The Cop Is Too Strong [EN]: Chapter 52

Shin Hae-soo grabbed Im Gi-sung’s face, hauled him along, and ripped the polka-dot curtain off the floor, taking it with him.

Thud-!

He threw the man into the bathroom and covered him with the curtain. Then, he unleashed a flurry of tightly clenched fists.

Pow! Pow, pow!!

He lost track of where his punches were landing. Moving downwards, he relentlessly pummeled the man sprawled on the floor.

The curtain was quickly stained red. The moans and screams had stopped, and the thought that Im Gi-sung might actually die flashed through his mind, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Hngh…”

In a brief pause between punches, a sob, different from Im Gi-sung’s, pierced Hae-soo’s ears.

He finally snapped out of his rage and turned towards the victim.

Thump, thump, thump.

He could hear the youngest [referring to the junior detective] pounding on the door. When Hae-soo opened it, he saw the youngest poised to break it down.

“Did you call an ambulance?”

“Yes, Detective. They’ll be here soon.”

Hae-soo had instructed him to call 119 [the emergency services number in Korea] before entering.

Hae-soo roughly wiped the blood from his hands on his pants and approached the woman, taking off his detective jacket. She flinched and recoiled slightly before stopping.

“I’m a police officer. Ms. Kim Seo-young, you’re safe now.”

He could see her trembling. It was understandable. Hae-soo had felt a fraction of her fear, so he understood, at least a little.

The youngest went into the bathroom, pulled back the curtain, and checked if Im Gi-sung was still alive under the blood-soaked fabric.

“This guy… it was a wig.”

As he pulled back the curtain, the wig, askew on his head, came off, revealing short hair and a severely receding hairline.

The youngest confirmed he was still breathing and handcuffed his wrists.

“Im Gi-sung, you are under arrest for attempted murder. You have the right to an attorney and the right to remain silent.”

Im Gi-sung, the perverted serial killer who had brutally murdered six people and cut off their fingers, was finally arrested after ten months.

*

“Damn it…”

The Violent Crimes Unit team leader frowned as he answered the phone.

“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me…”

“That’s right. The hair found at the scene doesn’t match Im Gi-sung’s DNA, nor does it match the wig.”

“Damn…”

He was arrested for attempted murder, but there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the murders he had committed. There were circumstantial details like Mango Market [likely a reference to a platform or marketplace used for illicit activities] transaction records and monthly leave, but no decisive proof.

“Damn it, where the hell did he hide the fingers?”

The team leader threw his cell phone onto the sofa in frustration.

Hae-soo had beaten him into a coma, so he couldn’t be interrogated.

Profiler Yang Ji-eun tapped her tablet pen and muttered.

“If he kept them so close even in the military, they must be at home, but no matter how much we search, we can’t find them…”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Yang Ji-eun pointed at him with her pen as Hae-soo agreed, and continued.

“Right? Collectors usually keep the things they collect in a place where they can’t touch them but can look at them often. In the place where they spend the most time.”

Hae-soo, who had been listening half-heartedly, suddenly perked up.

“In the place where they spend the most time?”

“Yes? Yes, yes.”

Hae-soo jumped up and slapped the youngest on the back, who was eating ramen.

Slap-

“Ugh!”

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir!”

The youngest spat out his noodles and jumped up, grabbing the car keys. Yang Ji-eun felt sorry for him.

“You should have let him finish his ramen…”

*

Hae-soo took the youngest to the company where Im Gi-sung worked.

“We’re from the Violent Crimes Unit. Where is Im Gi-sung’s desk?”

“Ah, yes, over there.”

The desk and drawers were left untouched in the corner of the office, pushed aside, waiting for detectives to arrive.

Hae-soo immediately rummaged through the drawers. The largest drawer at the bottom was locked. He didn’t bother looking for a key.

Crack!

Hae-soo grabbed the lock and tore it off without hesitation. But when he looked inside, it seemed empty.

“Should we tear off the drawers too?”

“Of course.”

Hae-soo and the youngest completely pulled out the drawer. Then, something reflecting light became visible in the space between the drawer and the cabinet.

“This is crazy…”

It was a glass box with gold trim.

The fingers were arranged like a figure collection, neatly decorated, cleaned, and embalmed to prevent decay and odor.

There were seven small square glass boxes, six of which were filled.

“W-what is it…”

“H-huh… What is that…”

“Wow, I saw Mr. Im Gi-sung carrying that box around… Creepy.”

As the office workers gathered, shocked by the sight, Hae-soo quickly took off his jacket and covered the display.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

Getting into the car, Hae-soo radioed.

