¡±


    I guess it was now time to reveal the point that she had slowly been circling to.


    Lee Mi-Sook gently laid down her spoon.


    ¡°By any chance, do you know Congressman Jang Man-Chun?¡±


    Congressman Jang Man-Chun.


    The former leader of the Nara-Sarang Party2, the second largest of the opposition parties.


    Although he had stepped down after being defeated in the presidential election, he was one of the most prominent politicians in terms of recognition and influence.


    I nodded my head.


    ¡°I know of him. I don¡¯t think there is anyone in the whole of Korea who doesn¡¯t know Jang Man-Chun.¡±


    ¡°Congressman Jang Man-Chun is my father¡¯s- no- your maternal grandfather¡¯s old college classmate.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°The congressman has a granddaughter. She should be slightly younger than you.¡±


    It looked like this might be a long conversation.


    Although Lee Mi-Sook had suddenly brought up this topic, no one else had even contributed any questions.


    This meant that everyone else, other than me, knew about this.


    ¡°Please, go on.¡±


    ¡°However, a few days ago, his granddaughter went missing.¡±


    Oh my. So this was about a case.


    ¡°At first they thought that it was just her being her usual rebellious self, but in the end, they couldn¡¯t contact her no matter how hard they tried.¡±


    ¡°So that means she often runs away from home.¡±


    ¡°Although they¡¯re hoping it isn¡¯t a kidnapping, since there hasn¡¯t even been a call asking for money¡­ It¡¯s like she just vanished into thin air.¡±


    Hey now. Wait a minute.


    It felt like I had heard of this somewhere before.


    The disappearance of the granddaughter of a famous legislator.


    ¡°For now, they¡¯ve said that they¡¯ll file a missing person report. They¡¯ve also hired a few private investigators, and they¡¯re even exerting some pressure through their personal connections.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So they contacted me after seeing you save that kidnapping victim not long ago. They just hope that you might be able to help them out.¡±


    That case certainly was creating large ripples through the media.


    Footnote:


    1. Just to be clear, this Madam had the meaning of ¡®the lady of the house¡¯. It has a completely different context to Madam Shim¡¯s case.


    2. Nara-Sarang translates to Country-Love, or love of the country.

 Chapter 30.2

    Simultaneous Disappearances (2)


    ¡°However, they¡¯re hoping that this won¡¯t become a big deal. Since it might be an embarrassment, if she ends up just being a runaway.¡±


    Ah. I just recalled.


    That¡¯s right. This sort of thing did happen.


    At that time, the news didn¡¯t identify Jang Man-Chun, but instead only reported that she was the granddaughter of a famous legislator.


    Leaving the public with only a few unconfirmed guesses as to who that legislator might be.


    Since the granddaughter wasn¡¯t a child, and she usually caused a lot of troubles in her daily life, the initial response was lukewarm.


    However she ended up being lost forever.


    Or at the very least, I hadn¡¯t read any articles about the granddaughter returning before I died.


    ¡®So Congressman Jang Man-Chun was involved in this.¡¯


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s for you or for the Gogwang Group, there¡¯s nothing wrong with having a congressman owe you a favor.¡±


    ¡°That should be the case.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why, we¡¯re hoping that you spare some attention to this case. If you agree, I¡¯ll call the congressman and let him know.¡±


    Hm. Although everyone seems to benefit from this, doesn¡¯t it feel like she¡¯s only treating me civilly because she needs something from me?


    At that moment Go Dae-Han, who had been keeping his silence, chipped in from the side.


    ¡°There is a new bill that is being introduced to the Assembly. It aims to significantly increase the tax rate on exported items, so if it¡¯s passed, it will be of great help to the Gogwang group. The problem is that, although it has been proposed¡­¡±


    Even though almost everyone in Lee Mi-Sook¡¯s family carries a badge for the National Assembly, it looks like they might still fall a little short if it comes to a vote?


    ¡°Well, for now, I¡¯m aware of it. I¡¯ll take care of the case.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Thank you.¡±


    How much pressure were they under to come to me with a request like this.


    Appearing satisfied with my reply, the whole family once again lifted their spoons.


    It was at that moment.


    My handphone started buzzing in my pocket.


    Buzz- Buzzzzz-


    ¡°Go ahead and take the call. It might be something urgent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I left the dining room and checked who was calling me.


    It was an unknown number.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Ah¡­ Is this Detective Go Ji-Hun¡¯s phone?


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve got the right person.¡±


    -This is Park Han-Dong. From the Hae-Soo case. I managed to borrow a handphone by asking the warden.


    The cash I had slipped the warden was proving its worth.


    Because if he was calling me like this, then it had to be for something urgent.


    ¡°You did well. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Park Han-Dong spoke in a trembling voice.


    -That is¡­ I can¡¯t get into contact with my dongsaeng.


    ¡°Please tell me the whole story.¡±


    -I usually get a visit from my dongsaeng every Wednesday. However, she didn¡¯t show up last week or this week as well.


    ¡°Have you tried calling her?¡±


    -Her phone is turned off. Just in case, I even sent her a letter, but¡­ there¡¯s been no news at all.


    Just now, we had been talking about the disappearance of Jang Man-Chun¡¯s granddaughter, but now Park Han-Dong¡¯s dongsaeng had disappeared as well.


    I felt that something unusual was going on.


    When I didn¡¯t reply, Park Han-Dong continued speaking in an almost tearful voice.


    -We lost both our parents when we were young. We didn¡¯t even have any relatives to help us¡­ With how we were forced to live, we couldn¡¯t afford to make any proper friends. Back then, you asked me to call you if there was anything you could help me with, so I just thought¡­


    ¡°No. You did the right thing. I¡¯ll try to find her.¡±


    He himself was locked up in prison, and he didn¡¯t have anyone on the outside to ask for help.


    Under these circumstances, I must seem like his last hope for salvation.


    ¡°What is your dongsaeng¡¯s name?¡±


    -It¡¯s Park Sae-Bom.


    ¡°Please send me her phone number and address by SMS.¡±


    Her address should probably be in the Dongsu Neighbourhood.


    I could still recall it from when I had gone there because of the Spaniel.


    -Yes. Thank you, detective. Really, thank you so much. I¡¯m begging you, please find her.


    ¡°It probably isn¡¯t a big deal. Don¡¯t worry about it. If there is something going on, I¡¯ll give you a call.¡±


    Hanging up the phone, I stood facing the window.


    Since the mansion was built on a hill, I could clearly see the town below.


    There were countless lights and rivers of cars.


    In my gut, I felt that something was going on.


    On top of that, something about the disappearance of Jang Man-Chun¡¯s granddaughter was strange.


    According to my previous life, I recalled that it hadn¡¯t occurred yet at this point in time.


    Hm. Could my slight changes to the present have caused something to go off course?


    Ding-


    A message arrived from Park Han-Dong.


    It was Sae-Bom¡¯s phone number and address.


    As expected, it was in Dongsu Neighbourhood.


    For now, I planned on stopping by on my way back, after the meal ended.


    As I returned to the dining room, Go Dae-Man turned to look at me in askance.


    ¡°Could it be that something urgent has come up?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to overburden yourself. If you need to go, then go. I know that¡¯s just how it is for police officers. Your job doesn¡¯t have regular hours.¡±


    I smiled and lifted my spoon.


    I was showing him that I intended to at least finish the meal before I left.


    The meal was already almost over, and my father¡¯s birthday only took place once a year after all.

 Chapter 30.3

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If it was an emergency, I would have left even if you tried to hold me back.¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s good. Hurry up and finish your soup before it cools.¡±


    ¡°Ah. But speaking of Congressman Jang Ma-Chun.¡±


    While looking at Madam Kim, I warned her.


    ¡°Please call him and tell him that if he wants to find his granddaughter, he should make her disappearance public. He¡¯ll never find her if he keeps the search discreet.¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to know something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling. But my hunches these days have been pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯ve said it before, if it turns out that she just ran away from home, calling it a kidnapping might-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he needs to make the choice. Whether he¡¯s more afraid of being embarrassed, or of never seeing his granddaughter again. The congressman just needs to decide which would be more detrimental to him.¡±


    After saying all this, I ended the conversation by keeping my mouth shut.


    Madam Lee Mi-Sook frowned slightly, but also ended up not saying anything more.


    This was fine with me as we weren¡¯t even close friends. If we kept talking, we¡¯d just end up bringing up the same things over and over again.


    As soon as dinner was over, I picked up my coat.


    ¡°Young Master. Do you really intend to leave without staying the night?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m too busy for that. I¡¯ll see you next time.¡±


    As I left the front door, Manager Kim followed me out.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since you last came, but you¡¯re leaving after only having dinner.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Sorry about that.¡±


    After patting him on the shoulder, I slipped on my shoes.


    Then I turned to speak to Go Dae-Man and the rest of the family, who were all sitting on sofas in the living room.


    Apart from the chairman, the rest of them were giving off a vibe that said that they didn¡¯t care whether or not I was going.


    So they had been forcing themselves to interact with me, all because they needed something from me.


    ¡°Well then. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°¡­speaking of, back then.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I had no idea what Go Dae-Man was suddenly bringing up.


    ¡°The uniform suited you very well.¡±


    So he was talking about the awards ceremony.


    That¡¯s right, he had been there, along with Chief Kim.


    Although we hadn¡¯t even been able to share a word, since something had come up at the company.


    I smiled as I said my goodbyes to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again next time.¡±


    What a gruff father I have.


    After leaving the house, I headed over to Dongsu Neighbourhood.


    Since I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll be driven to spare by other cases once I get back to work, I¡¯ll go take a look now, when I have the time.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The alleys in Dongsu Neighbourhood were just as dark and gloomy as ever.


    The gate of Sae-Bom¡¯s house was securely closed.


    She seemed to have paid it extra attention after the Spaniel case, as I could see that it had a strong lock and a chain connecting it to the wall.


    The letter sent by Park Han-Dong was lying untouched in the letter-box¡­


    Her clothes had also been left hanging around the yard to dry.


    ¡®It¡¯s like she just vanished into thin air.¡¯


    I suddenly remembered what Madam Lee Mi-Sook had said.


    Just for the sake of it, I decided to try calling Sae-Bom¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Contrary to what Park Han-Dong had said, about her phone being turned off, there was a signal. And then the ringtone suddenly cut off,


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    as someone picked up the phone.


    ¡°Hello. Is this Park Sae-Bom-ssi?¡±


    -Fuck ¡­ if they ¡­. get rid of it.


    ¡°Hello? Who are you? Hello?¡±


    After only managing to hear the voices of a couple of men arguing in the background, the call abruptly cut off.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡±


    I tried calling her again, but this time the handphone was completely turned off.


    Something suspicious was definitely going on.


    I called Black, who should still be in the office at this time.


    -Oh. It¡¯s the Newbie.


    ¡°Hyungnim. I¡¯ll send you a number, so please do a quick location tracking for me.¡±


    -Location Tracking? Have you received a report?


    I guess you could say that I had received one from Park Han-Dong.


    ¡°It¡¯s from someone I know. They said that they can¡¯t contact their dongsaeng, so I tried calling the number they gave me just now, but I think that a kidnapper may have picked it up by mistake. Please put my name under the reporter¡¯s identity.¡±


    -I¡¯ll put you through to the situation room. Send me the number.


    ¡°Okay. Got it.¡±


    I hung up the phone and waited for Black¡¯s to contact me back. All while keeping an eye on the house that had all its lights turned off. After a while, a message arrived confirming the phone¡¯s last transmitted location.


    ¡°Taxi!¡±

 Chapter 31.1

    Sae-Bom¡¯s Tracks (1)


    I immediately caught a cab and headed over to the address in the message.


    The destination was a small building tucked behind the main street, not far from Dongsu Neighbourhood.


    Although I didn¡¯t know where the signal had come from, just by looking at the signboards, I had a strong feeling.


    ¡®The first floor is a convenience store. The second floor is a go club. The third floor is a loan shark¡¯s office.¡¯


    I¡¯ll have to start with the third floor and work my way down.


    Racing up the stairs, I knocked on the tightly shut iron door.


    Knock, knock, knock-


    ¡°Business is closed for today.¡±


    A muffled voice was heard from inside.


    I silently kept knocking on the door.


    Only louder this time.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Click-


    ¡°Hey you mother fucker. Which son of a bitch is doing this? Are you deaf? Didn¡¯t you hear me say that we¡¯re shut-!¡±


    As soon as the door opened, I pushed past the man and entered the office.


    Men in shirts were gathered together in one spot, counting their money.


    Blue bills were piled on top of a table like a mountain.


    It was probably the money they got from charging interest on their loans.


    ¡°What? Who¡¯s this son of a bitch?¡±


    I just ignored them all and steadily walked deeper into the office.


    Although it was just a typical office, it was full of the dark atmosphere particular to a loan shark operation.


    Then I spotted the boxes stuffed into the corner.


    There were a lot of cellphones of different models all heaped together.


    At that moment, one of the men grabbed me by the shoulder and spun me around.


    ¡°Hey. Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said?¡±


    ¡°Where did you get those handphones from?¡±


    The man looked me up and down before looming over me menacingly.


    ¡°You a pig?¡±


    If I said that I was, he would probably just tell me to come back with a search warrant while whining about the law.


    This was the usual procedure for these guys, who toed the line between legal and illegal activities.


    There were many such cases where they clung to the law and used it for their own advantage.


    Sometimes, you just need to keep things simple.


    I picked up a nameplate from the top of a desk and smashed it down on his head.


    Bam!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°So what if I am a pig, what are you gonna do about it? Hurry up and tell me, or else. Where did you get these handphones from?¡±


    ¡°This crazy bastard! His liver must be swollen!¡±


    He who strikes first wins.


    Although it might be one against many, it wasn¡¯t too hard to deal with these bunch of neighbourhood bullies.


    While protecting my left shoulder as best as I could, I started teaching these punks a lesson.


    All of the money piled up on the table was sent flying, as men were sent reeling back with blood pouring from their noses.


    Not long afterwards, I was sitting on the sofa and watching over them as they turned on the handphones one by one.


    It looks like they had answered my call earlier by mistake while they were in the middle of organizing these phones.


    ¡°Th-they¡¯re all on.¡±


    ¡°Hold on then.¡±


    I called Sae-Bom¡¯s handphone.


    A phone on the far right started ringing.


    When I jerked my head, one of the men went up to the handphone and opened the battery compartment.


    ¡°One moment. It¡¯s been set aside with all the other phones that might cause some problems. The ones with their IMEI locked and things like-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just hurry up and check it.¡±


    After searching for something on his computer, he nodded his head when he found the information.


    ¡°We got this through a direct deal. Aaah, now I remember. Someone said that they had just picked it up, and asked if we were willing to buy it since it was unlocked.¡±


    ¡°He picked it up?¡±


    ¡°What did he say again? Something about it just being dropped somewhere along with some clothes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying he brought it to you to sell it, instead of handing it over to the police?¡±


    ¡°That sort of thing isn¡¯t too bad in the grand scheme of things. Most of the kids who bring stuff to us actually stole their items from public baths or other such places. In any case, since the phone really wasn¡¯t locked, we just said thank you and paid him.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t record who sold it to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s all we know¡­.¡±


    I tucked away Sae-Bom¡¯s handphone and got up.


    For now, I had at least managed to confirm something today, something had happened to her.


    ***


    ¡°Newbie. What happened with that business yesterday?¡±


    Black asked me this as soon as I got to work.


    Mong-Doo¡¯s expression showed he was curious about what had happened.


    ¡°What? What happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡°The newbie picked up another case even though he was on a half-day.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well that-¡±


    Just as I had opened my mouth, the chief entered the office.


    What¡¯s going on so early in the day?


    Unless there was something special going on, there was no need for him to come down to our offices.


    ¡°Have you all seen the news?¡±


    Only some of us seemed to be aware of what he was talking about.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received a report that Congressman Jang Man-Chun¡¯s granddaughter has gone missing. Although it¡¯s not under our jurisdiction, just keep your eyes open for her as you go about your day.¡±


    It looks like Jang Ma-Chun seems to have properly filed a missing person¡¯s report.


    That¡¯s right, that was the best thing he could do.


    No matter the investigation, the first steps are the most important.


    In response to the chief¡¯s orders, Team Leader grumbled.


    ¡°These days, the number of reports about people disappearing have exploded. What¡¯s with this special treatment for a congressman¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I see you over there, Hwang Joong-Woo! What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°It was nothing, nothing at all-¡±


    Drawing back from Team Leader¡¯s argument with the chief, I whispered to Mong-Doo.


    ¡°Have there been a lot of missing persons reports?¡±


    ¡°Yep. The numbers have soared all of a sudden. I think it¡¯s about three times more than usual.¡±


    Three times more than usual.


    A sense of uneasiness washed over me.

 Chapter 31.2

    Sae-Bom¡¯s Tracks (2)


    Buzz- buzz-


    At that moment, the handphone in my pocket started ringing.


    It was a call from DK, who I had almost completely forgotten about.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    -Geez. Mr. Detective. I¡¯ve seen the article. Looks like you did something really amazing.


    Before I could scold him for taking so long, DK started buttering me up.


    It had already been almost two months since we first met at his entertainment agency.


    ¡°You must have been really busy.¡±


    -Yes? Ahahaha. Well if you want to make a living, you can¡¯t help but be a bit busy.¡±


    At least he¡¯s good at speaking, if nothing else.


    Avoiding the murmur of conversation between the chief and Team Leader, I headed into our office.


    The other detectives seemed to be used to this situation, as they already looked to be hard at work.


    ¡°Have you found out anything? About Hae-Soo¡¯s sponsor, that is.¡±


    -Yes. I was looking into that, but¡­


    Seeing how his words trailed off, it seemed that the results of his search weren¡¯t very good.


    -It was usually the president of her agency who stepped forward to take care of any issues.


    ¡°The president of her agency?¡±


    -Yep. And in the cases where the pressure on Hae-Soo was coming from the outside, it was all solved through the use of indirect connections.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then only the agency president knows where her sponsorship was coming from?


    -Probably. When I tried to find out more about him, I heard that he¡¯d left and started a new company. Where was it again¡­ Why, isn¡¯t this the company whose aspiring celebrity was caught during the recent ¡®Thugs and Drugs Party¡¯. So that¡¯s where the former president of Hae-Soo¡¯s agency ended up.


    Ah. The woman who got assaulted by Moon-Joong back then.


    What was her name again, Ji-Young was it?


    I remember that she was the only aspiring celebrity who had attended that party.


    Although most of them weren¡¯t that famous, the rest were all established celebrities.


    -It looks like the president had it really hard after Hae-Soo died. If it was one of his other charges who had died like that, he could have just gotten over it with a sigh, but her death caused such a mess that he was forced to cough up everything, whether it was his shares in the company or her contract fees.


    Even in death, her influence was as great as ever.


    -Anyway, because of that, it looks like there was a complete split in the company management.


    ¡°So that¡¯s the case. By any chance, do you know if that president guy had any connections to organized crime?¡±


    At the time, the party was hosted by Madam Shim.


    However, since she had had the Guma Gang behind her, that meant that, in the end, the ex-president was connected to the Guma Gang.


    -Well. I can¡¯t be too sure¡­but in this business it¡¯s quite common to get entangled with gangsters. I¡¯ll send you their address. The strange thing about that place is, they don¡¯t seem to be very good at picking up calls. Sigh. Anyway, it looks like my job is all done.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You did good work.¡±


    -You haven¡¯t been in contact with my president, right? I hope that we can continue to take care of each other from now on.


    As soon as I hung up the call with DK, the company¡¯s address came flying in immediately.


    ¡®World Own Entertainment¡¯.


    It felt like I had often heard it from somewhere¡­was it going to become a famous company?


    In any case, it looks like I would be spending the whole day out of the office.


    Since after visiting this company, I needed to get started tracking down Sae-Bom¡¯s whereabouts.


    As I hung up the phone, Black asked in curiosity.


    ¡°Is something up? Also, what happened to the case from yesterday?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the culprit. It was a loan shark company that deals in used phones, but they said that the cell phone had been thrown away along with some clothes.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Something strange is going on.¡±


    ¡°Although I can¡¯t say for sure, I do feel like there is a problem.¡±


    ¡°This was over in Dongsu Neighbourhood, right?


    Black asked as he stretched his arms out wide.


    ¡°Since there¡¯s been a lot of missing persons reports, it looks like I¡¯ll be focussed on CCTV analysis for quite a while, I¡¯ll take a look in that area as well.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks. Oh, right. About the ¡®Thugs and Drugs Party¡¯. Wasn¡¯t there an aspiring celebrity among the people who got arrested at the time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°What else could have happened to her? She has to go on trial. After all, her agency washed their hands clean of her right away.¡±


    Although the president seemed to have been complicit, it looks like he got away without any questioning.


    I left the office and drove a car to the address that DK had sent me.


    Like he said, the company wasn¡¯t answering any calls. Even though today wasn¡¯t even a holiday, it was morning on a weekday.


    At a small building in Hapjeong Neighbourhood, Seoul.

 Chapter 31.3

    Sae-Bom¡¯s Tracks (3)


    ¡®Have I really come to the right place?¡¯


    Windows that showed no signs of maintenance and crumbling cement walls.


    Although the mailbox definitely had ¡°World Own Entertainment¡± written on it¡­


    For now, I parked my car and headed up to the building.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    I opened the door and headed in.


    Unlike the one at ¡®The Star Entertainment¡¯, this office was utterly desolate.


    Of course there weren¡¯t any awards or trophies, but I couldn¡¯t even see any photos of the company¡¯s celebrities.


    From the name of the company to its public appearance.


    Everything was giving me a sense of deja-vu.


    This was definitely-


    ¡°Who might you be?¡±


    At that moment, the employee sitting at the desk stood up and asked me for my identity.


    You could tell that they usually didn¡¯t get many guests, as his eyes showed that he was flustered.


    And it seemed like he was a foreigner, as his pronunciation was a little slurred.


    Just then, the door to the president¡¯s office opened and a middle-aged man walked out.


    He was holding a large briefcase in his hand.


    Although it was still midday, it looked like he was already getting off work.


    ¡°Ah, President-nim. It looks like a customer has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Customer? What kind?¡±


    He scanned me from head to toe before tilting his head to the side.


    ¡°Are you here for an audition? Your features are pretty good. Just leave your profile with us and go. And don¡¯t come back to our company without permission. Ahem.¡±


    As he tried to leave, I stepped in his path and took out my police badge.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for that sort of thing. I am a police officer. Please give me some of your time. Since you haven¡¯t been answering any calls, I¡¯ve come to find you in person.¡±


    The man panicked and stepped back slightly.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, I¡¯m afraid that I have to leave on a business trip immediately¡­ Please, let¡¯s see each other next time.¡±


    With that, he handed me his business card.


    ¡®World Own Entertainment President Myeong Bo-Hoon¡¯


    However I didn¡¯t step aside.


    ¡°As it happens, I¡¯m also one hell of a busy guy. I¡¯ll keep it short, so give me some of your time. Or would you rather come with me to the police station on charges of prostitution and drug trafficking?¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon frowned and checked his watch.


    It seemed that the business trip wasn¡¯t just an excuse.


    He turned and opened the door to his office, as if inviting me to head in.


    Then he vented his anger at his employee who was still standing at the desk.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine without tea, so don¡¯t you dare come in.¡±


    He also made sure to say that no other visitors were allowed.


    When we entered his office, he sat down on the sofa and crossed his legs arrogantly.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s prostitution or drug trafficking, that sort of talk will damage my good reputation. Hasn¡¯t the investigation been concluded? Ji-Young participated in that party on her own volition. We¡¯ve also suffered a lot because of her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? But she told me it was all because of her president.¡±


    At my words, Myeong Bo-Hoon laughed in disbelief.


    ¡°She said that? She has no grounds to say such a thing.¡±


    Something about his tone suggested that he was certain about this.


    ¡°But we even have a recording.¡±


    With these words, I cut him off at the knees.


    It wasn¡¯t even a lie.


    Since everything she had said about the president and her debut was faithfully recorded over the radio.


    ¡°However, this company¡­¡±


    I stood up from my seat and slowly turned to look around the president¡¯s office.


    So I had an old building with foreign employees, a company name that seemed familiar, and a president who appeared to be involved with a drug ring.


    ¡°No matter how you look at it, this company doesn¡¯t appear to be an entertainment company, so just what kind of projects are you really involved in?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to pull now? Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to ask me something. Enough. It looks like you don¡¯t actually have anything important to say to me.¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon rose from his seat while grumbling in displeasure.


    As he opened the door to leave,


    Bang!


    I kicked the door closed, barring his exit.


    ¡°What the-!¡±


    While staring daggers at the disgusting Myeong Bo-Hoon, I muttered.


    ¡°You. You¡¯re part of Quodu, right.¡±


    Quodu.


    It was a name derived from the Chinese word ¡®Quo-du-i(¿Í¶Ó)¡¯, which meant ¡®an expedition team¡¯.


    It was an organization that served as an intermediary for sex-trafficking overseas, especially in China, and it had become a hot topic after it was revealed that it had been operating in Korea under the guise of an entertainment agency.


    This was after dozens of Koreans had been executed in China for their involvement in the drug trade, and there had been a lot of buzz about extradition.


    ¡°W-what are you talking about?¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon¡¯s face went deathly pale as he shook his head.


    Just by looking at this guy¡¯s reaction and the state of this company, he¡¯s definitely part of Quodu.


    However¡­ there was something I didn¡¯t understand.

 Chapter 32.1

    Quodu¡¯s Infancy (1)


    At the time of Quodu¡¯s apprehension, the name of the company¡¯s president wasn¡¯t Myeong Bo-Hoon.


    Also, during that period it wasn¡¯t the Guma Gang that Quodu was involved with, but-


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The name of the organization I was thinking of momentarily slipped my mind.


    Myeong Bo-Hoon flinched at my cry of exasperation.


    ¡®They¡¯re smuggling women through the same routes they¡¯re using to smuggle drugs.¡¯


    That was the title of an article that was written about Quodu at that time.


    Although Quodu had always worked with a drug ring to acquire their prostitutes, at this point in time, that drug ring turned out to be the Guma Gang.


    ¡®So the Guma Gang was present during Quodu¡¯s infancy.;


    However, because of my intervention, the Guma Gang had been wiped out much earlier than in the original timeline, so the drugs they were smuggling had to be diverted to another organization.


    The organization that had been arrested alongside Quodu at that time was¡­


    ¡°The Joongmae Gang.¡±


    ¡°Hee!¡±


    Commonly known as the Chinese(Joong-Guk) Merchants(Mae-Mae-Pa).


    It was an organization that smuggled various things to China, whether that thing was a person or anything else.


    Although the strength of their organization had paled in comparison to their notoriety, the gang had grown much stronger after stepping into the drug trade.


    So the drugs the Guma Gang had been peddling actually came from China.


    Those sons of bitches. How dare they charge an outrageous 60 million won for Chinese knockoffs, while claiming that they were of the highest quality?


    ¡°You, w-who are you?¡±


    I noticed that Myeong Bo-Hoon looked genuinely flustered when he heard the name of the Joongmae Gang drop from my lips.


    Now it was all starting to make sense.


    Why there had been a sudden increase in disappearances.


    And why the disappearance of the legislator¡¯s daughter had occurred earlier than originally expected.


    Everything had been brought forward because of the Joongmae Gang¡¯s rapid growth following their takeover of the Guma Gang¡¯s drug ring.


    I grabbed Myeong Bo-Hoon by the throat.


    If control of the drug smuggling routes had shifted from the Guma Gang to the Joongmae Gang, it might mean that this guy was the point of contact between the two gangs and the key to solving the case.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot to ask you today.¡±


    ¡°You- you fuck-!¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon shook off my hand and dived behind his desk.


    He came back up holding a golf club.


    ¡°G-Get lost immediately! I-I-I can let your ass off if you comply!¡±


    The way he tried to speak like a tough guy, even though he was shaking, was quite amusing.


    Don¡¯t they usually call guys like this a ¡®vandal¡¯1.


    He¡¯s not an ordinary civilian, but he¡¯s not quite a real gangster either.


    Perhaps it was because he had only moved to this line of work after managing an entertainment agency, but something about his act seemed off.


    I picked up a vase that was placed on the table and threw it at him.


    Smash-!


    ¡°Hee!¡±


    In the moment that he fell back in alarm.


    I quickly rushed over and grabbed the golf club with my left hand, while punching forward with my right fist.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    I might have put too much strength in that hit, as Myeong Bo-Hoon collapsed with his hands clasped over his face.


    I pulled the golf club out of his grip and started poking him in the side.


    ¡°Now, now. Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re going on a business trip. Since we both don¡¯t have a lot of time to play with each other, why don¡¯t you get up quickly. Chop-chop.¡±


    Knock knock-


    ¡°President-nim. Is something going on?¡±


    The employee, who had been sitting at his desk, opened the door and came in.


    Then, as if realizing what was going on, his eyes widened and looked like they were about to pop out.


    I held up the golf club and pointed it at him in a threatening manner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about calling the police. Because I am the police. And don¡¯t even think about calling the gang either. From the looks of it, you¡¯re just an employee, so get out of here if you don¡¯t want to get caught up in all of this.¡±


    His lips parting soundlessly, the employee slowly shut the door.


    Myeong Bo-Hoon¡¯s eyes shone with desperation at this betrayal.


    I laughed and grabbed a hold of his hair,


    ¡°That¡¯s why you should regularly treat your employee with a bit of kindness.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Yan-Ji, you fuck-!¡±


    Bam-!


    And with this grip I slammed his head down onto the table.


    Having his head twisted to the side may have been uncomfortable for him, as a groan slowly escaped his lips.


    ¡°Aaargh¡­¡±


    ¡°Well then. From now on, when I ask you something, you are going to answer me without any lies. If anything seems even a little bit fishy; that¡¯ll set me off into a merciless rage. And I happen to be a police officer who doesn¡¯t care in the slightest about being written up for a disciplinary hearing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, please sir. Why don¡¯t you let go of me first, and then-¡±


    ¡°How were the Guma Gang¡¯s drug routes transferred over to the Joongmae Gang?¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon grimaced and feebly patted my hand. As if he was asking me to lighten the pressure by just a bit.


    ¡°I-I really don¡¯t know much about that, I usually just sent a few of my girls over to work for the Guma Gang whenever they decided to hold a party. And since I couldn¡¯t just leave them idle, that would be a huge waste of my investment, in the downtime I sent them to the gang¡¯s bars to scrounge for tips.¡±


    This was somewhat in line with what the aspiring celebrity, Ji-Young, had said. He must have strung all of them along with the promise of a debut.


    Footnote:


    1. This term is used to describe a person who¡¯s involved with crime, but pretends to be a law-abiding citizen. Someone who is hired to act as a go-between for legitimate businesses and organized crime. The term is a pun that uses both the English definition of vandal, a destructive criminal, and the definition of the Korean homonym ban-dal, which means half-moon, to imply someone who is only half-transitioned into becoming a criminal.

 Chapter 32.2

    Quodu¡¯s Infancy (2)


    ¡°But I think it might have started sometime last year. The Guma Gang came in contact with a Chinese syndicate. Then the Guma Gang said that since the other organization was able to bring drugs over the border, and Korean women were so popular overseas, why not make a trade for them as well¡­¡±


    So it was the Guma Gang who had taken the first steps.


    If they had only made a fully-fledged entry into the Chinese market just last year, then Quodu really was in its infancy.


    ¡°So what next? You just started regularly sending girls over to China? So is the organization that the Guma Gang got their drugs from the same organization that you sent your girls to?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s right. This sort of thing is also a type of business deal, so if you try and shop around then you¡¯ll only lose your reputation. Especially if you¡¯re trying to break into the overseas market, you¡¯ll need to rely on a firm connection to make that crossing.¡±


    ¡°Just business? Bullshit. What¡¯s the name of the Chinese Syndicate?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Cheonyonghoe (ǧýˆ•þ). With the characters for a thousand dragons.¡±


    From the name, it looks like there are roughly a thousand members in their organization.


    In any case, it seemed that this syndicate in China had agreed to this deal with their local client to trade in Korean women.


