Chapter 18
2 a.m., Gangjung Police Station.
At an hour when most people would be asleep, the violent crimes division of Gangjung Station is bustling.
The bright lights illuminate the busy detectives still at work.
Among them are Sergeant Kim Seok-ho and Juwon.
"It seems Goo Young-seok is the culprit," said Sergeant Kim Seok-ho, looking at the photos Juwon had brought.
The photos showed a torn piece of clothing caught on the stairwell door handle at the victim, Young So-yeon's house, which had tested positive for luminol reaction.
[No.]
At the same time, Terra's voice chimed in.
Sergeant Kim continued, "The sleeve of the windbreaker Goo Young-seok was wearing was torn. The piece of fabric with bloodstains matches the torn part of his jacket, right? That's why you took a photo of him wearing the windbreaker."
"Yes, that's correct."
"While moving the victim Young So-yeon's body to the rooftop, his sleeve got caught on the door handle. He's the culprit."
However, Terra seemed to have a different opinion.
[It's possible, but unlikely. One of the most important aspects of a murder case is the motive. Goo Young-seok either lacks a motive or his motive is weak.]
'I'm hung up on that too. If Goo Young-seok really is the killer, why on earth would he kill the victim?'
[Moreover, Goo Young-seok appeared at the crime scene wearing that windbreaker. If he thought the windbreaker was evidence of the murder, he wouldn't have been so reckless as to wear it.]
'Then what about the bloodstains on Goo Young-seok's torn windbreaker?'
[It's likely related to the disposal of the body.]
'So he didn't kill her, just moved the body?'
[It's possible he didn't realize the victim was already dead. If we consider Goo Young-seok's behavior when Juwon first saw him, he probably didn't fully grasp what he had done.]
'So you're saying there's another killer out there.'
[Yes, that seems highly likely.]
'Someone with a motive to kill Young So-yeon... Someone with a strong enough reason to kill her...'
At that moment, Sergeant Kim spoke up.
"If the bloodstains match Young So-yeon's DNA, we'll arrest him immediately..."
"The perpetrator of the illegal filming distribution case, Moon Jung-ho."
"Huh?"
"Where is he now, and what is he doing?"
"Ah..."
Sergeant Kim, recalling the information, answered.
"Earlier, we confirmed he met with Goo Young-seok. After the illegal filming case led to the victim's death, he took a leave of absence and hasn't left the neighborhood. We saw him meeting Goo Young-seok at a convenience store table..."
Juwon's eyes widened.
'Did Goo Young-seok, under pressure, go straight to meet Moon Jung-ho?'
[That means Moon Jung-ho is also connected to Young So-yeon's death. Regardless of how much Goo Young-seok knows, he must have gone to Moon Jung-ho because he believes he's involved.]
As Juwon was deep in thought, exchanging glances with Terra, Sergeant Kim, who had been quietly observing, asked, "Do you suspect Moon Jung-ho?"
"Yes, does Moon Jung-ho have an alibi?"
"He does. He was at home. According to the documents provided by Reporter Young, he was caught on CCTV entering his apartment, but there's something a bit off..."
Sergeant Kim shuffled through the documents.
"His apartment is on the second floor."
As Sergeant Kim finished speaking, Terra's voice chimed in.
[It's a place where he could easily jump down. It's not a solid alibi.]
Juwon nodded.
"I see."
"But would Moon Jung-ho really do that? He must know he'd be the prime suspect if Young So-yeon died."
Juwon's contemplation deepened.
Sergeant Kim's words weren't wrong.
At that moment, Terra's voice spoke again.
[I recommend going into the scene of the incident.]
‘The scene?’
[The information we have right now is too limited. It’s too tight to wait for the case to be transferred from Gangnam Station. I recommend asking reporter Young So-hee for the password to the scene.]
Juwon nodded and took out his phone.
He then went into his contacts and found reporter Young So-hee’s number.
A moment later,
“Yes, reporter. Can I go into the scene for a moment?”
“Who?”
“Ah, Detective Lee Juwon here.”
At that moment, at KBN Broadcasting Station.
Reporter Young So-hee, who was in the social affairs department chief’s office, put away the phone she had just talked to Juwon on.
Then the social affairs department chief’s face came closer.
“What’s with the sudden interest in Detective Lee Juwon, especially with today’s broadcast?”
The chief tapped the documents on the table.
These were the documents reporter Young So-hee had brought in, insisting on covering the story herself.
The contents were about a murder disguised as a traffic accident that Juwon had solved.
The case of Ko Sang-yeop, who killed his girlfriend after she suggested they break up.
The chief continued.
“I heard he’s an orphan. He’s not some hidden child of a famous family, is he? Is that why you’re trying to make him look good?”
At the chief’s words, reporter Young So-hee let out a faint smile.
“What else could it be? Why are you suddenly promoting Detective Lee Juwon like this?”
“Does it seem that way to you?”
“It’s too obvious. You, who’s always after exclusives, suddenly want to cover a case solved by Detective Lee Juwon? It’s like you’re pushing him.”
