Chapter 175 – Peace – Part 11

Chapter 175 – Peace – Part 11

Woojin, having finished his call with Cha Juhyeok, left the coffee shop ten minutes later.

The door of a red sports car, which was flashing its hazard lights on the roadside, immediately opened.

The person who emerged from the car was Cha Juhyeok.

He bowed his head to Woojin.

“I chose the fastest one.”

“You don’t need to bow like that. You’re busy; why didn’t you ask someone else?”

“I wanted to do it myself.”

Cha Juhyeok’s words were sincere.

He had been walking a tightrope as if he had ten lives, but somehow, through successive promotions, his results were good.

It was all because of this person, Woojin.

“But where are you going?”

“Yes. To do some cleaning.”

Cha Juhyeok thought for a moment about what Woojin was saying.

Going to clean in a high-performance sports car…

He sent a photo and asked them to find the Gold and Silver Room and the pawn shop.

Cha Juhyeok, who had been trying to interpret Woojin’s words, smiled.

Because he wasn’t someone he could understand just by thinking.

Doesn’t he have too many eccentricities?

“Have a good trip.”

“What about Chairman Lee’s children?”

“They are looking for them in the White Room, but it seems they haven’t found any clues yet. Our SH Strategy is also continuously under pressure.”

Woojin slowly nodded his head.

At some point, Chairman Lee, who had not appeared publicly, suddenly disappeared.

While hiding it from his children.

He only sent people to deliver messages.

Woojin fully understood Chairman Lee’s actions.

He didn’t want his family to see him deteriorating.

He gradually regresses to a childlike state, making it impossible to live without someone to care for him like a parent.

Furthermore, he strongly dislikes the division of Shinhwa Group, so he doesn’t let go of his work.

That’s why he would send people to give instructions to Hyerim, who was aware of his illness.

“The first thing is Hyerim’s safety. As you know, Chairman Lee’s children will be putting a lot of pressure. Please watch her carefully. If anything happens, let me know immediately.”

“Yes. I understand.”

“If those people who deliver Chairman Lee’s messages are observed, assign someone to them immediately.”

Chairman Lee Jeongmun did not send just one person.

He was sending various individuals who seemed to have no connection to each other, like a networked organization.

“Understood.”

After greeting Cha Juhyeok, Woojin got into the car.

-Vroom

With a thunderous exhaust sound, the red sports car began to race down the road.

***

Woojin drove for two hours and arrived at the K55 Main Gate in Pyeongtaek, also known as Little Itaewon.

There were many foreigners, and restaurants and bars targeting them lined the streets.

Knowing the location of the pawnshop, Woojin entered an alley.

There were quite a few real estate agencies introducing rentals to American soldiers, and clothing stores were scattered here and there.

Woojin’s steps stopped at a building’s second floor.

The sign for ‘Smile Pawnshop’ on the second floor emitted a brilliant light, tempting night insects.

Woojin immediately climbed the stairs and headed to the second floor.

And soon, he saw a place made of iron bars, like a prison visiting room.

“Welcome.”

When the pawnshop owner, in his 50s, asked from behind the bars, Woojin replied,

“I’m with the police.”

Woojin subtly showed his ID and then held out Shin Heeyeon’s photo on his cellphone.

Specifically, the earrings and necklace she was wearing.

The pawnshop owner, after a quick glance at the photo, looked intently at Woojin.

“Haha, well. It seems like more than one person is looking for these earrings and necklace. It must be something serious.”

First, a person wearing a helmet came asking, and today, it’s the police.

Of course, the person in the helmet was one of those released by Cha Juhyeok under Woojin’s instructions.

Convinced by the pawnshop owner’s micro-expression, Woojin spoke.

“Could I see the earrings and necklace, please?”

“Yes, of course.”

He disappeared for a moment and then quickly reappeared, holding out the jewelry.

A necklace and earrings in the shape of a four-leaf clover.

It matched what was around Shin Heeyeon’s neck and ears in the photo.

“Did you bring this?”

“It’s been about ten days.”

“Can I see the CCTV?”

“Of course. Come on in.”

As the Pawnshop Owner opened the door, Woojin went inside.

“She’s been here a few times, and she said she’s also stopped by Masked Angel Jewelry down the street, not just our pawnshop.”

The Pawnshop Owner recalled the date and played the video.

And not a few minutes later.

“Oh, here she is. This is the person.”

The person the Pawnshop Owner pointed out was a woman, not a man.

She appeared to be in her late forties.

“You said this person came a few times, but didn’t you suspect they were stolen goods?”

“There were no initials, and the items she brought weren’t all high-priced. She said some were hers and some were her daughter’s, so I didn’t particularly suspect anything. Many people who come here are like that.”

A new algorithm began to form in Woojin’s mind.

A middle-aged woman, appearing to be in her forties.

Assumptions followed one after another, fitting together another puzzle.

Woojin said,

“You must have checked her ID, please show me that.”