    I pressed down on Myeong Bo-Hoon¡¯s head even harder.


    ¡°Keep going. Just where does the Joongmae gang come into this?¡±


    ¡°Aaargh! I really don¡¯t know how it started. But once the guys from Guma Gang were all caught and thrown in prison, someone came to me personally.¡±


    ¡°Where were they from?¡±


    ¡°F-from Mainland China. They said that they¡¯ve found someone else to sell their drugs to in place of the Guma Gang. Since they already found someone to fill in the missing gap, they told me that we should just keep our usual deals running smoothly.¡±


    ¡°So the Joongmae Gang just stepped into the spot left by the Guma Gang without any issues?¡±


    ¡°If I had to say, that should be the case.¡±


    Now I got it.


    It felt like someone had replaced a car¡¯s wheel immediately after the tire had popped, without even turning the engine off.


    But for a Chinese organization who didn¡¯t even have any local roots, could they really have taken care of it all so quickly?


    ¡°Did they say anything else?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ something about the Joongmae Gang taking over the old smuggling routes and controlling the market¡­ things like that. Also that the business was doing well these days. Thanks to that, I¡¯ve also been pretty busy. Since the number of girls I have to send over has increased all of a sudden¡­¡±


    Could that be the reason?


    The sudden increase in missing persons reports, so it was all because Quodu needed supplying.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Joongmae Gang¡¯s base?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve only just started doing business with each other, so I haven¡¯t even gotten to see their faces. And since they aren¡¯t really involved with the nightlife industry, I don¡¯t even know when or if they¡¯ll hold the same sort of parties. But I¡¯m begging you, can¡¯t you please ease up just a little?¡±


    At these words, I casually released my hold on him.


    Like he had said, it would be difficult for the Joongmae Gang to attract VIP customers and hold drug parties like the Guma Gang had.


    Should I call this an ¡®end of an era¡¯.


    Since these guys mainly made their money from smuggling, they probably wouldn¡¯t dabble in the luxury nightlife industry.


    But if things go wrong, we could see drugs that were formerly catered exclusively to high-class clientele being popularized on the street-level at much cheaper prices.


    I just thought it was a bit unfortunate.


    If I had only come here a bit later, I might have been able to find out where their base was right away.


    Meanwhile, Myeong Bo-Hoon was stretching his head and shoulders, working out the kinks.


    ¡°Ah, one more thing.¡±


    I had almost forgotten.


    ¡°Where can I find Hae-Soo¡¯s sponsor?¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon seemed puzzled by me suddenly bringing up her name.


    ¡°Hae-Soo? Why are you asking about her all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Do you need me to massage your head again?¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s not like that, but¡­¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon fiddled with his collar as he hesitated.


    Could it be that he was more wary of a powerful force in the same country than he was of a Chinese syndicate that was based overseas?


    I held up the golf club and swung it threateningly in his direction.


    Even without me saying a word, it was enough to get him to spill.


    ¡°Hae-Soo¡¯s former sponsorship was- shit- it wasn¡¯t quite like average.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that their relationship broke the mold?¡±


    ¡°It was a bit more personal than your usual sponsor relationship. You might even say that they were in an ambiguous boundary between being lovers and business partners. Although, it wasn¡¯t like Hae-Soo was only seeing just one man.¡±


    ¡°So where did this sponsorship come from?¡±


    ¡°It came from Gunbaek Construction.¡±


    I was left speechless at this name cropping up so unexpectedly.

 Chapter 32.3

    Quodu¡¯s Infancy (3)


    ¡°Who in Gunbaek? Nam Sae-Ha?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know any names. Every time they arranged a meeting, it was someone like a secretary who came and spoke to me.¡±


    Nam Sae-Ha was the second son of Gunbaek Construction.


    It looks like I would have to check whether the sponsor was his older brother, or Nam Sae-Ha himself.


    I stared intently at Myeong Bo-Hoon.


    In any case, just how should I deal with this guy now?


    The problem was, if I dragged this guy to the police station, how could I explain that I had found out this guy was part of Quodu.


    In its early days, the name ¡®Quodo¡¯ was only ever secretly communicated within the organization.


    This guy must also be feeling very curious at the moment.


    Wondering just how I managed to uncover his identity.


    The best thing would be to just leave him in place, so I could keep digging for more information, but¡­


    ¡°You, if I let you go, you¡¯re just going to run away, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Me? No. I would never.¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon was even waving his hands in protest as he denied this.


    But I could clearly see from his eyes that he was intending to flee at the first chance he got.


    If he managed to escape to China, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to chase him down.


    I handcuffed both his wrists and led him out the door.


    ¡°P-president!¡±


    ¡°Yan-Ji!¡±


    ¡°Hey now. You two are so noisy.¡±


    As he was being arrested, Myeong Bo-Hoon and Yan-Ji called out to each other.


    I shoved him into the back seat of my car and drove to Yongsan.


    ¡°P-please spare me!¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon howled this as he bowed his head down to the floor.


    I felt like I had just become a kidnapper.


    I drove into a familiar alley and parked the car.


    ¡°Stay here and be a good boy.¡±


    Making sure that his handcuffs were firmly fastened to the car door, I climbed up the building¡¯s stairs.


    Bee-be-beep- bee-be-beep-


    Just like last time, an alarm like a cuckoo¡¯s cry sounded.


    ¡°Chief Ju, are you in?¡±


    I picked up the interphone and held my face against the camera.


    Soon, a familiar voice was heard.


    -Even if you don¡¯t do that, I can see everything, you brat.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I¡¯m here once again because I need to purchase something.¡±


    Click-


    The door opened as Chief Ju slowly wheeled his wheelchair towards me.


    From his thick glasses to the gloomy atmosphere inside. Everything was unchanged from a year ago.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? For you to drag that lump here with you.¡±


    It seemed like he had seen the whole situation through the exterior CCTV cameras.


    I smiled and waved my hand to show that it was nothing much.


    ¡°He¡¯s just something I needed to take care of. I¡¯m just here to make a quick purchase and leave. I¡¯d like one tracking device please.¡±


    ¡°The same type as last time?¡±


    ¡°Something similar, but one that can be swallowed.¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s something you¡¯re only meant to use on animals.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. That son of bitch isn¡¯t human anyway.¡±


    Quodu coerced people into becoming prostitutes by deceiving them with the promise of a debut.


    On top of that, they even took videos to entrap their victims with blackmail, and it wasn¡¯t usual for them to place trackers on the girls just in case they tried to run away.


    Well then, I guess I was just returning the favor.


    ¡°Ah, and just one more thing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The set of items that Ha-Seong picks up whenever he comes by, prepare one for me as well.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. You want to become a burglar as well? You don¡¯t seem to have the right build for that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for a burglary. Because I¡¯m just trying to return something to its rightful place.¡±


    Chief Ju adjusted his glasses and gave me an amused smile.


    Then he smoothly rolled his wheelchair back inside and entered an inner storeroom.


    When he returned, he held a capsule-sized tracker and an extremely small bag in his hands.


    ¡°This little guy will keep him company for more than a few trips to the toilet.¡±


    ¡°As expected. That¡¯s quite impressive.¡±


    That should be enough time.


    If I can just manage to pick up the Joongmae Gang¡¯s trail, that should also allow me to reveal Quodu¡¯s identity.


    ¡°Also, I had this bag prepared in advance because I thought Ha-Seong might be coming soon. You can take it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°No need for thanks. You¡¯re paying for it after all.¡±


    I immediately handed him the cash on the spot and left the building.


    Myeong Bo-Hoon was still obediently locked up in the car.


    I sat beside him in the backseat and forced his mouth open.


    ¡°Ugh! H-hey now, sir! What is that?¡±


    He seemed terrified of taking the unidentified pill.


    However it wasn¡¯t easy for him to resist me with his hands cuffed together.


    ¡°Relax your lips. It isn¡¯t tasty, so try to swallow quickly.¡±


    ¡°Hold on! Hold on! Are cops allowed to do things like this?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Since I¡¯m just feeding this to an animal like you, it¡¯s fine even if I do this.¡±


    The pill flowed down the back of Myeong Bo-Hoon¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Uurp-¡±


    While he was busy trying to retch it back out, I pushed him out of the car.


    The tracker should already be fixed, but it¡¯d make a big mess if he threw up in the car.


    It was at that moment.


    Buzzz- buzzz-


    I got a call from Black.

 Chapter 33.1

    Be Careful of Sparks (1)


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Hey. Newbie. It¡¯s about the case you picked up yesterday. You said that her handphone was thrown away along with her clothes, right?


    ¡°Yep. What about it?¡±


    -They¡¯ve found the cell phone of the congressman¡¯s granddaughter. But it had also been thrown away somewhere along with her clothes.


    ¡°¡­where was that?¡±


    -Over at Incheon.


    Bad feelings have a way of coming true.


    With this, everything became clear.


    Both Sae-Bom and the congressman¡¯s granddaughter had been abducted by the Joongmae Gang.


    While I was processing this, Black kept talking.


    -The cases seem similar, right? No matter how you look at it, it seems to be a case of human trafficking¡­


    ¡°The Joongmae Gang. Tell them to go digging in their direction.¡±


    -Hey now. How do you figure that? Well, even without your say-so, we¡¯ve got them lined up as one of our top suspects.


    ¡°I can count on one hand the number of guys who¡¯d strip their victim of all their clothes and possessions before kidnapping them. Along with the location of these kidnappings, there¡¯s probably a high chance of it being the Joongmae Gang.¡±


    I pretended to make the connection from the clues that I had picked up from here and there.


    -However, since those guys are the type to wander around, it¡¯ll be difficult to pin them down.


    That was indeed quite the problem.


    But as the saying went, if you want to catch a rat, then you just have to release the cat.


    This meant that, as humans, we shouldn¡¯t lower ourselves to try and catch a rat¡¯s tail with our own hands.


    -Hey. What is that sound that I keep hearing in the background?


    He was probably referring to the sounds of Myeong Bo-Hoon retching.


    I replied with a laugh.


    ¡°Nothing important. Just a cat making a racket.¡±


    ***


    At club Exodus in the backstreets of Gangnam.


    The neon sign advertising the club was still flashing, but it had been a long time since any customers had stepped foot inside its doors.


    This was because all the VIP members had been arrested at the ¡®Thugs and Drugs Party¡¯ and the person who ran the club, Madam Shim, was also awaiting trial.


    Fortunately, the employees who hadn¡¯t attended the party were already in the middle of getting everything back up and running.


    ¡°Whoa. Look at all the dust.¡±


    However, they had only been able to get back to work after the investigation had finally wrapped up last week.


    Myeong Bo-Hoon had to cover his mouth as he entered the store.


    It might be because the place was underground, but there was a strong smell of stale dust.


    ¡°Welcome. Do you have an appointment?¡±


    A member of the staff greeted Myeong Bo-Hoon with a bright expression.


    However, with the stage left abandoned in the dark, the club had lost what could be called its signature atmosphere, leaving Exodus with the air of a B-class Japanese Hostess Bar.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a customer. Get your manager here, the one who¡¯s running this place instead of Madam Shim. Go tell him that I need to see him for a bit.¡±


    While confused, the employee still headed up to the office.


    Soon after, a large-framed man appeared and took a seat in front of Myeong Bo-Hoon.


    ¡°What are you here for?¡±


    A frown had spread across the man¡¯s face as soon as he recognized Myeong Bo-Hoon.


    He was one of the Guma Gang¡¯s top executives, Min Seok-Gi.


    ¡°Between us, do I really need a reason to come and see you?¡±


    ¡°Stop fucking around.¡±


    The Guma Gang had grown from its roots as a small gang by continuously branching out.


    So even though a lot of branches had been destroyed following Ma Eun-Tae¡¯s arrest and the supply of drugs having been cut off, there were still a few surviving remnants.


    However, now that their monopoly of the drug trade had been lost, the organization would soon need to be renamed.


    ¡°You son of a bitch. I¡¯ve heard all about how you¡¯ve cozied up to the Joongmae Gang. After all these years, you want to cut all ties just because things are getting a little shaky for the organization?¡±


    ¡°Oh my. You need to put things clearly. Your organization isn¡¯t just shaky, it¡¯s completely collapsed. And it isn¡¯t like we were the ones who decided to attach ourselves to the Joongmae Gang. It was the Cheonyonghoe who made that decision.¡±


    At Myeong Bo-Hoon¡¯s words, Min Seok-Gi snorted loudly.


    For him, no matter who was responsible, the results were still the same.


    ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s just get to what you¡¯re here for. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy getting the store ready.¡±


    At that moment, the time was around sunset.


    While it seemed certain that he wouldn¡¯t be able to get the store even close to ready by tonight, Myeong Bo-Hoon didn¡¯t take this lie to heart.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m also in a bit of a hurry, so I¡¯ll be straight with you. The drug trade with the Cheonyonghoe, you can get it back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Surprised by these unexpected words, Min Seok-Gi retorted.


    ¡°Those Joongmae Gang bastards, just because things are going their way, they¡¯re getting real cocky. Can you believe that they¡¯ve suddenly asked me to increase the number of kids I¡¯m sending off to China? And they haven¡¯t even offered to increase my split of the commission in return for all my hard work. Do they really think I¡¯m a pushover?¡±


    Myeong Bo-Hoon pulled out a cigarette and chomped down on the end of it in frustration.


    Sensing that something unusual was going on behind the scenes, Min Seok-Gi took out a lighter and held it out to him.


    As they say, the enemy of an enemy is a friend, so his initially hostile atmosphere gradually faded away.

 Chapter 33.2

    Be Careful of Sparks (2)


    ¡°When it was you guys who were cooperating with the Cheonyonghoe, there was still such a thing as business principles. Since the kids were Korean, you made sure that they at least got a fair price.¡±


    ¡°Eun-Tae-hyong would sometimes drop a few extra pennies in your kids¡¯ hands before they left as thanks for their service.¡±


    ¡°But these bastards, since they¡¯re short on people, do you know where they keep getting their extra kids from?¡±


    Min Seok-Gi paused for consideration as he frowned.


    It was obvious that the traces of the Joongmae Gang¡¯s activities would be uncovered in no time after repeatedly pulling this sort of crime; and not just in any country, but in Korea especially.


    Not only was the size of their country small in comparison to others, it was also overflowing with things like car blackboxes and CCTVs.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the news, right? About that granddaughter of a Congressman who¡¯s gone missing.¡±


    Since it had been on the TV from the first thing this morning until now, there was no way he couldn¡¯t know about it.


    Min Seok-Gi nodded his head.


    ¡°But what about it? ¡­no way, really?¡±


    He dropped the lighter with a groan.


    For them to have whisked away, not just anyone, but the granddaughter of a Congressman.


    As if he was in a lot of pain, the cigarette held between Myeong Bo-Hoon¡¯s lips was trembling.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be too certain either, but given the circumstances, it looks like those bastards really may have done it without realizing what they were doing. The thing is, we¡¯ve got a high-ranking police officer in our organization.¡±


    Min Seok-Gi didn¡¯t seem surprised at hearing that they had a police officer on their side.


    You might be able to guess that this was because Exodus had managed to get itself deeply entrenched in the world of politics.


    ¡°From what he¡¯s heard, the investigation is being directed to the human trafficking trade with China. They¡¯re even putting in a request for cooperation from the Chinese Public Security Bureau.¡±


    ¡°Serves them right. Those stupid Joongmae Gang bastards. They thought that they were flying high, but now they¡¯re going to crash face-first into the ground.¡±


    ¡°Tch. You still haven¡¯t figured what kind of situation we¡¯re in?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the incident that took place during the presidency of Kim Young-Sam, right?¡±


    During the Kim Young-Sam administration, a small commotion had burst out in Mokpo.


    A civilian who was having a meal at a nightclub got into an argument with an employee over the exorbitant prices and ended up getting beaten by the employees.


    Enraged by this, he took out an advertisement in the local newspaper, organizing a petition to send to the President, and


    ¡°According to the stories, it turned the whole country upside down.¡±


    A call to action was sent from the Ministry of the Interior to the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, and right on down to the station chief of the Mokpo Police.


    With a fire burning in their eyes, the police officers captured the gangsters who were the main culprits behind this incident.


    The problem was that they didn¡¯t just stop with the main culprits, they rounded up all the other punks littering their district in one full sweep.


    As a joke, it¡¯s said that was the first and last time that Mokpo was completely free of gangsters.


    It was a story that could be considered a legend to all those who made a living with their fists.


    There was no way that Min Seok-Gi had never heard of it before.


    Myeong Bo-Hoon continued to speak with an extremely serious look on his face.


    ¡°Because of those Joongmae Gang bastards, we¡¯re all in danger of being set on fire by a stray spark. If their connection to the Cheonyonghoe gets discovered, then once Quodu goes down the Guma Gang, who also did business with the Chinese, will be in for it as well.¡±


    It was with this that Min Seok-Gi finally realized the seriousness of the situation.


    Although they were no longer a part of the whole deal, there would definitely be records left of their past transactions.


    On top of that, as this was the granddaughter of a congressman that they were talking about, then there was no question that the remnants of the Guma Gang would disappear completely.


    ¡°H-hey. How the fuck did things get like this?¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s yet another problem, our comrade in the police is also in trouble. No matter what he does to cover the traces of his involvement with Quodu, it¡¯s bound to get out eventually.¡±


    ¡°¡­so you¡¯re saying we¡¯re all fucked together then?¡±


    ¡°Just keep listening. Because of all this, he gave me a call. He told me that we should grab the Joongmae Gang bastards ourselves and clean up our trails before they screw everything up. And he also said that it would be for the best if we can do this before the Congressman¡¯s granddaughter gets sent to China.¡±


    Min Seok-Gi kept nodding his head in agreement.


    ¡°However, the problem is that they can¡¯t figure out those guys¡¯ location. From their movements they seem to be based around Incheon, but if you take a look at where the abductions take place, it also seems like they¡¯re somewhere in Suan¡­¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you came looking for us? You want us to find out where those bastards have made their lair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that you understand what I¡¯m trying to get at. While I might be involved in shipping the girls over to China, aren¡¯t I still just the former president of an entertainment agency? Even if I wanted to go looking for them myself, I don¡¯t have the means for it.¡±


    Although they were working together, the paths they walked were very different.


    Only a gangster who was part of that world could navigate the hidden jungle of organized crime.

 Chapter 33.3

    Be Careful of Sparks (3)


    ¡°And if I try to contact the Cheonyonghoe or the Joongmae Gang before they reach out to me first, then I could end up getting lynched afterwards.¡±


    This was a sensible amount of caution.


    What else could possibly happen if the police showed up right after he acted out of character and tried to make contact first?


    There was no way he¡¯d be able to guarantee his own safety in the aftermath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of it as solely a matter for the Guma Gang, try reaching out to a few other organizations. If things really keep going like this, we¡¯ll all be screwed.¡±


    There¡¯s a saying that even if a rich man goes bankrupt, he can hold on for another three years.


    No matter how far the Guma Gang had been put on their back foot, they still had more than a few strings that they could pull.


    ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. You know that we¡¯ve been riding on the same boat since the very beginning. Once the Joongmae Gang bastards are done for, you¡¯ll be able to regain your hold on the drug trade and rise back up. While I¡¯ll be there, taking care of collecting girls through safer methods.¡±


    As Myeong Bo-Hoon stood up, Min Seok-Gi also got up and affectionately patted him on the shoulders.


    This was completely different to when they had first met that night, you could even feel a sense of affection between them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you once I¡¯ve found anything out.¡±


    ¡°Okay. As quick as you can. You know what¡¯s at stake right?¡±


    ¡°I know. The Guma Gang, we¡¯re not finished yet.¡±


    Min Seok-Gi uttered these words with a firm expression.


    When Myeong Bo-Hoon left Exodus, he walked over to the car that was waiting for him.


    As soon as he was seated in the back seat, Myeong Bo-Hoon let out a long sigh.


    The wrinkles on his face worsened, and he looked as if he had just lost several years of his life.


    Having picked up its passenger, the car slowly pulled out of the alley.


    ¡°¡­are you satisfied with this?¡±


    He said this as he took out a small earpiece from his ear.


    The handsome man in the driver¡¯s seat also took out a similar earpiece.


    ¡°Very nicely done. You sure can act, is it because you were the head of an entertainment agency?¡±


    ¡°Enough. Just keep your promise.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    A deal had been struck between the two of them.


    He had promised that, whatever happened, he would create a few openings for Myeong Bo-Hoon to escape through.


    Of course, Go Ji-Hoon had no intention of keeping that promise.


    ***


    As soon as I entered the office at the police station, I heard the voice of a news anchor.


    [Next up is the latest news. Only a few hours after the news of the famous congressman Jang Man-Chun-ssi¡¯s granddaughter having gone missing was announced, her trail has been found. Her clothes and cellphone were¡­]


    That was quick.


    The television hanging from the wall was already reporting on the discovery of the congressman¡¯s granddaughter¡¯s cellphone.


    ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t things a little quiet today?¡±


    If it was like usual, things would be much more hectic during this evening hour.


    But in fact, it seemed a lot less busy than it was this morning.


    The place kind of felt like it had been abandoned.


    Without taking his eyes off his computer, Black answered my question.


    ¡°The security officers and all the other guys have all gone out to back up the investigation teams.¡±


    ¡°They need back up? Where did they go?¡±


    ¡°Where do you think? To Incheon, of course.¡±


    I was left speechless.


    It took at least an hour to get to Incheon from here in Suan.


    Even though this was a congressman¡¯s granddaughter, it was definitely overkill.


    Black also seemed pissed by this, judging from the way that he was pounding on the keyboard¡¯s arrow keys.


    He was currently looking at the CCTV footage from the Dongsu Neighbourhood area.


    Tap, tap, tap


    ¡°Oi! You¡¯re being too noisy. Quiet down a little.¡±


    Team Leader shouted out, unable to endure hearing this sound any longer.


    ¡°There¡¯s just too much footage to go through. Way too much. And even though there¡¯s all these things piling up, all the officers of the Suan Police Station get called over to Incheon.¡±


    ¡°Well, they found her clothes and handphone there, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve also found the same sort of evidence. From the case that the newbie¡¯s attached to! He also found the victim¡¯s handphone thrown away alongside her clothes, so what¡¯s with this difference in treatment.¡±


    ¡°That was just the testimony from a loan shark, while the granddaughter¡¯s handphone really was discovered by one of us. That¡¯s the difference, you punk. Anyway, aren¡¯t you being a little too prickly today?¡±


    After Team Leader shouted at him, Black returned to checking the footage while grumbling to himself.


    I picked up a stack of papers that was lying on top of my desk.


    It was a list of the people who had recently disappeared from the Suan area.

 Chapter 34.1

    Move out? Move out! (1)


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the number of missing persons has tripled?


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Although usually it¡¯s only around twenty to fifty people in a month, as of today, we¡¯ve already hit a hundred. And it¡¯s not just women, the numbers of missing men and children have also risen.¡±


    ¡°Did you pass on my message to focus on the guys from the Joongmae Gang?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Of course. I passed on the message, but since Incheon is under their jurisdiction¡­¡±


    He meant that there was nothing we could do as it was out of our jurisdiction.


    No matter how much we insisted that it was the work of the Joongmae gang, as long as they didn¡¯t want to listen, we might as well be spitting into the wind.


    We were only able to give them some advice, it was up to them to make a judgment.


    ¡°Anyway, what have you been up to all day before finally heading back here?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Black had shot me a look that seemed as if he had noticed something suspicious.


    I took off my coat and sat down next to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been out spreading some pesticide here and there.¡±


    ¡°Pesticide?¡±


    My preparations were complete.


    For the sake of these increasing numbers of abductees.


    My cats will act according to their nature and find the ratholes, then I¡¯ll capture them all with my own hands.


    ¡°Now then. I should get to work as well.¡±


    One day passed and then the next.


    During this time, it wasn¡¯t just Sae-Bom¡¯s, but the handphones and belongings of two other women who had been reported missing were also found.


    All while the investigation failed to make any progress, as if it was just pedalling in place.


    Well, no, they were making slight bits of progress.


    However with how they had chosen to focus their investigation, progress was too slow and, in the end, would end up too late.


    ¡°The car had a fake registry¡­ And without any CCTV footage¡­¡±


    Black grumbled with his arms crossed in front of him.


    It had been confirmed that the culprits made use of a car after kidnapping their victims to throw away the belongings in different locations.


    As such, this made it impossible to determine the exact location of the crime, and because they did this during the night or along sparsely travelled roads, the CCTVs hadn¡¯t been of any help.


    ¡°What the hell are these bastards up to?¡±


    ¡°What else. They¡¯re preying on people and selling them.¡±


    While it had become clear that this was the work of the Joongmae Gang, the biggest challenge had always been finding their lair.


    Since those guys were usually active around Incheon, everyone thought that they had to have a hideout somewhere nearby¡­


    But from what I recalled, that wasn¡¯t the case.


    Back then, I felt like I had seen an article that said something about how the police had been fooled because of this.


    ¡°What are the guys over at Incheon saying? Have they made any progress?¡±


    ¡°If there was, our guys would have returned already. There haven¡¯t been any new updates at all.¡±


    At this time, it wasn¡¯t just the officers from Suan; police officers from Gyeonggi and Seoul had also been called to Incheon.


    Since they had figured out that this was a case of human trafficking, the entire Korean police force felt the urgent need to capture the culprits before the victims were shipped off.


    ¡°Are they all still alive?¡±


    Black lamented as he looked at the photos of the missing people.


    I quietly responded to his question.


    ¡°Definitely. They¡¯re not organ traffickers after all, so there¡¯s no reason for them to kill their captives. And I¡¯ve heard that the officers over in Incheon are already tearing the port into pieces trying to find them.¡±


    ¡°That they are.¡±


    While tracking down the Joongmae Gang, all sorts of information was getting revealed in the process.


    Like the fact that control of the drug trade had transferred from the Guma Gang to the Joongmae Gang.


    And that accompanying their rapid expansion in power due to this newfound control, there was a corresponding increase of activity in human trafficking.


    Perhaps because everyone knew that their careers were on the line, but the speed with which they were gathering clues was much faster than usual.


    ¡°Today we have to check from here to here¡­¡±


    It happened just as Black was sharing the video of the CCTV footage that we needed to analyze today.


    Ring- Ring-


    Suddenly, all the phones in the office started ringing at the same time.


    Then even the officers¡¯ personal handphones started ringing as well.


    ¡°Ah, could this be¡­¡±


    This was a very familiar sight.


    It was the same scenario that I had seen, back when I first came into work.


    It had to be an urgent request for back-up.


    I picked up my handphone and checked the contents of the message.


    [Joongmae Gang¡¯s base identified. Abandoned hospital, 187 Changam Neighbourhood, Incheon.]

 Chapter 34.2

    Move out? Move out! (2)


    If it¡¯s the Changam Neighbourhood in Incheon, that should be somewhere between Suan and Incheon Port.


    Since the request for backup had come to us, this meant that we were closer to the scene of the incident.


    Mong-Doo shook his head with a frown.


    ¡°This is crazy. Seeing as how the request came all the way here, it looks like they really sent everyone to the Incheon Port.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Oi, Mong-Doo! Grab the car keys!¡±


    ¡°Which of the teams are supposed to be on standby?¡±


    The station burst into action..


    This was the lair of the Joongmae Gang that I had been eyeing for so long.


    But something was wrong. According to my memories, these bastards¡¯ base was definitely not in Incheon.


    ¡°By any chance, do you know who discovered them?¡±


    I asked Team Leader as we ran down the stairs.


    As no one from our teams knew the answer, a detective from another department answered in their place.


    ¡°They¡¯re saying that it¡¯s Detective Wang who discovered them. Apparently he stepped on their trail while doing a background check on some junkies.¡±


    It was Wong Ong-Gu?


    As I froze on the spot, Black shouted at me.


    ¡°Newbie! Stop messing around and get in the car!¡±


    Mong-Doo had a grip on the steering wheel.


    Ahead of us, dozens of cars were already leaving.


    With our sirens roaring like crazy, we started racing down the road.


    While pulling on my stab-proof armor, I subtly brought up the topic.


    ¡°Detective Wang is really impressive. For him to have found the location so much faster than the investigative teams over in Incheon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into that guy.¡±


    Team Leader¡¯s response sounded indifferent.


    ¡°But speaking of Wang Ong-Gu. I heard that he was originally part of the Violent Crimes Task Force. Why did he switch over to the Narcotics Unit?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. We were assigned to the same team and immediately placed in charge of the Hae-Soo case. Then as soon as the case was over, the team was dissolved. He was transferred to the Narcotics Unit immediately afterwards.¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s quite unusual.¡±


    It was a common thing for teams to be made and then split up again.


    If there weren¡¯t any teams available when a case broke out, then a team could be formed on the spot from whoever was available.


    However it was unusual for such teams to split up after only solving a single case.


    While pulling on his own stab-proof armour, Black also piped up.


    He seemed to be having trouble getting his arms into the sleeves due to all the muscle he was packing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that guy very well either. But he seems to be pulling his weight with the narcotics team. Even with that lifeless look he has.¡±


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    ¡°Geez. Are you one to talk about appearances? Among all us police officers, you¡¯ve got the fiercest expression.¡±


    ¡°Hyung-nim. Let¡¯s get it straight. You can¡¯t call this fierce, it¡¯s manly.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    While Team Leader and Black were quarreling, my handphone received a message.


    The message was from Myeong Bo-Hoon.


    [Those Joongmae Gang bastards are at the Love and Peace Hospital in Changam Neighbourhood, Incheon. The hospital¡¯s been abandoned for a long time.]


    While swallowing my anger, I sent a reply.


    [Thanks, but you¡¯re too late, you punk. We¡¯re already on our way there.]


    [How is that possible? I contacted you as soon as I heard from the Guma Gang.]


    [I¡¯m curious about that as well. In any case, you were late, so let¡¯s treat the promise like it never happened.]


    As soon as I sent this message, Myeong Bo-Hoon tried calling me.


    After I ignored a few of his calls, he started bombarding me with texts.


    Buzz-


    [No way, Detective-nim! This isn¡¯t fair. I should definitely have been the fastest to find out. Those guys from the Guma Gang told me that they found out about this from a direct source.]


    Buzz-


    [Are you really heading to the right place? Fuck, this is such bullshit! Which bastard reported it before me, tell me their name!]


    Ring- Ring- Ring-


    ¡°Newbie. What¡¯s with this nasty spamming of messages?¡±


    Black turned the conversation to my constantly ringing hand-phone.


    Ring- Ring-


    Then, as the final straw, my phone started ringing once more.


    Without even checking who the caller was, I immediately started swearing.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy you fucker, so just call me later. If you keep up this nagging, just wait and see how I deal with you.¡±


    -¡­boss?


    This perplexed voice belonged to Ho-Un.


    After clearing my throat, I lowered my voice.


    ¡°Ahem. Sorry about that. It¡¯s just that hyung is a bit busy right now.¡±


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    -It¡¯s about the person you told me about, Wang Ong-Gu. The background check for that guy has come out, but should I send it to you later?


    Looks like his exams were finally over.


    If it was anything else, I¡¯d have told him to send it to me by email, but under the current circumstances things were different.


    ¡°Try and explain it to me in brief.¡±


    -Um. I guess I can give it a go. But the truth is, there¡¯s really nothing special in it. If I had to pick out something, it might be the fact that he¡¯s sent all three of his kids to study abroad? Aren¡¯t police officers paid peanuts? However, including his wife, they¡¯re all living in France. And from what I can tell his family and in-laws are all of common means.

 Chapter 34.3

    Studying abroad?


    Not just somewhere in Asia, but in France of all places?


    Come to think of it, back then I found a bank statement in Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s pocket.


    It had traces of him withdrawing large sums of money. Though the balance was only 30,000 won.


    Just where on earth was the money coming from¡­


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡±


    First there was an unexpected move by Wang Ong-Gu.


    Then there¡¯s the base of the Joongmae Gang being different from what I had recalled.


    And for the tip-off to be called in before my pesticide, the Guma Gang, had gotten wind of it¡­ Without hanging up the phone, I ordered Mong-Doo.


