The Cop Is Too Strong [EN]: Chapter 76

Shin Hae-soo, trying to mask his surprise, countered, “What are you talking about?”

Assemblyman Oh Sung-joo’s kind eyes had vanished, replaced by a sharp gaze that seemed to penetrate Hae-soo’s very being.

“Get in.”

“Yes, I will.”

Silence descended within the car. As they entered the police academy grounds, Oh Sung-joo gestured towards a secluded bench.

“Pull over there.”

“Yes, Assemblyman.”

Hae-soo and Oh Sung-joo sat side by side on the bench. The area within fifty meters was deserted, even the secretary had been sent away.

Oh Sung-joo gazed at the sky for a moment before speaking.

“When you get old enough, you become like a child again.”

“You’re still young, Assemblyman.”

In truth, Assemblyman Oh Sung-joo was in his early sixties but appeared to be in his early fifties. His eyes were bright, and his face radiated vitality.

He chuckled, then continued in a serious tone. “Sometimes, when I encounter things that defy the laws of this world, I prefer to believe in miracles rather than trying to dissect them scientifically.”

“…Yes.”

“I’ll ask again, what are you?”

Hae-soo hesitated, lost in thought. A person who can turn back time?

Reset wasn’t an ability he had sought, and he didn’t know who had granted it to him. He didn’t know when it would disappear or what negative consequences might arise from its use.

Hae-soo asked himself the same question, pondering for a long time before finally speaking. “I am Detective Shin Hae-soo from the Chungnam Metropolitan Police Agency’s Violent Crimes Investigation Unit.”

Oh Sung-joo’s brow furrowed slightly, but Hae-soo’s earnest gaze prompted him to fall silent in contemplation.

“I see, so that’s your answer. Understood.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you know what I was thinking while waiting for my daughter in the emergency room?”

Hae-soo was taken aback by his shift in attitude. This man was already treating it as a past reality, not a dream.

To play along would be to acknowledge the Reset. Hae-soo nodded, as if humoring a slightly senile old man.

“The emergency room… what were you thinking?”

“Terrible regret. Life is so fleeting, and you never know when your time will come. Why didn’t I love her as much as I could? Why did I postpone precious moments for future power and wealth? I intend to live a new life, thanks to the opportunity you’ve given me.”

“…”

“But I can’t erase what happened, especially when two lives hung in the balance. I don’t know how much time I have left, but I want to live a life that helps you.”

*It’s quite a burden*, Hae-soo thought. He waved his hand dismissively.

“What are you saying? Spend precious time with your daughter, without regrets.”

“I will, always. Anyway, let me know if you need my help.”

“Yes, I appreciate the thought…”

“…If I say that, knowing your personality, you probably won’t say anything until I’m old and gray. I’ll keep a close eye on you. I don’t know how much help this old man can provide, but know this: Oh Sung-joo is not one to take favors lightly.”

Hae-soo bowed his head several times in silence.

Oh Sung-joo rose to leave, then paused and turned back.

“Oh, right, are you single?”

“Yes.”

“Any interest in meeting my daughter?”

“Ah, that’s…”

As Hae-soo hesitated, searching for the right words, Oh Sung-joo cut him off with a firm tone.

“Don’t even think about it. You have the kind of face that breaks women’s hearts. I wouldn’t hesitate to do anything for someone who saved my life, but my daughter is more precious than my own life.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Alright, take care of yourself, and…”

“Yes.”

Oh Sung-joo turned fully and approached Hae-soo, clasping his hands in both of his.

“Thank you, truly.”

“…”

Oh Sung-joo left Hae-soo standing there, stunned, and walked away.

Oh Sung-joo’s secretary, who had been observing from a distance, drove up to collect him.

As he turned the car around, he glanced at Hae-soo through the window and said to his secretary, “Remember that face well. Think of him as someone who saved your life, got it?”

“Yes, Assemblyman.”

