Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Pressuring Detective An
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The cigarette smoke rising from the pavilion behind the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency came to a halt.
A man who tossed out some rather shocking words with a smiling face.
It was all because of Kang Hyun.
"…?"
An Kwang-hyun blankly scanned Kang Hyun's face for a while, unable to comprehend his blunt question, and hostility slowly crept across his features.
"What."
"Is he nuts?"
An Kwang-hyun and his cronies swarmed around Kang Hyun. A situation plenty dangerous enough to warrant alarm.
But Kang Hyun couldn't care less. If anything, he continued on with a relaxed expression.
"Don't you know Kim Hana? The drug trafficker Ms. Kim Hana."
At Kang Hyun's words, the group froze with bewildered looks.
"Kim Hana?"
"Wait... that case?"
"Shh!"
Kang Hyun smirked as he gauged their reactions, then began his introduction.
He bowed politely.
"Hello. I'm Kang Hyun. I came about the Ms. Kim Hana case."
That single word—"Kang Hyun"—packed a punch. In an instant, the group's attitudes shifted dramatically.
"Kang Hyun?"
"The real Kang Hyun?"
"Why is Kang Hyun digging into the Kim Hana case..."
Murmurs rippled through them.
Kang Hyun's face might not ring a bell, but his name was known to every cop around—and with him introducing himself right there, the power dynamic shattered in seconds.
Only An Kwang-hyun remained clueless, puffed up with bravado.
He planted himself right in front of Kang Hyun.
"Hey."
With a look of utter disbelief on his face, An Kwang-hyun was a potbellied middle-aged man who barely reached Kang Hyun's shoulder.
"Cut the bullshit. Who the hell are you, punk?"
"I'm Kang Hyun, Detective An Kwang-hyun. I hear you're the lead on the Ms. Kim Hana case. Why'd you close the investigation?"
"...The balls on this guy? Who are you to barge into a police station and throw a tantrum?"
An Kwang-hyun kept spewing obscenities. Even if Kang Hyun came off rude or it felt like he was picking a fight, no cop worth his badge would act this way toward an ordinary citizen.
"Gasp, Team Leader."
"That really looks like Kang Hyun. You know, the one all over the news lately..."
His colleagues, who had recognized Kang Hyun earlier, tried to hold him back from either side. But he shook them off and bellowed.
"You idiots! Snap out of it!"
Feigning nonchalance, An Kwang-hyun glared up at Kang Hyun.
"Fine, Kang Hyun or whatever. Why're you making a scene here? Who do you think you are? Huh? Who!"
Throughout An Kwang-hyun's meltdown, Kang Hyun just kept smiling brightly, listening without a word.
Seizing the momentum.
Whatever he said or did—it didn't matter.
But Kang Hyun started scrutinizing his every move, point by point.
An Kwang-hyun's trembling eyes. The way he fumbled to brush it off in panic.
He definitely knew who Kang Hyun was.
And beneath that bold front, something guilty was eating at him. This clinched it: the case had dirt all over it.
"Alright then."
With that, Kang Hyun took command of the conversation with An Kwang-hyun by pulling something out.
Flutter.
Kang Hyun unfolded a single sheet of paper. An Kwang-hyun's face twisted oddly at the sight.
"...An official document?"
"One your department drafted, no less."
"But why do you..."
In his hand was an official document bearing the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's seal. It looked legit at a glance—and it had come straight from Narcotics Investigation.
"You send over an investigation cooperation request, then act like this?"
It was unmistakably an official cooperation request. How or why Kang Hyun had it didn't matter—he instinctively stepped back, wondering if it exposed something shady.
"Ahem."
"I'm from the school. Picked up the files myself."
An Kwang-hyun's brows furrowed tight.
He was a cop. He usually knew better than to fly off the handle at just anyone.
A cocky kid with no real-world experience shows up yapping about his case? Time to put him in his place—that had been his thinking.
But now "related party" felt like a chain around his neck.
He had been ready to bully Kang Hyun as some deranged complainer. In a heartbeat, his attitude flipped 180 degrees.
"Ahem. Korea University?"
"Yes. Kang Hyun, president of the Korea University Student Council. Looks like you sent the document meant for student affairs to the student government body instead."
"Oh. A student, huh?"
The moment "student" hit his ears, An Kwang-hyun's tense face eased with visible relief.
Now the word "student" flipped him back to condescension. He started barking again.
"Figures it's some brat. What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Looking down on people must've been second nature. Kang Hyun had the document, so he was game for talk—but his demeanor stayed trash.
'Not the time for this, and he's still yelling and charging ahead.'
Classic corrupt bureaucrat.
One percent like him could tank a whole organization, no matter how solid the other ninety-nine.