“We found the victims’ fingers at the company. Six of them.”

-Oh, good job, as expected of our Striker! [likely a nickname for Hae-soo]

-Oh, Detective Shin did a good job!

-Our youngest did well too!

Hae-soo and the youngest returned to headquarters and handed over the fingers to the National Forensic Service.

The team leader bought him a cup of coffee, praising his hard work.

“Oh, right, how did you know the address back then?”

At the team leader’s question, the youngest stiffened and avoided eye contact. Hae-soo chuckled and replied.

“I asked someone I knew on Mango Market, through someone else.”

“Oh, really? You have a wide network. Anyway, this case was really all done by our Striker and the youngest.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Hahaha, yes, yes, you’ve worked hard! Oh, Gyeong-do, and the Violent Crimes Unit leftovers, you’ve all worked hard!”

“Why are we just leftovers?”

The Violent Crimes Unit members were upset at the team leader’s words, but they smiled nonetheless.

*

Remembering the team leader’s question, he called Jung Young-soo. He answered immediately, as if he had been waiting.

-Was the thing I did catching that serial killer?

His words were fast and excited.

“Yes.”

-Wow, did I do something really big?

“You saved a life.”

-Creepy…

“But you shouldn’t do things like this in the first place.”

-Then why did you make me do it?

“Only do it when I want you to. So, how much should I give you as a daily wage?”

-Oh, no, it’s okay. I did a good deed.

“Okay.”

-Hey, why don’t Koreans only ask once? If you want to give me something, about 20 [200,000 won]?

“Okay, good job. Don’t do things like this unless I ask you to, even if they give you a lot of money, I’ll catch you. It hurts when I catch you.”

-Yes, yes, I understand. I’ve come to my senses too. Don’t worry.”

Hae-soo sent him 400,000 won [approximately $300 USD]. He wanted to give him ten times that amount because he saved a life, but he was still young.

***

An article was published in large print stating that the serial killer Im Gi-sung, whose fingers all matched the victims’ DNA, had been arrested by the Violent Crimes Unit.

[Serial Killer Who Terrorized Gyeonggi-do Arrested!]

[Gyeonggi Violent Crimes Unit Arrests Serial Killer Im Gi-sung!]

[Serial Killer Im Gi-sung Shockingly Decorated Victims’ Fingers in Display Case-]

┗Wow, this crazy pervert is real

┗Execute him, execute execute execute execute

┗Let’s cut off that bastard’s fingers too, apply Fucidin [an ointment], let new flesh sprout, then cut them off again and apply Fucidin

┗The Violent Crimes Unit really sucks at their job. How many victims are there?

┗The article says that the Gangjin City Violent Crimes Team 1 has been conducting a joint investigation since the sixth victim? Isn’t that the Red Moon Gate team? They’re really capable, they were arrested right after joining ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ [Korean slang for laughing]

┗Isn’t it a fact that the police eventually arrested him no matter where? Go Korea Police!

┗The comment above is a cop, right?

┗Reward the Gangjin City Violent Crimes Team! Give them a special promotion!

┗They’re always talking about special promotions, how long has it been since Red Moon, how many special promotions will they give?

The serial killer who murdered six people and decorated their fingers was shocking and stimulating, and the public’s interest was intense.

The Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Chief even held a press conference, and the Violent Crimes Unit team leader and the Gangjin Police Station team leader gave a briefing on the case in front of reporters.

Behind the press conference hall, the Violent Crimes Unit and the Gangjin Police Station Violent Crimes Team, dressed in uniforms, stood in a row, checking each other’s appearance.

“Wow, I’m so nervous I’m going to die.”

“Why are we even having a press conference…”

Oh Gyeong-i muttered, sweating profusely. He didn’t seem like that in his usual personality, but he said he was very nervous about standing in front of people.

“Detectives, please come in.”

At those words, the team leader raised his hand and shouted.

“Yes! Yes, a detective is coming here!”

“Ah, hyung, please.”

Chwaaaaa! [sound of camera flashes]

As the detectives appeared, the flashes went off like crazy.

Everyone sat down, and the briefing began with the Violent Crimes Unit team leader at the center.

“Ah… This serial murder case first occurred on September 11th of last year…”

After the briefing, the Q&A session began, and the questions they had anticipated poured out.

“Is it true that the sluggish investigation was resolved immediately with the joining of the Gangjin Violent Crimes Team?”

