The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 58

Prosecutor, You’re Going Places! – Episode 58

Judgment (1)

The woman, who I presumed was the Judge, had a large handbag slung over her shoulder and headed straight for the elevator without hesitation.

Judging by the bulging bag, it likely contained the hammer, one of the Judge’s signature weapons.

I signaled to Yoon Seol-ha, who was waiting nearby, and she immediately radioed in.

“Target is going up. Get ready.”

As the entrance lights in the first-floor hallway where she was standing went out (a prearranged signal), the joint investigation team from the prosecution and police, who had been lying in wait in their cars, emerged, led by me.

We had obtained prior consent from the security guard, explaining it was for a police investigation, so there shouldn’t be any issues even if residents reported the activity.

About two minutes passed when we received another radio message.

-Target has entered apartment 708.

The police officers waiting on the 6th and 8th floors confirmed the situation and radioed in, and the investigators, along with the police, divided into groups to ascend to the 7th floor via the stairs and elevator.

Personnel assigned to pursue the Judge in case of an escape attempt were already surrounding Building 101, with some even having started their cars.

I was confident that the Judge had no escape route.

Arriving on the 7th floor, I spotted a police officer already positioned in front of apartment 708, awaiting my signal.

Without a word, I raised my hand, signaling them to wait, and slowly approached apartment 708.

At that moment!

A dull thud and the sound of someone falling echoed from inside the apartment.

“Breach.”

I tried the doorknob, but it was locked, as expected.

In this urgent situation where every second mattered, I immediately authorized the use of firearms to breach the door.

As the head of the joint investigation team investigating the Judge, I naturally had the authority to order the use of firearms.

One of the police officers, who had attached a silencer in advance, fired at the door lock, which shattered with a crackling sound and triggered an alarm.

However, the door lock was already broken.

Turning the doorknob, the door to apartment 708 swung open, rendering the alarm meaningless.

The police officer with the gun quickly entered.

“Don’t move, police!”

The police officer who entered the living room stopped just inside the entrance.

Following closely behind him, I could clearly see the scene just before the Judge committed murder.

A woman, about 170cm (approximately 5’7″) tall with long hair, was holding a large hammer in one hand, and her target, Yoo Dong-hyun, was already lying on the floor.

A blunt weapon that was too big to be called a hammer, yet too small to be called a sledgehammer.

The Judge was about to strike Yoo Dong-hyun’s head with it but stopped upon seeing the police.

“Hoo-eum.”

She let out a deep sigh and stood up.

“So, I’m surrounded?”

“It would be best to surrender peacefully.”

At my words, she widened her eyes and looked at me.

“Oh, the star prosecutor is here too.”

The woman dropped the hammer she was holding to the floor and raised her hands above her head.

“Ah, so this is how it ends. I wanted to reach ten.”

She was too calm for a criminal caught in the act of murder.

It was a stark contrast to the typical murderer who becomes extremely agitated during the act of killing.

Even the others watching were speechless at the absurdity.

I took a deep breath and signaled to the police officer next to me.

Two police officers immediately put their guns back in their holsters, approached the Judge, and cuffed her hands behind her back.

I recited the Miranda rights in her stead.

Unlike the Miranda rights seen in movies, which often focus on the right to remain silent, it was the standard Miranda rights according to Korean law.

“You are under urgent arrest without a warrant for attempted murder under Article 212 of the Criminal Procedure Act. You have the right to legal counsel and to request a review of the legality of your arrest, and you may make a statement now if you wish to do so.”

A prosecutor reciting the Miranda rights. What a world we live in.

Despite the Miranda rights being read to her, the Judge calmly replied.

“I have nothing to say. It’s all been exposed anyway, so I admit it.”

“Take her away. And Officer Song, please call 119 (the Korean equivalent of 911).”

“Yes.”

After the police escorted the Judge away, I approached Yoo Dong-hyun and examined him.

His shoulder blade area had been struck with a hammer, and the bone was twisted at an unnatural angle, but as I saw in the future text, it seemed his life was not in danger.

Thus, the Judge was arrested, having committed a total of nine serial murders and attempted murders, consisting of six murders and three attempted murders, bringing the case to an end.

“Officer Choi, after the victim is taken away by ambulance, please conduct an additional investigation of this location. I’m going in to interrogate the suspect immediately.”

“Understood. May I request additional field investigation personnel from the investigation headquarters?”

“Of course.”

After leaving a few additional instructions, I returned to the car, and my phone immediately vibrated.

-From: Reporter Park Soo-hyung

-I’ve uploaded the article to coincide with the time you’re bringing the Judge down. Even though it’s past 1 AM, the traffic is exploding [online traffic, meaning the article is getting a lot of views]. Thank you. Here’s the link to the article…

I clicked on the article link he sent, but there was nothing particularly new.

Only the arrest time had changed from the article we had written together in advance; the content was the same as what I had seen before.

However, one difference from the future text was that, since the article was uploaded directly from the scene, the only information about the suspect was that she was a woman.

WK Daily had secured banners on various portal main sites in preparation for today’s article, so the fact of the arrest spread to the public in an instant.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Yoon Seol-ha, who had gotten into the driver’s seat first, said as she started the engine.

“We finally caught her, the Judge.”

“Indeed. But let’s not relax yet, as it’s not over until it’s over.”

