The Legendary Detective Catches All the Criminals - Chapter 3



Only Krnovel

◈Episode 3◈

legend

Shin Dae-seong and Kim Han-gyeol climbed the apartment stairs.

“I think Detective Shin is the epitome of a ‘heavy-handed’ person.”

“What is a middle finger?”

“What’s important is the unwavering spirit. You didn’t give up for 20 years, and in the end, you were acquitted. I really respect that.”

“Stop the plane and tell me about the incident.”

“The victim is 27-year-old Jang Yu-mi, a public sector employee who lived alone. The first person to discover her was her co-worker. She was absent for no reason and did not answer her phone, so they stopped by in person.”

“Any signs of external intrusion?”

Kim Han-gyeol answered while walking down the third floor hallway.

“None. There was a large wound on the head, but the direct cause of death was strangulation. The victim was struck in the head with a blunt object, causing him to fall, and then strangled to death.”

“Time of death?”

“We estimate it was between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. the day before the body was discovered.”

“Who are we going to meet now?”

“I am the victim’s boyfriend.”

“Do you think it was a crime motivated by passion?”

Kim Han-gyeol answered confidently.

“I’m 90% sure. There’s no sign of breaking in, so it must have been the work of an acquaintance. The neighbor said he heard them fighting late at night. A coworker testified that the victim was having a hard time because of her boyfriend. He said the harassment started when the victim announced the breakup.”

“He’s a strong suspect, so why isn’t there a search and seizure warrant?”

“He has an alibi. He was said to have been drinking all night at a bar in Gangnam at the time of his death.”

“Did you check it yourself?”

“Yes, the waiter and a customer said they saw the victim’s boyfriend. They gave the same statement that he had been drinking all night and left after 4 in the morning.”

“Then isn’t that off the suspect list?”

“No. I had a strong feeling that you had written ‘Part-time Job Agency.’”

Shin Dae-seong tilted his head and asked back.

“Part-time job agency?”

“It’s not a part-time job, it’s an alibi agency. You get paid to create an alibi.”

“Is that popular these days?”

“That’s right. These days, people will do anything to make money.”

“Has the level of punishment for perjury been lowered?”

“The problem is that it is not easy to prove. If you exchange virtual currency, there is no financial trace. If you say it was a mistake or a misunderstanding, there is no other way to punish it.”

Shin Dae-seong nodded and summarized the main points.

“The prime suspect is your boyfriend, but he has a fabricated alibi?”

“Yes.”

“What weapon was used to strike the victim?”

“We didn’t find it at the crime scene. It wasn’t the hand that was used to strangle her, it was the tie. The weapon and the tie that strangled her were both probably handled by the victim’s boyfriend.”

“The problem is, there is no physical evidence to prove my boyfriend’s crimes?”

“The CCTV in the villa where the victim lived just happened to be broken at that time.”

“It seems like an immutable law that CCTV malfunctions during a murder case.”

“The testimony of the neighbor who said he heard the sound of a fight does not specifically identify the person fighting as the victim’s boyfriend.”

“Anyway, I guess I should meet the victim’s boyfriend?”

“Yes. It’s very suspicious that you’re avoiding questioning the witness. I think you’ll get a clearer answer if you meet him in person.”

Shin Dae-seong nodded positively.

“No one commits murder and comes out of it safe. If he’s the culprit, he’ll definitely show his weaknesses.”

“That’s exactly what I was aiming for. If you show up unannounced like this, you’ll be even more nervous. To commemorate our partnership, would you like to show us your skills, Detective Shin?”

“What kind of skills?”

“Detective Shin is not a legendary detective. I heard that he is a master of interrogation. He can make any criminal confess to his crimes while making them cry and snot.”

“That was 20 years ago. I don’t know how the investigative methods have changed now, and it will take some time to adjust. I’m still in the adjustment period, so I’ll watch Detective Kim and learn.”

“Okay, I’ll show you my skills first.”

Kim Han-gyeol stopped in front of the suspect’s door,

“for a moment······.”

Shin Dae-seong fixed his clothes and hairstyle.

But to Kim Han-gyeol, it looked very clean.

“Is maintaining excessive cleanliness a jinx?”

“Yeah, it’s become a habit so if I don’t do it like this I feel anxious······ That’s enough now.”

Kim Han-gyeol immediately rang the doorbell.

-Ding dong, ding dong.