“Aren’t Detective Shin Hae-soo and Officer Woo Gang-jeol, who arrested the criminal, also members of the Gangjin Violent Crimes Team?”

“There are many claims that these murders were a tragedy caused by the police’s failure to conduct an initial investigation. Is that true?”

“The criminal has been arrested, but there are many criticisms that the Violent Crimes Unit is incompetent? There are rumors of disbandment as a result of this incident. What do you think?”

The Violent Crimes Unit team leader listened silently and then grabbed the microphone.

“Yes, as you said, all of them joined the Gangjin Police Station Violent Crimes Team…”

Bang!

At that moment, Kwak Soo-cheol, the team leader of Gangjin Police Station Violent Crimes Team 1, slammed the table hard. Then, with a scowl on his face, he brought the microphone close.

“Ah, ah, we all caught the criminal together. We couldn’t have caught him without the Violent Crimes Unit’s investigation as a basis. Is only the person who scored the goal a soccer player? The goalkeeper, the defender, and the person who passed the ball are all soccer players. That’s all.”

The team leader jumped up from his seat. Then Hae-soo, Oh Gyeong, and the youngest reflexively jumped up and left the press conference hall.

The Violent Crimes Unit members glanced at each other for a moment, and then, seeing their team leader getting up, they all got up and left the scene.

*

“Hyung, did you get scolded a lot?”

“Scolded for what? I said the right thing. Those reporter bastards only think about criticizing the police all the time. Anyway, they ruined all the good feelings I had about catching the criminal.”

Hae-soo nodded and replied.

“It seems like an unavoidable phenomenon. The number of clicks on sensational and negative articles overwhelms heartwarming articles…”

“Still, my kids like it when their dad appears on TV.”

“The scene of you getting angry is being circulated a lot in the articles, though?”

“They like that too.”

The Gangjin Police Station Violent Crimes Team 1 and the Violent Crimes Unit received bonuses and team commendations.

Unlike the Violent Crimes Team, who had recently received a salary increase, the Violent Crimes Unit could have expected a special promotion, but there was no special promotion. However, the Violent Crimes Unit members were not disappointed.

After a short dinner with the Violent Crimes Unit, the Violent Crimes Team said goodbye to them.

“Thank you for your hard work during that time. Thanks to you, we caught him.”

“Hey, don’t mention it, the Violent Crimes Unit also worked hard.”

“The muscular detectives over there also worked hard.”

Oh Gyeong flexed his arm instead of answering, making his biceps bulge. Then the youngest quickly stuck next to him and did the same pose, and Hae-soo showed both biceps last.

“Heuh”

The Violent Crimes Unit’s muscular detective replaced his greeting by squeezing his chest muscles.

On the way back to Gangjin City, Hae-soo had also brought his motorcycle, so he was traveling separately. Oh Gyeong called.

“Yes.”

-Hey Hae-soo, the dinner ended early, do you want to come to my house? The youngest and Hyung have already said yes.

“Okay. Please tell me the address.”

*

Oh Gyeong’s house was an ordinary apartment.

As Oh Gyeong entered with his team members, his wife and children greeted him.

“Dad’s home!!”

“Dad, Dad, Dad!”

“Oh, my babies!”

Small children who didn’t even reach Oh Gyeong’s waist came running and hugged him tightly. A son and a daughter, the son is six years old and the daughter is four years old.

Oh Gyeong picked them both up and showed the team members who were coming in behind him.

“These are the team members who work with Dad.”

“Hello? Joo-ho, Joo-eun?”

The youngest smiled brightly and waved his hand. He memorized their names before coming in and used the most affectionate tone possible.

“Waaaaah!!”

“Waaaaah!”

However, the siblings screamed and burst into tears when they saw the youngest. Oh Gyeong was embarrassed and quickly took them into the living room.

“Joo-ho, Joo-eun, these are Dad’s friends, friends, you don’t have to be scared, they are police officers who protect us.”

“Gyongchal [Korean word for police officer] like Dad?”

“Yes, police.”

The youngest was unable to enter from the shoe rack. Hae-soo elbowed him in the side as if he knew it would happen and headed towards the children.

“Hello? Uncle is a police officer who catches bad people~”

“Waaaaah!!”

“Scary!”

The children, who had barely calmed down, burst into tears again, showing their uvulas.

“The children’s crying is as loud as Oh Gyeong hyungnim’s [term of endearment for an older brother or close male friend] because they resemble him.”

“Hae-soo, that’s a compliment you only give to newborns.”

“I see.”

In the end, Oh Gyeong’s wife took the children into the room.

< #52. Press Conference > End