    ¡°Back! Turn the car around!¡±


    ¡°What? All of a sudden? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because this is a diversion. They¡¯re planning on smuggling the missing persons to China while we¡¯re all distracted.¡±


    All the police officers that had been scattered across Incheon Port would now be heading to Changam Neighbourhood.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain of it. It¡¯s already been a week since the last incident. For these bastards who turn to kidnapping because they don¡¯t have enough girls to force into prostitution, how could they not have been planning something? So along with the fact that the tip-off came up as such a surprise, something just doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    Shit. It¡¯s so infuriating that I can¡¯t just say that it¡¯s because I ran a background check on Wang Ong-Gu.


    Perhaps because Black shared the same difficulty in forming a good impression, but he seemed swift to sympathize with Wang Ong-Gu.


    ¡°¡­even so.¡±


    ¡°Also, since all the other teams are heading to the hospital anyway, it shouldn¡¯t matter if we¡¯re not there. Let¡¯s go to Incheon Port. Please turn us around quickly!¡±


    At my urgent tone, Mong-Doo bit down on his lip.


    His eyes showed that he was just waiting for the Team Leader¡¯s decision.


    Silence choked the inside of the car.


    ¡°Newbie.¡±


    The words fell from his lips with great weight.


    ¡°We¡¯re trusting you.¡±


    The actions I had shown, while solving all our cases until now, had allowed me to earn his trust.


    I replied to him with confidence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Really.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Even if we do end up being disciplined, then the newbie can just send us on a vacation.¡±


    Laughing lightly, Mong-Doo spun the steering wheel.


    To avoid the police cars that were following behind us, he agilely switched lanes.


    A voice called out over the radio.


    -Team Leader-nim. Where are you going?


    ¡°Hm. There¡¯s something that we need to check. Go to the hospital ahead of us.


    -Team Leader-nim? Team-


    Turning off the radio, Team Leader rubbed his forehead.


    ¡°Fuck. If I get called up before the chief for this as well, I¡¯ll be in for at least two black eyes for sure.¡±


    ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll take your place.¡±


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    ¡°Instead of that, just let me sock you a good one.¡±


    Holding up the phone that I hadn¡¯t yet turned off, I spoke into it.


    ¡°Ho-Un-ah. Are you listening?¡±


    -Yep. Just say the word.


    ¡°Check the ships that are currently leaving Incheon Port and sailing to China, give me their destinations. Prioritize the ferries.¡±


    -Hold on for one moment.


    I could hear the faint sound of rapid typing.


    -Weihai, Yantai, Qinhuangdao, Chaofeiden, Lushunkou-


    Lushunkou.


    That was it.


    Since that was the location of most of Quodu¡¯s activities, it was likely that both the Cheonyonghoe and the Joongmae Gang had ties there.


    ¡°The ship to Lushunkou. What time is it departing?¡±


    -About an hour from now.


    ¡°An hour, you say¡­¡±


    The timing was a little tight.


    Fortunately, it was on the way to Cheongam Neighbourhood, so we should be able to arrive much earlier than that.


    I met Mong-Doo¡¯s eyes through the reflection in the rear mirror.


    He nodded slightly, as if telling me not to worry.


    Vrooom-


    As the noise of the engine slowly rose, so did our speed.


    Our worn-out police van was racing to Incheon port.


    ***


    Squeal-


    As soon as the car had stopped, without even taking the time to park properly, we leapt out and started running to the ferry.


    The ship heading to Lushunkou was named the Newflower.


    Contrary to its name, it was a ship that was showing the signs of its age all over its hull.


    As we tried to push ahead of the passengers, the staff blocked our way.


    ¡°Whoa there. Excuse me, customers. We need to check your tickets first. And since all the other customers have been waiting here patiently, please refrain from cutting the line.¡±


    Team Leader surreptitiously pulled out his police badge from his pocket.


    He was being cautious because we couldn¡¯t know how things would turn out if the Joongmae Gang found out that we were here.


    Not only were the kidnapping victims at risk, it could also endanger the ordinary passengers.


    ¡°We¡¯re the police. There¡¯s been a tip-off that there¡¯s a wanted person among your passengers. We¡¯ll keep the search quiet, so please cooperate.


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    ¡°Um¡­ But we¡¯ll have to depart soon.¡±


    Seeing as this was a ship carrying hundreds of people, it meant that they had to strictly keep to the departure time.


    Team Leader looked at me with an awkward expression.


    Since there wasn¡¯t any proof that the Joongmae Gang was on board, it was impossible to prematurely issue a ban on their departure.


    However I couldn¡¯t back down on my decision.

 Chapter 35.1

    Tombs Floating on the Sea (1)


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s just start searching. How much time do we have left?¡±


    ¡°About 30 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡±


    We had no time to lose.


    Pushing aside the stunned crew, I climbed onto the boat.


    The rest of my team came running up behind me.


    The Newflower was a ferry that had been built with 5 decks.


    We don¡¯t need to search everywhere. Storage lockers or storerooms. We just need to find these sorts of places.¡±


    Back then, when the Joongmae Gang was arrested, shocking photos had been released.


    They looked as if they were out of the days of the African slave trade, showing peopled crammed into boxes with their heads between their legs.


    It was likely that the same methods from back then had been used this time.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find them, definitely.¡±


    ¡°If you find them, make sure to call for backup.¡±


    ¡°Fuck. This place is really huge.¡±


    ¡°Just in case, make sure to be careful.¡±


    With stoic expressions on our faces, we swore to find them, before scattering in different directions.


    Soon, we¡¯ll find you soon.


    ***


    It didn¡¯t take long to work through the cabins on Deck A and Deck B.


    All the storerooms and the storage lockers were already packed full of the passengers¡¯ luggage.


    And there were only a few places that had signs forbidding access to unauthorized personnel.


    ¡°ÕâÊÇÒ»´ÎÁîÈËÂúÒâµÄÂÃÐÐ.¡±1


    The empty hallways became crowded as the time passed and the number of passengers on board increased.


    Just in case the guys from the Joongmae Gang might notice something strange going on, I had to keep my movements quiet.


    Even though we¡¯re already on such a tight deadline, the number of obstacles are only increasing.


    It might have been because this was a ferry bound for China, but I couldn¡¯t even pick out anyone suspicious from the crowd.


    ¡°Huff, Newbie. Have you found anything?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Nothing yet.¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡­ where on earth are they.¡±


    Meeting back up after circling the deck, Black¡¯s face was drenched in sweat.


    Of course, my clothes were also sopping wet.


    At that moment, a call came in from Team Leader¡¯s radio.


    -We¡¯ve got contact from the guys who rushed to the hospital. Although they found some tracks, they only left a few street-level punks behind. It seems to have been a site for organ harvesting.


    Those sons of bitches. So they picked an abandoned hospital for the sake of convenience.


    In any case, we could now be certain.


    Wang Ong-Gu had received a bribe from the Joongmae Gang and purposely leaked this tip-off.


    All in order to divert the eyes that had been lying in wait at Incheon Port.


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    -I¡¯ll finish the last of the cabins, so you guys go ahead to the lower decks.


    Wiping away his sweat, Black switched on his radio.


    ¡°Okay. How much time do we have left?¡±


    I checked my watch.


    Only 10 minutes. This is driving me crazy.


    While shaking his head dry, Black ran down to the lower decks.


    Except for the cabins on Decks A and B, the rest of the decks were all cargo spaces.


    From the top of the stairs, we could see the containers sprawling out from beneath our feet.


    We both gulped in dismay.


    Dyed in the light of the setting sun, the rectangular containers looked like tombs floating on the sea.


    ¡®The missing persons should be here¡­ somewhere inside of all this.¡¯


    I picked up two emergency safety hammers2 that were hanging on the wall and handed one to Black.


    Black rolled up his sleeves and took a hammer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the right side.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    While running between the containers, I carefully banged on their walls.


    To avoid drowning out any helpful noises, I had to keep myself from being too loud.


    Bong-


    ¡°This is the police. Is anyone in here?¡±


    Bong, bong-


    ¡°If you can hear me, please give me a sign!¡±


    Bong-


    The containers rang with hollow sounds.


    When we had checked about half of them, Mong-Doo ran up to us, gasping for breath.


    It seemed that he¡¯d also been very busy, as his face was so red it looked on the verge of bursting.


    ¡°Huff. Huff. It¡¯s almost time for the departure¡­¡±


    Looking over the railing, I saw that the boarding of the passengers had come to an end.


    In the distance, I could see the employee who had checked us for tickets dashing back to the main office.


    It seemed that in his urge to finish up work, he had forgotten that we had boarded the ship.


    I chewed at my lip before turning my head back around.


    ¡°From here on, I¡¯m moving on my own volition. It¡¯s fine if you leave first, but I¡¯m not getting off this ship. If I do¡­ then that¡¯s the end for all of them. I¡¯m staying.¡±


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    If things went according to my previous life, once everybody was sold, they would be forced to lead miserable lives until they could finally endure no more.


    In this life, I would never allow things to turn out like that.


    Even If I had to risk everything.


    Footnote:


    1 ¡°This was a satisfying trip.¡±

 Chapter 35.2

    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Black sighed while shaking the sweat out of his hair.


    Then he closed his eyes and appeared to have already made up his mind.


    ¡°Fine then. Fuck. Why not make a trip to China without even preparing a visa.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even have a passport.¡±


    With a shrug of his shoulders, Mong-Doo voiced his agreement.


    Then I felt movement coming from the floor beneath me.


    The ship was slowly moving away from the port.


    We had departed.


    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.


    ¡®Let¡¯s calm down, and then try to remember.¡¯


    What could I figure out from the articles that had covered this incident back then?


    There were wooden boxes in which two people had been crammed together.


    And of these boxes, dozens were transported in one load.


    Transported in one load¡­


    ¡°Hyung-nim!¡±


    A lightbulb popped over my head as I got an idea and called Mong-Doo and Black over.


    ¡°They¡¯re not here, we need to go down to the lowest deck! Where they keep the delivery trucks!¡±


    ¡°Delivery trucks?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way to transport the victims without having to load and unload their boxes.¡±


    As soon as they arrived at mainland China, they could be delivered directly to the headquarters of the Cheonyonghoe.


    Though that would definitely require them to have people planted within customs and on the Newflower.


    In any case, the only suitable way for them to be ¡®transported in one load¡¯ was for them to have been carried in the back of a truck.


    ¡°Mong-Doo. Newbie and I will search the trucks, so you should finish up here. You just need to go from here to there.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Black almost flew down the stairs heading to the lower deck.


    Dozens of delivery trucks of ordinary make and model were visible.


    And among these trucks, the large 25-ton trailer stood out.


    ¡°You can feel it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    At Black¡¯s words, I nodded.


    It was of adequate size and it had a Chinese license plate.


    As he had said, I got the feeling that this was it.


    Black and I struck with our hammers as hard as we could.


    Clang- clang- clang!


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    With each swing of our hammers, we felt like our hands and wrists were being shattered into pieces.


    Boom- boom-!


    ¡°Fuck! Just! Get! Off!¡±


    Beside me, Black spat out a curse through gritted teeth.


    The latch on the door was slowly peeling off bit by bit.


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    ¡°Fuuuck!¡±


    Clink-


    We pulled open our side of the doors to the truck¡¯s rear entrance at the same time.


    In front of us were piles of wooden boxes.


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    It looked similar to what I had recalled.


    In trembling hands, I held up my hammer.


    I pried away a loose plank and got a look into the dark interior.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    These were white legs.


    And between them I could see a woman¡¯s hair.


    She seemed to have felt my presence as she slowly turned her head towards me.


    There were no emotions to be seen in her shuttered, dark eyes.


    Whether it be resignation, or even despair.


    The moment I met her eyes, it felt like my heart had sunk to the bottom of my chest.


    ¡°Sae-Bom-ah.¡±


    Sae-Bom looked at me as if she was dreaming.


    It appeared that she thought I had to be a figment of her imagination, an illusion that her mind had come up with to escape this hellish situation.


    I called out Sae-Bom¡¯s name once more.


    In order to wake her up.


    In order to rescue her from the depths of fear that she had sunk into.


    ¡°Sae-Bom-ah. It¡¯s time to go home.¡±


    Ever so slowly Sae-Bom¡¯s brows started to furrow.


    Light began to return to her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to take you back.¡±


    ¡°Uu¡­ uwah¡­¡±


    Finally, a beast-like cry erupted from Sae-Bom¡¯s lips.


    Thick streams of tears flowed endlessly from Sae-Bom¡¯s eyes.


    Biting down hard on my lips, I smashed open the rest of the boards.


    Creak-


    Sae-Bom fell out onto the floor along with the woman that she was tied up to.


    Both of their arms had been tied behind their backs.


    Then they had their necks and legs crossed with each other and tied together.


    The woman lying beneath Sae-Bom started twisting her body like she was in a seizure.


    Her face looked familiar. It was Congressman Jang Man-Chun¡¯s granddaughter.


    She started shaking her head like crazy.


    ¡°Mph! Mmm-mph!¡±


    ¡°Just take it easy. Please calm down.¡±


    I carefully cut the ropes binding their necks and feet.


    Rip-


    Sae-Bom tore off the tape covering her lips with shaking hands.


    Then she stared down at the rope between her hands as if she still couldn¡¯t quite believe that this was real.


    ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°¡­no.¡±


    Perhaps because she hadn¡¯t spoken in so long, her voice sounded very raspy.


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    Black kept on moving boxes and smashing open their lids, but mixed into the boxes were ones that only contained miscellaneous goods.


    I turned on my radio and called Team Leader.


    Beep-


    ¡°We¡¯re at the delivery trucks on Deck D. We¡¯ve found the missing persons.¡±


    -Wha- Oh my god. Thanks Christ. Holy shit.

 Chapter 35.3

    He had been stuck in an anxious situation where he wasn¡¯t sure if the Joongmae Gang had really boarded this ship or not.


    Now that his anxiety was finally laid to rest, Team Leader¡¯s mumbled what sounded like prayers.


    -I¡¯ll put in an emergency request for support with the Coast Guard. How many people are there?


    ¡°There were two people in a box. Since the trailer is packed full of them, I¡¯m guessing around forty.


    -Hah. These sons of bitches.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the cabins? Have you found out how many of the Joongmae Gang are on board?


    -I can¡¯t be sure, since everyone is wearing casual clothes. But that said¡­ based on my gut instinct as a detective, somewhere between fifty to seventy?


    ¡°That sounds likely.¡±


    Since the police had been stirred up, they might be planning to move to China until the heat died down.


    It could also be to prevent people from escaping during transport.


    In any case, if it¡¯s between fifty to seventy, that means that more than one in ten passengers are members of the Joongmae Gang.


    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, things are going to get crazy.¡¯


    ¡°About the Coast Guard. We should ask them to approach as quietly as possible so that we can extract the victims first. Since there are civilians on board the ship, we need to handle this matter discreetly.¡±


    With crazy guys like them, I don¡¯t have an idea how they would react to this kind of setback.


    In the worst case scenario, they might even take the passengers hostage.


    -Understood. For now, just stay on that deck. I¡¯ll keep an eye on their movements from here.


    ¡°Yes. Roger that.¡±


    Turning off my radio, I once again picked up my hammer.


    There were still a lot of wooden boxes left inside the trailer.


    We needed to crack open all of them to confirm if they contained the missing persons or just general items.


    After looking around, Sae-Bom picked up the fallen latch and started banging away at a wooden box.


    Bam, bam, bam-


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Her desire to free them had to be because she knew just how much agony these people must be in, because she had been in the exact same situation.


    Even though blood was dripping from her palms, she kept up her actions.


    In order to grant Sae-Bom¡¯s desire, I broke open the rest of the boxes.


    ¡°Waaaah-¡±


    ¡°Shh. Be quiet.¡±


    People who had their hands freed comforted those remaining, while removing the tape and ropes binding them.


    Beads of sweat were dripping down from my chin.


    ¡°Hah. It feels like my shoulders are going to fall off.¡±


    The deck was covered in a mess of wooden planks.


    After the call to Team Leader on the radio, the ferry slowly reduced its speed and finally came to a complete stop.


    It seemed like the guys at the Coast Guard had sent the ship a signal.


    ¡°Huh? Over there, something is coming.¡±


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    This was said by a woman as she pointed out to the sea.


    It was a small yacht.


    It seemed that a private boat that had been fishing nearby had heard our request for assistance and sailed over.


    And in the distance we could also see ten other ships waving the flags of the Coast Guard.


    ¡°Haaah.¡±


    Out of relief, Sae-Bom released a small sigh.


    Waving our hands, we signalled the yacht to come closer.


    Once the boat pulled alongside the ferry, we lowered the emergency ladder.


    It was at that moment.


    Click, click-


    -Newbie. There¡¯s something up with the Joongmae Gang guys. After the ship stopped, they all headed up to the captain¡¯s quarter like a pack of wild dogs. Huh? Oi, you!


    At these urgent words, the radio cut off.


    Shit. It was likely that only half of them ran over to the captain¡¯s quarters, while the other half should be on their way here to check the truck.


    We quickly hurried the women down the ladder.


    Although everyone was moving at full speed, there were still so many people left on the ferry that it looked like those guys would get here first.


    ¡°Hyung-nims.¡±


    I took a deep breath and lifted my hammer.


    Mong-Doo held an iron pipe in each hand, having picked them up from somewhere.


    Black was cracking his knuckles.


    Smiling widely, Mong-Doo twirled the iron pipes in his hands.


    ¡°Since they seem to have split in half, let¡¯s finish them up quickly.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. These motherfuckers. Why don¡¯t we just throw them into the sea?¡±


    ¡°Hey now. You can¡¯t do that. Think about how hard it would be to find their bodies.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be dead anyways, so who cares how they died. Apart from us, who else will know about it?¡±


    Over by the corridor leading to this deck.


    I could see a bunch of tough guys come running down.


    Clang-!


    ¡°·¢ÉúÁËʲôÊ£¿¡±3


    When the door opened, we finally got to see our targets.


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    With our teeth bared in fierce grins, we leapt at them.


    While swinging my hammer at them, I shouted.


    ¡°They¡¯ve all been freed! You motherfuckers!¡±


    Footnote:


    3 ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

 Chapter 36.1

    The Tombs¡¯ Owners (1)


    Wham-! Bam!


    ¡°Uuugh!¡±


    While I used my hammer to strike at the thugs¡¯ sides and stomachs, Mong-Doo and Black finished them off with shots to the head.


    There were about 40 guys heading down to this deck.


    If we wanted to survive this, there were two important things to keep in mind.


    The first was teamwork, and the second was to make sure to put them down so hard that they couldn¡¯t get back up.


    In an instant, we had already rendered three of the guys standing in front of us unconscious.


    Clang!


    Black grabbed the head of one guy, who had started panicking, and slammed it into the iron door.


    Both the man¡¯s nose and mouth seemed to have burst open, as a thick stream of blood started to flow down his face.


    That was crazy. All his muscles definitely weren¡¯t for show.


    At that moment, a man grabbed hold of my trouser leg even as he was fainting.


    ¡°ÊÇË­!¡±1


    ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡±


    ¡°Roughly speaking, it seems like he¡¯s asking us who we are.¡±


    I swung my hammer at him once again and shattered his ribs.


    I felt a satisfying sensation from the end of my hammer. It was clear that it had definitely smashed right through.


    In an almost berserk state of excitement, Black roared.


    ¡°We¡¯re the cops you muuutherfuuuuckers-! Police! Korea Police!2 You sons of bitches!¡±


    Like a beast hunting its prey, he leapt right into the midst of all the gangsters.


    As the guys standing at the front of the group collapsed helplessly, the rest of the Joongmae Gang began backing away.


    Then they started pulling out pocket knives.


    By all appearances, they¡¯re dressed like ordinary tourists, but they¡¯re actions are unscrupulously bloodthirsty.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You¡¯ve got to pull those out for me to feel like it¡¯s a fair fight.¡±


    Mong-Doo tightened his grip on his iron pipes with a loud laugh.


    Just like back at the nightclub, Mong-Doo seemed to derive enjoyment from beating people up.


    ¡°From now on, there¡¯s no point in begging for mercy!¡±


    With that he ran in to support Black, the pipes held in both hands spinning in a dazzling flurry.


    The accuracy of his blows were so great that there were absolutely no wasted movements.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    One of the guys swung his knife at me.


    With a smooth turn of my body, I dodged the swing and tapped his wrist with my hammer.


    ¡°Aaargh! Fuck!¡±


    ¡°Hm? It looks like this bastard is Korean?¡±


    In my previous life, it was guys like this that had caused quite a mess by prompting a debate on whether to allow them to be executed in China or arrange their extradition to Korea.


    However things were a little bit different this time around.


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    Cra-crack-


    In a single motion, I grabbed him by an arm and a leg, and twisted them in the opposite directions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about moving and just stay here.¡±


    By this point, only half of the thugs were left.


    Although they weren¡¯t a match for any of us in a one-on-one, seeing as there were still plenty of these guys left, things still looked a little dicey.


    ¡°Kyaaah!¡±


    ¡°No! Stop!¡±


    Avoiding the fight, two guys had managed to sneak down to this deck  and had found themselves over by the girls.


    Right next to the emergency escape ladder leading down to the yacht.


    Realizing what was going on, these guys called out something to their comrades.


    ¡°ÅÜ¿ª!¡±3


    ¡°Ï£Âå´¬³¤! Äã±ØÐë³Ë´¬.¡±4


    Then one of them started shaking the ladder, trying to pull it off.


    A woman, who had been in the middle of escaping, screamed as she clung to the ladder.


    The other man grabbed her by the hair and tried to pull her back up onto the ship.


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    The rest of the kidnapping victims seemed to have been instilled with a deep fear of these thugs, and appeared to be frozen into inaction as they watched all this take place.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    I quickly started running over, but it was quite some distance away.


    But at that moment, Sae-Bom made a bold move and struck the man in the face with a hammer.


    It was the tool that Black had used to break open the wooden boxes.


    Clenching her teeth tightly, she shoved the other man back.


    ¡°I said stop! Didn¡¯t you hear me tell you to stop?!¡±


    ¡°Ê²Ã´£¿ ÕâÖ»·èС裿¡±5


    She cast quite a valiant figure.


    Just like back when she had almost been assaulted by the Suan Spaniel, and then when we saw each other in the visiting room, this was how Sae-Bom should look.


    Even though her hands were trembling, she bravely swung the hammer once more.


    Although she seemed to have shut her eyes tightly out of fear.


    Yet even without any guidance, the hammer continued to mercilessly fall upon these men.


    In response to her bravery, a few of the women also started helping Sae-Bom hold down the thugs from the Joongmae Gang.


    ¡®¡­looks like there¡¯s nothing to worry about over there.¡¯


    Footnote:


    Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only


    1 ¡°Who are you?!¡±


    2 Bolded words are shouted in English


    3 ¡°They¡¯re escaping!¡±


    4 ¡°Captain Xi-Luo! You have to take over the ship.¡±


    5 ¡°What? What¡¯s with this crazy bitch?¡±

 Chapter 36.2

    The Tombs¡¯ Owners (2)


    When I turned my head back around, the guys who had been facing Black and Mong-Doo were now running back to the passenger quarters.


    I stepped on the foot of one of the fallen thugs and asked him a question.


    ¡°What were those guys saying just now?¡±


    ¡°Um, j-just that these girls were escaping¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me the truth?¡±


    I struck the back of his hand with my hammer.


    Bang!


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    ¡°If you like being able to use both hands, why don¡¯t you just cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Th-they¡¯re heading to the bridge¡­ Aargh.¡±


    To the bridge?


    I started getting a bad feeling.


    And it was right then that the ship started slowly moving.


    I shouted to Black.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave this to Mong-Doo and head up to the bridge! I think they¡¯re trying to take control of the ship!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It looks like these bastards are planning to guarantee their escape to China¡­ Team Leader! Team Leader! Can you hear me?¡±


    -This is¡­ isn¡¯t it! Just stop¡­. Buzzz¡­


    Team Leader tried to respond, but the signal immediately cut off.


    No, it might actually have been forced to shut off. It was clear that he was in an extremely dire situation.


    Shit. If things went on like this, it could get tricky..


    The Coast Guard¡¯s ships were still a while away.


    It would take them about 10 or so minutes to get here.


    ¡°Newbie! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Get out of our way you bastards!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sort this out quickly and be right behind you!¡±


    Following the guys from the Joongmae Gang, Black and I ran up to the cabins.


    The passengers there were murmuring with anxiety at this sudden emergency.


    The same was true of the staff stationed in the cabins, as they hadn¡¯t received any updates about the situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°´¬Í£ÁËÏÂÀ´.¡±1


    ¡°Mommy. I¡¯m scared.¡±


    It had been concerning enough when the ship came to a halt, but what with a brawl and a chase scene flaring up out of nowhere?


    Pulling out my police badge, I shouted at them.


    ¡°Everyone, return to your rooms and lock the doors! We are currently in the middle of an operation. The Coast Guard will be here soon, so there is no need to panic.¡±


    ¡°Stop right there you bastards!¡±


    Black and I ran up the stairs leading to the bridge.


    And there we found ourselves facing the remaining executives of the Joongmae Gang.


    They were barring the entrance to the bridge.


    ¡°What! How come there are cops here?¡±


    Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks


    The person who said this had a genuinely surprised expression on his face.


    It was someone that I knew.


    Wi Yeon-Gil. He was a guy who had come to Korea after making a name for himself in a Chinese syndicate.


    He was also the leader of the Joongmae Gang. In my previous life, he had been extradited to China and executed.


    His closely-shaven head was covered thickly in scars.


    They were the marks of a man who had managed to survive in the cruel world of organized crime.


    Black growled at him threateningly.


    ¡°You¡¯re still in Korean waters, you bastard. What¡¯s so surprising about meeting Korean police officers in Korea?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Well now, this is quite troublesome, shit.¡±


    That sounded about right. We were also in quite some trouble ourselves.


    Even with Black here, we were still in quite a dangerous situation.


    Wi Yeon-Gil was the former head of a syndicate¡¯s assault force, while Black had already used up a lot of his strength, tearing open boxes and cracking skulls.


    ¡°And we just needed to make sure that this delivery gets through safely.¡±


    ¡°Delivery? What the hell do you see those people as?!¡±


    ¡°I guess that just means we¡¯ll have to make sure that you all die here.¡±


    At Wi Yeong-Gil¡¯s words, his subordinates pulled out their knives.


    ¡°Haiyaa!¡±


    As one, they started running towards us.


    After Black and I exchanged signals through a shared glance, we drew our pistols.


    Bang-!


    Bang-!


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    ¡°W-whoa!¡±


    Having been shot in both legs at the same time, our target collapsed and started rolling down the stairs.


    We kicked him aside and sent him rolling the rest of the way down.


    ¡°That reckless bastard had quite some luck. Just now, those were blanks. The next shot will definitely be a live bullet. So it would be for the best if you all stay still. If you don¡¯t want us to drill a hole through your heads, that is.¡±


    I warned them of this while aiming my gun at Wi Yeon-Gil.


    With their knives still raised, the thugs hesitated and turned to look at their leader.


    It was written on their faces that they were asking what to do.


    In response, Wi Yeon-Gil drew his own blade.


    ¡°Èç¹ûÄ㱻ץסÁË£¬ÄǾÍÊÇËÀÐÌ¡£ÎÒËÀÔÚÕâÀÎÒËÀÔÚÄÇÀï¡£ËüÊÇÒ»ÑùµÄ!¡±2


    ¡°What do you think he¡¯s saying?¡±


    ¡°It seems like he¡¯s saying that since they¡¯re doomed anyway, so they might as well go down fighting.¡±


    ¡°That so? If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s nothing for it.¡±


    It seemed that I had managed to roughly interpret what he was saying.


    Since the thugs started rushing us as soon as Wi Yeon-Gil raised his hand.


    Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only


    While taking a few steps backwards, we fired our guns.


    One step, two steps, three steps, four steps¡­


    Footnote:


    1 ¡°The boat has stopped moving.¡±


    2 ¡°If we¡¯re arrested, it¡¯s the death penalty for us. Die now, die later. It¡¯s all the same!¡±

 Chapter 36.3

    The Tombs¡¯ Owners (3)


    With each burst of gunfire, a member of the Joongmae Gang was felled.


    After firing six shots each, for a total of twelve shots, apart from Wi Yeon-Gil and a few others, everyone else was left rolling in agony on the floor.


    ¡°Fucking yeah. This is the first time that I¡¯ve been able to shoot as many scumbags as I pleased.¡±


    ¡°Phew. This should be enough to handle, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. Let¡¯s gooo!¡±


    Throwing aside his gun, Black flung his fist towards Wi Yeon-Gil.


    Keeping pace with Black, I also started swinging my hammer.


    ¡°Dieeee!¡±


    ¡°Like hell!¡±


    Clang-


    Black grabbed hold of his wrist and, with a crack, the blade fell to the floor.


    I kicked the knife away with my foot, sending it rattling down the stairs, and then I swung my hammer down at his knee.


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    Wi Yeon-Gil collapsed, clutching his knee.


    Although Black tried to hold him up by his hair,


    ¡°Ah. This bastard is bald.¡±


    So he had to dangle Wi Yeon-Gil by his ear instead.


    Then his fist started pounding away without any restraint.


    Bam- bam- bam!


    With his face now covered in blood, Wi Yeon-Gil tumbled down the stairs.


    He landed at the bottom, on top of a pile of his fallen subordinates.


    Then we burst through the door to the bridge.


    ¡°This is the police!¡±


    There were three fallen men on the floor who were covered in blood.


    Two of them looked like they were from the Joongmae Gang, but one of them was-


    ¡°Big Bro!¡±


    ¡°Team Leader-nim!¡±


    The captain, along with the conductors and the helmsmen, had gathered around Team Leader in a panicked circle.


    Caught in the middle of staunching the blood flow, the captain started to explain.


    ¡°He was fighting those guys when-¡±


    ¡°Big Bro! Are you okay?¡±


    Black ran over and started examining Team Leader¡¯s body.


    Team Leader frowned and knocked Black¡¯s hands away.


    ¡°Disgusting. I¡¯m fine, you bastard, so get your ugly face away from me.¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡­ If you can still mouth off like that, I guess you really are fine.¡±


    His radio was lying on the floor and seemed to have been smashed.


    It looked like Team Leader had used it to block an incoming attack.


    I let out a relieved sigh and started talking to the captain.


    ¡°The Coast Guard should be here soon. Please stop the ship and turn back to Incheon.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    We could see Deck D from the bridge¡¯s window.


    As well as the lights from the coast guard¡¯s ships in the distance, illuminating the dark sea as they drew ever closer.


    ***


    Back at the Incheon Port.


    The blood-stained ship had made its return only a few hours after it first departed.


    Police cars and ambulances had flooded the scene with their sirens wailing.


    Once the gangway was set up and the passenger doors had opened, police officers rushed aboard.


    Then Sae-Bom and I slowly descended from the ship, after making sure to cover her face with a blanket.


    This was because of all the reporters who had somehow caught wind of this and had encamped themselves around the port.


    The reporters immediately spotted Jang Man-Chun¡¯s granddaughter and started racing over.


    ¡°Huh? Over there! That¡¯s Jang Man-Chun¡¯s granddaughter, Jang Mi-In.¡±


    ¡°Jang Mi-In-ssi! Could you briefly tell us what has happened-¡±


    Flash- flash-


    ¡°Young miss!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take any more photos. To all reporters, Congressman Jang Man-Chun will hold a formal press interview soon.¡±


    Adding to the scene, were the secretaries and bodyguards sent by Jang Mi-In¡¯s family to escort her back home.


    Because of all this, there was no way for us to break free of the crowd.


    Sae-Bom ducked her head and whispered to me quietly?


    ¡°Is it okay for you to be here?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a Congressman¡¯s granddaughter over there. At a time like this, you need to get your name stamped on the case if you want to secure a promotion.¡±


    All the other rescuees were being met with and embraced by their families who had been informed of their rescue.


    If Park Han-Dong could have been here, he would definitely have shown up as well.


    However, for now at least, there was no one present to celebrate a certain orphaned young lady¡¯s survival.


    Since their fates had been distorted by my reincarnation, I felt obliged to take care of her in Park Han-Dong¡¯s place.


