The Cop Is Too Strong [EN]: Chapter 37

Goseong Apartment, Building 101 entrance.

A student in a school uniform is being rushed into an ambulance on a stretcher.

Shin Haesoo arrived late and boarded the ambulance with the youngest member of Team 2. Someone had discovered Kyungjoon after he fell and reported it.

Although he’s still breathing, there’s no room for relief. Having fallen from the 11th floor, his body must be a complete mess.

“Heehk, heehk, hehk, hehk-”

Kyungjoon’s breathing grew fainter during the transport. The paramedics fitted an oxygen mask and removed his shirt to examine his abdomen.

“It looks like ascites [fluid accumulation in the abdomen] is building up… How much longer?!

” the paramedic shouted to the front. The driver replied,

“Less than a minute!”

“Ggrrr-”

At that moment, Kyungjoon shuddered and foamed blood from his mouth.

“Student! Stay with us! We’ll be at the hospital soon!”

Screech-

The vehicle stopped, and as the back door opened, doctors and residents rushed to check his condition, transferred him to a hospital stretcher, and moved quickly.

His condition was so urgent that he was immediately taken into the emergency operating room.

In front of the operating room, Haesoo and Seokhoon finally let out a long sigh.

Swish-

As Haesoo turned his head, Seokhoon flinched and couldn’t make eye contact properly.

“Kim Seokhoon, tell me… in detail.”

Seokhoon swallowed hard. He was curious how Haesoo had arrived first, but he didn’t dare ask, intimidated by the terrifying aura emanating from him.

“Well… I learned about Kyungjoon through the assault case I was assigned. It came in as a mutual assault, but there were many signs that Kyungjoon was unilaterally beaten, and his behavior suggested bullying. I was going to investigate further, but then the murder case…”

The youngest member confessed everything, feeling guilty that Kyungjoon had ended up like this because of him.

At that moment, a middle-aged man in a suit and glasses rushed over. He grabbed Seokhoon and asked,

“W-What happened? Where is Kyungjoon hurt?”

“That’s…”

When Seokhoon couldn’t speak easily due to guilt, Haesoo answered instead.

“He attempted suicide by jumping.”

“Y-Yes?”

At Haesoo’s stark words, Kyungjoon’s father’s legs gave way, and he knelt on the spot.

“Kyungjoon, Kyungjoon, o-our son…”

Haesoo and Seokhoon couldn’t offer any comfort. His condition was very bad even when entering the operating room.

Kyungjoon’s father was in shock and unable to stand. Haesoo grabbed Seokhoon’s shoulder and said,

“You stay here; I need to go to the station.”

“Y-Yes, I understand…”

The youngest member saw the murderous intent in Haesoo’s eyes but was too scared to stop him. He didn’t have the confidence to stop the detective known as the monster of Gangjin Station.

*

Bang!!

The violent crimes division office door burst open.

Dong Namcheol, who was leaning back in his chair with his feet up on the desk, watching the monitor, was startled and shouted as he stood up.

“Hey, you bastard! You scared m- Ah, uh?”

Thud, thud, thud.

Haesoo, striding towards him, looked ready to kill.

“Wh-What’s wrong- Ack!”

Thwack!

Haesoo’s foot landed in Dong Namcheol’s stomach. Namcheol groaned and was forced back into his chair.

“Are you even human?”

Haesoo raised his palm, twisted his waist, and slapped Dong Namcheol across the face.

Slap!

“Are you even a human being?!”

Smack!

“A detective just dumps a case?!

Thwack!!

A few white teeth fell to the floor along with what looked like a piece of his tongue or a blood clot.

Dong Namcheol was dazed, his eyes half-open, and he raised both hands in a survival instinct.

“Ugh… W-Wait, wa…”

He was gradually pushed back in his chair, reaching the window.

“Haesoo, Haesoo, Haesoo!”

“What, what’s going on all of a sudden!”

The detectives finally rushed over and clung to Haesoo to stop him.

However, this time Haesoo had no intention of backing down. He grabbed the fingers holding him and twisted them sharply backward.

Snap, crack-!

“Agh!”

“Ugh!”

