Chapter 167 – Peace – Part 3

Chapter 167 – Peace – Part 3

The Police, who had stood up, blinked.

It was Star Prosecutor Kim Cheolung, who seemed to catch every criminal in the world, no, now a Member of Parliament thanks to the support of the people.

And he appeared at the Police Substation.

Why?

“Loyalty.”

When the Police saluted, Kim Cheolung also smiled and returned the salute.

“Where is Officer Shin Woojin? Is he out on patrol?”

“Ah… Yes! But do you have some business with Officer Shin Woojin?”

Shin Woojin was truly an eccentric friend.

He handled each complaint like a counselor, even calming people down like some kind of psychology doctor.

He even saw him giving gifts, like during holidays, to residents struggling with poverty.

Not just him, but all the other officers saw it frequently.

Would his salary even last?

Even though he was on the Righteous Path with such thoughts, the answer was always the same when he told him not to.

‘It’s because I have no use for money.’

Prosecutor Kim Cheolung scratched his cheek and opened his mouth.

“It’s not really about business… When are you returning?”

Contrary to his words, Kim Cheolung had deliberately driven here himself.

It had been quite a while since he last saw his face, and he wanted to see Woojin, now an officer in a police uniform, with his own eyes.

Even though the officer in front of him said, ‘I am Officer Shin Woojin,’ it hadn’t fully sunk in yet.

Conversely, he could somewhat guess Woojin’s purpose in becoming an officer.

An officer can be closer to the public than a judge, prosecutor, or detective.

That meant he could see the scene more quickly.

“Please wait a moment. I’ll contact him immediately and tell him to return.”

***

Woojin followed the bloodstains, which fell like drops of water, to a dilapidated warehouse.

Woojin turned on his flashlight in the dark place.

There was gravel and dust, so footprints were also visible.

And bloodstains, of course.

Two sets of footprints, one estimated to be size 225 and the other 265.

The 225 footprints were overwhelmingly more numerous.

Woojin raised his head and began to survey his surroundings.

There were many miscellaneous items, broken jars, and spatter patterns on the walls and objects.

A spatter pattern refers to splattered blood.

For example, it’s easy to imagine it as the shape created when you dip a brush in paint and then shake it off as if throwing it at the floor or wall.

Woojin brought the flashlight to where the best candle seemed to have been.

The deceased was approximately 156 cm tall.

However, a spatter pattern was imprinted at a height of about 80 cm.

That means…

The situation at the time of the incident seemed to form in Woojin’s eyes.

Woojin turned his body to look at the entrance he had come through.

The deceased was entering the warehouse, and a black figure followed him in.

The deceased seemed to be saying something, but it wasn’t audible.

And soon, the deceased squatted down to one side, rummaging as if searching for something.

The hand of the black figure, who was watching the deceased, did not hesitate and quickly grabbed the blunt weapon nearby.

Crash!

Several surrounding items spilled due to being pulled out in a hurry.

Thud!

As the black figure struck the deceased with the blunt weapon, a spatter pattern was fiercely imprinted on the room.

The deceased swayed and fell without knowing what was happening.

And then blood spread.

However, as if regaining consciousness, he got up again.

Whack!

Again, a spatter pattern was imprinted on the wall and objects.

When the deceased tried to get up again, the black figure was flustered.

Because he had dropped the blunt weapon in his hand.

The blunt weapon, having left the black figure’s hand, shattered a small jar.

Therefore, no rough footprints are visible around the broken jar.

He immediately struck the deceased’s head again with something else he could grab.

Thump! Thump!

The deceased lay motionless, blood slowly spreading across the floor.

When the situation ended, the dark figure didn’t drag the deceased, but hoisted them onto their shoulder and headed for the exit.

Blood dripped steadily, forming a regular drip trail.

Most drip trails show the criminal’s path.

Woojin, who had been observing like a third party, nodded his head.

The criminal showed overkill.

They intended to ensure the victim’s death.

Woojin went back out to the yard and examined the drip trail once more.

The drip trail leading to the room gradually widened at regular intervals of about 30 cm, 40 cm, and 50 cm.

And it split into another branch. No, the last drip trail of a bell had fallen in what looked like a small field.

Woojin grabbed a dustpan that was standing to one side.

Just then, the senior officer spoke.

“What are you doing?”

“I think there might be a murder weapon.”

“What did you say?”

Woojin began digging through the dirt with the dustpan.

“Hey, you! I told you not to touch anything! Preserve the crime scene…!”

The senior officer, who had been yelling and approaching Woojin, widened his eyes.

Because a hammer and a metal pipe, like a crop support, came out of the field-like area.

“What is this?”

“It appears to be the murder weapon.”

“How did you know?”

“The situation told me. The deceased victim told me.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“Just a moment.”

This time, Woojin headed to the separate kitchen.

He needed to check every nook and cranny.

As expected, nothing had happened in the kitchen.

However, there was rice mixed with various vegetables and chili paste in a large bowl.

There were two bowls of mixed rice.

The mixed rice was untouched.

After looking around the kitchen, Woojin headed outside the main gate.

He approached the initial reporter and asked about the deceased.

If someone could bring boiled sweet potatoes at such a late hour, it was highly likely they knew the deceased well.

“Do you know when they usually went to sleep?”