Public trust erodes. Conflicts fester.
'Ugh. Pathetic.'
Kang Hyun tamped down his disgust and frustration, then spoke slowly.
"Came to check on the case you sent the document for. With the suspect possibly being a student on campus, Korea University needs to verify, right?"
"Tch. Already called the school and nixed the cooperation. Quit the drama and beat it."
"What do you mean 'nixed'? Still no word on how it wrapped up."
"The case on that document you are holding. Previous guy's screw-up. Total bullshit request. No leads, and you want us to tear the school apart for what?"
Kang Hyun was floored by An Kwang-hyun's gall.
Translation: His team took the preliminary probe from the prior handler and swept it under the rug.
Kang Hyun fired back instantly.
"Procedures might be fine for switching departments and internal closure, but what's your proof there are no leads? Tip even pinned it to someone inside Korea University."
"No, kid. I'm spelling it out nice and slow. Think the cops can't handle their own? Quit tailing us—hit the library and crack a book."
"Don't dodge. You haven't answered."
"Goddamn it! Just shut up and listen. Know how many cases Narcotics Team 1 gets daily?"
"Crime White Paper stats by offense type from police pubs: Seoul Narcotics Unit, roughly 400 annually."
"Where'd a punk like you scrape that up?"
An Kwang-hyun sneered down at Kang Hyun like he was pitiful. Kang Hyun parried without missing a beat.
"Go on. Test if I just overheard it or actually know my shit."
"Look. Narcotics Teams 1 to 3? Under fifty guys total. Waste manpower on some leadless Kim Hana whatever? Who's minding the rest?"
"Lighting smokes and chit-chatting—not the time for excuses."
"Ha. Exactly why clueless brats like you suck at real life."
No sign he'd answer straight. Kang Hyun pressed again.
"Still dodging. Why close this case?"
"Manpower! Lack of manpower, I said. Can't you get it? Why the circus here?"
"No need for cops on campus. Student lists or personal data analysis would've shown if it merited full probe."
"Listen up. Youth these days? Problems galore. Whine at the drop of a hat, too fragile. Seniors offer guidance, they should take it—not rebel..."
Kang Hyun's patience finally snapped.
"Fine."
This drag-on would loop the same crap for half a day, maybe a full one. Kang Hyun paused, eyes gleaming, then hit back louder.
"Police Preliminary Investigation Rules, Article 2(3): Prelims swift, fair, diligent. Article 7: Voluntary methods principle, but Article 8: Investigation team head mustn't shirk prelim cases irresponsibly."
"What? Say that again..."
"Article 8-2: Same rules. Prelim direction by authorized party, explicit reasons, specific orders. Article 11: Suspected crime in prelim? Close it, launch full investigation. Or 11-2: No conversion, handle per clauses—including 1: Prelim closure."
"..."
"This case fits. Got it?"
"Tsk."
"So, handling detective and team leader Detective An Kwang-hyun chose no full probe, closed prelim on his call. Closure grounds: no suspicion, no crime, no prosecution power."
"And?"
"If it doesn't qualify, you're on the hook. Admit it?"
"Who nitpicks like that? No upside! Upside! Kim Hana—who gives a damn? Huh? Hey!"
Swish.
Kang Hyun pivoted casually to leave. Pale as a ghost, An Kwang-hyun grabbed his arm.
"You! What're you gonna do? Huh!"
"Case is non-report prelim, Rules Article 3(2)4: Info/rumors on crimes worth truth-check. Must report to station investigation dept head post-initiation, get direction..."
He turned to the cops around An Kwang-hyun. Someone sweating bullets nodded faintly.
"I'll ask district investigation chief: reported closure or team leader rogue job?"
Sweat poured down An Kwang-hyun's neck.
"Procedural flaw? Straight to prosecution. Meet the narcotics specialist prosecutor."
"Sh-shit."
Twitching eyes. Flailing hands, clueless.
But An Kwang-hyun forced a smirk, defiant to the bitter end.
"Try it! See if a punk student meets our chief!"
"Yes. Nothing left to say."
Kang Hyun bolted from the station back. Sighs echoed from the cops, but An Kwang-hyun looked smug.
Thought Kang Hyun was all talk, fleeing. Dead wrong.
Kang Hyun wasn't the type.
If he committed, he uprooted clean. Challenged unreasonably? Crushed utterly.
He knew that station's investigation chief spot was vacant.
No responsible head? Procedural gaps galore.
'Delegation rules require report to acting authority. But he skipped on purpose.'
Click, ring.
Phone out. Dialed someone.
Prosecutor's Office.
Handling prosecutor's directing office location? Already scoped.
'Direct line to handling prosecutor? This works.'
Kang Hyun grinned triumphantly.
Tonight promised fireworks.