“S-Senior!”

He twisted fingers or arms enough to cause pain but not break them, fending them all off, and then rushed back at Dong Namcheol like a beast.

No one dared to easily stop him, sensing the savage energy that seemed to sweep everything away just by getting close.

Slap, slap! Bang!

After slapping him repeatedly, he finally struck Dong Namcheol’s chin with his palm. The chair fell over, and Namcheol also collapsed to the floor, his eyes glazed over.

Not stopping there, Haesoo picked up a nearby internal phone and tried to slam it down on Dong Namcheol’s head.

“Senior!”

At the same time as the shout, Haesoo’s body was lifted up.

“Get a grip!!”

Haesoo instinctively twisted his waist and stopped himself from elbowing the face of the youngest member holding him.

After standing still for a few seconds, he put down the phone and lightly tapped the youngest member’s thick forearm.

“Let go, I can’t breathe.”

“Ah, yes, I’m sorry.”

The youngest member, hearing his calmer voice, thought the rampage was over and put him down.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, Haesoo slammed the phone down on Dong Namcheol’s head.

Crack!

The phone shattered, and blood slowly spread across the office floor. Haesoo looked down at Dong Namcheol as if he were trash and then turned away.

*

Several tens of minutes later, after sending Dong Namcheol to the hospital, the team members from Teams 1 and 2 listened to Haesoo’s account of what happened.

Team 2 couldn’t lift their heads, and the more the Team 1 leader listened, the redder his face became.

“You sons of bitches! You should have told me if something like that happened! The kid is still in surgery, and if he doesn’t make it, you all better be ready to turn in your badges! Got it?!”

“Yes…”

“Yes, we’re sorry.”

Haesoo was taken aback as it was the first time he had seen the usually gentle, neighborhood-uncle-like Team 1 leader get so angry.

The Team 2 members just lowered their heads and repeated that they were wrong.

“Send the murder case to the Metropolitan Investigation Unit, and we’ll do a joint investigation on the assault case. That Team 2 leader… is not fit to be a police officer. We need to hold him properly accountable for this incident.”

The Team 1 leader’s eyes were blazing.

“Dolgeoki [Haesoo’s nickname], come see me for a moment.”

Haesoo flinched. It’s always scarier when a usually gentle person gets angry.

The team leader made two cups of instant coffee, gave one to Haesoo, and went up to the roof.

“What are you going to do? No matter how justifiable the reason… you beat him to a pulp like that, do you think they’ll just let it slide? They say he has good connections too; you might end up eating prison food.”

“They can’t make me eat prison food.”

The team leader pointed at him with his index finger and smiled at Haesoo’s confident expression.

“So, so, you did it because you had something to rely on?”

“It’s true that I couldn’t stand it and beat him.”

“Oh, really? Anyway, I’ll help you with whatever I can, so let me know. I want to work with you for a long time.”

“Don’t worry.”

***

A few days later.

On a leisurely afternoon with warm sunshine, the sound of Dong Namcheol snoring echoed in the VIP room of Seongdeok Hospital.

At that moment, his cell phone rang.

“Ugh, who the hell is… Yes, Father.”

-You son of a bitch!!

Dong Namcheol frowned and pulled the phone away from his ear at the sudden shouting.

“Ah, Father?”

-Are you trying to kill your father? What? You dumped the case you were assigned? And you secretly investigated a murder case that the Metropolitan Investigation Unit is investigating without sharing it?

“No, that’s, I was doing it for my team…”

-You reckless fool, is that why you got beaten up by that Shin Haesoo guy, huh?

“…”

-Don’t even think about suing or anything, just stay quiet like you’re dead, don’t get caught by the reporters, got it?

Dong Namcheol’s expression hardened at his father’s words. He usually obeyed his father’s every word, but he couldn’t concede this.

“What? No, Father, your son got beaten up by some nobody and had ten stitches in his head and lost three teeth! Neglecting the case is one thing, but assault is assault, that bastard needs to eat prison food!”

-Even if the cases aren’t related, the public will see it that way, you idiot! The Shin Haesoo who beat you up is being hailed as a righteous cop fighting against injustice!

