The Cop Is Too Strong [EN]: Chapter 49

Startled by Jung-soo’s chilling voice, Young-soo recoiled from Shin Hae-soo.

“Ugh, you sound just like a detective, snapping me back to reality.”

“I’m not joking.”

“Detective, it’s a good deal, but I know how much cops make. What’s a detective’s salary, really? Maybe two or three million won?”

Hae-soo nodded slightly.

“I have 20 to 30 billion won.”

“Pardon?”

“Just kidding. I have enough to cover your mother’s treatment until she’s fully recovered. And I’m not giving it to you, I’m lending it, interest-free for ten years.”

“I know. Of course, I’m not a beggar. I was planning to pay it back with interest.”

“Then keep that in mind. I’ll come by tomorrow, so let’s take your mother to the hospital.”

“But hyung [older brother or respected male figure], why are you helping me? I’m a criminal, and basically a stranger.”

The title suddenly changed, but Hae-soo didn’t mind.

Hae-soo pondered the unexpected question for a moment before answering casually.

“I met someone who needed help, and I have the ability to help. Isn’t it natural to help in that situation?”

Jung Young-soo felt something welling up inside him.

At only nineteen, his life, though short, had been rough. It felt like he was meeting a real adult for the first time.

“Hyung, you’re so naive. In this harsh world… someone like you might get sued for sexual harassment while trying to perform CPR to save someone.”

Hae-soo’s eyes widened at Young-soo’s words.

“What, did that happen to you? Oh, that sucks.”

“It worked out in the end.”

“I see. That’s why you’re standing in front of me now…”

Young-soo stared at Hae-soo for a moment before bowing deeply.

“Thank you… hyung.”

Hae-soo waved his hand dismissively, turned, and walked down the stairs.

*

The next day, Hae-soo took Jung Young-soo and his mother to Daesung Hospital.

As they were getting checked in and admitted, a clear voice came from behind.

“Shin Hae-soo?”

Turning around, he saw Ahn Seo-eun standing there with her entourage. Her pure white blouse with a black ribbon necktie and black skirt somehow reminded him of a school uniform.

“Ahn Seo-eun.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve met in person; we’ve only been talking on the phone. What brings you here?”

Jung Young-soo’s eyes widened as he stood next to her. The beautiful woman, who clearly exuded the aura of a chaebol [family-owned conglomerate], spoke as if she contacted Hae-soo frequently, which was simply astonishing.

“Shin hyung knows a lot of goddesses, unlike how he looks?”

“What?”

Ahn Seo-eun covered her mouth and giggled softly. Her eyes curved into a gentle smile.

“You’re funny. Well, carry on with your work. I’ll be going.”

“Yes.”

Hae-soo gestured for Jung Young-soo to go to his mother and followed Ahn Seo-eun.

“Ahn Seo-eun.”

Seo-eun’s eyes widened as Hae-soo followed her out and called her name, as it was the first time he had done so.

Seo-eun sent her entourage to the elevator and faced Hae-soo one-on-one.

“Hae-soo?”

“Thank you for your active help with the Red Moon case. It must have been difficult. Were there any problems?”

A shadow briefly crossed Ahn Seo-eun’s face at Hae-soo’s question, but it quickly disappeared.

“The only ones having trouble are the guilty. I didn’t have any problems. It was good. How did you meet that student?”

Although Hae-soo sensed that Seo-eun was changing the subject, he played along.

“He’s a suspect in a case I’m currently handling. I knew him from middle school…”

Hae-soo briefly explained his relationship with Jung Young-soo. Then, Ahn Seo-eun raised a finger as if something had occurred to her.

“Really? The department store has been having a lot of security problems lately.”

“Is that so? But he’s still a student, and I don’t know how his skills measure up to professional standards. His mother wants him to go back to high school and graduate properly.”

“There are many freelance white hackers [ethical hackers]. After updating the security program, they check if it’s been breached, and if it has, they suggest security measures. So, they don’t need to come to the office every day.”

“I see. But since it’s still an ongoing investigation, please connect us after he has properly paid for his crime.”

Ahn Seo-eun glanced back and forth between Hae-soo and the hospital room where Jung Young-soo had gone, then smiled softly.

“I didn’t know you had this side to you, Hae-soo. I thought you just ruthlessly crushed criminals.”

“I’m not that simple.”

“You seem simple.”

“Ahem.”

Hae-soo couldn’t deny it and cleared his throat, causing Seo-eun to chuckle.

“You have a cute side too.”

Hae-soo had never been close to anything resembling cuteness, so he looked at Seo-eun with a rather bewildered expression.

However, Seo-eun did not avoid his gaze and silently sparkled her eyes.

Suddenly, he felt breathless.

One second, two seconds passed…

“Shin hyung?”

“Oh, yeah.”

From Jung Young-soo’s perspective, Seo-eun was hidden by the wall in the hallway, so he could only see Hae-soo.

Hae-soo reflexively turned and answered, then moved away.

Ahn Seo-eun also turned around and secretly caught her breath.

*

Later, Jung Young-soo confessed as promised.

Taking into account that he had prevented situations that could have led to murder during the crime and had worked to recover the damages, he was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year.

“…The defendants are sentenced to six years in prison for special assault and extortion.”

Before the judge could finish speaking, two men jumped up and protested.

“Why do I get six years and that bastard gets one year suspended?! That bastard is the bad guy! You all heard it!”

“That’s right! That bastard is a son of a bitch! What kind of dogshit ruling is this! Hey, you judge!”

Jung Young-soo was seated separately from the two men at his request. When Young-soo shook his head slightly at their ranting, they rushed at him and started punching.