“Oh? That woman’s coming again.”

Woojin’s gaze turned to the CCTV.

The middle-aged woman the Pawnshop Owner had mentioned was shown on the screen coming up to the Second Floor.

Her height was estimated to be about 158 centimeters, and her weight seemed normal.

Soon her voice was heard.

“I came to sell a ring.”

At that moment, Woojin appeared from the spot where the pawnshop’s customers were handled.

“Which ring are you referring to?”

“I haven’t seen you before.”

She, who had been observing Woojin, opened her mouth again with a bitter smile.

“Did the owner change? I want to get rid of my wedding ring.”

“Show me.”

She subtly pushed forward the ring case.

At that moment, Woojin caught sight of her left hand.

He then opened the ring case and examined the ring by rolling it.

It was a simple design with a small diamond embedded in it.

“It seems you didn’t bring your husband’s?”

“I didn’t come to sell it, but to pawn it. There are times when I urgently need money, so I’ll come back to reclaim the gold.”

Woojin, who had been observing her face, nodded and said,

“You brought your ID, right?”

“Of course.”

She subtly presented her ID.

Woojin thought she was bold for doing so.

After checking the ID, Woojin looked up and fixed his gaze on her.

“There are initials engraved on the ring, but Ms. Im Jingyeong, your name and the initials don’t match, do they?”

Suddenly, her pupils dilated.

Her movements stopped, and the muscles in her face tensed.

It was a typical freeze reaction that occurs when a lie is exposed, in an awkward situation, or when danger is momentarily sensed.

However, this expression was fleeting, and she opened her mouth as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

“Initials? There aren’t any.”

“They are indeed engraved on the inside of the ring in a way that’s hard to see, but they are definitely initials.”

“What?”

“I’m the police. I’ve been waiting for you here. Where did you get this ring?”

There were no initials on the Candle, and Woojin was lying to observe her reaction.

Im Jingyeong’s eyes were wavering.

Woojin opened the door, stepped out, and stood before her.

Then he spread his hand and showed her the four-leaf clover jewelry.

“It was the jewelry of the murder victim who was killed recently. And Ms. Im Jingyeong brought it and sold it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about right now…”

Woojin took a step closer to her and said,

“Tell me honestly.”

She bit her lip as if licking it.

“Why, why are you doing this? Really…”

“Criminals always lie. Having caught many criminals, I’ve experienced such things countless times. The more you lie, the heavier the crime and the longer the sentence. If I take you to the police station, considering your age, you’re likely to say you picked it up or stole it from a public cultural facility, a bathhouse, or a sauna. Therefore, as you say, the police will go there and search the CCTV. If, as you say, there are no reported cases from there or no peculiarities are found, you might end up in prison for a long time due to your lies. No, that will happen.”

She involuntarily recoiled and said,

“What on earth are you…?”

“I’ll give you 10 candles. Just say you stole it from someone you know. Someone very close. Then you might be released after a police investigation without much trouble. One.”

Her eyes shook uncontrollably as if there was an earthquake.

“I never did that. It’s true!”

“Don’t argue, think about what I said. Think about how you can live. Three, four…”

Woojin conspicuously showed her the name ‘Detective Kim’ stored in his cellphone and counted the numbers.

“Seven, eight…”

“I, I stole it.”

“Nine, whose did you steal?”

“My, my boyfriend I live with. I secretly stole what he had collected in the closet…”

“Your roommate? What’s the address? Is he home now?”

“Yes. I just stole it…”

“Address.”

“Sinjang-dong…”

Woojin searched for the address she gave him.

It wasn’t far.

He immediately called 911, identifying himself, and said,

“I have someone who traded stolen goods. And they brought stolen goods from a murder case. The pawnshop owner didn’t seem to know.”

When Woojin finished the call, she looked at Woojin with disbelief.

“I didn’t know. I really didn’t know what he was doing!”

“Whether you knew or not isn’t important. What’s important is that it’s dirty, a Righteous Path that can contaminate the world.”

***

After sending Im Jingyeong to the police substation, Woojin immediately headed to the house of his fellow Giant, Yoon Jangjun.

It was a detached house in an alley near an elementary school.

Cars couldn’t enter the alley, so he first drove around the area once.

This was to scout the location, not just Yoon Jangjun’s house, but also potential escape routes.

There weren’t many street trees, so the whole neighborhood had a desolate atmosphere.

Not long after, Woojin got out of the car and entered the alley.

Just then, his cellphone vibrated.

“Yes, this is Shin Woojin.”

-Are you busy? It feels like it’s been a while since I saw your face. We should play a game of Go, shouldn’t we? Let’s make a different bet this time.

“I can’t give you more than ten handicap stones.”

Even though his illness was progressing slowly, Woojin was showing him a form of respect.

-Hahaha. My pride won’t allow that.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

-Where are you that it’s so noisy?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Every time Woojin’s hand moved, the main gate spewed rusty dust.

“I came to pick up some trash.”