    Sae-Bom kept speaking to me in a low voice.


    Perhaps overwhelmed by the relief of having been saved, her voice sounded like it was on the verge of tears.


    ¡°I heard from my oppa. You said that you were going to find the real culprit. If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t you need to get promoted quickly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already been promoted not long ago. Also, with how capable I am, it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±


    Sae-Bom¡¯s words were said in jest.


    I had also retorted to her while laughing gently.


    At that moment, the paramedics approached us and took over supporting Sae-Bom.¡±


    ¡°¡­thank you so much. For both now and back then.¡±


    ¡°Rest up well. You did a good job swinging that hammer.¡±


    Caught by surprise, she smiled brightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you later.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s go visit oppa together. I¡¯ll buy you some pizza.¡±


    Sae-Bom got into the ambulance and left the port.


    After Black and Mong-Doo made sure that Team Leader was also sent to the hospital, they came and found me.


    ¡°How is Team Leader? Will he be okay?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. It was nothing much. Just some flesh wounds.¡±


    ¡°Yawn. I feel dead on my feet. But now things are finally over!¡±


    Black yawned while stretching loosely.


    How good would it be if things really were all over.


    However there were still a lot of loose threads that needed to be pulled.


    Taking things step by step, I still needed to unravel each tangle.


    Especially Wang Ong-Gu.


    Now the time had come to sort him out.

 Chapter 37.1

    The Compassionate Orphanage (1)


    [Next up on the news. China has officially expressed its position on the latest ¡®Joongmae Gang Incident¡¯. During which they made the unprecedented usage of the word ¡®embarrassing¡¯, but in light of how this case has drawn international attention¡­]


    The same story kept getting reported all day long.


    Turning his back on the television, Team Leader spoke up.


    ¡°Word has come down from above. They¡¯ve been able to delay the guys being sent by the Public Security Bureau, for a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Until how long?¡±


    ¡°A week. They can¡¯t get more than that.¡±


    With a frown, I stopped what I was doing.


    That was a ridiculously short amount of time in which to uncover all the Koreans who had been involved or assisted in this crime.


    Even if the Chinese wanted to quickly extradite their criminals and put them to trial, shouldn¡¯t they at least try to catch all the remaining escaped rats first.


    Mong-Doo tilted his head to the side and muttered.


    ¡°Could it be because of the embarrassment? So they want to quickly put the case behind them by sentencing the culprits to death.¡±


    This case had become a global disgrace.


    Because this incident had revealed the hidden face of Chinese society, in which human trafficking was rampant.


    Not only had a passenger ferry been diverted back to port, there had even been a battle between police officers and gangsters on board the ship.


    People couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to this real life story that sounded like something out of a movie.


    ¡°If it¡¯s such an embarrassment, then they should be actively cooperating with us to pull all the culprits up by the roots. Meanwhile, those sons of bitches are just resting in the hospital. What the hell are they thinking?¡±


    The thugs who had been shot and beaten with hammers were currently being treated at a hospital.


    Even setting aside the fact they had only given us a week, the situation was already difficult to investigate as it was.


    Especially since we needed enough time to uncover all the details of the underhanded transactions between Wang Ong-Gu and the Joongmae Gang.


    ¡°Speaking of which, there¡¯s someone here who¡¯s also supposed to be in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Team Leader coughed and avoided Mong-Doo¡¯s gaze.


    Although he might just have flesh wounds, when else was he supposed to be getting some bedrest if not at a time like this.


    However Team Leader had still dragged his body out to the office.


    While claiming he didn¡¯t want to waste any of our already limited investigation lying in bed.


    It was at times like this that it seemed like he was born to become a police officer.


    The gears in my head started churning.


    The only way for us to buy some time was¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s try and send another message to our Chinese counterparts.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Ask them if they have any interest in dealing with the Chinese syndicate connected to the Joongmae Gang. If they do, we might be able to find some clues for them, if they can just give us a bit more time.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the continental organization that those kids from the Joongmae Gang were trying to do business with?¡±


    The Cheonyonghoe.


    If it wasn¡¯t for us, their syndicate would have successfully closed this huge deal that involved both human trafficking and drug running.


    Our intervention had probably caused an equal amount of chaos on their side of things as well.


    ¡°Since drugs are involved, this should definitely catch their attention.¡±


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s send them the message. But have you come up with a good idea?¡±


    I still had a few cards left to play.


    There was Quodu and Myeong Bo-Hoon. Although my calls weren¡¯t getting through to him, the tracker that I had planted on him was still broadcasting his movements. Since he was connected to the Cheonyonghoe, we should be able to find a trail if we do a little digging.


    However I shook my head as if I didn¡¯t have a clue.


    ¡°Won¡¯t something turn up if we search for it? That is what¡¯s been working so far. And even if we don¡¯t find any clues, they¡¯re still going to end up extradited anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy. You certainly are a positive thinker, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    With his tongue sticking out in concentration, Black finished up writing his report.


    Mong-Doo, who had been sorting the files, stopped to read an incident report and asked a question out of curiosity.


    The report contained a record of the entire sequence of events that followed the destruction of the Guma Gang.


    ¡°But speaking of those guys from the Joongmae Gang. How exactly did they get their hands on the drugs from China?¡±


    Black turned to look at him in disbelief.


    As if Mong-Doo had asked something obvious.


    ¡°What are you talking about? They were able to get their hands on the drugs from China since they¡¯re also Chinese.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s the strange thing. Instead of trading with their fellow Chinese gang, didn¡¯t the drug supplier originally choose to cooperate with the Guma Gang.¡±


    Mong-Doo ruminated over the matter while spinning a ballpoint pen.


    ¡°Even though they were both criminal syndicates, the industries they handled were slightly different. For the nightlife-profiteering Guma Gang to start dealing drugs gives off a somewhat appropriate feeling, but for those thugs who sold organs harvested from corpses to suddenly jump into the drug trade is a little¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really overthinking things. Why are they the ¡®Joongmae¡¯ gang? Because they trade all sorts of stuff with China, that¡¯s why. That¡¯s that. Now hand me that report from the National Forensic Service over there.¡±

 Chapter 37.2

    The Compassionate Orphanage (2)


    Black steered the conversation away from Mong-Doo¡¯s topic.


    However, to some extent, I could agree with what Mong-Doo had said.


    Because I had thought something similar when I first heard the story from Myeong Bo-Hoon.


    Should I describe it as feeling like someone had tried to clean up a street after a traffic accident¡­


    After reading the investigation report sent by the National Forensics Service, Black spat out a curse.


    ¡°Shit. I thought this might be the case, but it really turned out to be.¡±


    ¡°The DNA from the abandoned hospital in Changam Neighbourhood has been matched with more than half of the people on the latest Missing Persons List.¡±


    ¡°Those sons of bitches. Really?¡±


    The problem was that no organs had been found on board the passenger ferry.


    Since that was the case, it might mean that the stolen organs were circulating within Korea rather than abroad¡­


    ¡°They still haven¡¯t found any records of the long-term transactions, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep. They¡¯ve really cleaned up after themselves. The search is ongoing, but it¡¯s not looking good.¡±


    ¡°Should we check the bank records of the guys from the Joongmae Gang?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re illegal immigrants, do you really think they¡¯d have that sort of stuff? Their business is all done through payments made in hard cash or money laundering. Still, for now let¡¯s put in a transaction inquiry.¡±


    ¡°Roger that. They¡¯ve also got Koreans mixed up in this, so there¡¯s bound to be something.¡±


    I nodded my head as I typed up an official request.


    If it¡¯s money laundering, that¡¯s something that they had definitely taken part in.


    If we can just pick up the trail from there, everything else becomes easier.


    Then we can catch the tail of the illegal organ trading ring, and discover the source of the money that flowed into Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s bank account.


    ¡®Although I already have Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s bank statements.¡¯


    It was part of the data packet sent by Ho-Un.


    Although untraceable amounts of money had occasionally been deposited into his account, it would be hard to prove that they were from him taking a bribe to look the other way.


    There also seemed to be a separate account for the money that he sent to his family in France.


    Although we were overflowing with suspicion, there was currently no physical evidence.


    The information I held was obtained through illegal means, so it couldn¡¯t be used as evidence.


    And it felt like we would be met with a backlash if we tried to push forward prematurely.


    I finished typing up the official request that would be sent to the bank and threw on my jacket.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading out for a little while.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°The hospital. I¡¯m going to have another go at grilling the punks who¡¯ve woken up.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. Be gentle with them.¡±


    Grabbing the car key, I headed down the office stairs.


    But what¡¯s with this? I bumped into none other than Wang Ong-Gu.


    ¡°Seonbae-nim. Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Unlike last time, he avoided me while exuding a gloomy feeling.


    His expression looked as if he was being hounded by something. And it appeared to be quite dire.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard the latest gossip.¡±


    I stepped in front of him while smiling softly.


    ¡°That it was Detective Wang who found out about the clue leading to the abandoned hospital.¡±


    ¡°So what? What are you going to do about it?¡±


    That was quite a nervous reaction.


    When I just looked down at him silently, Wang Ong-Gu shook his head slightly and conceded.


    ¡°No, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean that. It just slipped out because I haven¡¯t been sleeping well lately.¡±


    How sensitive. Could it be due to his failure to bail out the Joongmae Gang.


    Turning his body to the side, he tried to slip past me.


    ¡°Detective Wang.¡±


    I had to squeeze him a little.


    Then I could pry open the cracks caused by his stress and expose the inner traces of his dirty dealings.


    While turning my head to the side, I grabbed hold of him.


    ¡°When I was subduing the punks on the cargo deck, one of them -Ju Sa-Oh- said something strange.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He asked me why we hadn¡¯t gone to the abandoned hospital. He was complaining that all the guys from the police were definitely supposed to have been diverted there.¡±


    As Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s expression crumpled, he shook off my hand.


    ¡°Hey. That¡¯s been driving me crazy as well. All because of one of my fucking infomants messing around, I¡¯ve been placed in a tight spot.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of chasing that bastard right now, so get the hell out of my way.¡±


    His expression showed no changes in the face of my lies.


    Does that mean that he¡¯s not worried about being forced to spit up the cash that he¡¯s already swallowed?


    Or else, could it be that he¡¯s confident that his name won¡¯t be mentioned?


    I shrugged my shoulders. Whichever it was, it was only a matter of time until it would be revealed.


    ¡°However there¡¯s something else, Detective Wang.¡±


    ¡°If you keep calling me, I¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you asked me who Ju Sa-Oh is?¡±


    Ju Sa-Oh. It was the Chinese name that Wi Yeon-Gil was known by inside his gang.


    Although the literal meaning of the name was just ¡®Guide¡¯, it held the implication that he was the one who led the syndicate.


    As the investigation into the gang hadn¡¯t even started yet, neither the media nor even our colleagues in the department should have caught wind of it yet.


    Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s expression slowly worsened into a scowl.


    He glared at me as if he would like nothing more than to wrap his hands around my neck.


    ¡°Stop joking around. Like I said earlier, I¡¯m too tired for your shit.¡±


    That¡¯s a hit. Right in the bullseye.


    Wang Ong-Gu stormed up to the narcotics department while grinding his teeth, and I walked out of the police station with a grin on my face.

 Chapter 37.3

    The Compassionate Orphanage (3)


    Right at the moment I inserted the key into the ignition,


    Buzzz- Buzzz-


    a call came ringing in from Ho-Un.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    -After searching everywhere, that¡¯s the only account I can find for Wang Ong-Gu.


    And this was an account that only had moderate sums of money going in and out.


    Apart from the deposits that had been made in cash, everything else seemed ordinary.


    Hmm. But he definitely should have gotten more money somehow.


    I placed my hands on the steering wheel.


    This meant that there had to be a money laundering site that had been used by both the bastards from the Joongmae Gangs and Wang Ong-Gu.


    -Are you sure you haven¡¯t got the wrong guy, boss?


    ¡°There¡¯s something called a detective¡¯s intuition, kid.¡±


    Of course that¡¯s on top of a certain ability that¡¯s exclusive to reincarnators.


    Unable to understand my confidence, Ho-Un grumbled.


    -The money could have been earned by his wife over in France. I¡¯ve heard that the country has good welfare. From my perspective, he looks like the typical example of a pitiful goose father.1 And whether or not he has the money to spare for it, he still makes donations. Boss, I really think you¡¯ve got the wrong-


    ¡°Hold on. Who did you say has been donating? Wang Ong-Gu?


    That was extremely shocking.


    Judging from his actions and his personality, that seemed like something that he would absolutely never do.


    -I saw it while hacking his mail. It might have been an orphanage, but he definitely received a letter of thanks from them.


    So it was an orphanage.


    I stepped on the pedal and told him.


    ¡°Write down that place¡¯s address and send it to me.¡±


    ***


    The orphanage was located on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.


    Although the hospital treating the guys from the Joongmae gang was closer, it took second on my itinerary because of the orphanage¡¯s operating hours.


    Since it was a place where a lot of children lived, I had to abide by the rules.


    Screech-


    I parked my car and headed into the orphanage.


    ¡®Aeryuwon()¡¯


    This place had a name which meant ¡®a home where love flows like a river¡¯.


    There was a playground with a short basketball hoop, and flower beds bloomed brightly along the fences.


    As soon as I neared the front yard, I could hear the laughter of children.


    ¡°Kyahaha!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m it. One! Two! Three!¡±


    ¡°Run-!¡±


    Children who looked to be around kindergarten age were milling around the playground.


    If angels were real, they might just look like this.


    As I quietly watched over this sight, I was immersed in my past.


    ¡®Was I also like them?¡¯


    My memories from growing up in an orphanage were hazy.


    A lot of time had passed since then, and I couldn¡¯t even recall whether or not those memories were painful.


    As such, when I thought back to those days, it was as if a faded movie was playing.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The children who had been running around frantically came to a halt once they discovered me.


    Their clothes were neat, yet also stylish.


    On the other hand, their face and hair was covered in dirt from playing so enthusiastically.


    A young girl who was standing at the very front of the pack cheered brightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a guest!¡±


    ¡°A guest!¡±


    ¡°A guest has arrived!¡±


    ¡°Teacher!¡±


    The children rushed over to me and started clinging to my waist while they called for their teacher.


    I couldn¡¯t help but be flustered.


    From what I recalled, children at an orphanage should be a lot shyer than this.


    It seemed that the kids here were the type who could get close to people without any hesitation.


    ¡°Oh my. Good day to you.¡±


    A woman came out of the house upon hearing the children¡¯s calls.


    She looked striking dressed in a neat shirt and with her hair cut short.


    ¡°How can we help you today?¡±


    While comforting a child that she was cradling in her arms, she asked me this question.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    After some hesitation, I smiled brightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m here¡­ because I want to give a donation.¡±


    ***


    Clink-


    A teacup was placed in front of me.


    I smelt a rich aroma of coffee.


    Not only was this not instant coffee, it also hadn¡¯t been served in a paper cup.


    And the tea set looked quite pricey at that.


    The woman set her business card down beside the cup.


    ¡®Aeryuwon¡¯s Director, Jin Hwa-An¡¯


    ¡°Oh my, what should I do? I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have my business cards on me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly fine. I¡¯m just handing you my business card, because I want to first introduce you to Aeryuwon.¡±


    Jin Hwa-An took out a black folder and opened it up for me to look inside.


    Within the folder, there was a brief history and introduction to the orphanage.


    Also included were pictures of children who had been sponsored.


    This didn¡¯t seem to be a typical orphanage, as it included educational facilities as well.


    ¡°Could you possibly be thinking of adopting a child?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m still single.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Since you¡¯re so handsome, I was sure you¡¯d be quite popular.¡±


    ¡°I might be popular, but marriage is a different matter entirely.¡±


    Jin Hwa-An crossed her legs with a laugh.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not an adoption, and you intend to donate to Aeryuwon itself, we can arrange a usage report and send it to you every month. We promise that our accounts are transparent and indisputable.¡±


    ¡°Hm. That sounds good.¡±


    While listening to her speak, I carefully scanned the guidebook.


    I couldn¡¯t spot anything particularly unusual within its contents.


    Taking a sip of my coffee, I started asking questions.


    Footnote:


    1 A korean idiom used to describe a hardworking father who lives and works in Korea, while the rest of his family lives overseas for the purpose of their children¡¯s education.

 Chapter 38.1

    The Young Accomplices (1)


    ¡°It looks like you have a lot of people making donations.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that many, but there are a few who donate regularly.


    ¡°The children¡¯s clothes are clean, and your orphanage also has a good environment.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of our Aeryuwon,¡±


    Jin Hwa-An interrupted me with a firm nod of her head.


    Although she appeared to be in her mid-thirties, her behaviour resembles that of a dignified, older lady.


    This meant that I felt just the slightest bit pressured by her.


    ¡°we make sure to regard each of our children as their own valuable existence. Each of them has the right to live as a human should. To ensure this, we must maintain at least the minimum standards of dignity.¡±


    Her gaze was aimed at a window that had a clear view of the yard.


    Young men, who appeared to be part of the staff, were leading the children indoors.


    It seemed that the children¡¯s time was divided between class and rest periods, just like in a kindergarten.


    Including the director, there were quite a few staff members.


    ¡°Do you have any questions, perchance?¡±


    ¡°I would like to see what the welfare facilities are like. Would that be okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. However, since this is a place where children live, I hope you will respect their privacy. We can only guide you through the public areas.¡±


    Following Jin Hwa-An¡¯s lead, I rose from my seat.


    Then we went through the rooms, in order of the study room, the multi-purpose room, the dining room, the playroom, and a few others.


    Overall they seemed to be very well maintained.


    From the outside, the place appeared to be a paradise that was unequalled in the entire world.


    ¡°Teacher. I didn¡¯t get a sausage.¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    ¡°I got one, but it¡¯s too small.¡±


    ¡°Just hold on for a moment.¡±


    Currently, it appeared to be lunchtime, the children were standing in lines while holding their trays.


    The employee who was serving the food awkwardly turned and looked to Jin Hwa-An for help.


    She raised her eyebrows slightly, before offering me a thin smile.


    ¡°Would you mind waiting for just a moment? I need to help feed the children.¡±


    ¡°Of course. There¡¯s nothing more important than a good meal.¡±


    Jin Hwa-An left along with her employee, leaving behind a dining room packed full of toddlers. Their sparkling eyes all immediately turned towards me.


    The children closest to me crouched down on the spot and smiled up at me with bashful curiosity.


    ¡°Is uncle a guest as well?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Why did you come here?¡±


    ¡°Will you keep coming back from now on?¡±


    A flood of questions came pouring in from the children.


    Caught off balance, I took a few steps back.


    After getting used to Black¡¯s constant smokey stench and the constant stream of harsh curses from the detectives, I couldn¡¯t adapt to this situation.


    While edging away from the children, I said to them.


    ¡°Now now. You need to eat your lunch. Don¡¯t mind me and take your seats.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re all supposed to eat together.  But when the teachers leave to get more sausages, that means we have to wait for a long time.¡±


    Could it be that they often had trouble with supplying the right amount of food.


    Now that I had a closer look, it seemed like the number of chairs and tables in the dining room were insufficient compared to the number of children.


    I asked one of the children in front of me.


    ¡°Do you enjoy living here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The principal is great, and the other teachers are good too.¡±1


    Although it didn¡¯t seem like a bad environment for the children themselves, its connection to Wang Ong-Gu left me feeling a little uneasy.


    While responding to the children¡¯s conversation, I slowly looked around the place.


    ¡°Hey now. You all need to line up so that we can head inside. Make sure to wash your hands before you come here!¡±


    At that moment, children from another class arrived to have their lunch.


    They were led into the room by a few school students.


    Judging from the fact that they were wearing their school uniforms, it appeared that a couple of friends had come together to do some official volunteer work. How youthful.


    From my seat, I took in the sight, only to slowly rise to my feet with a name on the tip of my tongue.


    Hiis babyish face with a round nose. His affable smiling eyes. And his uniquely curly hair.


    ¡°Choi Sang-Beom?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Upon suddenly hearing his name called out, the boy turned his head towards me.


    What in the world? What is he doing here?


    ¡°¡­were you calling for me?¡±


    Choi Sang-Beom. The youngest of my fellow cellmates.


    Although the time we had spent together was the shortest, he had such a good personality that we had been able to get close without any hitches.


    Of course, he had relied on that personality of his to make a living by scamming people on the outside.


    Sang-Beom looked at me and tilted his head to the side as he tried to recall if he knew who I was.


    Since this was the first time he had ever seen my face, that was the natural reaction.


    Footnote:


    1 Jin Hwa-An is treated as the principal as well as the director of the orphanage.

 Chapter 38.2

    The Young Accomplices (2)


    ¡°Sang-Beom-ah. Is he someone you know?¡±


    Beside him, a girl with long, straight hair turned to look between Sang-Beom and me.


    Since this guy was three years younger than Ho-Un, he should currently be in middle school.


    Wow. Although I had felt the same thing every time I met one of the members of my old family, time really is a harsh mistress.


    ¡°Um¡­.well¡­¡±


    Sang-Beom¡¯s eyes darted around as he felt both our gazes rest on him.


    This brat. The Sang-Beom I knew could never have been the type to cheerfully volunteer at a place like this.


    In fact, he leaned more towards disliking children. If that¡¯s the case, his purpose here must be to¡­


    ¡°This brat, it looks like you¡¯ve really forgotten. It¡¯s me, Ji-Hun-hyung. Is the person beside you your girlfriend?¡±


    At the word ¡®girlfriend¡¯, both of their faces flushed red.


    How envious. They¡¯re in the prime of their lives! Shit.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not his girlfriend.¡±


    Although the girl tried hard to deny it, the atmosphere between them grew awkward.


    The moment that Sang-Beom opened his mouth to say something, I quickly pulled out my wallet.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it seems that the two of you really are just friends. Haha. But it looks like this hyung needs to give him some pocket money, since it¡¯s been so long since we last met.¡±


    Sang-Beom¡¯s hand latched into a fist around the 10,000 won note that I handed him.


    At first, his mouth hung open wordlessly, but he soon slipped on his characteristic smile and started acting as if he was close to me.


    ¡°Ah-ahah. So it was Ji-Hun-hyung. Sorry, my mind just went blank, so I couldn¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    This punk. So he had the temperament for cheating others in him ever since he was young.


    I tapped Sang-Beom on the shoulder, signalling him to follow me.


    We headed over to a small bench by the basketball court.


    Although he was trying hard not to show it, I could feel that he was wary of me. He¡¯s still too young to fool me.


    ¡°But who are you, really?¡±


    I wanted to pull out a cigarette, but with this place being what it was, it looks like I would just have to endure the urge.


    Instead, I unwrapped a sweet and popped it in my mouth.


    ¡°Mhm. You probably don¡¯t remember me. I¡¯m Sang-Ho¡¯s friend.¡±


    At my words, his face stiffened.


    Sang-Ho was Sang-Beom¡¯s elder brother.


    He was someone who had raised Sang-Beom in place of their irresponsible parents, but when he reached the minimum age for military conscription, Sang-Ho suddenly ran away from home.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re friends with my brother?¡±


    His expression showed some doubt. Of course, it was a lie.


    It felt a little strange to be scamming a future scammer.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ at his current age he should be around the 3rd grade in middle school.


    If that¡¯s the case, it must already have been five years since Sang-Ho ran away.


    ¡°Are you able to contact my hyung? W-where is he and what is he doing?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I haven¡¯t been able to contact him either.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I guess that would be the case.¡±


    Sang-Beom bit his lip in reluctance.


    This was something that he had repeatedly lamented in my previous life.


    When his older brother disappeared, Sang-Beom regretted that he was too young to do anything about it.


    If Sang-Beom had only gone looking for him back then, things might have turned out differently.


    ¡°In any case, what are you doing here? It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ve come here just to volunteer.¡±


    ¡°But I am here to volunteer. Can¡¯t you tell just by looking at me?¡±


    He was wearing an apron that was fastened at the front.


    Any square inch of it that wasn¡¯t stained with paint, was spattered in dirt.


    I replied with a shake of my head.


    ¡°Yup. A look is all I need to see the truth. You¡¯re just trying to score points with her, right?¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got a pretty face, her personality seems good, and she also looks like a good student. Too bad, she¡¯s picked up such a clingy stalker. Tsk.¡±


    After I tossed a few insults his way, Sang-Beom¡¯s eyes widened into circles.


    Then he carefully sidled towards me.


    ¡°Could it¡­ are you a mind reader or something¡­?


    ¡°Nope. Not at all.¡±


    Did he really think something like that was possible?


    Sang-Beom¡¯s eyes still shone as if he was watching a magician pull off an act.


    Hey now, wait a minute. This situation sounds just like something that I had heard about many times from a certain someone.


    ¡°Awesome. Can¡¯t you tell me how to do it? The way you said that was so convincing!¡±


    He did say that he had only gained his interest in hustling after watching a certain local snake-oil salesman charm a crowd with only his words.


    Although this finally led him down the wrong path, and into the life of a con artist.


    Shit. It looks like I¡¯m the one who¡¯s taken over that role in this lifetime.


    I let out a deep sigh before shaking my head.


    Well, this could be a turn for the better.


    Since at the very least, once he¡¯s following me, then he won¡¯t end up as a scammer.


    ¡°You. How long have you been volunteering here?¡±


    ¡°About a week?¡±


    ¡°And your friend?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been around a month for her.¡±

 Chapter 38.3

    The Young Accomplices (3)


    Okay. If that¡¯s the case, then things could work out.


    I spoke to Sang-Beom with a wide smile on my face.


    ¡°If you help me out a little, I¡¯ll help you in return. Whether it¡¯s learning how to speak with a silver tongue or something else, I can give it to you.¡±


    I tucked Chief Kim¡¯s business card into his pocket.


    At that moment, Jin Hwa-An emerged from the building, looking for me.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. I¡¯ve kept you waiting for so long.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°If you would like to see more¡­¡±


    While tidying up her slightly disarrayed hair, she gestured to me to follow her back inside.


    However, since I didn¡¯t feel the need to see any more, I just took out my wallet once again.


    From it, I pulled out three crisp, white cheques.


    As the saying goes, if you have a lot of time on your hands, then you don¡¯t have much money; and if you have a lot of money, then you don¡¯t have the time to spend it all.


    That described my situation perfectly. I handed the cheques to her with a smile.


    ¡°I would like to make a donation. For now, just these three big ones.¡±


    With my eyes, I sent a signal to Sang-Beom, whose jaw had dropped to the floor.


    It was a sign that we should go meet somewhere away from here.


    There were a lot of things that I wanted to ask about this somewhat suspicious orphanage.


    ***


    Sang-Beom and I arranged a rendezvous through Chief Kim.


    The place where we met was a snackbar in front of a nearby school.


    The tteokbokki and fish cakes served in a green bowl looked delicious.


    ¡°Thanks for the food.¡±


    Sang-Beom picked up his fork as soon as the food got to the table.


    At this behavior, the girl sitting next to him scolded him.


    ¡°Hey. You¡¯re not supposed to carelessly accept this sort of thing.¡±


    The name tag on the girl¡¯s chest read Gong Ji-Hye.


    As her name implied, she really did look quite wise.


    Since Ji-Hye wasn¡¯t aware that I was a police officer, she had decided to keep a watchful eye on me for now.


    I smiled broadly and held out a fork to her as well.


    ¡°Looks like Sang-Beom needs to learn from you.¡±


    ¡°This hyung is my older brother¡¯s friend. It¡¯s fine, so eat up.¡±


    Ji-Hye gave Sang-Beom a sceptical glance before accepting the fork.


    While sipping on my water, I slowly got to the point.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been volunteering at Aeryuwon for quite some time?¡±


    ¡°Only for a month. Why?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the atmosphere there? Are all the teachers there as good as the kids say they are?¡±


    ¡°¡­of course. Everyone is nice. Although the principal is a bit scary, there needs to be at least one strict person on the staff.¡±


    Ji-Hye replied while chewing on a rice cake.


    Even as her eyes were still full of vigilance.


    ¡°By chance, have you noticed anything that felt strange or unusual? For example, have there been any suspicious men visiting, or has the principal taken regular leaves of absent from her work-¡±


    Click-


    Ji-Hye set down her fork, making a loud noise.


    After giving her a stealthy side-glance, Sang-Beom also stopped moving his fork.


    Ji-Hye grabbed hold of her bag and looked as if she was on the verge of running out of here.


    ¡°Right now, oppa is the most suspicious person. Why are you asking all these sorts of questions?¡±


    Hm. Can¡¯t be helped.


    Looks like I need to be a bit more direct in my investigation..


    From my pocket, I took out my police badge.


    Ji-Hye took the badge and rubbed it discreetly in several places to check if it was real or not.


    I couldn¡¯t tell why such a sharp kid is hanging out with Sang-Beom.


    Ji-Hye returned my badge after she looked like she had finished satisfying her suspicions.


    Seeing as how the bag she had been holding onto tightly was lowered to the ground once more, it looked like she had lowered her guard.


    ¡°You¡¯re a police officer?¡±


    ¡°So my hyung had a cop as one of his friends¡­¡±


    The sparkle in Sang-Beom¡¯s eyes deepened as he looked at me.


    Ji-Hye picked up her fork once more and returned to eating the tteokbokki.


    Now we could have a more relaxed conversation.


    ¡°Why is a police officer interested in Aeryuwon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a simple investigation. That¡¯s why, do you mind telling me anything you can think of?¡±


    Taking out my notebook, I asked them gently.


    Ji-Hye and Sang-Beom looked like they were trying to recall something.


    Sang-Beom was the first to speak up.


    ¡°But there really isn¡¯t anything. Our volunteering time is all spent playing with the children or eating some snacks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s nothing too difficult. Ah, except for that. When we have to part with the kids.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. That is a bit depressing.¡±


    Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye nodded their heads as if they were sympathizing with each other.


    ¡°Since the orphanage is well run, the children get adopted quickly.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Should I say that we get as many kids coming as we do kids leaving? It feels like they leave as soon as we get attached.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s been a bit slower since last week. And because there have been too many admissions, the servings of food have been a bit lacking.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a place that delivers groceries to us once a week, but we only ordered the usual amount. So this week we keep falling short on the number of side-dishes.¡±


    So the number of children being adopted has decreased since last week?

 Chapter 39.1

    Pricking The Persimmon That You¡¯re Not Allowed to Eat1 (1)


    The timing coincided with the day of the Joongmae Gang Incident.


    That confirmed it. Aeryuwon was connected to the Joongmae Gang, and that meant that it had to be connected with Wang Ong-Gu as well.


    However, I was getting a bad feeling.


    The missing organs that were harvested from the abandoned hospital.


    Could they be¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s the process like for the kids getting adopted?¡±


    ¡°Since they¡¯re usually being adopted by families from outside the country, we get a lot of foreigners visiting the children. Then once the adoption is confirmed, we hold a small party, and then the principal and a driver will take the child to the airport on that very day.¡±


    ¡°Foreigners?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Now that I think about it, didn¡¯t they visit yesterday as well?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. You didn¡¯t get to see them because you were late. It looks like So-Yeon will probably be leaving us next.¡±


    At this point, Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye began chatting away to each other.


    But this, this was something that I definitely needed to dig deeper into.


    Although I would like to snoop through the director¡¯s office without Jin Hwa-An knowing about it¡­


    As I was lost in my own thoughts, Sang-Beom knocked on the table.


    ¡°Hyung.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Remember what you said earlier? If I helped you out, then you¡¯d give me whatever I want.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡±


    I thought that I could vaguely guess what he would ask for.


    Sang-Beom grabbed my hand with a serious look on his face.


    Even though I¡¯m a cop, I also happen to be rich, so in his eyes I might look something like Batman.


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, I swear I¡¯ll do whatever you tell me to do. In return, let¡¯s search for my older brother together.¡±


    ¡°Hey. Choi Sang-Beom.¡±


    Ji-Hye, who was sitting beside him, reminded him with a concerned expression.