A man’s voice came from the intercom speaker.

-who are you?

Kim Han-gyeol said, showing his police identification card.

“Is this Mr. Choi Hyung-wook’s house? I came from Gangnam 2nd Police Station. I would like to be questioned as a witness in the murder of Ms. Jang Yu-mi.”

A voice with a distinctly unpleasant tone came out of the speaker.

-Do I really have to do this······I’m not feeling well these days.

“I have asked you to investigate as a witness several times. You said you didn’t have time, so I came to you in person. The woman I loved died, and you are not actively cooperating. How should I accept this behavior?”

-Ah. Okay······Please wait a moment.

The intercom was immediately disconnected,

-Click.

Choi Hyeong-wook opened the front door and came out.

“Will it take long?”

“That’s up to you, Mr. Choi Hyung-wook. If you tell me the truth, it’ll be over quickly.”

This is when Choi Hyeong-wook lets out a deep sigh.

A young woman’s voice was heard from inside the living room.

“I see you have guests?”

Kim Han-gyeol glared at Choi Hyeong-uk with a suspicious look.

“Are you already seeing a new woman?”

“······.”

Choi Hyeong-wook didn’t answer, and the owner of the voice came out to the front door.

A woman in a two-piece suit spoke to Choi Hyung-wook.

“I was right, wasn’t I? I told you the detectives would come.”

Immediately, she handed Kim Han-gyeol her business card.

“Hello? I am attorney Jo Yoon-joo. Why did you come to see my client without any prior contact?”

“Ah, that······.”

“You’ve come a long way, so please come in. I’ll finish the witness interview while I’m here.”

* * *

The reception room of Choi Hyeong-wook, the prime suspect.

Kim Han-gyeol was not in a good mood.

This is a situation where they attacked with great arrogance and then encountered an unexpected ambush.

Kim Han-gyeol said to attorney Jo Yoon-joo.

“Let me introduce myself formally. I am detective Kim Han-gyeol from the Violent Crimes Unit.”

“Your name and face look familiar?”

“It must be because of my mother.”

“Is this actress Kim Hye-ran’s police officer son······?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Oh my, I’m a fan of actress Kim Hye-ran. I really didn’t know we would meet like this.”

Kim Han-gyeol’s fame was greater than Shin Dae-seong expected.

Suspect Choi Hyeong-wook also subtly asked Kim Han-gyeol to shake his hand.

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice you earlier.”

“That could be the case.”

Kim Han-gyeol introduced Shin Dae-seong.

“This is my partner, detective Shin Dae-seong. He is the symbol of the heavyweight class.”

Attorney Jo Yoon-joo looked at Shin Dae-seong with a puzzled look.

“The detective who came with me also looks strangely familiar?”

“Of course you would. Detective Shin is more famous than me. He was in prison for 20 years and then released.”

“Oh my! The psychopath detective who was arrested for brutally murdering his wife?”

Shin Dae-seong responded with a smiling face.

“Yes, that’s right. I cleared my name and returned to being a detective.”

In an instant, the suspect Choi Hyeong-wook’s expression hardened.

Shin Dae-seong knows the reason very well.

Because scary rumors about him were broadcast.

They secretly killed criminals, made them disappear, and extracted confessions through illegal torture.

“Mr. Choi Hyung-wook, there’s no need to be so surprised.”

“Oh, right? It’s all just a bunch of nonsense rumors, right?”

Shin Dae-seong responded with a strange smile.

“I never denied it. Even if it were true, I said not to worry because it applies to criminals.”

“!”

The moment Choi Hyeong-wook showed a frightened reaction, attorney Jo Yoon-joo quickly intervened.

“Let’s finish the witness interview quickly. As you can see, my client is not in good health. I will answer questions about the case on his behalf.”

Kim Han-gyeol asked.

“Wasn’t Mr. Choi Hyeong-wook with the victim on the day of the incident?”

“······.”

Choi Hyeong-wook kept his mouth shut, and Jo Yoon-joo answered.

“No, my client was not at the scene of the incident.”

“The neighbors said they heard Choi Hyung-wook fighting with the victim.”

“How can you conclude that it was my client just from the sound of fighting? At that time, my client was at a bar in Gangnam. It was a bar called ‘Pandora’ that was open until late at night.”

“I find that alibi very suspicious. Didn’t that bar’s CCTV also break down that day?”