“Yes. By the way, there was a bit of a commotion with the sirens, and residents are gathering. Will there be any problems?”

“I’ve repeatedly told them not to enter the scene, so you don’t have to worry. Let’s go right away.”

“Understood.”

***

Back at the investigation headquarters, the people who had stayed behind for the night shift stood up and applauded as soon as they saw me.

“Wow, you’re the best, Chief!”

“I knew Prosecutor Choi would do it.”

“Amazing!”

I smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“Thank you. I was lucky.”

“Lucky? If the Judge case could be solved with luck, we would have caught her already.”

“It’s all thanks to the prosecutor.”

“There’s a reason why you came as the chief!”

“Haha, you’re too kind. By the way, everyone’s put down their documents?”

“Is there anything more to do? We can rest and find things to match when the Judge confesses [meaning they can corroborate her confession with existing evidence].”

Well, now that the culprit has been caught, there’s not much for these people to do.

“That’s right. Everyone has worked hard so far. Where is the Judge now?”

“She’s in that office, being investigated for her personal information. Inspector Lee Jin-yong is in charge.”

“Ah, I see. Since it’s just a simple investigation, everyone except the minimum personnel can prepare to go home.”

“Yessss!”

“Hoo-woo-woo!”

There was no sweeter reward than leaving work for those who were scheduled for an overnight shift, and they shouted with joy.

“Prosecutor, you’re awesome!”

“Hahaha, it’ll take at least an hour, so take a rest.”

“Yes!”

Leaving them behind, I immediately moved to the interrogation room.

Slipping in through the back door, I saw that the Judge was willingly talking.

As I carefully approached her side, she was speaking in a voice that was not at all nervous, making me doubt whether she was really a criminal who had committed murder.

She didn’t look like a murderer at all.

Inspector Lee Jin-yong, having finished the personal information investigation in a short time, was looking at the monitor and slowly reciting her details.

“Song Hana. 28 years old. Resides in Sinwol-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Both parents are alive, and siblings are…”

He recited for a while and then looked at the Judge again and asked.

“Is this all correct?”

“Yes.”

Inspector Lee Jin-yong looked up at me and said.

“The personal information investigation is complete. Shall we begin the interrogation right away?”

I looked down at the Judge and asked.

“Ms. Song Hana, is it okay to start the interrogation right away?”

“Can I refuse?”

“I’m afraid of this thing called human rights these days [sarcastic, implying that even criminals have rights].”

She chuckled.

“Let’s do it right away. What’s the point of dragging it out?”

The Judge walked to the interrogation room on her own two feet.

Of course, there were at least four police officers by her side.

Inspector Lee Jin-yong entered the interrogation room, and I moved to the next room to watch through the two-way mirror.

“Ms. Song Hana, you have the right to remain silent, and anything you say in this room can be used against you in court. Also…”

Song Hana nodded and asked.

“But are you going to interrogate me yourself? I want to be interrogated by that prosecutor.”

What is she talking about?

“Are you talking about the chief?”

“That star prosecutor. I feel a sense of kinship because I think I have a lot in common with him.”

From the moment she calmly smiled and was arrested at the murder scene, I knew she wasn’t normal, but she seems to be a psychopath beyond the usual psychopath.

I thought it would be better if I took over, so I went directly into the interrogation room.

“Hello, Ms. Song Hana.”

“Oh, Prosecutor. I guess you’ve been watching everything from next door.”

She smiled brightly and said.

“I thought that kind of thing only existed in the prosecution [referring to watching interrogations through a two-way mirror].”

“This is a joint investigation headquarters, so it’s different from the general police and prosecution structure.”

“Ah, I see.”

I sent Lee Jin-yong out and sat across from her.

“Let’s get straight to the point.”

I clasped my hands together and asked.

“Are you the perpetrator of the eight cases known as the Judge case?”

“Yes, that’s right. A total of nine, including today’s case.”

Song Hana cheerfully admitted, then crossed her legs and changed the subject.

“By the way, do you know why I wanted to be interrogated by the prosecutor?”

“Why is that?”

“Because the prosecutor and I have a lot in common. The prosecutor works for justice, right?”

She said with a glint in her eyes.

“I also work for justice. My job is to judge those who slip through the law like loaches [a type of fish known for being slippery and hard to catch]. I think we’ll get along since we’re both implementing justice, right?”

Song Hana grinned.

I’m getting goosebumps without realizing it.

“You know, the kind of personality that can’t stand injustice. I’m the same way. We’re the same kind.”

This woman is seriously crazy.

It seems like interrogating her won’t be easy.

“By the way, I have disposable artificial tears in my handbag. Can you get them for me? My eyes are so dry because I had LASIK [Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, a type of eye surgery].”

LASIK and artificial tears!

I cheered inwardly but maintained a poker face while managing my expression.

“I can’t get what’s in your handbag… Investigator Yoon!”

As soon as I called, Yoon Seol-ha came into the interrogation room and handed over the artificial tears.

It seems she was watching from the side.

“I use these, so use these. They’re new.”

“Oh, thank you.”

She put the artificial tears directly into her eyes.

A posture of dripping them one by one with the container attached to the corner of her eye.

The moment I saw that, I remembered one thing I had forgotten.

The procedure to maximize the effectiveness of the evidence received from Reporter Park Soo-hyung.

“Before we talk more, let me ask you one thing.”