“Did they say they usually went to bed around 11? Oh dear… What on earth happened? Was there a burglar? Oh my goodness…”

Woojin shook his head inwardly.

It was an overkill, and there were no signs of items being rummaged through in the room.

To summarize, the criminal entered the room during mealtime, and the criminal went into the warehouse with the deceased.

Not to borrow something, but to perfectly subdue them by taking advantage of their unguarded moment.

There were many tools in the warehouse that could be used for a crime.

“Was there anyone who didn’t get along well with the residents?”

“They were such a kind person.”

“They were someone who lived quietly.”

“Everyone got along well.”

Woojin slowly nodded, keeping in mind the phrase “someone who lived quietly.”

“Do they have any relatives living nearby?”

“No. They only had one son, where was it… Oh, right. They said he lived in Suwon.”

“What about someone they were particularly close with?”

“Someone like that…”

She opened her mouth as if she had remembered something.

“There’s a man named Kim Hakcheol who lives alone, and the Grandmother up there took care of him a lot. She said he resembled her dead Youngest son.”

“Took care of him?”

“Because he didn’t work and just drank alcohol every day. She even made him meals and such.”

“Where is that?”

“It’s not far. Just up there…”

After hearing the location, Woojin immediately moved through the rice paddies and fields.

After moving about 200 meters, he smelled something tickling his nose.

It was the smell of something burning.

When he moved another 100 meters, he could tell what the smell was.

Smoke was rising from the yard of a house.

It looked like something was being burned, not a fire.

Woojin approached the house.

The Living Room light was on, and the Bathroom light was also on.

Woojin immediately knocked on the main gate.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Is anyone home?”

From inside, he heard a man’s voice along with the sound of a sliding door opening with a rattle.

“Who is it?”

Woojin just said one thing.

“It’s the Police.”

Then he closed his eyes and waited for his voice.

“…The Police?”

Woojin, who had Observed his voice, opened his eyes.

“Yes, sir. It’s illegal to incinerate household waste like this.”

He, who seemed to be shuffling in slippers, spoke brightly.

“Oh, come on~ Most people here do it, I’m not the only one.”

Click.

The gate opened with a creak.

Kim Hakcheol, who looked to be in his late 30s.

He looked at Woojin and said,

“Just this once, please. I won’t do it again.”

As he spoke with a sly smile, a faint smell of alcohol wafted from his mouth. Woojin also scanned his entire body at once.

His height was 172cm, and his shoe size was estimated to be 265. He had a thin build.

His eyes were yellow, which was Jaundice.

Woojin spoke as if he had no choice.

“Don’t do that next time. Oh, I have one question. Where were you during the evening hours, by any chance?”

“Huh?”

“A murder case occurred nearby. We’re investigating. You can just answer comfortably.”

His eyes widened as he drew out his words.

“Wh-who?”

“Ms. Kim Eonju passed away.”

“N-no way.”

He looked shocked.

But contrary to his reaction, Woojin’s words became calmer.

“Where were you in the evening?”

“Are you suspecting me now?”

“No. It’s just a formality. You just need to tell me what happened.”

“I was home.”

“I heard you had an unusual closeness with Ms. Kim Eonju.”

He ran his hands over his face as if he were washing it without water.

Then he lifted his head again.

“Yes. She was like a mother to me…”

Woojin nodded.

“So you killed her?”

“What?! What do you mean?”

“You’re still lying. Are you burning something right now to cover up the crime?”

“Oh, this man! As a police officer, can you just suspect people so carelessly?”

“Then, may I check what you’re burning right now?”

He ran his hand through his hair as if dumbfounded.

“Ha! Unbelievable. Fine. Come in. Come in and see for yourself.”

Woojin immediately went inside.

And he stomped on what was burning, putting it out.

What appeared to be household waste and clothing had almost completely burned, leaving nothing behind.

“Satisfied?”

Woojin nodded and said,

“You like alcohol, don’t you? Ms. Kim Eonju, who always looked after you like a son, must have been very worried about that. So she would ask the neighbors not to drink with you. Not to buy you alcohol. You, an alcoholic, got angry about that. You went to her. As always, to have a meal together. But your intentions weren’t the same as usual. You intended to ‘kill’ her. Was it an accidental crime? No. You lured Ms. Kim Eonju to the warehouse as if to borrow something. The warehouse had many things that could be used as murder weapons. And it was a place where sounds were muffled, more so than the kitchen or a room. You committed the murder in the warehouse and moved her to the room to confuse the investigation? That was a very unintelligent idea.”

Woojin’s gaze, as he spoke, went to the front door he had come out of.

There were no shoes.

Clothes could be burned if there were spares, but the shoes he was wearing probably couldn’t be easily disposed of as there were no other spares.

“I think there might be wet shoes in the bathroom right now. Am I right?”

“That’s!”

“Most importantly, you smell. A dirty smell that makes our country less peaceful.”

Woojin had already raised his cellphone so that he could see him clearly.

Like a Royal Secret Inspector’s Medallion.

On the cellphone screen, a character in a police uniform was holding a flashlight.

“This is a very fitting meme for this situation.”

Text was also engraved on the character’s drawing.

[Gotcha, you rascal!]

“Shall we go check if I’m right or wrong, and what’s in our bathroom?”