“Murder and CCTV failure are immutable laws. But the bartender and a customer saw my client, right?”

“That’s why. On the day of the incident, I thoroughly investigated Mr. Choi Hyung-wook’s movements. I checked all the CCTVs around Gangnam, but I couldn’t find Mr. Choi Hyung-wook. But how did he get into the bar?”

Jo Yoon-joo took out the paper she had prepared and answered.

“This is the route my client takes when he gets out of the taxi and walks to the bar. If he walks along the route I marked, he won’t be caught on CCTV.”

“Wow, you were able to avoid it so cleverly?”

Shin Dae-seong, who had been watching the conversation between lawyers Kim Han-gyeol and Jo Yoon-ju, got up.

“Where is the bathroom here?”

Jo Yoon-joo responded suspiciously.

“You’re going to pretend to go to the bathroom while you inspect your client’s house. Are you trying to use your great observation skills to find loopholes in his alibi?”

“I think Attorney Cho has been watching too many detective dramas. He’s been in prison too long and the outside world food doesn’t suit him. He really feels sick.”

“······.”

* * *

Shin Dae-sung came out of the bathroom.

The witness investigation was not over yet. The same questions and answers continued.

Kim Han-gyeol spoke to Kang Dae-gil as if he had given up.

“Detective Shin, do you have any questions for Mr. Choi Hyeong-wook?”

“I’d rather give you advice than ask you questions.”

Shin Dae-seong met Choi Hyeong-wook’s eyes and opened his mouth.

“Everyone can make mistakes. If you try to hide those mistakes, you’re in bigger trouble. There’s a big difference in sentencing between accidental murder and intentional murder. Your actions right now are proving that it was intentional murder.”

“······.”

“You won’t hear anything now. But when you wake up in prison, you’ll regret it to the bone how much of a difference it made.”

Jo Yoon-joo interjected with a smiling face.

“Yes, that’s enough. My client has committed no crime, so he has nothing to regret.”

“Attorney Cho, you are doing your best in your work. I will see you again later.”

“I don’t think we’ll have anything to do with each other again?”

“It’s because of something else. I have been unjustly imprisoned for 20 years. I want to get fair compensation for this. Are you interested?”

“This is incredible!”

* * *

Pandora, a quiet bar in Gangnam.

This is where the alibi of Choi Hyeong-wook, the prime suspect, was confirmed.

Kim Han-gyeol asked the bartender in a drunken voice.

“Did Choi Hyeong-wook really drink here on the day of the incident?”

A bartender in his early 40s answered.

“Yes, no matter how many times you ask, the answer is the same. I remember you clearly because you are a regular at our store.”

“Ha~ This is really weird. This isn’t right······.”

Kim Han-gyeol scratched his head and looked at Shin Dae-seong.

“Why don’t you drink? I told you I’d pay.”

Shin Dae-seong also had to give the same answer several times.

“I’ve been feeling sick today. I think I’ll get sick if I drink alcohol.”

“I see······ Ah! Detective Shin is an orphan?”

“huh.”

“Detective Shin, neither of your parents are alive, and I don’t have a father. So who gave you your name?”

“I was abandoned in a church when I was a baby, and they said there was a note with my date of birth and my name written on it.”

“Is it Daeseong (大星), which means “star” in the large letter? Or Daeseong (大成), which means “achievement” in the large letter?”

“There was no Chinese character on the note. The priest said it was Daeseong, meaning great achievement. He said that was probably my mother’s wish.”

“This is ridiculous······Why would a mother like that abandon her child······Hiccup!”

Kim Han-gyeol was so drunk that he couldn’t even control his body.

“Honestly······I’m a little disappointed in Detective Shin.”

“Why?”

“Isn’t Detective Shin a legend? There are many scary rumors······, but his investigative skills are said to be the best. As expected, time cannot be ignored······.”

-thud-.

Kim Han-gyeol fell down, hitting his head on the table.

“Detective Kim? Detective Kim?”

“······.”

There was no response to Shin Dae-seong’s call.

The moment he confirmed that he had completely lost consciousness, Shin Dae-seong’s eyes changed.

He looked straight at the bartender.

“Come here for a moment?”

“Huh? What, what’s going on······.”

“To show my true abilities.”

“!”

“The detective here is a valuable partner to me as well. I don’t want to disappoint him from the start.”