Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Dawn at Namyangju University Hospital
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Dawn.
Namyangju University Hospital.
After several hours, the chaos mixed with screams and wails following the incident had somewhat subsided.
The emergency room had entered a moment of heavy silence.
“...”
Kang Hyun had been frantically helping at the scene—rescuing people, carrying another injured person, explaining the situation.
‘Ow, now it stings.’
He hadn’t even realized he was hurt. Only now, catching his breath, did the pain from his injuries start to register.
It wasn’t until past 2 a.m. that he could finally get treatment for the scratches on his hand and the wounds on his arm and face.
Outside the emergency room, in the waiting area.
Kang Hyun sat slumped in a chair, his shoulders slightly hunched as if he’d poured every ounce of his strength into it all.
“Oppa.”
“Huh?”
It was Yoo Chae-eun.
“Coffee.”
“Oh, thanks.”
She handed him a cup of coffee.
Only after that did she sit diagonally across from him, tying back her disheveled short hair and finally straightening her clothes.
It had been about a year since they’d last seen each other, but things had been too hectic to even exchange greetings.
The police from Namyangju had set up a police line and controlled the area, so after giving their statements and explaining the situation inside the cordon, the two had followed the ambulance to the hospital.
“You doing okay?”
“Yeah. Been busy.”
“No kidding. No word from you, and now we meet here.”
“Tell me about it. You transferred to field duty?”
“You really don’t check Instagram, do you? I made inspector, but got pushed out by the precinct guys and ended up in traffic.”
“I knew you made inspector. Rapid Response Team?”
“Yeah. Did highway patrol too, and was aiming for the escort team originally. Life doesn’t go as planned. Sigh.”
“Suits you.”
“Hey, don’t just say nice things.”
A brief silence.
“What about you? Namyangju treating you okay?”
“How’d you know?”
“It was on the news.”
“Just getting by.”
“Figured. I thought with your skills, you’d be making a name in the Central District Prosecutors’ Special Division by now. Heard you’re investigating that building collapse?”
“Yeah. It’s complicated.”
“Really? Never thought I’d hear you say that.”
Kang Hyun let out a weak, hollow laugh, and Yoo Chae-eun smiled faintly. The two shared a brief moment of rest, just for themselves.
Until now, they hadn’t even had time to think their own thoughts.
‘The incident’s huge.’
A massive vehicle collision at the intersection. At least a six-car pileup, with vehicles flipping and even an explosion—a horrific accident.
Casualties estimated at around ten.
Depending on jurisdiction, the investigation would start at Namyangju Southern Police Station and be transferred to Kang Hyun’s Criminal Division.
“Fatalities?”
“...Yeah. Five. High school students, a mother and child...”
“...Damn.”
Kang Hyun bit his lip hard.
During the cleanup, he’d caught a glimpse of the police forensics team—what they called the “reaper squad”—covering bodies with white sheets, so he’d known there were deaths.
But five?
“...Cause of the accident?”
“The initial vehicle clipped the car ahead at an angle from the left, and the front left wheel came off the first impacted car. Then it collided with an oncoming vehicle across the median, got caught on the detached wheel, and bounced up. The recoil sent the first car spinning 360 degrees in the middle of the intersection. Not exact, but at least five or six collisions.”
“...”
“But the person we saved is out of danger.”
“...Good.”
Of course, a silver lining in the tragedy.
Kang Hyun had gritted his teeth to keep that fading spark of life from going out, and they’d saved one.
Even so, Kang Hyun felt his head spinning.
Five deaths from an accident right in front of his eyes.
‘It started with that car.’
The image burned in his mind: that one car staggering in front of the bus.
They’d have to investigate the reason, but even simple negligence wouldn’t absolve responsibility—drunk driving or drugs were possible too.
If so, punishment was in order.
“The cause vehicle?”
“Who knows. Probably under investigation already... Oppa?”
As Yoo Chae-eun spoke, she scooted closer and shook his shoulder.
“Snap out of it! You’re spacing out asking questions like that.”
“Right. Yeah. You okay?”
“I’m fine. Heartbreaking, but no time to grieve in this line of work.”
Yoo Chae-eun was a seven-year veteran cop now. She’d rocketed to inspector, and word was she was eyeing superintendent next year.
Her calm comfort carried the weight of experience.
‘Yeah. No time for this.’
Kang Hyun resolved to pull himself together and slowly stood.
“Heading to the prosecutors’ office?”
“Nah, my phone’s smashed anyway.”
“Huh? Your phone broke?”
“Yeah. On the way to the hospital.”
“Ugh, might as well upgrade to the latest...”
“Where’s the morgue?”
Cutting off her attempt to lighten the mood, Kang Hyun asked. Surprised by the question, she shrugged and glanced down the hallway leading inside.
“Why the morgue?”
“Prosecutors from our office will probably show up.”
“For autopsies? Namyangju station won’t report the bodies for a while.”
“It’s big. With the section chief’s personality, he’ll mobilize every junior prosecutor.”
“Hmm, sounds rough over there. Call them—borrow your phone?”
Just as Yoo Chae-eun offered her phone.
The hospital’s automatic doors slid open with a buzz, and a group entered the lounge.