“I am promoting him.”
“You are? Why? What’s so great about him?”
“I want him to become a bit more famous.”
“What… Do you really like Detective Lee Juwon or something?”
The chief looked at her with a playful expression.
However, reporter Young So-hee’s expression remained unchanged.
“Well, you’re not the type to like someone. Ah, stop beating around the bush and just tell me.”
“It’s because of the criminal Detective Lee Juwon is currently chasing.”
“A criminal? What case….”
But suddenly, a fierce glint appeared in reporter Young So-hee’s eyes.
The chief stopped speaking.
Then she opened her mouth.
“I want that bastard to become so famous that he can never show his face in South Korea again. Of course, it’d be better if he never gets out of prison. South Korean judges are really good at reading the media, so I hope they do this time too.”
“What are you talking about? Why….”
The chief didn’t know about reporter Young So-hee’s younger sister’s case.
Reporter Young So-hee had never mentioned it.
Of course, the chief could still sense something was off.
Reporter Young So-hee’s eyes, which were already cold, now felt like ice as she spoke.
“So, chief, please help me out. Let’s think of it as KBN’s social affairs department raising a star and give Detective Lee Juwon a boost.”
Beep beep beep! Beep beep-
At that moment, at victim Young So-yeon’s officetel.
Juwon and Detective Kim Seok-ho opened the front door of Young So-yeon’s house together.
“According to the documents reporter Young gave us, a chemical test was conducted in the living room and hallway at her request, but no reactions were found.”
Detective Kim Seok-ho placed the documents he brought on the living room sofa as he spoke.
“If the cervical fracture wasn’t caused by a fall but by someone, then the location wouldn’t be the living room or hallway.”
“Yes, it’s a studio apartment, so there aren’t many places where the incident could have occurred.”
Juwon took a step forward.
Victim Young So-yeon’s house was a studio apartment with the living room, hallway, and kitchen all open.
Juwon, who had been glancing around the living room, opened the bathroom door.
‘Shall we analyze it?’
[Yes, analyzing.]
Juwon scanned the bathroom with his eyes, and at the same time, Terra's analysis began.
He wondered if there might be any traces left in the bathroom.
However, if the bloodstains in the bathroom had been immediately washed away with water...
[No traces found.]
As expected, nothing came up.
Juwon moved his steps again, heading towards the kitchen.
He was slowly scanning the kitchen when,
[Stop.]
‘Huh?’
Juwon stopped in his tracks.
[Please look carefully at the floor in front of the refrigerator. There are traces of something rectangular having been there.]
Juwon frowned.
Something rectangular.
But it was hard to see with the naked eye.
Juwon bent his knees and ran his hand over the floor.
Then,
“Ah!”
He felt it.
Something slightly indented.
Four of them, in a rectangular shape.
It must have been hard to distinguish with the naked eye because it blended with the pattern of the floor tiles.
“What is it? Did you find something?”
Detective Kim Seok-ho approached.
And Terra's voice was heard.
[It’s a table.]
At the same time, the shape of a table began to appear in Juwon's vision where the table had been.
[It appears to be a low, heavy table. If the victim, Young So-yeon, had hit the back of her neck on the long edge of this table...]
Soon, a blue human figure appeared and fell towards the table.
It was a simulation.
The fallen figure hit the back of its neck on the long edge of the table.
[The possibility of homicide is high.]
As soon as Terra finished speaking, Juwon immediately stood up and began opening the kitchen drawers.
“Inspector, why all of a sudden...”
“Detective, the table. A low table.”
Detective Kim Seok-ho didn’t ask any more questions.
He also quickly turned around and started opening the opposite drawers to look for the table.
Just as the two were opening all the drawers in the kitchen,
“Found it.”
Juwon, who had climbed onto a chair to open the top drawer, pulled something out from above the refrigerator.
It was the table.
A low, heavy-looking table, just as Terra had described.
“Detective, do you have the luminol reagent?”
“Yes, I brought it.”
Detective Kim quickly took out a bottle of luminol.
[It’s highly likely that the impact was on the long edge.]
Sizzle! Sizzle!
As Juwon sprayed the luminol, Detective Kim’s eyes widened.
“Inspector, could it be that here...”
A fluorescent reaction from the luminol appeared from the long edge of the table to the top.
It was a significant amount of blood.
It was highly likely that the victim had already died here.
“It’s not a fall. It’s highly likely that she died here.”
“How could the Gangnam Station team have missed this?”
“They probably focused on it being a suicide from the start and overlooked it.”
“But it’s so obvious...”
“Or maybe there was pressure from someone unknown to wrap it up quickly.”
Detective Kim Seok-ho looked at Juwon.
Just as their eyes met,
Juwon’s phone vibrated.
It was a call from Officer Han Geon-woo.
“Hey, Officer Han. What’s up?”
-Inspector, Mr. Gu Young-seok has returned!
“What?”
-He says he has something to report...?