    ¡°You can¡¯t say such a thing so carelessly. How can you promise that you¡¯ll do whatever he asks? And even without making that sort of request, it¡¯s the police¡¯s duty to find him anyway.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already been five years. Apart from my family, there is no one who¡¯s still searching for him. Although I didn¡¯t know that there was a police officer among my brother¡¯s friends¡­¡±


    A note of resentment that had been concealed within Sang-Beom¡¯s voice revealed itself here.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s only been a few years since I became a police officer.¡±


    ¡°So what! Don¡¯t you need our help right now? This works out for the both of us.¡±


    That¡¯s right. He made a good point. This arrangement suited me fine.


    But I had to say that I felt a bit uncomfortable dragging kids into this sort of matter.


    As I hesitated, Sang-Beom burst up from his seat.


    ¡°Or else, I could go running to the principal right now? What would she do if I told her that a police officer was asking me all sorts of weird questions?¡±


    ¡°Hey, sit your ass back down. And stay seated, you punk.¡±


    Faced with my calm response, Sang-Beom reluctantly sat back down.


    Hmm. Looks like it can¡¯t be helped.


    It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know how stubborn this guy is. Besides he¡¯s just asking me to find his hyung, nothing else.


    I¡¯ll just have to pull them out if things get too risky for them.


    I nodded my head as if in reluctant acceptance.


    ¡°Fine. When¡¯s your next scheduled volunteering time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit Aeryuwon during that time. Try and create a chance for me to snoop around alone.¡±


    ¡°That sort of thing is my specialty.¡±


    Ji-Hye stared at Sang-Beom with a worried frown.


    No matter what happens, it looks like Sang-Beom¡¯s happiness would only be fulfilled if I could help this friend of his become my sister-in-law.


    For now, I just rose from my seat with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on your discretion.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Fine then. I¡¯m a bit busy at the moment, so I¡¯ll be leaving first. Have some more tteokbokki before you go.¡±


    Leaving the children behind, I walked out of the snack bar.


    Checking the time, it was already evening.


    I¡¯d set out this morning to grill some of the Joongmae Gang¡¯s thugs, but I had already reaped a big harvest in advance.


    I got into my car and headed towards the hospital.


    ***


    On the 8th floor of the Chung-Ang University Hospital.


    Since the thugs from the Joongmae Gang were being hospitalized here, the police had stationed a tight guard around the place.


    I showed my police badge to the officer who intercepted me and entered the ward.


    Within lay Wi Yeon-Gil, whose face was swollen like a balloon.


    His expression darkened as soon as he saw me.


    As his limbs were bound to the bed, he was stuck in a state where he couldn¡¯t move a muscle. I dragged a chair over to his bedside and sat down next to him.


    ¡°An impertinent bastard like you, who doesn¡¯t even pay his taxes, is just a waste of the hospital fees. Hurry up and get moving so that we can have you sleep tight in jail.¡±


    ¡°.¡±2


    ¡°I know you just cursed at me. While I¡¯m still speaking politely, make sure to reply in Korean.¡±


    ¡°¡­since I don¡¯t have anything to say, just leave.¡±


    ¡°Ju Sa-Oh. You know that if you get taken to China like this, all that¡¯s waiting for you is a death sentence, right?¡±


    Footnote:


    1 A Korean idiom that has a similar meaning to the English idiom ¡®sour grapes¡¯. Describes the feeling of someone who is jealous of what others have.


    2 ¡°Get lost and fuck you.¡±

 Chapter 39.2

    Pricking The Persimmon That You¡¯re Not Allowed to Eat (2)


    As I called out the name, Ju Sa-Oh, Wi Yeon-Gil turned to stare at me.


    Since it was a title that only those inside his organization should know him by, I guessed that he must be alarmed.


    He might even already be thinking that someone had betrayed him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll die without even getting to see the faces of your family in your home country. The Chinese government has ground its teeth down to the bone. Because of you, they¡¯re being shamed across the world.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ who on earth are you?¡±


    We things called humans are so complicated.


    He was a murderer who had slaughtered many while treating people as objects.


    Yet before he was executed, a guy like this had wept while bowing down to his mother who was watching him from afar.


    Even though his victims were definitely part of someone else¡¯s family.


    I swallowed back the bile rising up my throat, and skillfully coaxed him.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, as the time has come for you to go, shouldn¡¯t you at least try to wash your hands clean. If you do, I can bring your mother to you so that you can at least see her face one last time.¡±


    Wi Yeon-Gil stared at me as if he was trying to look right through me.


    He must be wondering what I was plotting.


    ¡°Where have all the harvested organs gone?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What about the rest of your conspirators? And how are you connected to the Cheonyonghoe?¡±


    Hm. I didn¡¯t think it would be easy, but he isn¡¯t even making any responses.


    I folded my arms and released a sigh.


    Even if I requested more time from our Chinese counterparts under the pretext of investigating Quodu, there was no guarantee that they would accept my request.


    If that¡¯s how it was, then it sounded like we would just need to resolve the case within a week, at all costs.


    For a long moment, within that hospital room, I just faced him in silence.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll come back again.¡±


    As I left the hospital ward, I made a request to the police officers who were stationed there.


    Just in case the Cheonyonghoe or any other forces might be aiming to keep the thugs within from flapping their lips.


    ¡°Please keep your guards up.¡±


    ¡°Roger that. Take care on your way back.¡±


    With that, the only remaining breakthrough point was the Aeryuwon.


    It looks like I would just have to wait and see how helpful the future scammer, Sang-Beom, could be.


    ***


    It was the day that Sang-Beom and I had agreed upon


    As I finished writing up a report at the office, I checked the time.


    If I set off now, it looks like I could get there without a rush.


    ¡°Ah. Newbie. It¡¯s about what you suggested last time. That thing with asking the Chinese for a time extension.¡±


    Suddenly appearing to have recalled something, Team Leader turned to face me.


    ¡°It was a bust.¡±


    Shit. I had thought that might happen.


    Since this was a matter of national dignity, I guessed they didn¡¯t feel the need to round up everyone.


    They might also be confident that they could catch the Cheonyonghoe without our help.


    ¡°Well that sucks.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s what we expected.¡±


    ¡°If so, that means that we only have five days left until those punks are extradited.¡±


    ¡°That bastard Wi Yeon-Gil doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll say a word even with his life on the line, and the small fry bastards would have to actually know something first before they could spill it.¡±


    Black said all this with a reluctant tone of voice as he tore open an envelope.


    It was the records sent by the bank of all the transactions made by the arrested gangsters.


    The amount of records was smaller than expected for such a large group of people.


    This was because more than half of them didn¡¯t have a bank account, let alone a credit card.


    ¡°Since Mong-Doo is looking through their cell phone records, Newbie is in charge of the bank records.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Understood.¡±


    I took the files and flipped through them slowly.


    In order to find any traces leading to Aeryuwon.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ as expected, they made most of the payments in untraceable cash.


    Most of the payments on the list were made to Chinese restaurants, or similar dining places.


    And in the midst of all this, there was one name that stood out.


    ¡®The Thrifty Grocery Store.¡¯


    As if mistakes were being made, there were traces of money going in and then getting refunded.


    I looked them up on the internet, but there was nothing to be found, not even an address.


    I marked them down with a highlighter and kept flipping through the pages.


    There were a lot of ways to launder their money.


    Travel payments, bank transfers, currency exchange, mixing funds, and etc.


    ¡®From what I can tell, the method used by Aeryuwon seems to be mixing funds.¡¯


    They probably combined the occasional authentic donation with their ill-gotten gains to disguise it as ordinary money.


    Since there were many cases where donations were made anonymously, this made it a business model that was ideal for money laundering.


    I checked the time and headed over to the changing room.


    In my locker, I had prepared a luxury set of suits and shoes in advance.


    As well as the black bag I had bought from the old man of Yongsan.


    Unlike last time, today I was making an authentic donation pledge; so not only was I fully dressed, I had also made all the necessary preparations.

 Chapter 39.3

    Pricking The Persimmon That You¡¯re Not Allowed to Eat (3)


    Buzz-


    [I have arrived, young master.]


    It was a message from Chief Kim.


    I headed out the front door and spotted the foreign, luxury car.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived right on time.¡±


    ¡°Of course. That is my job.¡±


    ¡°Have you bought the goods?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I swept the shelves clean.¡±


    I greeted him cheerfully as I climbed into the back seat.


    The trunk was probably packed full of all the sweets and toys that were sold at a supermarket.


    ¡°By the way, it hasn¡¯t been that long since you closed that case, so why are you still so busy?¡±


    He was probably talking about the battle with the Joongmae Gang aboard the ferry. I playfully replied.


    ¡°Who ever said that? That everything was all wrapped up.¡±


    ¡°They say that all the gangsters were caught. Doesn¡¯t that mean that it¡¯s over? And the victims were rescued as well. The elders of the family even had dinner with Congressman Jang Man-Chu not that long ago.¡±


    Wow. The bear performs the tricks, while the man takes the money.3


    After swinging my hammer like crazy for them, they couldn¡¯t even give me a single call?


    Seeming to notice my downturn in mood, Chief Kim immediately tacked on further information.


    ¡°The Congressman handed me a business card, while promising that he was very eager to meet with you, young master. I placed it in the pocket in front of your seat.¡±


    I opened the pocket of the seat in front of me.


    There was a business card along with a handwritten letter that was practically dripping with gratitude.


    The card had Congressman Jang Man-Chun¡¯s personal phone number.


    ¡°He said that you might be busy arranging the transport of the criminals to China, so he wanted to first convey his sincere feelings of gratitude towards you. The president as well.¡±


    ¡°My father too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He said to make sure to stop by the house when you¡¯re free.¡±


    Hmm. For now, I should store the letter and the card in a safe place.


    As he skillfully steered the car, Chief Kim asked me a question.


    We seemed to have chosen a good time for our visit, as we were approaching Aeryuwon without any delays.


    ¡°In any case, why are we heading to an orphanage?¡±


    ¡°I want to donate some money.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Aren¡¯t you doing quite a lot of good deeds these days? Once you die, you might just be treated as a saint.¡±


    ¡°Reality is stranger than fiction.¡±


    As someone who was reincarnated instead of being sent to the underworld, I felt that I had the final say on this matter.


    The car slowly pulled into the gate of Aeryuwon.


    Just like last time, the children were running around the playground.


    Before we got out of the car, I warned Chief Kim.


    ¡°From now on, be careful with what you say.¡±


    ¡°Yes? About what?¡±


    ¡°The fact that I¡¯m a police officer, it¡¯s a secret. Once I head into the principal¡¯s office, you¡¯ll have to help me out a bit.¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Leaving behind a bewildered Chief Kim, I got out of the car.


    Judging from what I saw of his appearance back then, in front of the Silla Hotel, it was clear that he would be trembling from nerves if I had told him in advance.


    ¡°Hey? It¡¯s a guest!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the uncle who came back then!¡±


    ¡°He came back!¡±


    ¡°But there are two uncles this time?¡±


    The children rushed towards us in a pack.


    With a smile that seemed on the verge of sliding off his face, Chief Kim opened the trunk.


    The children¡¯s eyes started to shine like gems.


    ¡°Whoaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°Awesome!¡±


    ¡°That one¡¯s mine! Dibs!¡±


    ¡°Who said you could do that?¡±


    No matter how good the facilities are, they were living in a shared space rather than their own homes.


    So they couldn¡¯t help but be happy with a new snack or toy.


    While trying to calm the children down, I unwrapped the presents in the trunk.


    ¡°Children. Please, for heaven¡¯s sake, form a line. Hey now. I clearly saw you take something already!¡±


    While Director Kim was sweating buckets trying to handle the children, one child caught my eye.


    It was a young girl with beautifully braided hair.


    She was sitting on a bench far away and looking at us without drawing any closer.


    I approached the child and offered her a cookie.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get one, right? Would you like to eat this?¡±


    The child considered it for a moment before shaking her head.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s tasty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting a mom and a dad soon. I can ask my parents to buy it for me then. But my friends won¡¯t get to eat this often, so¡­¡±


    ¡°By chance, are you So-Yeon?¡±


    The young girl¡¯s eyebrows jumped up when I said her name.


    She tilted her head to the side, as if wondering how I knew it.


    So she was the girl that Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye had been talking about.


    They said that she would be getting adopted soon. But her face didn¡¯t look very happy about it.


    Footnote:


    3 A korean idiom that has a similar meaning to, ¡®what one man sows, another reaps¡¯. It basically refers to a situation where someone else takes credit for your work.

 Chapter 40.1

    A Trap for the Worm (1)


    ¡°You can eat the sweets that your parents will buy you, and the ones that this uncle has brought as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­thank you very much.¡±


    So-Yeon reluctantly accepted the sweets.


    However she seemed to have no intention of eating them, and just kept fiddling with them between her small hands.


    Right then, Jin Hwa-In emerged from the building and came to greet me.


    ¡°Oh my. You really didn¡¯t need to bring all these presents. Please, come inside.¡±


    Chief Kim and I followed behind her as we headed to her office.


    Through the windows in the hallways, I spotted Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye.


    After noticing each other, we exchanged glances.


    ¡°About the donation you made last time. We will make sure to put it to good use. But your departure afterwards was so sudden that we weren¡¯t even able to thank you properly.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind that. It¡¯s perfectly fine with me.¡±


    ¡°Well then. If that¡¯s the case, please take a look at this¡­¡±


    Jin Hwa-An fleshed out the guide she had shown me last time, adding more detailed information.


    Where the money was usually spent, how much was needed to maintain the living standards of the children, and so on.


    As she spoke, her words flowed in one ear and out the other as I waited for Sang-Beom¡¯s signal.


    ¡°Ahah. So that¡¯s how it is. That is some fine piece of work.¡±


    ¡°Hohoh. Not at all, it can¡¯t compare with the work you¡¯re doing.¡±


    Without knowing the full situation, Chief Kim was exchanging small talk with Jin Hwa-An.


    He was even nodding his head diligently as he responded to her explanation.


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°Principal!¡±


    Without even a knock, the door burst open.


    At the same time, we were so startled that we almost dropped our teacups.


    It was Ji-Hye. Her deathly pale face and the way she was hurriedly drumming her feet created quite an alarming appearance.


    ¡°Goodness gracious. Is something going on? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m currently speaking with my guests.¡±


    ¡°S-So sorry. But there¡¯s currently an emergency. Please come with me quickly!¡±


    Without even explaining what had happened, Ji-Hye turned and ran off.


    With a frown, the director carefully set her teacup down.


    Then she expressed her apologies with a bow of her head towards us.


    ¡°My apologies. As we are a home for children, commotions like this occur occasionally.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It looks to be quite urgent, so don¡¯t mind us.¡±


    At these words, the director stood up to leave and Chief Kim also shifted in his seat.


    I secretly pulled at the back of his coat. I was signalling him to sit still.


    With an awkward smile, Jin Hwa-An left the office.


    ¡°Why are we staying here? What if it¡¯s a crisis?¡±


    ¡°Enough. Chief Kim, start searching from there to there.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I started rummaging through the desk drawers.


    I skimmed through paper after paper, pulling out any that seemed like they might be important.


    Sang-Beom said that his distraction could buy me around 10 minutes.


    Although I didn¡¯t know how Ji-Hye¡¯s assistance might affect this, in any case, there was no time to waste.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on!¡±


    ¡°Those Joongmae Gang bastards, it looks like they might have been laundering money through here. We¡¯re trying to find the ledger. Hurry up.¡±


    ¡°Ah- Ah- L-ledger!¡±


    Chief Kim¡¯s hands started shaking at my sudden command.


    If I knew that this would happen, I would have just asked him to keep a lookout.


    Bang-


    I tried to pull out a drawer beneath a bookshelf, but it wouldn¡¯t open.


    Even though all the other drawers had slid open easily.


    I pulled out some plastic-wrapped clay from the bag.


    What was this called again¡­ Although I couldn¡¯t remember its name clearly, it was something that Ha-Seong regularly used in his line of work.


    It had a malleable liquid-like consistency, but it hardened within minutes on exposure to air.


    I peeled off its wrapper and pushed it into the keyhole.


    ¡°Ledger, Ledger, Ledger¡­¡±


    Perhaps due to it being Chief Kim¡¯s first time with something like this, he was on the verge of panicking.


    I pursed my lips and blew on it to help the clay dry quicker.


    Although I didn¡¯t know how Sang-Beom had managed to pull away the director, I knew that she couldn¡¯t leave her guests alone for too long.


    ¡°Ah. Found it.¡±


    Chief Kim called out.


    I walked over to him and took the document he was holding in his hands.


    It was definitely a record of the orphanage¡¯s income and expenses.


    There were utility bills, including electricity and water bills. The interest income from accumulated donations. Books and clothing that had been purchased in bulk¡­.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Then a certain listing caught my eye.


    ¡®The Thrifty Grocery Store¡¯.


    The Thrifty Grocery Store was the company that delivered food supplies to Aeryuwon.


    It had also been found on the bank records of the thugs from the Joongmae Gang.


    I pulled out my hand phone and took a picture of it.


    At first glance, it looked like they had been laundering their money with the help of both these companies, Aeryuwon and this paper company1.


    Because laundered money usually needed to be passed between different accounts several times.


    Footnote:


    1 Not a company that sells paper, but a company that only exists on paper. A shell company or a dummy corporation.

 Chapter 40.2

    A Trap for the Worm (2)


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it. Those bastards.¡±


    According to my hypothesis, the donations received by Aeryuwon were mixed with the dirty money and paid to the Thrifty Grocery Store in exchange for food.


    Of course, at much higher prices than in an ordinary store.


    I patted Chief Kim on the shoulder and told him.


    ¡°Good work. Now let¡¯s tidy up.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    Then returning to the drawer beneath the bookshelf, I carefully turned the hardened clay.


    The drawer opened with a click.


    Inside, it was packed full with pictures of children.


    Clipped to each picture was a personal data file.


    Their age, height, and weight -and of course their blood type and health status- it was all meticulously recorded.


    Click- Click-


    I copied all of them onto my handphone.


    Because I could take their pictures now, and carefully check through them later.


    After tidying up, Chief Kim came up behind me and started hovering anxiously.


    ¡°Y-young master. I think that she¡¯ll be coming back soon.¡±


    ¡°Just hold on for a bit. Nearly finished.¡±


    With Chief Kim urging me on, I also started feeling pointlessly impatient.


    I slowly turned the clay and locked the drawer.


    But then, things went to shit.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t this thing come out?¡±


    The clay key refused to move, as if it was firmly stuck in there.


    That Yongsan Old Man, could he have possibly given me an expired product?


    While whining to myself, I was almost begging the drawer to let go.


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°Uwah! I¡¯m so sorry, principal!¡±


    I heard Sang-Beom¡¯s voice from the end of the corridor.


    It was the signal to tell me that someone was coming.


    Chief Kim was currently collapsed on the sofa, looking like he was about to pass out.


    Please- please- please get out of there!


    ¡°I really can¡¯t understand you. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re kindergartener, so how can you play such a prank?¡±


    Bam-


    Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye, along with Jin Hwa-An, saw us as they entered the room.


    With the retrieved clay key now hidden beneath my ass, I was sitting on the coach and holding my cup of coffee.


    Badump- badump-


    My heart was still racing so fast that it felt like it was about to jump out of my throat.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the delay. These two young friends have come here to volunteer, but today they¡¯ve played around a little excessively¡­¡±


    ¡°Not at all. That¡¯s perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°However, is something going on with your friend sitting beside you?¡±


    She was referring to Chief Kim, who looked half-dazed.


    Unable to move his limp body, he could only shake his head weakly.


    While patting his shoulder, I smiled slyly.


    In order to change the atmosphere a bit, why don¡¯t I take a poke at your sore spot?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. My secretary just received a small surprise, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°What could have surprised him so¡­¡±


    ¡°I told him that I would like to take over this orphanage.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Jin Hwa-An¡¯s jaw dropped at these unexpected words.


    Of course, so did Chief Kim¡¯s beside me.


    ¡°Although it might sound a bit impolite,¡±


    I spoke as if I was talking about something ordinary.


    ¡°how much will it cost me? This whole place.¡±


    ***


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what on earth are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Just what I said. I want Aeryuwon. Since the name is nice, and the kids are bright, I¡¯ve taken quite a liking to it. Of course, even if I take over, the director will still continue to be in command of the day-to-day operations and management of the employees. I¡¯ll just be there to give you money, that sort of thing.¡±


    While forming a circle from my fingers, I showed her a gentle smile.


    ¡°How does it sound?¡±


    Jin Hwa-An¡¯s lips flapped soundlessly. As if she was swallowing the words as they attempted to climb up her throat. She took a sip of coffee and then shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but that¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Why not? You can still continue to accept donations. And I won¡¯t lay a finger on what you have here. Instead, we¡¯ll just send someone to take care of the accounting in your place. Since they¡¯re experts, you can trust in their skill and leave it all up to them. They provide extremely valuable services. Don¡¯t you find it quite annoying, balancing the books, that is? Allow them to do it for you.¡±


    I interrupted her objection and pushed forward without a pause.


    In the face of my strangely perfect proposal, Jin Hwa-An was still smiling, but she couldn¡¯t hide the traces of her disconcertion.


    ¡°Awesome¡­¡±


    Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye heightened the atmosphere with their unabashed admiration.


    I didn¡¯t know if they were doing it to help me out, or if they really felt that way from the bottom of their hearts, but it was enough to add even more weight to my words.


    However what came out of her mouth was,


    ¡°Thank you for your proposal. We will have to consider it thoroughly.¡±

 Chapter 40.3

    A Trap for the Worm (3)


    Although she tried to gloss over it, in truth, her words were a rejection.


    If it was an ordinary orphanage, they would probably have already grabbed my hand in agreement and started thanking me.


    Since it meant that their operation could continue as it was, but with money now flowing in regularly.


    Even when you considered what was best for the children, it was better to accept the proposal.


    ¡°That¡¯s very unusual.¡±


    By showing confusion in the tone of my voice, I goaded her.


    This should be quite flustering for her. As the money laundering that she had carried out behind closed doors was almost in danger of being exposed.


    I put down my teacup and stood up.


    ¡°Well. Each individual may have their own circumstances. In any case, please consider it with an open mind, and allow me to take my leave first. I will be sure to visit again.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thank you very much.¡±


    Leaving the meeting with Jin Hwa-An behind us, Chief Kim and I climbed into the car.


    His heart appeared to have still been pounding up to now, as Chief Kim let out a deep sigh as soon as he sat down.


    Then, as if escaping from a den of evil, the car quickly pulled out of the orphanage.


    Chief Kim shot a resentful look at me through the rearview mirror.


    ¡°Are police officers allowed to do things like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a police officer that I can do things like that.¡±


    ¡°Phew. Where should I take you?¡±


    While undoing my stuffy necktie, I ordered him.


    ¡°Do you need to ask? The police station, of course.¡±


    ***


    At the offices of the Crime Division.


    While putting our heads together, the members of our team looked at the photos on my handphone.


    Aeryuwon and The Thrifty Grocery Store. Then The Thrifty Grocery Store and the Joongmae Gang.


    Although it was faint, there were definitely signs of a connection between them.


    ¡°Our opportunity has arrived. ¡®The Thrifty Grocery Store¡¯, I looked it up and it¡¯s nothing but a shell company. If they¡¯re getting money from there, then there¡¯s definitely something suspicious going on.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just sweep them all up in one go and wipe them out.¡±


    Team Leader and Black were speaking in aggravated voices.


    ¡°If we can catch these guys, then that¡¯s it. It won¡¯t matter whether or not that bastard Wi Yeon-Gil spills the beans. Since we can just reel them in like a line of sausages.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Since we¡¯re just wasting our taxes by paying for their hospital, we should quickly ship them off to China.¡±


    Contrary to the excited duo, Mong-Du looked through the photos slowly and carefully.


    ¡°Hold on a moment. I don¡¯t think we should rush into this so quickly.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why not?¡±


    At Black¡¯s question, Mong-Doo searched his desk and brought back the list of missing persons.


    Although more than half of them had been matched with DNA obtained from the abandoned hospital, there were still many of them whose whereabouts were unknown.


    And among these, there were also children.


    ¡°After listening to Newbie¡¯s story, doesn¡¯t something seem a bit suspicious. Doesn¡¯t it seem abnormal for the Joongmae Gang to use an orphanage to launder their dirty money? And with kids coming in as soon as they go out, that goes double for their adoption cycle as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also had the same thoughts as Mong-Doo-hyungnim.¡±


    At our words, Black¡¯s face twisted into a frown.


    Just thinking about it brought up some cruel and appalling ideas.


    ¡°You think that this has something to do with human trafficking?¡±


    ¡°There should also be organ trafficking on top of that. Judging from how the pictures and personal history files were stored together, it¡¯s highly likely.¡±


    The atmosphere suddenly became very heavy.


    Although I didn¡¯t want to believe it, there was no reason for me to believe otherwise.


    ¡°In a short while, another child will be up for adoption. Her name is So-Yeon, and it¡¯s said that she¡¯s going abroad as well.¡±


    I had received her detailed schedule in a text message from Sang-Beom.


    So-Yeon¡¯s adoption had been confirmed, and tomorrow she would be leaving for the airport from the orphanage.


    ¡°In any case, the real ledgers should be at their base, so let¡¯s try following them.¡±


    Since most of their operation had run on cash, the ledgers definitely existed.


    And the money that they had slipped to Wang Ong-Gu should be recorded there as well.


    Of course, if it seemed like she was being sent directly to a family in France, then further investigation would be needed.


    ¡°Ok. If that¡¯s the case, we need to report to the superiors-¡±


    ¡°Just a moment.¡±


    I interrupted Team Leader as he was speaking.


    Then I carefully brought up a core issue with this investigation.


    ¡°Before that, there¡¯s something that I need to bring up and go over in detail.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°¡­in our station, it seems like there¡¯s someone who¡¯s in league with Joongmae gang.¡±

 Chapter 41.1

    Between Extermination and Annihilation (1)


    My teammate¡¯s faces stiffened, exposing their shock at this revelation. However instead of saying anything, we carefully drew in our chairs to form a close huddle. We also started whispering, just in case somebody might be eavesdropping.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You brat. This is family you¡¯re talking about. Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Phew. Hold on a moment. Let me prepare my heart.¡±


    With bewildered expressions on their faces, they all focussed their eyes on me. I took a surreptitious look around the office before quietly saying his name.


    ¡°It¡¯s Detective Wang from the Narcotics Unit. At first it was the fact that he found the clue leading to the abandoned hospital, but, on top of that, the children at Aeryuwon have seen him before.¡±


    Since I couldn¡¯t tell them that I¡¯d had Ho-Un privately investigate Wang Ong-Gu, I had no choice but to lie to them. Claiming that I had heard this from the children held the least risk of causing me trouble in the future. By saying that I had heard it from the kids, I avoided any need to provide material evidence.


    Team Leader closed his eyes for a moment before responding in a sceptical tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s very iffy. It could all just be a coincidence. Even though the abandoned hospital turned out to be a diversion, we can¡¯t be certain that Detective Wang intentionally led us into it. And that goes for Aeryuwon as well.¡±


    ¡°But for some reason, I have a gut feeling that Newbie is right. I¡¯ve said it before, that something about Detective Wang smells fishy.¡±


    ¡°It does seem a bit too involved to call it all a coincidence, but at the same time, the evidence is still too weak.¡±


    As people who weren¡¯t aware of the full story, these were their natural reactions. Team Leader disagreed, while Black agreed, and Mong-Doo stayed neutral.


    Since this was such a sensitive matter, they couldn¡¯t make a hasty decision. So instead, I offered them a suggestion.


    ¡°¡­how about we set a trap?¡±


    ***


    It was dawn the next day. Today was the day that So-Yeon would be leaving for her adoption. The black van that would take her to the airport had already pulled up at the entrance to the orphanage.


    Dressed in her finest clothes, So-Yeon waved goodbye to all her friends. All of the children seemed to be on the verge of bursting into tears.


    ¡°Good bye everyone. Take good care of yourselves.¡±


    ¡°So-Yeon-ah. Uwaaah!¡±


    ¡°America is so far away. Will we ever see each other again?¡±


    Aeryuwon¡¯s front yard was soon flooded with tears. Her many friends, who had spent so many happy days together with So-Yeon, clung to her as they poured out their regrets.


    ¡°Oh my. Children, why are you acting like this on such a nice day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. From now on, So-Yeon will have many happy days in store for her.¡±


    The staff of the orphanage, who had been watching from the side, tried to cheer up the children, but the depressed atmosphere refused to lighten.


    Jin Hwa-An grabbed So-Yeon by the shoulder and pulled her away from her friends.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s time to leave. We can¡¯t be late for the plane.¡±


    With heavy steps, So-Yeon climbed into the van, the windows of which had been darkly tinted. Once the car door had shut behind her, the children¡¯s cries grew even louder.


    ¡°So-Yeon-aaaah!¡±


    ¡°Uwaaaah-!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye!¡±


    However So-Yeon didn¡¯t get to hear these shouts. The driver had impatiently stepped on the accelerator as soon as the door was shut and he roared out of the orphanage¡¯s gates.


    In her small children¡¯s backpack, she still carried the sweets that had been given to her by Ji-Hun.


    ¡°I should have given these to the others before I left¡­ They don¡¯t often get to eat things like this.¡±


    As she felt this pang of regret in her heart, the tears she had been holding back finally burst out. So-Yeon leaned her head against the window as thick trails of teardrops rolled down her cheeks.


    ¡°So-Yeon-ah,¡± the director coldly called out to her.


    As soon as So-Yeon turned her head to respond, Jin Hwa-An covered her mouth with a thick cloth. A strong chemical scent overwhelmed So-Yeon¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Mmph!¡±


    Alarmed, So-Yeon tried to struggle, but she couldn¡¯t overcome an adult¡¯s strength. Soon, as her strength slowly faded away, the young girl fell into a deep slumber. Jin Hwa-An immediately gave the driver new orders in that same cold tone of voice.


    ¡°The child¡¯s asleep. Turn the car around.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The van, which had been heading to the airport, switched lanes and took another exit. One that led to a quiet rural area in the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province. They eventually arrived at an abandoned factory that had once been used to process food, but whose machinery had long since fell into disuse.


    The driver picked up the limp girl and carried her into the factory.


    ¡°Oooh. You¡¯re here.¡±


    On one side, men with fierce expressions were gathered around a small board as they gambled with each other. On the other side, there were two foreigners sitting on a sofa. One of them, a woman, walked over to So-Yeon with a pleased expression on her face. The other, a man, interpreted for her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting a long time. My son is already waiting.¡±1


    The interpreter checked So-Yeon¡¯s face briefly before nodding.


    ¡°My client¡¯s child has just gone under anesthesia. Please head on in.¡±


    Footnote:


    1 The bolded sentence was originally in English.

 Chapter 41.2

    Between Extermination and Annihilation (2)


    Unlike the dilapidated exterior, the interior of the factory appeared to be in pretty tidy shape.


    A simple operating theatre had been set up in one of the factory¡¯s rooms. Inside, a man wearing surgical scrubs was waiting, along with a foreign child who was lying asleep on a bed. This was the child who was scheduled to receive So-Yeon¡¯s organs.


    The doctor slipped on a mask and gloves before nodding.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get started? Everyone, please refrain from causing any interruptions.¡±


    He stripped So-Yeon¡¯s clothes and picked up a red pen. Then he drew a red line running straight down her chest. However, just when the doctor had picked up his scalpel and was about to begin the surgery, a commotion erupted outside. It was apparently caused by the arrival of an unfamiliar car. The annoyed doctor irritably tore off his mask and stormed out of the operating theatre.


    ¡°Fuck! Didn¡¯t I tell you all to be quiet when I¡¯m wielding my scalpel!¡±


    A man calmly walked into the factory. It was Wang Ong-Gu. He casually took a look around the place, before spitting on the floor.


    ¡°Bloody hell. Who came up with the idea to hide this shit in a place like this? Anyway, I¡¯m in a hurry, so someone go get the ledger.¡±


    ¡°What? Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Is he a crazy person?¡±


    Some of the men who had been gambling got up and pulled out their knives. Wang Ong-Gu threw his phone at one of them with a look of disinterest on his face.