After the brief commotion subsided, the judge spoke again.

“Considering that they show no remorse and attempt to shift blame, and that they caused a disturbance and committed violence in the courtroom, which should be a place of order, we will hold an additional hearing in two weeks.”

Bang, bang, bang.

The two men, momentarily caught up in their outburst, stared blankly at the judge with stunned expressions. They were later sentenced to an additional eight months.

*

Ahn Seo-eun connected Jung Young-soo with the security team leader at Daesung Department Store, and he passed the test with skills that amazed the team leader and was hired as a freelancer.

Hae-soo provided Young-soo with the equipment he needed to work as a white hacker.

As Hae-soo was leaving Jung Young-soo’s house after delivering the equipment, Young-soo called out to him from the doorway.

“Shin hyung.”

Young-soo had started calling Hae-soo by that strange title after he helped his mother.

When Hae-soo turned around, he bowed deeply.

“Thank you. Actually, I’ve dreamed of being a cop since I saw Shin hyung in middle school. I wanted to catch bad guys with my pathetic talent in the cyber team… but it ended up like this. But I’ll come to my senses now and work hard at the job you saved me with.”

Since a former convict cannot become a police officer, his dream would remain just a dream.

Hae-soo nodded slightly.

“Yeah, if you work hard, you’ll have a chance.”

Hae-soo waved his hand dismissively and walked down the stairs.

***

In Shin Hae-soo’s house, Hae-soo and Haru were facing each other with determined expressions in the center of the cramped one-room living room. Hae-soo held a truncheon in his right hand.

Whoosh-

As Hae-soo swung the baton, Haru dodged it by slightly pivoting her toes and attacked his armpit with her fingertips.

Hae-soo quickly lowered his forearm to block it.

Thwack

Hae-soo frowned slightly, and Haru flinched, withdrew her hand, and assumed a posture of repentance, bowing her head.

Hae-soo couldn’t understand how those white, slender fingertips could be so sharp, like needles.

“I’m sorry…”

“No, you did well, but unless the opponent is life-threatening, it’s better to attack the upper or lower body below the neck rather than the temples, under the chin, or the neck.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Haru nodded vigorously and re-enacted the dangerous situation with Hae-soo.

“In this case, it’s good to disarm them by twisting their arm, but, well, it’s not easy because you lack strength… so focus on twisting their fingers.”

“Yes, focus on the fingers.”

Haru’s voice strangely grew louder little by little.

“Once they’re disarmed, use this to restrain their wrists and ankles. Make sure to put their arms behind them so that both wrists are crossed.”

Hae-soo packed the cable ties he often used on the field into the crossbody bag that Haru often carried.

Haru looked at it with joy, as if she had obtained a treasure.

“If this isn’t enough, tie only their arms and break their legs or ankles.”

“Yes, yes!”

Haru’s eyes sparkled as she listened to Hae-soo’s explanation. Haru enjoyed this time when Hae-soo taught her restraint techniques and lost track of time.

***

Swoosh

In the dark night, on a deserted street, a young woman was glancing back and quickly walking.

Thud, thud, thud

A man wearing a hood is seen behind her. She had seen him a while ago, and meeting him here again didn’t seem like a coincidence, so fear struck her.

She called her friend, but they didn’t answer today. She had no choice but to pretend to be on a phone call.

“Oh, oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or boyfriend], I’m on my way home now, in front of Pong Pong Supermarket, are you coming to pick me up? Oh, you’re already there, okay, I’ll be there soon…”

She continued the call with similar words, constantly glancing back.

The hooded man was nowhere to be seen.

Then, a man came out of another street and walked in the direction she had to go. The man was walking ahead of her.

The woman could clearly see the white letters on the back of the man’s T-shirt, even though it was dark.

-Police 145

“Phew…”

She breathed a sigh of relief without realizing it. She hurried towards the man.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes?”

“Um, I think someone is following me. I’m sorry, but could you walk with me to where you’re going?”

“Ah…”

The man turned around and scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes. The woman found his appearance very reliable.

“Sure, it’s dangerous for a woman to walk around on a street like this late at night.”

“Yes… it just happened…”

The man gladly took the woman home.

In front of the woman’s studio apartment door.

“This is it. Thank you so much.”

“Ah, yes, I’ll watch you go in. You can’t let your guard down until you get inside, these days with stalkers.”

Because it was the police saying it, she felt a sense of trust. The woman nodded and opened the front door and rode the elevator with him.

Then, only the woman got off at the elevator, and the man waved goodbye.

“Go in.”

“Yes, thank you. Goodbye.”

Beep, beep, beep, click-

Then, the woman opened the door lock and went inside. The door closed on its own, so it wasn’t manually closed.

Thud-

Just before the door was almost completely closed, a thick hand grabbed the door.

Squeak

The woman, who was taking off her shoes, was startled and turned around at the sound of the door reopening.

It was that man. He came in, closed the door, and smiled slyly.

“I told you not to let your guard down until you get inside. Young-ji, you need to be punished.”

“Kyaa-Mmph”

The man’s large hand covered her screaming mouth.

*

Gangjin Police Station, Violent Crimes Unit Office.

Bang-

Team Leader 1 burst open the door and shouted.

“Team 1, Team 1! Oh Gyeong, Charge, Muscle Monster! Pack your bags quickly!”

“Huh? Why the sudden packing?”

“Another serial murder has occurred. The Gyeonggi Provincial Special Detective Division sent us an SOS. We’re conducting a joint investigation with them starting today. If you understand, pack your bags!”

<#49. Don't let your guard down.> End