The secretary didn’t remember, having died during the Reset, but he felt a strange sense of connection to Hae-soo, despite barely exchanging a word with him.

And after hearing the Assemblyman’s words, he felt that it was similar to the feeling of gratitude towards a benefactor.

*

Bang-

The door to the main auditorium burst open. The general instructor, who had been half-heartedly conducting training since Hae-soo’s departure, was startled. The instructors and trainees alike froze in place.

Oh Mi-yeon, wearing the same expression as the other trainees, was visible.

After the Reset, the trainees remained unaware that she was Oh Sung-joo’s daughter, and Oh Sung-joo hadn’t been harmed, so she was just another trainee.

Hae-soo averted his gaze from her and sharply scanned the trainees, shouting, “Time is running out! We’re changing the training! Everyone, put on your shoes and run to the horizontal bar in the central stadium! First come, first served for ten people!”

“Ugh.”

“Yes!!”

*’Yes’* is short for *’Yes, I understand,’* which the conscripted policemen used during training, and now the police trainees were using it as well.

The trainees had been on edge and prepared since Hae-soo’s arrival. They immediately sprang into action, hurriedly putting on their shoes and sprinting towards the central stadium.

Hae-soo, ensuring that the last person had left, then ran towards the stadium himself.

*

After a whirlwind two weeks, Hae-soo’s retirement ceremony was held simply in front of the 321st class of police trainees in the main auditorium.

“I’ve always been in the field, but coming here and seeing you all has reassured me. Seeing you, I feel that the future of Korea is bright. I hope you will continue to work hard as you do now.”

At Hae-soo’s words, Kim Woong-min, the representative trainee standing at the front, stamped his foot on the floor and shouted.

Thump!

“Yes, I understand!”

Then, a huge roar erupted, as if the ceiling of the auditorium would be pierced.

“Yes, I understand!!”

Hae-soo nodded contentedly, seeing their dark, determined eyes.

Later, the 321st class, which Hae-soo had visited as a special instructor, became known as the special forces class and made a name for themselves throughout the country.

***

Beep- Click

“Ugh.”

Shin Hae-soo groaned as he entered his house after two weeks. Two women were frozen in place before him.

“Oh.”

“Ah.”

Seo-eun and Haru, wearing pink and white polka-dot pajamas, were lounging on the sofa when their eyes met.

The two women wore cat and fox-shaped headbands, revealing their foreheads.

Hae-soo nodded, watching Seo-eun slowly rise as Haru froze, a snack halfway to her mouth.

“You’ve been doing well.”

“Oh, I, I’ll clean this up quickly.”

“It’s alright. Since you’re here, why don’t you stay for dinner?”

“Ah, uh…”

Seo-eun hesitated, glancing between Haru and Hae-soo. Then, Haru grabbed Seo-eun’s sleeve and nodded.

“Please do. It’s a celebration of the landlord’s return after two weeks. She’s a good cook.”

“S, should we?”

*

Haru and Seo-eun had grown quite close. They had met nearly ten times in two weeks, and Seo-eun had even slept at Hae-soo’s house for the past few days.

“…So, something big almost happened at that club, but Haru went ‘tak tak tak!'”

“…At the department store, Ahn Seo-eun said, ‘From here to here.'”

Hae-soo spent the meal listening to Haru and Seo-eun chatter about what had happened in his absence.

That night, Haru didn’t immediately retreat to her room but lingered in the living room. She had something to say.

“Why?”

At Hae-soo’s question, Haru quickly approached. He detected a refreshing scent he hadn’t noticed before, whether it was perfume or cosmetics.

“I have something to ask. I was going to ask during training tomorrow, but it was hard to wait two weeks.”

“What is it?”

Haru immediately produced a knife and slowly mimed stabbing Hae-soo.

“If the opponent attacks like this, how do you subdue them without killing them…?”

“Wait a minute.”

Hae-soo hurriedly grabbed her wrist and offered her the remote control instead of the knife.