    ¡°Cut the chatter. You guys should just quickly pack up and get ready to run. The police are on their way.¡±


    The phone contained the text messages that he had been exchanging with Wi Yeon-Gil. That was enough proof that he and they were on the same side. After checking the phone, they slowly lowered their knives.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the cop?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the cop. We don¡¯t have much time, so quickly bring me the ledger. I need to get rid of it. Fuck. We¡¯re just lucky that I found out in advance¡­¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu had rushed over after learning that the Criminal Affairs Division had found clues leading to Aeryuwon. Since they had just applied for a search and seizure warrant when he left the station, the rest of the force could be arriving here by as early as this evening.


    ¡°Doctor. Quickly go and transplant So-Yeon¡¯s organs. We¡¯ll be leaving here once you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°O-okay.¡±


    Jin Hwa-An immediately grasped the situation and started giving out orders.


    ¡°Start packing everything in the office into boxes. Make sure to grab anything that might cause problems.¡±


    ¡°Fuck. And just when I was winning too.¡±


    As the gambling thugs threw down their cards and were about to head towards the office, something happened.


    Beep-beep-beeeep-!


    Bang-!


    ¡°Wha- what the!¡±


    Weeooo- Weeooo-


    With a loud roar of its horn, a truck smashed through the factory¡¯s door. This was soon followed by the sound of police sirens. Dozens of police cars pulled onto the scene and a familiar group of men rushed into the factory. These were the detectives from the first and second teams of the Violent Crime Task Force.


    ¡°This is the police!¡±


    ¡°Everyone raise your hands and stay where you are!¡±


    ¡°Throw down your knives!¡±


    The detectives made eye-contact with the dazed Wang Ong-Gu. Their expressions were filled with subtle complexities as they aimed their guns at him. But there was no denying the feelings of anger and betrayal burning in their eyes.


    Go Ji-Hun got out of the truck and said sternly, ¡°We¡¯ve caught the worm red-handed.¡±


    ***


    This sudden turn left Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s and the rest of his conspirators reeling, their expressions making for quite a sight.


    ¡°Wha-what the fuck¡­?¡±


    The members of the Joongmae Gang appeared confused as they turned to look between Wang Ong-Gu and the other police officers. They were wondering if this was a trap or a betrayal. Left speechless in confusion, they obediently raised their hands.


    Wang Ong-Gu also slowly raised his hands, but then he began calmly making excuses.


    ¡°This is a misunderstanding. I also just arrived here. I came here to check things out after receiving a tip-off-¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! Aren¡¯t you ashamed to be wearing that badge?¡± Black roared in repressed fury.


    Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s eyes started rolling around, looking for an exit. He appeared to be at his wits end.


    ¡°This is a member of your family that you¡¯re talking to. Shouldn¡¯t you be giving me the benefit of the doubt? How heartbreaking.¡±


    This guy was being stubborn until the very end. Including myself, our team¡¯s faces twisted in disgust. If he would just admit his mistake at this final moment and repent, it wouldn¡¯t leave such a bad taste in our mouths.


    ¡°Hey you,¡± I called out to the guy who was holding onto Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s handphone.


    Because I was also pointing my gun at him, he appeared quite nervous.


    He kept his hands close to his ears as he stuttered out his reply, ¡°M-me?¡±


    ¡°Put that down on the ground, carefully.¡±


    The handphone was an item that could prove Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s guilt. Along with the ledger, it would become an important piece of evidence for this case. Feeling all our eyes land on him, the man slowly lowered the handphone onto the floor. Then the Team Leader gave the signal to clear the room with a nod of his head.


    ¡°Ah, h-hold on a moment!¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    The factory instantly became a chaotic mess. The foreigner and her interpreter were quickly handcuffed and made to lie on the ground, but the Joongmae Gang members continued to put up a futile resistance. They tried to hide themselves among the containers and the industrial machinery as they looked for a chance to escape.

 Chapter 41.3

    Between Extermination and Annihilation (3)


    ¡°Hey hey. Let¡¯s not waste both our time.¡±


    ¡°You there! Stop that and get over here.¡±


    Black and the other officers boxed them in and placed them all under arrest. Wang Ong-Gu just stood there, continuing to show us his empty hands, as though he was willing to accept his arrest. We stood face-to-face with each other and looked into the other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Go look for the kid.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    Following Team Leader¡¯s order, I started searching the rooms inside the factory. There was a storeroom filled with trash and an office that held plenty of miscellaneous items. Then, on the third door I picked, I found it.


    As the door swung open slowly and the operating theatre unfolded in front of me, it felt as if I was entering another world. A wind blew in from out of nowhere and raised goosebumps on the back of my neck. My body shivered as I wondered just how many people had taken their last breaths here.


    ¡°So-Yeon-ah?¡±


    So-Yeon was lying down on a bed beside a boy who looked to be of similar age. A red line had been drawn straight down her stomach. It undulated up and down slowly, following the rhythm of her gentle breaths.


    ¡°So-Yeon-ah. Wake up.¡±


    I held So-Yeon¡¯s shoulder and gently shook her, but there was no reaction. The drug appeared to have put her into a deep sleep. Mong-Doo, who followed me into the room, checked the other child¡¯s condition as well, before sighing in relief.


    ¡°Thank God. We arrived just in time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening outside?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve almost finished wrapping things up.¡±


    I found some loose surgical gowns and wrapped them around the children¡¯s bodies before  we carried them back outside. Following Team Leader¡¯s orders, the other officers had brought the scene under control and were keeping the suspects moving along.


    Wang Ong-Gu was still standing in the same position as before, with a strange expression on his face. Since the abducted child had been rescued and the scene was secured, a police officer approached him while holding out handcuffs.


    ¡°Pardon me, Detective Wang. You have the right to remain silent-¡±


    Right at that moment.


    Bam-!


    Clasping his hands together, Wang Ong-Gu struck the police officer in the chin. It happened so quickly that the officer couldn¡¯t help but be caught off balance and he staggered backwards.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Wang Ong-Gu! Stop right there!¡±


    We had our guns aimed at him, but because he was so close to the other cop, we couldn¡¯t get a clear shot. Next, Wang Ong-Gu quickly wrapped one arm around the policeman¡¯s neck. In his other hand, he was holding onto a small jackknife. The sharp tip of the knife jerked upwards, as if it was about to be thrust into the officer¡¯s neck.


    Wang Ong-Gu gestured upward slightly with his chin. He was telling all of us to take a step back.


    ¡°Everyone. Let¡¯s just relax a little.¡±


    Despite saying this, Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s expression looked tenser than ever. In an instant, the air inside the factory had frozen still. I tightened my hold on So-Yeon.


    Wang Ong-Gu carefully stepped backwards while dragging the police officer along with him. Slowly, ever so slowly¡­ he was edging his body over to the office that had been piled up with various things.


    His fellow detectives started shouting at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t turn this into a bigger mess!¡±


    ¡°Since these guys here have been arrested, everything is over anyway, so why make things even harder for yourself?¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s back was soon pressed against the office door. With a bitter smile, he shook his head.


    ¡°Detective Wang!¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Who says that everything will just end with this?¡±


    Then he stabbed the knife up into the policeman¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    Accompanying the policeman¡¯s scream, a thick stream of blood sprayed everywhere.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Bang!


    Bang!


    The detectives who had their guns raised at him fired their blank rounds2. However Wang Ong-Gu refused to let go of the officer¡¯s body until the very end.


    While everyone else was still hesitating to fire their live rounds, I shouted, ¡°Shoot now!¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu also happened to have a gun on him. Things would become even more messier than they already were if he managed to hole up inside the office.


    Bang-!


    Bang-!


    Several gunshots rang out. Bullets struck Wang Ong-Gu in the shoulder and arm, as well as the captured policeman¡¯s thigh. The officer, who had by this point lost consciousness, fell to the floor without a sound. Leaving him behind, Wang Ong-Gu turned and rushed into the office. He had already been shot several times, but that didn¡¯t stop him. He was moving like a man possessed.


    Entrusting So-Yeon to a police officer beside me, I ran at him while shouting, ¡°You crazy bastard! I told you  to stop!¡±


    ¡°Halt right there!¡±


    However Wang Ong-Gu quickly locked the door behind him and we were plunged into a stalemate. I pounded on the door.


    ¡°You son of a bitch-¡± Bam! ¡°-what are you-¡± Bam! ¡°-planning!¡± Bam!


    Footnote:


    2 The first shot in the officers¡¯ gun¡¯s are blank. It¡¯s meant to serve as a warning shot, or a non-lethal shot.

 Chapter 42.1

    Giving Him My Thanks (1)


    Black grabbed a nearby steel chair and pounded on the door handle.The door began to jump in its frame. Once the door handle had been knocked completely off, the door swung open. As it did, we were struck by a sudden stench of oil. My eye was immediately drawn to an old oil-fired stove in the corner of the office.


    ¡°¡­France.¡±


    Bang-!


    Wang Ong-Gu was standing out in the open, holding a lighter in one hand and a ledger in the other. In order to prevent him from doing anything else, one of the officers shot him again with their firearm. Blood began to pour from Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s mouth and nose, yet he kept his gaze fixed on the ledger despite this.


    Tchk-


    Even as he was dying, Wang Ong-Gu flicked the lighter and set the oil ablaze with the last of his strength. In an instant, his body was engulfed by the flames and the office was transformed into a hellish furnace. It took a long moment before Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s burning body finally stopped writhing in pain.


    We were struck by a disgusting burnt stench, waves of heat, and a suffocating cloud of smoke. Everyone was forced to back away from the rapidly spreading pool of flames.


    ¡°W-we need a fire extinguisher!¡±


    ¡°Get the fire extinguishers from our cars!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes sir!¡±


    Phwoosh- Phwoosh-


    On the same count, we sprayed our fire extinguishers at the base of the flame. The cloud of smoke grew even thicker and blanketed our surroundings as the fire went out, but too much time had already passed. All that remained was a burnt corpse and a destroyed ledger.


    ***


    A few days later.


    After investigating the contents of Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s handphone, everything had been revealed. In exchange for making life easier for certain drug dealers, he had regularly received large sums of money.


    ¡°Just how much did he end up pocketting?¡±


    The station chief let out a sigh as he flipped through the pages of the report. It was speculated that this was also the reason behind his transfer from the Violent Crime Task Force to the Narcotics Unit. It had also been confirmed that, prior to the Joongmae Gang, Wang Ong-Gu had an association with the Guma Gang. This had all been going on for quite some time.


    However, there were unfortunately no clues leading to the Hae-Soo case. The phone only contained matters regarding the bribes.


    ¡°It seems that when control over the drug trade with China switched hands, Wang Ong-Gu was also put in contact with the Joongmae Gang.¡±


    But there were a few things that remained a mystery. The ledger contacting the list of those who had participated in the trade of stolen organs and smuggled drugs had been destroyed. And there was still the question of why Wang Ong-Gu had sacrificed his own life just to get rid of it?


    ¡°So not only did you find their hidden base of operations, you cleaned up the remnants of the Joongmae gang, and caught the ones responsible for laundering the Joongmae Gang¡¯s dirty money practically red-handed.¡±


    The chief helplessly shook his head.


    ¡°Finally, those scumbags still in the hospital are going to be extradited as soon as possible. You can bet on that for sure. For now, I¡¯m declaring that this case has been officially closed. And I mean it, no more surprises!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    The chief eyed all of us for a moment, before clicking his tongue and grumbling under his breath. From head to toe, we were covered in burns and blisters from the fire. Yet we were proud of what could only be called our glory wounds. So despite the pain, we were all smiling cheerfully.


    ¡°Starting with the Suan Spaniel, you¡¯ve taken down the Fork Gang, the Guma Gang, and now the Joongmae Gang. You guys certainly are clearing up all the missions that the Investigation Division was meant to take responsibility for.¡±


    The last line was said in such an ambiguous tone that Black felt the need to carefully ask, ¡°That¡¯s a compliment, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right you scoundrels. It¡¯s a compliment.¡±


    ¡°We were just doing our duty. But thank you anyway.¡±


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake.¡±


    At this brash reply from our Team Leader, the chief could only shake his head.


    As I reached out to retrieve the report, the chief gestured for me to wait, ¡°Now then, this only leaves all of you.¡±


    Then he continued speaking with a grudging tone, ¡°It¡¯s about your promotions.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Our promotions! Please feel free to speak!¡± Black said with his eyes twinkling.


    Although we had already been specially promoted only a month prior, the scope of this case made it an entirely different matter. We had resolved an international smuggling ring, rescued the kidnapped victims from human trafficking, and caught the culprits behind the illegal organ harvesting operation. What else could these be counted as, if not a series of astounding achievements that might even draw international attention?


    So once again, it appeared that we had something to look forward to.


    ¡°There¡¯s no denying the fact that you¡¯ve already received special promotions not long ago, and with the current mood being what it is because of Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s betrayal, promotions will be difficult to wrangle.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? But, isn¡¯t that a little¡­?¡±


    The corners of Black¡¯s mouth drooped straight down as he said this. The chief smiled faintly at his obvious show of disappointment.


    ¡°So instead of that, I¡¯ll make you another offer.¡±


    Team Leader¡¯s expression showed that he wasn¡¯t expecting much.


    ¡°Among all the offers that I¡¯ve received during my career, none of them have ever really worked out in my favor.¡±


    ¡°It all becomes your flesh and blood in the end1.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s an offer, it will be okay if we just reject it, right? Then, for now, we¡¯ll hear you out.¡±


    The chief placed a black leather document folder down in front of us. Its cover was stamped with the mark of the police headquarters in shiny gold leaf. Team Leader carefully flipped it open and together we read the title of the report, ¡®A Proposal for a New Special Investigations Unit.¡¯


    As one, we all turned to look at the chief, asking for an explanation


    ¡°Newbie, it¡¯s been less than three years since you¡¯ve joined the force, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve received approval for this proposal from the higher ups. If you accept this offer, your team will have the same level of authority as anyone in the Investigation Division2. Go Ji-Hun, since you alone cannot be promoted to the Investigation Division because of regulations, we¡¯ve decided to just create a new unit here instead. After all, it would be a shame to tear apart such effective teamwork.


    Footnote:


    1 A Korean idiom that has a similar meaning to the English idiom, ¡®it will all pay off in the end¡¯. Even if things are unpleasant at the moment, you will grow from it and come out the better for it.


    2 The Investigation Division is a metropolitan force, while the Violent Crime Task Force that Go Ji-Hun is currently part of are only supposed to service the Suan district. By increasing their authority, the chief is increasing their jurisdiction and allowing them to officially take a wider range of cases.

 Chapter 42.2

    Giving Him My Thanks (2)


    ¡°Well, as long as you all keep up the high standards of performance, promotions will come your way sooner rather than later.¡±


    In order to become a member of the Metropolitan Investigation Division, you needed to have more than 3 years of field experience. Upon joining the Division, you would be responsible for larger cases, granting you further opportunities for rapid promotion. As such, most detectives held the ultimate ambition of rising to the rank of a Team Leader in the Investigation Division before retiring.


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, we can just keep doing what we¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Only now, it will actually be part of your job description. I agree that your Violent Crime Task Force deserves this as a reward for rushing ahead of the pack, while the Investigation Division has merely been dawdling in comparison.¡±


    These were unexpected words of encouragement.


    ¡°Well ultimately, it¡¯s not up to me. What do all of you think about it?¡±


    Team Leader nodded as he decided that this wasn¡¯t a bad deal..


    ¡°What else can I say? Of course I agree. Isn¡¯t this pretty much the same thing as a guaranteed promotion.¡±


    ¡°That goes for me too.¡±


    As I said this, Black and Mong-Doo turned to look at me. Although it would have been nice if we could have all been promoted to the Investigation Division, for now I needed to stay in Suan to fish for any clues related to the Hae-Soo case. So I was also happy to accept this offer.


    ¡°Alright then. In that case, you all can take this chance to go on the paid vacation that got cancelled last time, and make sure to rest up fully before you return to work. Leave the rest of the casework to the secondary teams. You¡¯ve earned it.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. Thank you very much.¡±


    We left the chief¡¯s office and headed down to the main entrance of the police station. Upstairs, the last remnants of the Joongmae Gang and Jin Hwa-An were probably undergoing interrogation.


    Who knows what that woman was thinking, but ever since she was arrested, she had continued to exercise her right to remain silent. This probably meant that she was determined to keep the secrets of the ledger that Wang Ong-Gu had taken with him to his grave. We had heard that she was getting transferred to the main headquarters, as they were the ones in charge of investigating Detective Wang¡¯s crimes.


    Black yawned in comfort as he stretched out his stiff shoulders, ¡°Ahhhh. This weather feels sooooo good.¡±


    With a clear sky and warm sunlight, it had been a long time since I¡¯d had the chance to enjoy a peaceful day like this.


    Holding up his car keys, Team Leader asked, ¡°Who¡¯s headed home for the day? Anyone need a ride?¡±


    Stretching out the rest of the muscles in his body, Black started shadowboxing.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think I¡¯m just going to jog home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also good. I¡¯m taking my motorbike,¡± said Mong-Doo.


    ¡°Then how about you, Newbie?¡±


    A luxury car pulled up at the front doors just as Team Leader finished speaking. The heavily tinted window rolled down to reveal that the driver was Chief Kim.


    ¡°I have an appointment at lunch.¡±


    ¡°Geez. You sure do keep yourself busy.¡±


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, enjoy your vacation everybody. And, for Christ¡¯s sake, let¡¯s try not to call each other while we¡¯re taking a break.¡±


    ¡°So according to what you said, Black-hyungnim, you aren¡¯t allowed to call us if you get bored with staying at home.¡±


    ¡°You punk. If a married man like me has to call you, then that¡¯s not an attempt to get in touch, but a cry for help.¡±


    With a smile, I got into the car. A well-ironed suit of clothes and polished shoes were laid out on the back seat. I hadn¡¯t been able to return home in a few days, so my clothes and shoes were a mess. As expected, Chief Kim¡¯s tactfulness was as sharp as always.


    While changing my t-shirt, I asked Chief Kim, ¡°How is the thing with Aeryuwon going?¡±


    ¡°The president readily agreed to the request. He said that it¡¯s not like you¡¯re asking him for much, just to perform a good deed.¡±


    I had asked President Go Dae-Man if it would be possible for the Gogwang Group to take over the operation of Aeryuwon. Well, all it would take for control of the orphanage to be handed over was a few donations. Congressman Jang Man-Chun still owed me a favour after all


    Now they could get rid of the former name that had been stained by its sordid past and hang up a new sign, one with the name ¡®Gogwangweon¡¯ painted on it. The new name held the meaning that the orphanage should raise its children to rise high and shine brightly3.


    I checked my 5 o¡¯clock shadow in the rearview mirror.


    ¡°I had just intended on greeting him and maybe exchanging a few words, but now we¡¯re even getting a meal together. Isn¡¯t that going a bit overboard for a mere ¡®thank you¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You were meeting each other around lunchtime anyway, so I believe that it just worked out that way.¡±


    I had made an appointment to meet with Nam Sae-Ha from Gunbaek Construction. Setting aside his cooperation during the Hwanak Neighbourhood incident, as a person connected to Hae-Soo, I would have been willing to meet with him even sooner if time had permitted.


    ¡°You can just head on in first, while I find a place to park. There should be a reservation under the name of the Managing Director Nam Sae-Ha.¡±


    We had arrived at a high-end restaurant that served Korean cuisine. The restaurant was established in a modern-style Hanok4 built out of dark timbers.


    Its elegantly sculpted garden caught my eye. In the center of the garden lay an artificial pond, whose rippling waters babbled with a refreshing noise. The pond itself was packed full of golden carps.


    Following behind an immaculately dressed waiter, I was led inside.


    Shhhh-


    The door to the dining room slid open smoothly. I saw Nam Sae-Ha as soon as I entered the room. He had arrived earlier and had since been waiting for me. Judging from his face, he appeared to be in his mid-thirties, but his eyes belonged on someone much older. He looked like a person who treated most of the people he met with cold disdain, yet he could turn on the charm when needed.


    Footnote:


    3 Gogwang is written with the characters for ¡®high¡¯ and ¡®bright¡¯.


    4 A house built in the traditional Korean style.

 Chapter 42.3

    Giving Him My Thanks (3)


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Nice to see you again.¡±


    Nam Sae-He offered me the seat across from him. The food had already been prepared for us on the table.


    With a gentle smile, he followed up on my greeting, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the last time we saw each other in person back at the cruise party?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s already been almost two years since then.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we start eating? The barbeque here is as delicious as ever.¡±


    Even as we picked up our cutlery to start our meal, we continued to exchange meaningless conversation. Things like whether President Go Dae-Man was doing well, or about how Go Min-Guk hadn¡¯t attended many parties ever since that night on the cruise ship.


    Then, after some time, the topic of the conversation naturally shifted over to work. In order to focus, I laid down my chopsticks. Now it was time to begin questioning him in earnest.


    ¡°Has the redevelopment of Hwanak Neighbourhood been successful? I still have to thank you for your help back then. I¡¯m afraid that we¡¯ve been so busy with cases that I¡¯m only just getting around to expressing our gratitude to you now.¡±


    ¡°Of course it has succeeded. The results are actually even better than we hoped for. Because of that incident, it gained the image of being a crime-ridden area and the public opinion rose in favor of the redevelopment.¡±


    Hissss-


    The meat on top of the hotplate sizzled. It was cuts of thick, lean meat covered in a rich marinade that suited my tastes perfectly.


    ¡°Although there was a slight delay due to issues of compensation, our advertising campaign for the Hwanak Neighbourhood has fortunately proven effective. And with how often it appeared on the news, there was a lot of buzz on the internet with people asking where such a scenic spot could be found. Haha.¡±


    ¡°So the incident worked out in your favor then. That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Seeing my opportunity, I slyly steered the topic in the direction of my investigation.


    ¡°But about the contractors you use when you¡¯re redeveloping a location, who do you usually contact when you need to hire them?¡±


    ¡°The contractors? Ah, would you like a cup?¡±


    Nam Sae-Ha picked up a porcelain kettle filled with wine and offered it to me. Not wanting to reject him, I held out my cup. After this meal, I would definitely need to head back home and have a nice long rest. After taking a sip, he kept the rice wine in his mouth for a moment before swallowing it, as if savoring the taste.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give my attention to petty things like the contractors. Someone below me takes care of that. Ah¡­ who were they again? You¡¯re asking because of them, right?¡±


    ¡°The Fork Gang.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s right. I also remember seeing them on the news. You¡¯re talking about the ones from the Thugs and Drugs Party, aren¡¯t you? I believe that I did receive a report on them. I was told that it was difficult to find any other contractors willing to take on the project, because of their intimidation.¡±


    He gave a forced smile at the absurdity of this, a large conglomerate being forced to hire a gang of thugs.


    ¡°I know that contractors as a whole can be a bit rough at times, but even allowing for that, they were really too much.¡±


    ¡°They killed a man after all.¡±


    He replied to this in an apologetic tone, ¡°Well, we all need to make a living somehow. Haha. Talking about such a topic in front of a detective, is it strange if I¡¯m feeling a bit nervous?¡±


    ¡°Is there really a need for that? After all, I¡¯m still just a civil servant.¡±


    ¡°I have to admit, I truly am envious of you and how it seems that you¡¯re able to do whatever you want. You should already know how things work at our level of society. From a young age we¡¯re expected to live our lives while being molded into a certain role, whether it¡¯s with our studies or our careers, and even our eventual marriages.¡±


    Reciprocating the favor, I picked up the kettle and offered it to him. Then I filled up my cup as well. Wine drunk before the sun had even gone down really had its own special flavor.


    ¡°Are you seeing someone currently?¡±


    ¡°No. If a police officer wants to find a lover while he¡¯s still on the job, then he needs to work twice as hard just to keep up. I don¡¯t have the time for that.¡±


    Good. He had revealed an opening that I could take without seeming suspicious. I laughed so hard that my whole body was shaking, acting as if I was getting slightly tipsy.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve heard a rumor. About you hooking up with some celebrity. Now, who was it again?¡±


    ¡°Who indeed¡­.?¡±


    He tilted his head to the side as he pondered the question. It seemed that Hae-Soo wasn¡¯t the only one he was involved with. He appeared to be running through a list of names of female celebrities that he had been involved with.


    With a snap of my fingers, I interrupted his reminiscence.


    ¡°It was Hae-Soo. The movie actress, Hae-Soo.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Hae-Soo.¡±


    It was only for a moment, but his face had twisted strangely. But considering her unpleasant demise, that might just be his natural reaction to her death.


    ¡°Hae-Soo and I, we did have something going on.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t dating as such, but you should know how that sort of thing goes, right? We would sometimes meet at parties and, if we were both free, we would go somewhere else to have some fun. And then, if we were both in the mood, what else could we do but enjoy each other¡¯s company?


    ¡°Haha. It¡¯s quite the common thing to see at our level of society. Could it be that you weren¡¯t aware of this?¡±


    It was well-known that Go Ji-Hun had been living the life of a reclusive loner until only a few years ago. This bastard, was he looking down on me? However, this current situation made it even easier to bring up the question that I wanted to ask him.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that just mean the two of you were dating?¡±


    ¡°Not really. After all, she was also seeing a lot of other men on the side. Of course, none of them could compare to me,¡± Nam Sae-Ha smiled playfully as he said this.


    Although it was quite the arrogant thing to say, Nam Sae-Ha did have the qualifications to back this up. He had it all, both the looks and the wealth; but for him to be so proud of the fact that he held the highest status among Hae-Soo¡¯s many lovers, it appeared that he was quite the competitive person.


    ¡°Where were you on the day that Hae-Soo was murdered?¡±


    Clack-


    Now we had both set our chopsticks down. With neither of us still eating, the room was filled with the sole sound of meat sizzling. Nam Sae-Ha folded his arms and focussed the full weight of his attention on me.


    ¡°Ji-Hun-ssi. No, should I be calling you Detective-nim? Weren¡¯t we just supposed to be having a private conversation today, not an interrogation?¡±


    ¡°Blame it on my occupational disease.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    He wiped his mouth with his napkin and took a sip of water. It looked like he was getting ready to leave.

 Chapter 43.1

    A Golden Holiday1 (1)


    ¡°In the aftermath of that incident, I was also investigated. At that time, I was abroad on a business trip, so my alibi was airtight. However, as our relationship was a little ambiguous and the way she died caused quite a scandal, I couldn¡¯t even attend her funeral. So talking about Hae-Soo still makes me feel a little uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t my intention, but my apologies regardless.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard that the corrupt cop from the latest incident was the one in charge of Hae-Soo¡¯s case. It seems like her case might be reopened, so I can understand your curiosity.¡±


    While the media hadn¡¯t directly made any references to Hae-Soo¡¯s murder, anyone could infer it from their description. If it¡¯s ¡®the murder of an actress that occured only a few years ago¡¯, then of course that only leaves Hae-Soo.


    ¡°But if it¡¯s for a matter like this, then you should have contacted me through my lawyer.¡±


    Hm. Although I was certain their relationship had also involved him sponsoring her, I could understand his reluctance to make this matter public.


    Upon checking his watch, he raised his eyebrows. Then he pressed his hands together to express his regret.


    ¡°It¡¯s already this late. I¡¯m afraid that I have to get to my next meeting.¡±


    Why would we have started drinking if he had another meeting after this? It was obviously just an excuse to get out of here. As he stood to leave, I followed him to my feet.


    ¡°Please, have some more to eat before you leave. It will be my treat.¡±


    ¡°Allow me to ask just one more question before you go.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°How did you come to know Hae-Soo?¡±


    As he slipped on his jacket, his eyes drilled into me. They shone with a sharp glint as they tried to pick out my true intentions. So with a smile, I tacked on an excuse.


    ¡°It¡¯s just to sate my personal curiosity.¡±


    ¡°¡­I met her through a mutual friend.¡±


    Not just an acquaintance, but a friend. It seemed that he had a pretty close relationship with the person who had brokered the deal between him and Hae-Soo. Nam Sae-Ha straightened his outfit and offered me his hand. With this handshake, he was calling our meeting to an end.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure. Let¡¯s meet again when we both have the time, but at a slightly less formal venue.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. Have I ever told you that I¡¯m quite the partier myself?¡±


    ¡°Haha. Well then, please excuse me.¡±


    Nam Sae-Ha slid open the door and left. Leaving me with a huge amount of food still remaining. So I decided to call in Chief Kim.


    ¡°Where are you at the moment?¡±


    -I¡¯m out here in the hall. Managing Director Nam Sae-Ha just passed me on his way out. Have the two of you already finished eating?


    ¡°I just wanted to check if you¡¯re hungry. Would you like to join me? Let¡¯s eat this barbeque together.¡±


    Chief Kim arrived soon after. With sparkling eyes, he sat down in Nam Sae-Ha¡¯s former seat. He truly was the original Go Ji-Hun¡¯s best and only friend. For him to get this excited over being able to share a meal with me after so long.


    Buzzzz- Buzzzz-


    Just then, a call arrived from an unknown landline number.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Hyung?


    It was Sang-Beom¡¯s voice. So this was Aeryuwon¡¯s- no, Gogwangwon¡¯s phone number. I swallowed my mouthful of meat before answering.


    ¡°Yep. Is something up?¡±


    -It¡¯s nothing major. Only, when will you make your next visit? So-Yeon says that she really wants to thank you in person.


    ¡°Let me see. I¡¯ve earned some paid vacation, so I¡¯ll stop by sometime soon. Do you need anything else?


    -¡­there is something. When do you plan on starting?


    ¡°Starting what?¡±


    -Our search for my hyung.


    Hisss-


    At these words, my throat closed up. Unable to reply, the sound of sizzling meat once again filled the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chief Kim mumbled around a mouthful of meat.


    It felt like he was asking me, what kind of problems could you have on a nice day like this?


    But it turned out that I did have a problem, a big one. Because the situation with searching for Park Sang-Ho was very different from when I had gone looking for Sae-Bom. The difference between someone who had gone missing for a few days and someone who had disappeared for years was like the difference between heaven and earth. Also, Sang-Ho seemed like someone who had run away instead of being abducted¡­


    Over the phone, I heard Sang-Beom¡¯s downcast voice.


    -But you¡¯re probably busy clearing things up after your last case. It¡¯s already been five years anway, so what¡¯s the hurry?


    Ahem. It can¡¯t be helped. I couldn¡¯t go back on my word. Besides, from my previous life, I knew just how much Sang-Beom missed his hyung.


    Swallowing a sigh, I answered him, ¡°Not at all. Since it¡¯s come up, let¡¯s just get straight to it. Once my vacation is over, I¡¯ll be so busy that I won¡¯t be able to help you even if I wanted to.¡±


    -Wow. Really?


    The boy¡¯s voice had suddenly brightened. For some reason, I got the feeling that I¡¯d just been tricked. As a future con-artist, it seemed that he really did have a talent for acting.


    While flipping over the meat on the grill, I said, ¡°Really. I¡¯m in the middle of eating right now, so I¡¯ll head over as soon as I¡¯m done. Ask the kids if they have any snacks that they want to eat, and send their answer to me by text.¡±


    -Oh, how cool¡­ Got it! Take care.


    As soon as I hung up the phone, Chief Kim asked, ¡°Do you have somewhere that you need to be?¡±


    ¡°How about you Chief Kim? Any appointments today?¡±


    ¡°Nothing today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Then you can accompany me to Gogwangwon. I have something that I need to do there.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Do you need me too?¡± Chief Kim asked with a confused expression.


    Ignoring him, I quickly shovelled up the rest of the meat and gobbled it down. If you wanted to find a missing person, more than anything else, you needed stamina.


    ***


    Footnote:


    1 Not to be confused with the Japanese Golden Week, a golden holiday is a Korean phrase used to describe any holiday with consecutive days off.

 Chapter 43.2

    A Golden Holiday (2)


    Clutching our stomachs that were full to bursting, we arrived at Gogwangwon.


    Under the lead of Gogwang¡¯s community outreach program, volunteers had already arrived to fill the empty spaces left after the director and her lackeys were arrested. A few reporters who had yet to satisfy their curiosity about the latest incident were hovering outside the gate. They weren¡¯t allowed inside as any investigation into ¡®Aeryuwon¡¯ itself had been suppressed in order to protect the children¡¯s privacy.