“…What kind of bullshit is that…”

-This guy doesn’t even know how the world works. I’m about to get kicked out of the party because of you! Do you know how hard it is for a former police officer to become a congressman, you idiot! Are you going to dare to destroy what I’ve built?!!

“Yes? No…”

-Shut up and stay holed up somewhere! Got it?

“Father, Father?!”

The call was unilaterally cut off. Dong Namcheol narrowed his brows and looked at the articles.

There was no need to search for articles related to the case; they were already plastered everywhere.

[Gangjin Police Station Violent Crimes Division Inspector Dong 00, Neglect of Case, Conscience Confession from Team Members]

[Middle School Student Suicide Attempt Case, Inspector Dong 00 Revealed to be the Only Son of Congressman Dong 00, a Former Police Officer]

[Tragedy Caused by Police Neglect of Case, Mr. Lee in Coma for 34 Hours]

┗This is why they’re called ‘Gyeonchal’ [derogatory term for police, literally “Dog Cops”]

┗This is crazy; it’s practically murder

┗What murder when he’s not even dead?

┗Do you think being in a coma is like in dramas where they wake up easily? 90 percent as good as dead

┗Where did you get that 90 percent statistic?

┗Look at the Gangjin Police Station org chart, there’s only one Dong (link)

┗Wow, he did shitty things and looks shitty too

┗Just fire all those involved and make them eat prison food

┗Start with that congressman, damn it

┗Exactly, usually if the child is trash, the parents are super trash.

┗I heard a colleague from another team beat the trash up; he’s in the hospital now

┗At least there’s one cop with a conscience.

Namcheol’s expression gradually distorted as he read the articles and comments. He never imagined things would blow up this big overnight.

“What the fuck!”

As Dong Namcheol threw his cell phone, someone knocked on the door. Then, without waiting for an answer, they opened the door.

Sharp eyes and a smiling mouth, typical business smile, glasses, recorder, tablet, a reporter.

“Hello. Inspector Dong Namcheol? I’m Joo Seokjin from Jo Cheong Ilbo [a newspaper]. Do you have a moment to talk?”

“No, I have nothing to say, so get out.”

“Just one word, is it true that you took the murder case that was assigned to Team 1? What did your father say about this case?”

“Who the hell told… Go! Get out!”

“Is it true that you issued a temporary suspension order for the Lee Kyungjoon student assault case? Just answer yes or no!”

“I don’t know, fuck!”

Dong Namcheol, only injured in the face but otherwise fine, put on slippers and ran out to escape the reporter.

Other reporters who were waiting outside recognized him and chased after him.

***

Meanwhile, Yongsoo Middle School, where Lee Kyungjoon attends, lunchtime.

Baek Jungpil was sitting by the classroom window, smoking a cigarette and looking at articles on his cell phone.

“Jungpil, I’m scared to death. The police are going to come to our school, right?”

At his friend’s words, Jungpil smirked and flicked the cigarette ash.

“Don’t be scared, you idiot, listen carefully, the cops neglected Lee Kyungjoon while being cops, right?”

“Yeah.”

“That loser Lee Kyungjoon jumped from the apartment and fell into a coma, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then what can they hear from him? Or are the bystanders who have been watching all along suddenly going to make a confession for Lee Kyungjoon’s sake? Lee Kyungjoon is lying down, and I’m here in the classroom, huh?”

The friend gave Jungpil a double thumbs-up and exclaimed in admiration.

“Wow… that’s Baek Jungpil for you. As expected, you’re awesome.”

Tak-

Baek Jungpil flicked the cigarette butt with his finger and threw it on the classroom floor, then looked around at the students in the classroom.

The friend quickly put out the cigarette butt and threw it in the trash can.

“So… all you bastards are accomplices, so don’t even think about saying nonsense, understand?! You bastards!!”

At Baek Jungpil’s shout, there were small sounds of flinching and answering here and there.

Baek Jungpil, already a crazy physical specimen at 180 cm tall and over 90 kg in middle school, reigned as terror itself over the students of Class 3, 2nd grade.

<#37. Scary Middle School Student> End