“Again.”

“Yes, if they attack like this, what’s the most efficient way to subdue them?”

“So, this is what you were so eager to ask.”

“Yes.”

Drawing on his experience teaching the trainees for two weeks, Hae-soo taught Haru how to subdue someone in an easy-to-understand manner.

Haru possessed physical abilities and memory far surpassing ordinary people. She seemed capable of mastering in a day what took the trainees a week to learn.

He wholeheartedly taught her what had piqued her curiosity for two weeks until dawn, and finally, the two of them, covered in sweat, looked at each other.

“Is there anything else?”

“Yes, for now. I’ll ask again if I remember anything.”

Haru’s expression seemed much more relieved.

“Haru likes using her body.”

“Yes. I really hated it back then, but I like it now.”

“I see, so you’ve found your calling.”

Haru nodded enthusiastically, reenacting the suppression technique she had just learned.

“Yes, so I’ve decided on a career to try next.”

“A career?”

“Yes, a bodyguard. Ahn Seo-eun told me to apply to Daesung Guard Security. She said she’d pass my application, ‘I’m sure you’ll do well in the interview.'”

“A bodyguard…”

Hae-soo’s eyes widened at Haru’s shocking declaration.

***

The next day, Shin Hae-soo returned to work at the Gangjin Police Station’s Violent Crimes Unit after two weeks.

Since life at the police academy was far easier than the field-hardened Violent Crimes Unit, Hae-soo bought some food and went inside.

Bang!

Hae-soo flung the door open, saluted, and shouted, “Reporting for du-”

“Oh, Hae-soo, you’re here?! Oh, I’m so glad to see you!”

Hae-soo’s words were cut short by Oh Gyeong before he could even finish his return report.

Oh Gyeong had his coat half on, a piece of bread in his mouth, and car keys and a walkie-talkie in his hand.

“Senior, you’re here!! Take this!”

Behind him, the muscular rookie bowed ninety degrees and handed Hae-soo a baton and a stab-proof vest.

Then, the team leader hurriedly emerged from the bathroom, adjusting his pants and glancing at Hae-soo.

“Oh, great! Detective Shin, your timing is perfect! Some crazy gangsters or thugs are having a knife fight in the middle of downtown. Let’s go quickly!”

Hae-soo chuckled. He was back. Back to the field where he couldn’t report properly, couldn’t eat on time, and couldn’t even take a dump on time.

Hae-soo pushed aside the stab-proof vest the rookie offered and rotated his shoulders dramatically.

“I don’t need this, let’s go.”

“Yes, I understand!!”

The rookie’s expression following Hae-soo was somehow excited.

*

“Uwaaaah!!”

“Kkeuaak!”

“Die, you bastard!!”

“S, s, save me!!”

In the bustling downtown of Yongsu-dong, in the middle of a car-free street with an orange urethane floor, in a nightlife district teeming with karaoke bars and pubs, chaos reigned.

Dozens of men, large and menacing, wielded weapons like knives, hammers, and steel pipes, swinging them wildly at each other.

Ordinary people were too terrified to approach, and shop owners and employees locked their doors and hid behind their counters.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a cute, bulging belly ran forward, shouting, “Hey, you bastards, stop it!!!”

His cry was as loud and fierce as a lion’s roar, and several people paused.

A man near the middle-aged man pointed a steel pipe at him and asked, “Who are you, mister?”

“Me? I’m Artbox… the leader of the assault team, you bastard, the assault team!!!”

Despite the middle-aged man, the team leader’s shout, nothing changed. The man smirked and raised the steel pipe.

“Charge!!!”

Simultaneously with his cry, three burly, muscular detectives, batons clutched in both hands, charged forward with terrifying momentum.

Hae-soo opened his mouth wide and roared first.

“Aaaaaaah!!”

“Uueuaaaah!”

“Aaaak!!”

<#76. Return> End