    ¡°It¡¯s here! Our sweets are here!¡±


    ¡°The mister has arrived!¡±


    ¡°Kyahahaha!¡±


    The children spotted our car pulling in and ran over to us from the front yard. With a helpless smile, I popped open the trunk.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve arrived. Now then, which greedy kid said ¡®our sweets are here¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It was Chan-Woo! Chan-Woo said that!¡±


    ¡°Eep! I was just playing around!¡±


    ¡°Mister!¡±


    During all this commotion, So-Yeon ran ahead of the crowd and wrapped me in a hug. Looking down at her, all I could see was the round top of her head. Her small arms couldn¡¯t even reach all the way around my waist.


    So-Yeon raised her head to look up at me with a grin.


    ¡°Have you been doing well? And have you been going to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Because So-Yeon had stayed asleep ever since she was drugged in the car, she had no memories of the abandoned factory. That at least was a silver lining. However, I had arranged for her to see a psychiatrist, because I was worried that the betrayal of the people who were supposed to be adopting her might leave behind a trauma. Though for a child who spends nearly every day at an orphanage, going to the hospital might just seem like a fun outing.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived?¡±


    Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye were wearing casual clothes, instead of their usual school uniforms.


    It was then that I suddenly realized something important. Something that I should have realized from the moment I got the call from Gogwangwon. It was currently noon on a weekday.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you two at school?¡±


    Showing off a relaxed smile, Ji-Hye waved her finger.


    ¡°Haha. We don¡¯t have to go to school until next week.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Today is the school¡¯s anniversary. Tomorrow is a free Saturday. And Monday is Children¡¯s Day!¡±


    She seemed to be really excited by this. In any case, today was their school¡¯s anniversary. So this was the reason why Sang-Beom had decided to phone me today and encourage me to begin the search. Since he also had the day off, he intended for us to start searching for his hyung together.


    ¡°Fine then. This is convenient. I¡¯m also free until next week.¡±


    ¡°So how should we start the search?¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ let me think.¡±


    Around five years had already passed since Sang-Ho had gone missing. At the time of the report, the police should have already carried out an investigation while following the basic guidelines. That meant that I needed to do something different.


    First, I popped open two cans of drinks and handed one to each of them.


    ¡°For now, why don¡¯t I listen to the whole story?¡±


    Since the weather was nice, we sat down outside, on the short bench next to the basketball hoop.


    ¡°Tell me everything that you can remember about your brother¡¯s case. Was he showing any signs that he intended to run away from home, in which directions did the police officers investigate? Things like that.¡±


    ¡°How close were you to my hyung?¡±


    ¡°What? Is that something I can immediately answer off the top of my head?¡±


    ¡°No, I just wanted to know if you¡¯re aware of my family¡¯s situation?¡±


    Sang-Beom glanced towards Ji-Hye. It seemed that she already had a rough awareness of his situation, but he seemed uncomfortable with putting it into words and dragging his dirty laundry back out into the open.


    I waved my hand to show him that it was fine if we skipped that explanation.


    ¡°Uhuh. I know all about that. Your brother told me about it and said that I could even use it as material to write the script for a drama. It¡¯s all very¡­ well¡­ cinematic.¡±


    It was to a point where the words ¡®soap opera¡¯ spring to mind. To start with, Sang-Ho and Sang-Beom weren¡¯t full-blooded siblings. As they shared the same father, they were only half-brothers, but the relationship between the two of them couldn¡¯t be closer.


    However the problem was their parents. Their father and the two women that were entangled with him. Those three would habitually take out their stress on the two brothers in the form of both physical and verbal abuse. Alcoholism, gambling, and affairs, having long achieved this triple crown, their father also happened to be toxically patriarchal. Meanwhile, the mother who kept the household was neglectful of both of them.


    By the way, it was the future Sang-Beom who had made the joke that his family could be used as material for a drama. Even while watching the most over-the-top soap operas, he would click his tongue and say that things still weren¡¯t stimulating enough.


    ¡°I knew that hyung was having it hard. He had to take a lot of part-time jobs even though he was still attending high school.¡±


    The future Sang-Beom had told me that he had received more in allowance from his hyung than he had ever received from his parents. To him, Sang-Ho was a friend, a reliable older brother, and an existence closer to that of a true parent, all rolled into one. That¡¯s why his hyung¡¯s disappearance had left him feeling so frustrated and lonely. Even as he worried about his hyung who had suddenly disappeared, he was also enduring feelings of betrayal and abandonment at being left behind.

 Chapter 43.3

    A Golden Holiday (3)


    ¡°When he went to serve in the military, he seemed relieved to be finally leaving our house. Ever since then, the letters from him had become increasingly sparse, until eventually he stopped contacting me altogether.¡±


    ¡°¡­but Sang-Beom, there¡¯s just one thing that we need to discuss.¡±


    While listening to his story, there was something that was troubling me.


    ¡°If it turns out that your hyung just doesn¡¯t want to see you, what will you do?¡±


    His expression filled with shock. It seemed like that thought had never once crossed his mind. Previously, he had been certain that his brother¡¯s disappearance had something to do with his parents, and the only reason he escaped that fate was because he was too young.


    ¡°Of course, I know that you and your hyung were close, but aren¡¯t you old enough to understand? If your hyung really wanted to contact you, then he could have done it in secrecy. But seeing as how that hasn¡¯t happened, there might be other circumstances.¡±


    Although I had said it in a roundabout way, Sang-Beom understood the meaning behind my words. I meant that his hyung may have decided to abandon everything in order to start a new life, and that he could have been part of the dark past that his hyung had left behind.


    After chewing his bottom lip softly, he nodded his head.


    ¡°That could also be the case. I can respect it if it is. Since everyone has the right to live their own life the way they want. However, I still need to know whether he¡¯s alive or not. What if hyung does want to come see me, but he physically can¡¯t? If his own family doesn¡¯t look for him, then who will.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes shone brightly with unshed tears.


    Fine then. Just how many people must there be who would have been lost and forgotten if not for their family? Since they¡¯re family, then this is definitely the least that we can do.


    ¡°If hyung says that he doesn¡¯t want to see me, I¡¯ll turn back without a protest. That¡¯s why, let¡¯s just find him first.¡±


    After rummaging through his bag, Sang-Beom pulled out a stack of old letters. They had all kinds of different designs and sizes. They were covered in marks from Sang-Beom¡¯s fingers. It looked like they had been carefully read over and over again.


    ¡°These are the letters that my hyung started sending me while he was serving in the army. With the way that my family is, the phone is usually broken. That¡¯s why he sent any news to me by mail.¡±


    There was nothing remarkable written in the letters. They had things like what training was like that day, whether or not that night¡¯s dinner had been delicious, and so on. It was all trivial and routine, so I skimmed the first few. Then the design of the envelope changed. It was now a pale yellow color, not something from the stationery that they use in the military.


    ¡°After my hyung was discharged from the army, he decided to travel. While working for his bed and board, he wandered all over the country. It seemed like he was debating about whether or not he should go to college, and what he wanted to do from then on.¡±


    So he had been at a point in his life where he had a lot of things that he needed to consider. I spread out the letters and arranged them in chronological order. The very last of the letters had been sent from a place in Nohyeong Borough, Jeju Island.


    I tilted my head to the side in curiosity.


    ¡°So he went down all the way to Jeju?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of guesthouses there. It seems like he was able to earn both food and a bed by working at a guesthouse. Although the wages were next to nothing, it at least gave him the opportunity to sightsee.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    I skimmed the contents, but he didn¡¯t say which guesthouse he had stayed in. The address on the letter was also a general address, without a street or a number.


    ¡°This means that, for now, this is your hyung¡¯s last confirmed location.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go there.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I packed away the letters and got up. In the distance, it looked like Chief Kim was on the verge of pulling his own hair out because of how the children were teasing him. He was such a docile person that he couldn¡¯t even bear to stop the little kids from having their fun.


    ¡°Chief Kim!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    ¡°Please arrange some plane tickets for a trip to Jeju.¡±


    ¡°Jeju? When are you leaving?¡±


    I turned back to look at the children.


    ¡°How about right now?¡±


    ¡°Right now? Us as well?¡± Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye asked in bewilderment.


    ¡°If you want to go, then just follow me. I¡¯ll buy your plane tickets.¡±


    ¡°Why even ask! Of course we¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°After you tell your parents.¡±


    ¡°These days, those people don¡¯t even come home very often. And they have no interest in me.¡±


    What the¡­ His family really was quite the mess. After some hesitation, Ji-Hye decided to stick with me. Though her movements looked stiff, as if she was nervous about something.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to as well. Although this is all so sudden, since I¡¯m going along with a police officer, my parents should allow it. Also I¡­ I¡¯ve never been on an airplane.¡±


    So rather than nerves, it seemed more like she was excited about it. I turned back to Chief Kim and shouted.


    ¡°Four of the earliest tickets to Jeju Airport.¡±


    ¡°Why four tickets, sir?¡±


    ¡°Chief Kim also has to come along, of course. Since it¡¯s a golden holiday, let¡¯s all have some fun together,¡± I said to him with a wide grin.


    Unsure of whether he should be happy or sad, Chief Kim gave me a twisted smile.

 Chapter 44.1

    Vacation to Jeju (1)


    ¡°Wow. This is a lot fancier than I expected.¡±


    Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye¡¯s eyes widened as they boarded the plane and were guided to their spacious and comfortable seats. It was the first time that either of them had ever seen chairs like this, ones which were equipped with all sorts of convenient functions.


    As Chief Kim followed behind them, he said, ¡°Because we were in such a rush, I could only book seats in the business class.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, but it sounds amazing.¡±


    As the children went to take their seats, they froze and looked at each other.


    Then they politely began offering for each other to go first.


    ¡°Would you like to take the window seat?¡±


    ¡°Me? No no, I¡¯m fine. You sit there.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m really okay, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    As Chief Kim and I watched this scene, I called out to the children.


    ¡°If you both want to sit in the window seat, then one of you should come here. I¡¯ll switch seats with you.¡±


    When Ji-Hye heard this, she abruptly shook her head. Then she pushed Sang-Beom into their row of seats and took the aisle seat for herself. Once seated, she waved her hands at us to show that we could leave them be.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You stay there, we¡¯ll just sit next to each other.¡±


    Oh boy. They sure are having fun. Chief Kim and I smiled in bemusement as we looked at the children.


    ¡°Kids these days sure are quick to adapt.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Must be nice. Phew.¡±


    Chief Kim sighed as he sat down next to me. As if waiting for someone¡¯s call, he refused to let go of his handphone.


    While buckling my belt, I asked out of curiosity, ¡°Is there some kind of emergency?¡±


    Chief Kim¡¯s eyes were blazing and he had his teeth clenched as he turned to look at me. Although his expression showed resentment, he refused to let any of it show in his words.


    ¡°Hoho. Why do you think that might be?¡±


    I vaguely knew what was going on, but I was pretending to be unaware. Since he had asked for time off until Monday, then he must have had plans of his own. He might have intended to see his girlfriend, or something along those lines. However it would be too awkward for me to endure if I had to go travelling with two kids by myself.


    I looked through the letters that Sang-Beom had lent me and asked Chief Kim a question, ¡°Do you like France?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to like or dislike about it? France is just France.¡±


    Chief Kim¡¯s tone felt a bit prickly.


    ¡°Once we get back from Jeju, let me borrow some of your time.¡±


    ¡°What time? Now, I don¡¯t even have any vacation hours left.¡±


    ¡°I need to ask you for a favour. Take a short trip to France for me. I¡¯ll get you as much time off as you want, so you can even go and do some sightseeing.¡±


    ¡°What kind of favor¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll write down an address. All you need to do is go to that address and meet with someone. There¡¯s something that I¡¯m curious about, but I can¡¯t contact them at the moment, and it looks like they don¡¯t intend to return to Korea.¡±


    ¡°Is that all that I need to do?¡±


    Chief Kim¡¯s voice was already warming up. After all, this was a vacation with ¡®as much time off as you want¡¯. And since it was a business trip, that meant all expenses were paid. On top of that, the request itself didn¡¯t appear too difficult. His mood was gradually lightening.


    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s all that you need to do. Take all the time that you need and return whenever you¡¯re ready. I¡¯ll even speak to my father to arrange this.¡±


    ¡°Sniff! Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°And if your vacation isn¡¯t for too long, then I can even arrange things for one companion.¡±


    It was a slam dunk.


    Chief Kim was so moved that he seemed to be on the verge of tears. After all, this was an all-expenses paid vacation to Europe together with his girlfriend.


    He immediately started fussing over me, ¡°Young master. Is your seatbelt on firmly? How about the headrest, is it at the right height? You¡¯re not thirsty are you? Excuse me! Could we get some water-¡±


    ¡°Enough, I¡¯m fine. Instead of that, once you get to France, make sure to tell the person you¡¯re meeting that you¡¯re a police officer.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What did you just say?¡±


    Wang Ong-Gu¡¯s family had remained in France. Even though Detective Wang had died, they refused to return to Korea and had instead asked for his body to be sent to them. It seemed that they intended to set down their roots there permanently, as they had even disposed of all their remaining assets in Korea.


    Although there were a lot of things I needed to ask them, that would only be possible if someone met with them personally. Since they had refused to reply to a single phone call or email.

 Chapter 44.2

    Vacation to Jeju (2)


    ¡°I¡¯ll write down the details later and send them to you. For now, you should just clear your schedule.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Chief Kim was grinning so widely that it felt like his lips were about to fall off his face. With the kids already being pumped up, now that even he was in the mood for it, it really felt like we were going on a vacation.


    Now that I think about it, have I ever been on a trip? In my previous life, every day was a struggle just to survive, and now that I had been reincarnated, I was so busy that it felt like I was constantly on the run. In retrospect, this was likely my first ever ¡®outing¡¯.


    ¡°Oooh! The plane is taking off!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a really strange feeling.¡±


    After a while, the plane had taken off to much excitement. It would take an hour for us to reach Jeju.


    I focused my attention on examining the letters that had been sent by Sang-Ho.


    ¡®Even if we do find the address, there¡¯s no guarantee that we¡¯ll find clues there.¡¯


    He had already been missing for five years. If the guesthouse had closed or changed owners during this time, it would make our search even more difficult; and due to the nature of the place, having seen so many people pop in and out, it would be questionable if anyone even remembered Sang-Ho.


    The last letter that had been sent was the most important of the lot. A truly tiny clue was embedded within the text. So small that it was hard to notice¡­


    [¡­was nice. While looking at the sea, a lot of thoughts came to mind. The meaning of family¡­ although it¡¯s difficult at times, thanks to the people I¡¯ve met here¡­ it¡¯s in a great location, that makes it easy to go and play or just rest¡­]


    Hmm. No matter how many times I saw it, I just couldn¡¯t be sure I was right. As someone who was in the midst of worrying about his future, all he should be thinking about was how to live his life. However¡­


    I folded the letter and slid it into Chief Kim¡¯s bag.


    ***


    We arrived at Jeju International Airport. We rented a car and drove straight to Nohyeong Borough, directly to the address that had been written on the envelope.


    Driving along a road lined with palm trees, the unique scenery of Jeju shot past us. Meanwhile, Sang-Beom¡¯s expression was stiffening, as if something was slowly sinking in. This is why he should have avoided getting his hopes up too high. Since the higher they are, the greater the disappointment when it all comes falling down.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re almost there?¡±


    While keeping a hold of the steering wheel, Chief Kim scanned our surroundings. However, he couldn¡¯t spot any signs for a guesthouse. We parked the car and set out on foot to find the right place.


    ¡°I think it might be this building.¡±


    We had found an old, five-story building. It was the type of shopping outlet that would commonly be seen in most suburbs, with laundry and skin care facilities. It looked like the fourth and fifth floors were vacant.


    I entered the building and started searching the mailboxes.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Just about anything. For now, we¡¯re just trying to see what we can stir up. Ji-Hye, you go and ask the laundromat if this place used to be a guesthouse. And ask them if they know someone named Choi Sang-Ho.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Chief Kim, go up and take a look to see if anyone is in. Sang-Beom and I will stay here to search.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    One by one, I checked each of the dust-covered letters. It seemed that the building changed tenants frequently, as there was a bewildering amount of different companies and names attached to this address.


    ¡°You said that you and your hyung didn¡¯t call each other often, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We only spoke to each other through our letters. I don¡¯t even know his phone number. On the rare occasions he did call, it was always through a payphone or borrowing a store¡¯s phone.¡±


    Sang-Beom¡¯s voice suddenly became gloomy. Even though they¡¯re brothers, they¡¯re in a relationship where the younger brother doesn¡¯t even know his older brother¡¯s phone number. It appeared that he was starting to feel like should avoid the reality of his situation. The reality that his hyung may have abandoned him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up now. Let it all out after we¡¯ve found your hyung. Since we don¡¯t know anything yet.¡±


    Thinking that it might be because of what I had said back at the orphanage, I said this in the softest voice I could manage. Sang-Beom silently nodded before continuing to rummage through the mail.


    ¡°They said that there used to be a guesthouse. But it went bankrupt one or two years ago.¡±


    ¡°The door upstairs is locked. I couldn¡¯t find anything on the outside either.¡±


    Chief Kim and Ji-Hye returned, failing to bring back any helpful information. Unfortunately, Sang-Beom and I were in the same situation. As I looked up and down the street, I couldn¡¯t shake a gloomy feeling. However I spotted a comic book rental store located on the other side of a crosswalk.

 Chapter 44.3

    Vacation to Jeju (3)


    Bingo.


    ¡°Everyone, visit the nearby stores and ask them if anyone remembers Choi Sang-Ho.¡¯


    Leaving them with this order, I entered the store. An old man with a somewhat unhealthy pallor was sitting at the counter, reading a novel. The whole place smelled like old books. It was obvious that it had been in operation for at least the past few years.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I showed him my police badge. The store owner folded his book in half and stared at me. He looked curious as to why a cop from Seoul had come all the way to Jeju.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a person. By any chance, would you be able to check if they were a member here?¡±


    ¡°Just a moment. Please tell me their full name.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Choi Sang-Ho.¡±


    ¡°The name comes up twice. He¡¯s not an elementary school student, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s in his twenties.¡±


    Good. I thought this might be the case. There¡¯s nothing like a rental store for young people who want to enjoy their hobbies at a cheap price. Although in the future, everyone would be reading on their smartphones, at this point in time there were still two or three comic book rental stores in every neighborhood.


    After clicking on something, the owner frowned.


    ¡°Ah, I remember now. The person who borrowed the whole series of Waryongjeongong from start to finish and ran away with them. They¡¯ve been overdue for three years now. Because of him, I had to buy the whole series again. Why are you looking for him? Is he a repeat offender? Or something like a book thief?¡±


    The owner grumbled in indignation. This was the kind of person that the entire book rental business most hated, a long-overdue debtor.


    On top of that, he had made off with an entire series. While responding vaguely to his questions, I handed him a pen.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Please write down the latest address and number that you have recorded.¡±


    ¡°This sort of bastard definitely needs to spend some time in jail. Humph.¡±


    Scratch, scratch-


    The owner elegantly scrawled out the membership information and handed it to me. The address was the same one that had been written on the letter. However the phone number was a new piece of information. Right then and there, I tried to call the number.


    [The phone number you have called is not currently switched on, connecting you to voicemail¡­]


    So it¡¯s a real phone number, but it¡¯s currently switched off?


    I bowed in thanks to the store owner and left his store. Chief Kim drove up in the car and pulled up next to me.


    ¡°None of the locals seem to know him. And since this is such a busy city, there are too many people passing through each day to question anybody. Have you found anything new, young master?¡±


    ¡°I found his cellphone number. Though now that I¡¯ve found it, I think I¡¯ll have put in a request to track down its location. Ah, by the way, Chief Kim. Do you know of a series called ¡®Waryongjeonggong¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know it. It¡¯s an extremely famous martial arts manhwa. But because it goes on for too long, I gave up after only reading part of it.¡±


    Hmm. A young man who had been wandering here and there disappeared after borrowing a whole series of books. Under close examination, it didn¡¯t seem like anything special, but the truth was that it didn¡¯t sit right with me. Looking at how long it was overdue, it should have been borrowed before the guesthouse went bankrupt.


    Leaning her head against the window, Ji-Hye mumbled, ¡°What should we do now? No one in the neighbourhood can remember Sang-Ho-oppa. Even the lady in charge of the laundromat.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. It feels like something keeps getting in our way,¡± Sang-Beom also exclaimed angrily.


    I texted a message to the Suan Police Station¡¯s Situation Room. It said that, due to certain circumstances, I was going to send them a phone number and I needed to track down the location of its last call.


    [Detective Go. Location tracking is only allowed if we receive a report of a crime first.]


    I thought about it for a moment before sending a reply.


    [I¡¯ll make the report. It¡¯s for a theft. I¡¯ll be sure to upload a report later, so please check it for me first. I¡¯ll owe you one.]


    ¡°Hey? Ahjussi. What are we supposed to be doing now?¡± Ji-Hye said, thrusting her face in between the gaps of the front seats.


    Since this was a personal request, it might take them some time.


    After checking my watch, I prompted Chief Kim, ¡°Let¡¯s go get something to eat. Drive to the oldest place in town that serves the most delicious dishes.¡±


    ¡°And where is that exactly?¡±


    Wherever you went, there was one constant truth. There was only one restaurant that could boast both refined taste and a long tradition. On top of that, it was the perfect place to gather information.


    ¡°To the nearest truckstop diner. We¡¯ll get something to eat there while waiting for my contact to get back to me. We can also take this chance to ask the truckers a few questions.¡±

 Chapter 45.1

    The Place Where No One Dares To Go (1)


    We were now at a nearby diner. Our luxury SUV was awkwardly parked amidst all the taxis up front. Although it was rather eye-catching, we were so hungry that we didn¡¯t care in the slightest. Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye flipped open their menus as soon as they reached their seats.


    ¡°Two orders of kimchi stew set meals, please!¡±


    ¡°Wow. Just the smell of it is making me drool.¡±


    Chief Kim and I also ordered from the same menu. Laying out our cutlery on the table, we took a moment to scan our surroundings.


    Taxi drivers were gathered together in groups of twos and threes around us, enjoying their meals.


    ¡°Yeah. Here¡¯s how the story goes. The guy left his wallet behind as he got out and then¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­that restaurant by the roundabout has closed its doors for good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because the couple who were running the place got divorced. They¡¯ll probably end up opening separate restaurants¡­¡±


    Wherever a taxi roams, it picks up on all of the gossip. On top of that, due to Jeju being an island, the bond between the locals was bound to be strong. They all looked gleeful as they shared the news of what had happened during their morning shifts. This was probably because they were happy to finally meet someone they could talk to after a long night of work.


    I glanced at Chief Kim.


    ¡°How many should I bring out?¡±


    ¡°For now, just get out five.¡±


    Chief Kim pulled out some boxes of cigarettes with attached business cards from his bag. While the usual way to make friends with someone at a place like this was buying them a beer, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate here since these guys need to get back behind the wheel.


    Picking up a pack of cigarettes, I approached the nearest table.


    ¡°A pleasant day to you, good sirs.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What the?¡±


    With a hearty laugh, I placed the cigarettes down in front of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing such a young and handsome fellow working as a peddler. I¡¯m not interested in buying your cigarettes. I only smoke a different brand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I am not a peddler. These are just a gift.¡±


    While raising their suspicions, the taxi drivers still turned to look at me in curiosity. Pulling a chair over to their table, I sat down in front of them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come all the way here to look for someone, and I¡¯m hoping that you might have heard something.¡±


    ¡°Someone? Who? Your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Ahem. Nothing like that. He¡¯s just a friend. But the last I heard of him was that he had been working at a guesthouse a few years ago. The one that was near an elementary school at the crossroads in Nohyeong Borough.¡±


    I kept the story short, as anything else would be a waste of time.


    After they agreed with a nod between themselves, I waited for them to speak. They started quibbling with each other as they poured through their memories.


    ¡°Well now, let¡¯s see. It ¡®was¡¯ eh. If that¡¯s near the crossroads, could it be that place, the Together Guesthouse? Didn¡¯t it disappear last year?¡±


    ¡°Oh. That might just be it. The boss there was so generous that she donated all the furnishings before closing for good.¡±


    Perhaps excited by the chance to go over fond memories that they hadn¡¯t thought of in so long, the taxi drivers were chatting away happily.


    During a pause in their conversation, I asked, ¡°Do you know the former owner of the guesthouse?¡±


    ¡°Hm. I sorta knew her, but rather than me- oh, there he is. Park-ssi! Come on over here. She was a regular at your wife¡¯s place, right? The owner of Together Guesthouse.¡±


    Now that it was lunchtime, an endless flow of taxi drivers seemed to be pouring in. Chief Kim rummaged through his bag and handed me another pack of cigarettes. The taxi driver named Park-ssi grabbed a seat near us as he answered the question.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. My wife runs a hairdresser there, and she was one of the regular customers. But I¡¯ve heard that she packed her bags and moved to Seoul.¡±


    ¡°Would you be able to give me her number?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask my wife, but the missus is currently at her singing classes. I¡¯m not sure she¡¯ll answer if I call her now.¡±


    ¡°Once you do manage to contact her, please send a text to this number. I¡¯m trying to find someone and I¡¯m willing to offer further compensation to anyone who can provide assistance.¡±


    Along with some cigarettes, I placed the business card down in front of him and tapped it. Enthused by the sudden free gift of cigarettes, the taxi driver almost nodded his head off.


    In the meantime, four clay bowls full of kimchi stew arrived at our table from the kitchen.

 Chapter 45.2

    The Place Where No One Dares To Go (2)


    The restaurant owner, appearing curious, asked as she served our food, ¡°What is the name of the person that you¡¯re looking for?¡±


    ¡°His name is Choi Sang-Ho. He¡¯s about the same age as myself.¡±


    The owner of the restaurant shook her head, indicating that nothing sprang to mind. Of course, it would be strange if the owner did remember him just from hearing his name.


    ¡°Auntie. Could I possibly display something in your store?¡± I asked, while pulling out two cheques from my wallet.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to put up a flyer at the entrance to your store, looking for anyone who might know Choi Sang-Ho.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s fine with me. Would you like me to get you a pen and paper?¡±


    The owner soon returned with a piece of A4 paper and a permanent marker. While I was preparing a simple flyer, Chief Kim slid the side-dishes across the table towards the children.


    ¡°For now, why don¡¯t we just eat. Since the young master has put these feelers out, we could be contacted at any time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Now that we¡¯ve done all this, something has got to turn up,¡± Ji-Hye comforted Sang-Beom with a deliberately upbeat tone of voice.


    When the children were almost finished eating, my cellphone vibrated. It was a message from the situation room. They had found Sang-Ho¡¯s last recorded location.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    I looked down at the phone¡¯s screen with a frown on my face. I thought that I¡¯d be getting a simple address, but a map had been sent instead. And on that map was a small dot in the middle of the sea.


    Then another text message arrived.


    [Detective Go. The results of the location tracking have come out. However the results led to this small island, so I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t send you a specific address. According to the administrative records, the island is labelled as Saktam Island.]


    So it¡¯s ¡®Saktam Island¡¯. For some reason, the name seemed familiar.


    I asked the taxi drivers beside me, ¡°Excuse me sirs. By any chance, Do you know anything about Saktam Island?¡±


    ¡°Saktam Island? Is that near Jeju?¡±


    ¡°It seems like I might have heard it from somewhere, but it also kinda feels like I haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I have.¡±


    Since the name seemed familiar to me, I had assumed that they would all recognize it, but unexpectedly no one seemed to know anything about it.


    Hmm. And I couldn¡¯t even zoom in on the map with my handphone. Should I just head to the local district office?


    ¡°Saktam Island? Hold on a moment. Could you possibly be talking about Sakgui1 Island? Do you have a map I can take a look at?¡±


    ¡°I do, but it¡¯s hard to make out.¡±


    I handed him my cellphone.


    Putting on a thick pair of glasses, the taxi driver held the phone up to his nose. Soon he nodded his head as if he had just confirmed something.


    ¡°I was right. These coordinates are for Devil Island. Don¡¯t you all recall? The island where it¡¯s said that the people who go there never come back.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that place?¡±


    Expressions of dawning awareness spread across the taxi drivers¡¯ faces.


    ¡°Although there are even people living on that island, it unfortunately doesn¡¯t have a very good reputation. Maybe it¡¯s all just because of its name.¡±


    ¡°No way. After my grandmother¡¯s friend visited that island, all contact with her was immediately lost.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s your grandmother we¡¯re talking about, isn¡¯t she over a hundred years old? From which era does that story of yours come from?¡±


    The taxi drivers gossipped as they sipped their after-lunch coffees.


    The name ¡®Sakgui Island¡¯ definitely didn¡¯t have any pleasant connotations. So for administrative purposes, could it have just been labelled Saktam Island instead?


    I prompted them to keep talking, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that people do live there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. However, since it¡¯s such an isolated place, I haven¡¯t heard it mentioned anywhere. Though in the past I think some rumours might have spread about it among the surfing community.¡±


    ¡°But these days, no one pays any attention to such a small island. There are all sorts of easier-to-reach sources of entertainment.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Now that I think about it, remember when I went island fishing last week¡­¡±


    The taxi drivers began chatting about other topics as they lit up the cigarettes I had given them.


    With a face filled with dread, Chief Kim crept up beside me. The others seemed to have finished eating, as every bowl except for mine was licked clean.


    ¡°Young Master. Could you possibly be thinking of going¡­¡±


    His expression twisted in fear.


    I turned to look at Sang-Beom.


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to go there to look for your hyung, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ve already come this far.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I always wanted to go on a tour of an island.¡±


    When even Ji-Hye stood up, raring to go, Chief Kim stumbled and looked like he was about to collapse. Seeing as he had such a weak body, no wonder he looked scared. I patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, do it for France.¡±


    ¡°You, really¡­¡±


    Leaving the resentful Chief Kim alone, I picked up my spoon. Although the stew had already cooled down, as expected of a diner, the taste was still amazing.


    To Chief Kim, who was standing there frozen, ¡°While I finish eating, you all should go looking for a boat to take us there, okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­o-okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    They¡¯re youthful constitutions having already finished digesting, the children excitedly pulled Chief Kim along, one on each arm. Sang-Beom¡¯s face was overflowing with the anticipation of being able to meet with his brother soon.


    ***


    Footnote:


    1 Sakgui means devil or imp in Korean. You can see why this is an ominous name.

 Chapter 45.3

    The Place Where No One Dares To Go (3)


    Sakgui Island was to the southwest of Jeju. After two hours of travel by car, we finally arrived at a pier. There, the motorboat that had been reserved by Chief Kim was preparing for departure.


    ¡°Are you the ones?¡±


    The captain gave off the feeling of a weathered man of the sea. He had a scraggly beard and his shaggy hair was tied back into a ponytail. He called out to us while packing away a net.


    Chief Kim returned his greeting with a handshake, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Same here. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve last seen someone brave enough to go to Sakgui Island.¡±


    While shaking hands with each of us, he helped us on board. The boat was named Love-ho. Unlike the captain¡¯s image, it was a very cutesy name.


    ¡°It was difficult to find any boats sailing to Sakgui Island,¡± Chief Kim told the captain as he put on a lifejacket. It seemed to be an attempt to calm his nerves.


    ¡°This will also be my first time sailing to Sakgui Island. I¡¯m only going because you¡¯re paying me. The air surrounding that island is extremely ominous.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Sakgui Village. I heard this story from my father, right after he paid a visit to the island¡¯s sole village. This was a few years ago, before he passed away, so it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Vroom


    With the roaring of the engine, the boat slowly started moving. Sitting in their chairs, the children enjoyed the sea breeze.


    ¡°He said that every single one of the village¡¯s residents gave off an eerie feeling. There was something strange about them, like they had escaped from a mental asylum. Well, in any case, it might be easy to turn out strange like them when you¡¯re as isolated as they are.¡±


    Chief Kim groaned as he lost all feeling in his legs and collapsed onto his knees.


    Now that we had left the city and entered the rural outskirts, we were definitely getting a fuller picture of the island.


    ¡°Y-young master. Even now, we can still turn the boat around¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough. All we need to do is go and check if Choi Sang-Ho is there or not. Captain, will you be okay with waiting for us until we¡¯re ready to leave?¡±


    The Captain turned the rudder and replied indifferently, ¡°As long as I can. I¡¯ll anchor myself some distance from the shore and go fishing.¡±


    Was it about twenty minutes later? We saw a small island in the distance. Sharply hewn boulders stood out against the green forest. Along with the beautiful waters of the sea, it made for a picturesque scene.


    ¡°It¡¯s more impressive than I thought it would be.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Its looks are quite superb.¡±


    In any case, this place that was called ¡®Devil Island¡¯, I really got the feeling I had often heard its name from somewhere, but¡­


    The Love-ho returned to sea after dropping us off onto the island. He left after telling us that he would be back in around two hours.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one road.¡±


    We slowly walked up the path leading to the village. While we were immersed in the quiet atmosphere, my cellphone started ringing.


    Buzzz- buzzz-


    The call came from an unknown number.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    -Yes. Hello? I¡¯m calling because I got your number from Gyeong-Ja-unni.


    ¡°Who is this?¡±


    -I used to run the Together Guesthouse.


    Ah. So the taxi driver had made sure to pass on the message.


    When we saw the entrance to the village in the distance, the children took off running towards it. They were running so fast it looked like they were flying.


    With a smile on my face, I replied, ¡°Thank you for calling me. A few years ago you had a young man working for you named Choi Sang-Ho, do you remember him?¡±


    -Choi Sang-Ho¡­ Could you be talking about the one who came from Gyeonggi Province?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s probably the one I¡¯m looking for.¡±


    -Of course I remember him. He was quite the unusual lad.


    ¡°Unusual, how so?¡±


    As he was running, Sang-Beom suddenly stopped in his tracks. The boy¡¯s eyes were fixed on the entrance to the village.


    -He was a sincere and polite young man, but after a certain point he started saying some strange things. Something about a past life or reincarnation? He also began praying in a strange posture. It got worse and worse as time went on, until eventually he quit his job and left.


    With all his might, Sang-Beom resumed running down the last length of road. It seemed dangerous, as if he was about to fall at the slightest misstep, but the boy refused to reduce his speed.


    Then finally he threw himself into a man, hugging him as he cried out, ¡°Hyung!¡±


    I slowly lowered the phone from my ear as I took in this scene. The sound of the woman¡¯s voice projecting from my cellphone grew dimmer and dimmer.


    ¡°Sang-Beom? How did you turn up here?¡±


    It was Choi Sang-Ho. The man that Sang-Beom had been looking for for so long was just casually working in a field. By all appearances, he seemed healthy and happy.


    There was a sign erected on the side of the road, indicating that this was ¡°Sakgui Village¡±. Okay. Now I definitely remembered everything.


    I knew where I recognized this place from.

 Chapter 46.1

    The Meaning of Family (1)


    Caught in the middle of farming, Sang-Ho turned to us with a puzzled expression. Although he was covered in soil, it just made him look hardy rather than dirty. Unable to believe his eyes, he grabbed Sang-Beom¡¯s face between his hands and then pulled the boy¡¯s cheeks with his fingers.


    ¡°Oh my god. What on earth are you doing here¡­¡±


    ¡°Hyuuung-¡±


    Sang-Beom bit his lip as he tried to choke back a sob, but the more he tried to keep them in, the more tears ran down his cheeks. Sang-Beom started beating his brother¡¯s chest with his fists.


    ¡°Why! Why didn¡¯t you call me! Idiot!¡±


    ¡°Ow ow! Just hang on one second.¡±


    The way that Sang-Beom was berating his brother looked just like a mother scolding her child. All his pent-up anger and frustration was pouring out like a dam inside him had burst open.


    Even with his younger brother appearing so enraged, Sang-Ho seemed happy to see him as he couldn¡¯t restrain his laughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Even though I couldn¡¯t call you, I really did want to see you, but I have my reasons for not doing so. But wow, what a surprise. It looks like our father has answered my prayers.¡±


    Ugh. Fuck.


    I grabbed my aching head. Of all things, to think that Sang-Beom¡¯s hyung would be in a place like this. If I recall correctly, this island was¡­


    ¡°What are you talking about? Anyway, if it wasn¡¯t for hyung¡¯s friend, searching for you could have been a disaster. How else would I be able to come all the way here to Jeju by myself?¡±


    ¡°A friend? Who?¡±


    As one, the two brothers turned to look at me. While wiping away his sweat with a towel, Sang-Ho examined me closely. However the look in his eyes showed that no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn¡¯t recognize me.


    That was obvious. After all, this was also my first time meeting him. We exchanged awkward glances with each other.


    Sang-Beom broke the silence and almost spilled the beans, ¡°But he said that he was hyung¡¯s friend. A po-¡±


    I quickly slapped my hand over his mouth. Then putting some strength into this grip, I pulled Sang-Beom over towards me.


    ¡°Mph! Mph!¡±


    ¡°A po-?¡± Sang-Ho asked in confusion, but Sang-Beom¡¯s muffled cries covered up the question.


    I smiled cheerfully and shook my head.


    ¡°Ha-ha. A poor student who also went to the same high school in Gyeonggi Province. That¡¯s what he was trying to say. I transferred to Seoul soon after I got in, but I used to be in the class next to yours.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ is that so? I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t remember you. Even though I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone as handsome as you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it was all a long time ago. My name is Go Ji-Hun. Somehow I just ended up helping your brother and that led us here.¡±


    We exchanged polite greetings.


    Chief Kim had a puzzled expression, but I sent him a signal to just ignore it. Sang-Beom¡¯s face was flushed red and it looked like he couldn¡¯t breathe, so I finally dropped my hand from his face.


    ¡°Gasp! Hey really! What was that for?¡±


    ¡°Enough. Now what? Since you¡¯ve met your hyung, decide what you want to do,¡± diverting Sang-Beom¡¯s attention away from my actions, I urged him.


    Now that we¡¯ve confirmed that his brother is alive, should we just return to Seoul, or would he rather stay with his brother? I was pushing him to make the choice.


    The boy clung to his brother¡¯s arm affectionately and asked, ¡°Hyung. Are you living here now? Do you intend on never going back home?¡±


    When you see him like this, you can¡¯t help but feel that he¡¯s too mature for his age. Instead of blindly asking him to go home together, Sang-Beom was trying to understand his brother¡¯s position.


    Sang-Ho¡¯s expression darkened slightly at his little brother¡¯s words.


    Picking up the hoe and the shovel that he¡¯d been using to dig, he said, ¡°I will never return to that house.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°This has worked out well. I also wanted to visit and ask you to come here and live with me, but since I¡¯m still in training, I¡¯m not allowed to leave the island. Another reason for delaying it was that there isn¡¯t a school here.¡±


    His words kept on revealing some subtle incongruities. Noticing these, Sang-Beom frowned.


    ¡°Hyung. Starting from a while ago, you¡¯ve been saying a lot of things that I can¡¯t understand.¡±


    It was at that moment. A few other people appeared at the entrance to the village. They looked like they¡¯d been about to come and work the fields alongside Sang-Ho, as they were carrying farming implements and a few snacks. Upon seeing all the strangers, they halted in their tracks and hesitated. But soon, they walked over towards us.


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°Does Sang-Ho know these people?¡±


    With their rough skin and lined faces, they looked like plain and rustic folk, but something in their expressions revealed a deep compassion.They were the common sort of elderly people that you could often meet upon visiting any country village. Though they were showing both curiosity and a sense of vigilance. Since outsiders were so rare, it was a normal reaction.


    Sang-Ho introduced us with a smile, ¡°This boy is my younger brother. Then there¡¯s my classmate from high school and these are¡­¡±


    Sang-Ho looked embarrassed upon failing to introduce Chief Kim and Ji-Hye.


    Ji-Hye helped him out by warmly greeting the villagers, ¡°I¡¯m his younger brother¡¯s friend. And this is his friend¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°N-nice to meet you,¡± Chief Kim greeted them with a nervous smile.


    Previously he had been so nervous that it was like he was expecting ghosts to appear, but now that he saw that the villagers were only ordinary people, it looked like he had finally stopped holding his breath.


    ¡°How did you all end up here?¡±


    ¡°It was very difficult to find our way here. We had to ask a few people from the neighbourhood where Sang-Ho used to work.¡±


    When one of the men asked a question, I answered on behalf of my companions. Our group consisted of a secretary from a conglomerate, a future con-artist, and an intelligent student. Since all of them had quite sharp wits, they kept quiet as I spoke. It looked like they had noticed something strange was going on from my behavior.

 Chapter 46.2

    The Meaning of Family (2)


    ¡°Welcome to our village. For now, why don¡¯t you come on in. Since you¡¯re family members, we can¡¯t just leave you standing outside like this.¡±


    With bright smiles, the people led us into their village. My companions shot me a look before moving to follow, and I trailed along behind them as unobtrusively as I could. At first glance it might seem like the villagers were just being hospitable, but the truth was¡­


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    The moment we entered the village, we were struck by the view. The houses were built in a rough semi-circle surrounding a wide open space, and within this clearing, a giant tree grew from the centre with an altar built in front of it. Besides the altar, a majestic looking cross superimposed with a circle had been erected. The giant tree and the houses were connected by a web of colorful ropes.


    Ji-Hye froze and turned to look at me. I could only bite my bottom lip as a sign that she should keep silent.


    Known as the ¡®Past Life Church¡¯, this was the site of a Korean cult that had become as famous in my previous life as the Japanese Aleph Cult. Unlike other such cults, it had become particularly problematic because of its pursuit of ¡®isolation¡¯. As it was situated on an island, it was able to rely on its natural features to block access to the outside world, allowing the damage to escalate beyond imagination. From the outside, it simply appeared to be a rather unusual village, but the ugly truth behind it was¡­ quite a surprise.


    ¡°This is my house.¡±


    Paint was peeling off the walls of the house and the roof was slated with blue tiles. Though compared to its time-worn external appearance, the inside of the house looked neat and well-organized.


    Sang-ho looked us up and down before pulling open a closet door.


    With his gaze fixed on Chief Kim¡¯s suit and tie, he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you all feel constrained wearing such a formal outfit? Allow me to lend you all some clothes. That should let you change into something more comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not at all. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just leave them here. Ji-Hye can change clothes in the next room.¡±


    Sang-Ho insistently laid the clothes down on the floor for us to change into before leaving the room. Every single one of the pieces of clothing that Sang-Ho had left for us was dyed green. These were the type of clothes worn by believers who had just joined the Past Life Church. The darker and flashier the clothes were, the higher the wearer¡¯s rank in the church.


    Click-


    As soon as the door was shut, Ji-Hye grabbed my arm, ¡°Something strange is going on here-¡±


    I held a finger up to my lips, stopping Ji-Hye from speaking and telling her to be careful with her words. Although Sang-Ho had closed the door, I had yet to hear the sounds of him walking away.


    ¡®Damn. He really has been brainwashed.¡¯


    Then a few moments later, along with the sound of someone entering the house, I heard Sang-Ho leave.


    I quietly whispered to my companions, ¡°I also know that something strange is going on here. But that¡¯s why we need to act as naturally as possible. For now, keep the fact that I¡¯m a cop an absolute secret, and don¡¯t change into those clothes.¡±


    There was no need to provoke the villagers with any hasty rejections. Since you can never know what might happen if you hit a crazy person¡¯s berserk button by telling them that they¡¯re crazy. On top of that, this was their homeground.


    ¡°By the way, Sang-Beom-ah. Although it¡¯s a bit of a shame since we finally found your brother, for now we should get out of here and come back later.¡±


    Seeing how serious my expression was, Sang-Beom could only silently nod his head. It could be that he felt a sense of discomfort from his hyung, who had changed some time during their long years apart.


    Knock knock-


    After knocking on the door, Sang-Ho entered the room. He was holding an aged book in his hand. As if it was a forbidden text, the book was stained red. When he saw that we had yet to change our clothes, he tilted his head questioningly.


    With a gulp, Chief Kim tugged at his collar.


    ¡°Do you not like the clothes?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ll be leaving soon, so it¡¯s a bit of a waste.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Could it be that you have something urgent to get to?¡±


    While checking my watch, I answered him, ¡°Well there¡¯s the travel time to consider, and we really do need to get back to work once our vacation is over. We can¡¯t afford to delay much longer. Sang-Beom will make sure to send you a lot of letters, so why don¡¯t we just get an address from you before we go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we last met, you could at least have dinner before you go¡­¡± Sang-Ho trailed off as he pleaded with Sang-Beom.


    I discreetly sent him a signal to refuse the offer. There would be a better chance for the two brothers to reunite soon enough.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hyung. I¡¯ve still got to go to school, and since I was only able to get here with help from Ji-Hun-hyung, I can¡¯t ask any more of him. For now, I¡¯ll head back home and come back to see you soon.¡±


    Okay. Well said! It was so convincing that even I almost unconsciously agreed with him.


    The truth was that Sang-Ho and the rest of the villagers currently weren¡¯t a serious threat to us. As people who lived in isolation, you would have to assume that they¡¯d feel uncomfortable with allowing outsiders to stay in their village. The real problem was if we met ¡®that bastard¡¯.


    Sang-Ho took Sang-Beom¡¯s hand and said in a reluctant tone, ¡°Okay. It looks like it can¡¯t be helped. However, Sang-Beom-ah, let me just tell you something important before you go. The rest of you can listen to this too.¡±


    He opened up the book he had brought with him. Its pages were thick with Chinese characters. The margins were packed full of notes made in pencil, showing signs of diligent study.

 Chapter 46.3

    The Meaning of Family (3)


    Sang-Ho smiled slightly, as if in embarrassment, and started his sermon.


    ¡°As I¡¯m still lacking in terms of enlightenment, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to fully convey the holy truth.¡±


    Chief Kim, Ji-Hye, Sang-Beom, and I exchanged glances as we tried to hide our distress. Now everyone should be fully aware of what was going on. That this was an island taken over by a cult.


    ¡°Many religions preach their own version of the truth. Buddhism, Cristanity, Islam¡­ they¡¯re not wrong persay. They¡¯re just slightly misguided. There is only one truth, but there are many branches of that truth. Yet in our ignorance, we shouldn¡¯t try to pursue all these paths to the truth.¡±


    Although these words sounded convincing, their beliefs could be summed up in one phrase.


    ¡®A stew made from mixing together the three religions.¡¯


    They believed in past lives and reincarnation, as well as the fact that we were all brothers and sisters in one family under God. Their doctrine emphasized the fact that once a bond has been formed, it was so strong that it could not be broken even by death.


    ¡°Although it may be difficult to believe, the apocalypse is nigh. As such, we are living on this island with the goal of becoming fully self-sufficient. Thus even if the world ends, Sakgui Village will be able to survive.¡±


    However, no matter how devoted they were, complete self-sufficiency was impossible. Only their leader, ¡®that bastard¡¯, and other high-ranking members of the cult were allowed to leave by boat in order to retrieve their daily necessities and other required food supplies. Even though their faith was unquestionable, the needs of survival were also similarly unquestionable.


    Unable to believe his ears, Sang-Beom called out to Sang-Ho, ¡°Hy-hyung.¡±


    The boy¡¯s face was filled with fear. He looked like he was in shock at seeing this unfamiliar side of his beloved brother.


    ¡°Sang Beom-ah. Just keep listening. We grew up with absolute pieces of trash for parents. However, that was all a lie. Our real father is in heaven, and the moment we realize that, we can all become brothers and sisters under him.¡±


    Chief Kim¡¯s whole body was shivering. It looked like he had almost lost his senses upon encountering such an unsettling display of devotion for the first time in his life. With an inward sigh, I jabbed him in the side with my elbow in order to get his attention. A second away from bursting into tears, he turned to stare at me.


    It felt like I could hear his voice saying, ¡®That¡¯s why I said we should turn the boat around!¡¯


    As the mood of the room grew awkward, Sang-Ho smiled and scratched his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. It seems that I still haven¡¯t studied enough. Even though it¡¯s such an important message, I haven¡¯t been able to properly convey its meaning.¡±


    ¡°N-n-not at all,¡± Chief Kim eventually managed to squeeze out a reply.


    With another glance at my watch, I stood up.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time for the boat we booked to arrive. Looks like we have to get going now.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Okay then. Let me see you down to the beach. Sang-Beom-ah. I hope that you¡¯re not too shocked by what I¡¯ve done. Everything was for your sake.¡±


    From the strange and unfamiliar hyung back to the caring and friendly hyung. Sang-Beom seemed confused by this sudden shift in personalities as he tightly hugged his brother goodbye.


    As soon as we left the house, we saw the locals gathered to meet us. They stared at us as if we were novelties from another country.


    ¡°Are you leaving already?¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯re Sang-Ho¡¯s younger brother, that means you¡¯re family¡­¡¯


    ¡°At least have something to eat before you go!¡±


    On the surface, they looked just like a group of kind and friendly villagers. Most of the villagers had been abandoned by their families in their old age or had lived their entire lives alone and without family. That was probably why it had been easier for them to be deceived. Leaving them behind, we headed to the docks.


    However-


    ¡®We¡¯re screwed.¡¯


    -when we arrived, Love-ho was leaving the pier as a crowd watched it go. The bright red outfit worn by one of the watchers stood out from the rest.


    When he noticed us, he hurried over to greet us, ¡°So I¡¯ve heard that you all are Sang-Ho¡¯s friends?¡±


    The man had on some strange makeup, and gold leaf covered almost every inch of his rustling robes. It accentuated his charisma and gave him an overbearing aura.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent the boat back without you. After you¡¯ve eaten and gotten some rest, we¡¯ll take you back to the main island on our boat when the time comes for you to leave.¡±


    The man¡¯s name was Jeom Mal-Seok. Instead of his tacky real name, here he was called something else.


    Sang-Ho greeted him with a bow, ¡°Godfather-nim!¡±


    This was the man who claimed to have been assigned by God to oversee Sakgui Village.


    While panicking, Ji-Hye and Chief Kim turned to look at me.


    ¡®What should we do now?¡¯


    Haaah. What else could we do?


    We had no choice but to listen to him preaching the meaning of life while having dinner with this cult leader. After all, even though he was someone who relies on his tongue for a living, it wasn¡¯t like it was my first time facing off with this type of guy?


    I greeted him with a smile.

 Chapter 47.1

    I Am Your Father (1)


    ¡°Hello. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t get discouraged by his superior presence and offered him a handshake. However he just stared at me intently. Sang-Ho, who was standing next to me, grabbed my hand and lowered it.


    ¡°Godfather-nim does not like to make physical contact.¡±


    Ah. I had forgotten.


    Jeom Mal-Seok wasn¡¯t just a man who preached his own made-up scriptures while calling himself the representative of the Heavenly Father. Here, his words weren¡¯t just law, they were upheld as divine truth.


    One of the integral parts of many cults was claiming that they could miraculously cure any disease with a touch. So while saying that his hands were divinely blessed by the Father, he had pervertedly groped the bodies of his female believers. I remembered hearing that he had done all sorts of things to them with the excuse of recharging his depleted spiritual energy.


    ¡°Handshakes are a meaningless gesture.¡±


    With a cold smile, perhaps an attempt to appear void of human emotion, he ran his gaze over us. His eyes stopped when they reached Chief Kim, who had taken out his cell phone and was attempting to contact the boat¡¯s captain.


    ¡°Also, the use of communication devices are forbidden on Sakgui Island, in order to keep things orderly. Please follow our rules during your stay here,¡± he stated in a cold and piercing tone.


    Although I had previously listened to a recorded version, now that I was hearing it in real life, I had to admit that his voice truly did have a mysterious timbre that gave it the power to sway people¡¯s emotions. That was why this guy was so dangerous. If you let your guard down even slightly, you could end up captivated by his speech and mannerisms.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Chief Kim held on tight to his cellphone as he awkwardly glanced at me.


    It looks like he hadn¡¯t been able to contact the captain. From the way he shook his head at me with a helpless look, it seemed that he hadn¡¯t even been able to get a signal. A man standing by the godfather¡¯s side held his hand out to Chief Kim.


    ¡°We will take good care of it.¡±


    Bearing intimidating scowls, the men stood between us and any chance of escaping into the sea. On top of that, as we had children with us, we couldn¡¯t make any hasty movements. Chief Kim reluctantly handed his cellphone over.


    ¡°Now then, why don¡¯t we go get something to eat. Since you¡¯re Sang-Ho¡¯s younger brother and friends, let¡¯s take this rare chance to serve some meat.


    ¡°Prepare the feast!¡±


    His appearance was just like that of a king. Jeom Mal-Seok strode ahead of the group, while his high-ranking devotees followed at his side. Then came Sang-Ho and the rest of the villagers. It really showed that they were all in a strict hierarchical pyramid.


    ¡°Sang-Ho may prepare the grace for the meal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Godfather-nim,¡± he said while performing the cult¡¯s signature greeting, raising both hands obsequiously to his chest.


    The godfather and his believers walked past the giant tree and entered the town hall. That place was the true heart of the village. Sang-Ho looked back towards us with an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Since things have turned out like this, you can at least have a meal before you go. I can¡¯t help but feel envious at all the care the Godfather is showing you.¡±


    How frustrating. Rather than showing his care, he¡¯s trying to trap us here so that he can brainwash and convert us. He¡¯ll probably be preaching his doctrine to us during the whole duration of the meal.


    Sang-Ho handed his copy of their scriptures to us and pointed to a pavilion.


    ¡°You can rest over there. I need to get my grace ready. I¡¯ll call you over once preparations are finished.¡±


    A grace was a prayer of thanks said during the serving of a meal and was meant to arouse gratitude for the food. Since food variety on this island was so limited, it seemed that such prayers were said at every meal to prevent anyone from feeling dissatisfied with the meagre offerings.


    We entered the pavilion built in the shade of the giant tree and plonked ourselves down, though Chief Kim looked more like he was collapsing. The pavilion was built right beside the altar, and was probably used whenever they held a special ceremony.


    ¡°Something about all this really smells fishy.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to get indigestion.¡±


    The children started muttering helplessly.


    And as expected, Chief Kim expressed similar concerns, ¡°Will we be able to return safely¡­ What if I never get to see lovely Yeo-Jin again¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± I replied while scanning our surroundings. All the villagers seemed to be heading to the town hall in order to prepare the feast.


    The reason why I felt so sure of our safety was ironically due to the island¡¯s own enforced ¡®isolation¡¯. The Past Life Church had managed to conceal its identity for so long because its member¡¯s disappearance from society was voluntary, and because ¡®isolation¡¯ was the most treasured aspect of the cult. As such, they would definitely want to avoid attracting the police¡¯s attention by causing any problems, since they couldn¡¯t bear to destroy the kingdom that they had worked so hard to build.

 Chapter 47.2

    I Am Your Father (2)


    In my original timeline, the Past Life Church was exposed to the public due to a complete coincidence. It was only after a typhoon blew in from Japan, passing over Sakgui island, and the government had launched an investigation into the aftermath, that the knowledge of the cult¡¯s existence became widespread. That was how much these people wanted to protect their enclosed society.


    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t get hypnotized, there won¡¯t be any danger.¡±


    We should be fine if we can just avoid offending them. The most important thing was to avoid being deceived by Jeom Mal-Seok¡¯s aura and his silver tongue. Once we managed to get past this meal safely, then we could leave and come back with the police.


    ¡°Everyone, make sure to keep your guards up. Don¡¯t listen to anything you hear here, let it all flow in one ear and out the other. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Of course. In the first place, I just can¡¯t imagine how people can read things like this and end up believing in them,¡± Ji-Hye snorted with laughter as she flipped through the book that Sang-Ho had left them.


    ¡°You know how to read Chinese characters?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much. Blood is thicker than water¡­ Honor thy father above all else¡­¡± without further interruptions from us, Ji-Hye read the scriptures out loud.


    The more she read, the more she filled out my blurry memories of the Past Life Cult from my previous life. This was proof that Ji-Hye wasn¡¯t just reading at random, but instead had found the core of the cult¡¯s teachings. Chief Kim and I exchanged surprised looks, blinking at each other with slack-jawed faces.


    Lying down next to us, Sang-Beom calmly drawled, ¡°Ji-Hye is the overall top student in our grade.¡±


    Wow. Not only is she a diligent volunteer, she¡¯s also a good student. As Sang-Beom praised her, Ji-Hye¡¯s face flushed, seemingly out of embarrassment. Then she closed the book with a grin.


    ¡°I can read it, but I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t interpret it into modern Korean.¡±


    ¡°Why would you even want to? It¡¯s good enough that you can read it. No need to try and interpret that rubbish as well. In any case, since the sky¡¯s getting darker, it should be nearly time for dinner,¡± Chief Kim shook his head as if he was disgusted with the very idea.


    The humidity had risen suddenly, perhaps because of the sea nearby.


    I opened the scriptures and skimmed the notes made by those who had studied it. The scriptures had actually been written and published by Jeom Mal-Seok himself, though he had been careful to make it out of paper specially treated to appear aged. Even as he preached about God and the truth, he was simply a deceptive bastard who had prepared this con meticulously.


    ¡°Everyone, please come in. I will start the prayer soon.¡±


    A few moments later, we heard Sang-Ho¡¯s voice calling us from inside the town hall. Long tables had been lined up the entire length of the wide hall. Everyone else was already seated and waiting for us. It was one of their rules that whenever a meal was shared beneath the eye of the godfather, everyone must start eating at the same time.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Sang-Ho led us to our seats at the head table, but remained standing by his seat. Across from me, having changed his clothes, the godfather was waiting there calmly.


    ¡°Let us pray.¡±


    ¡°Let us pray.¡±


    With every word that Sang-Ho proclaimed, the villagers chanted along. Sang-Beom¡¯s jaw dropped and he appeared shocked at his brother¡¯s stern appearance. We quietly sat and watched this scene play out. The godfather gently placed both hands on his chest in the cult¡¯s signature pose.


    ¡°Euiwonaisikpoah¡­¡± they started chanting in words that none of us could understand.


    The sound of sutras rolling off twenty people¡¯s lips filled the air with a solemnity that gave us all goosebumps.


    Murmur murmur murmur¡­


    Closing their eyes shut, they began praying whole-heartedly. After a few minutes of intense personal devotion, once Sang-Ho¡¯s prayer had finished, the hall fell into silence.


    ¡°Let us commence the meal,¡± the Godfather curtly ordered.


    At these words, the strange air of solemnity disappeared and the atmosphere of the room became lively.


    ¡°Make sure to eat up, Sang-Ho¡¯s younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes, have some of this as well.¡±


    The people sitting around us set several plates of food down in front of us. An unknown soup made from chicken, crispy kimchi, pickled radish, and multi-grained rice.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡±


    Although there wasn¡¯t a lot of variety, I had known it would be like this. What did it mean for these villagers to slaughter a chicken for us when supplies were so limited in a place like this? It meant that they were being as welcoming and hospitable as they could possibly be.


    As we picked up our spoons, the Godfather spoke up, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. How has your trip to Jeju been?¡±


    The Godfather¡¯s gaze was fixed on Ji-Hye. This bastard, could it be¡­


    I replied on behalf of our group, ¡°Well, you know how it is right? Vacations like this tend to be cherished more in hindsight.¡±


    ¡°What deep thoughts, quite unusual for a young man like yourself. Did you say that you were high school classmates with Sang-Ho?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. But I had to transfer soon afterwards, so it looks like Sang-Ho doesn¡¯t remember me.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho. That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±

 Chapter 47.3

    I Am Your Father (3)


    I had a feeling.


    Although the godfather was still eating as if nothing was wrong, I was certain that he suspected something. It looks like we had triggered his trickster¡¯s intuition. Now, he was trying to probe into me ¨C no ¨C us. This is exactly why I had tried to leave the island before I could come face-to-face with him.


    The godfather turned his head to Chief Kim, who was sitting beside me, and asked, ¡°But if that¡¯s so, how did you get in touch with his younger brother? I¡¯m just curious as to what led you here.¡±


    Chief Kim gulped at this sudden question and stammered, ¡°B-by chance, we happened to overhear that Sang-Ho-ssi had gone to Sakgui Island.¡±


    The Godfather tilted his head at Chief Kim¡¯s choice of words, as if he felt that something was strange.


    ¡°By chance?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We just happened to overhear it at the docks.¡±


    Click-


    The Godfather set down his spoon. At this signal, the nearby believers also stopped eating.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. You shouldn¡¯t have been able to find the boat that took him to Sakgui Island at the docks.¡±


    There was complete silence.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ Although the boat wasn¡¯t there, we were told by¡­ some other captain at the docks. You see¡­ we asked him where the previous boat was going, and then he¡­¡±


    We¡¯re screwed.


    Once Chief Kim started panicking, it looked like he had lost all track of what he was trying to say. The Godfather took a deep breath and flipped the table, sending all the dishes on it flying.


    Clatter clatter-


    After the table crashed onto the floor, the Godfather shouted in displeasure, ¡°They smell of Satan and the Devil! Drag them out immediately.¡±


    At this order from the Godfather, a group of strong-looking men stood up and stormed over to us. Then these thugs grabbed us by our arms, holding us in place. The rest of the villagers cheered, and grabbing broomsticks and pokers, they started attacking us.


    ¡°Hyung!¡±


    ¡°Kyaaa! Oppa!¡±


    Shit. It can¡¯t be helped. Although I had just been planning to come back with the police once I got out of here, it looked like I needed to change tactics.


    With all my might, I roared, ¡°Stop this, Jeom Mal-Seok.¡±


    The men who were dragging Ji-Hye out the door and the villagers armed with household implements, they all stopped in their tracks. Their stares showed their surprise at an outsider knowing their godfather¡¯s real name, Jeom Mal-Seok.


    I slowly walked over to and asked, ¡°What do you think it meant when the giant tree started bleeding from the moment that you stepped foot on this island?¡±


    The Godfather¡¯s head snapped towards Sang-Ho, ¡°Choi Sang-Ho! You dared to tell these outsiders our sacred history!¡±


    ¡°N-no way! I definitely did not. I swear on my life.¡±


    Bam- Bam-


    ¡°Hy-Hyung-ah!¡±


    The Godfather¡¯s accusation struck Sang-Ho like a hammer, and he waved his hands in distressed denial. Then he dropped onto his knees and banged his head on the floor as he claimed his innocence. Blood dripped down from his wounded forehead and stained the floor.


    ¡®The bleeding of the giant tree¡¯, which Jeom Mal-Seok had managed with some paint, was a sign of the world¡¯s distress. It was the omen that had led to the birth of the Past Life Cult.


    Ignoring my racing heart, I continued to speak. All the while, step by step I drew closer to the Godfather.


    ¡°Who was the one who bestowed the divine power in your ¡®right hand¡¯?¡±


    Whenever he pretended to heal the sick, he always used his right hand. Of course the successful cases were mostly all performances done with the cooperation of his accomplices who had accompanied him to the island, but there were reports that he had sometimes been able to actually cure illnesses, probably due to the power of faith. The godfather flinched and buried his hands beneath his sleeves.


    ¡°Who was the one who allowed you to hold on to your own consciousness through countless reincarnations?¡±


    The answer to this was their Heavenly Father. There was only one existence that they believed could transcend both time and space. So the life and death of his believers followed the path that he had made for them.


    ¡°If you truly claim to honor thy father, then you should all bow your heads immediately,¡± I shouted at the people who had previously been wary of us. Firmly, but at the same time with confidence.


    As my words rang out, the people¡¯s expressions slowly began to brighten. From anger to joy, and frown worry to hope.


    Drip- Drip-


    There was the sound of rain gently drizzling. This was the only sound that could be heard in the silent hall. The godfather, his accomplices, and the believers, they all looked like they were alarmed or had fallen into a daze. Both the people who knew the truth and those who did not were similarly astonished. Though there was still a stark difference between the two groups.


    That lying bastard, Jeom Mal-Seok, seemed to be confused as to how I had managed to change the situation in an instant.


    Okay then. Let¡¯s give it a go. Between us, who will be able to claim they represent the real ¡®faith¡¯?


    ¡°This¡­ What kind of nonsense-¡±


    I smiled at him benevolently. This was the signal to start our game.


    ¡°Child. I am your father.¡±