At least a dozen, by rough count.
Familiar burly prosecutors in shirts. And police.
Leading them: Namyangju District Prosecutors’ Office—Senior Prosecutor Hwang Jae-eun, Prosecutor Cheong Yu-ram, Prosecutor Kim Si-hwan.
Three entire prosecutor offices had arrived for the autopsies.
Meaning the whole prosecutors’ office was intensely focused on this case.
As prosecutors and police arrived at the hospital, the staff took up their roles under the prosecutors’ direction.
Police began controlling unnecessary personnel.
Prosecutor investigators moved quickly to coordinate with doctors.
They scattered, making thorough, immediate preparations to ensure the autopsies proceeded without a hitch.
“Huh? Whoa!”
Prosecutor Kim Si-hwan spotted Kang Hyun and Yoo Chae-eun in the corner of the waiting area and yelped in surprise.
Click-clack.
His shoes echoed as he hurried over, and the two naturally stood from their chairs.
“Prosecutor Kang, phone’s off—what happened? And look at you?”
“...There were circumstances.”
“Circumstances my foot. Senior Prosecutor Hwang is furious. No contact maintained. He’ll report to the division heads at least, maybe even the chief...”
Kang Hyun just gave a wry smile as the tactless Kim Si-hwan blurted it all out. Explaining the night’s events would take too long...
“So hurry up and tell me what happened...”
“Excuse me.”
“Hmm, not now? Don’t talk for the moment...”
“Excuse me?”
“Yes?”
It was Yoo Chae-eun. Unable to stand it, she interrupted Kim Si-hwan, who turned to her.
“This person was at the scene with him.”
“Huh... What?”
“Prosecutor Kang Hyun. He was at the intersection accident scene.”
“And you are...?”
She was in obvious field police gear with the insignia plain as day, but Kim Si-hwan fumbled anyway, brain short-circuiting.
“This is Inspector Yoo Chae-eun of the Seocho Station Rapid Response Team. Prosecutor Kang Hyun was helping with victim rescue and cleanup until just now. He anticipated the autopsies and waited, even with his phone broken.”
“...Phone’s broken?”
Arms crossed, she laid it out in her investigator tone. Kim Si-hwan deflated and hesitated, processing.
“Ah... Inspector, sorry, I’m just not grasping the situation...”
“Prosecutor Kang is injured too.”
Finally registering: Kang Hyun’s hand caught his eye.
His clothes were bandaged up on hands and arms, white shirt smudged black with soot.
Eyes widening at last.
“Wait, you—you were at the accident scene? You’re hurt?”
Nod.
“Hey! You okay? You got hit too?!”
“No, I was on the bus, but not badly... Gah.”
Before Kang Hyun could finish, Kim Si-hwan hugged him fiercely, patting his back.
“You rascal, glad you’re safe. Heard the accident was massive?”
“Yeah.”
“How’s the body?”
“As you see.”
Kang Hyun shrugged it off as fine, and only then did Kim Si-hwan smile in relief, tugging him along.
“Let’s go to the seniors first. We’re short-handed; autopsies need to start ASAP.”
“Yeah. Knew it, so I waited.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Patting Kang Hyun while subtly pushing him ahead.
“Chae-eun, I’m off. Rest up today.”
“Oppa, call me.”
He nodded to Yoo Chae-eun with an eye signal, she replied in kind as they parted.
Tap-tap.
“...?”
Yoo Chae-eun turned to see Kim Si-hwan standing awkwardly.
“Uh, um... Inspector.”
“Yes? Prosecutor.”
“You said Yoo Chae-eun of Seocho Station?”
“Yes? Yeah.”
He hemmed and hawed, debating, then quickly pulled something from his pocket.
A business card.
“...I’m Prosecutor Kim Si-hwan, Namyangju Criminal Division 2. Could I... maybe keep in touch?”
“...Why?”
“W-Well... work stuff too...”
“Seocho and Namyangju?”
“N-No! Just, we met like this, fate or whatever—see you around!”
“Huh? You okay?”
“Yes?”
“Your face is all red... Water?”
“N-No! See you next time! Inspector!”
Ah! Not like that! Kim Si-hwan bolted after Kang Hyun, face crimson.
Yoo Chae-eun, clueless, just stared oddly at his retreating figure.
In front of the morgue.
“Aaagh! No, don’t!”
Kang Hyun halted at someone’s scream.
“Don’t touch my child even a hair! You can’t take them!”
“Ma’am...”
“No! Kill me first! Oh my... oh my...”
The one blocking the body identification was a bereaved family member.
The grandmother of the mother and student who’d died, it seemed.
She screamed, blocking police and prosecutors alike, but soon collapsed, overwhelmed, sobbing.
“...Senior.”
“...”
Kang Hyun approached Hwang Jae-eun late, but she didn’t ask why he was so late or what he’d been doing.
She just stood there before the wailing family, hiding her sadness behind a cold, expressionless mask.
The bereaved were blocking the autopsies, delaying the case.
No one here could criticize their tears holding back the bodies. Just hollow, sorrowful faces all around.
“...I’ll go check.”
Hwang Jae-eun gave no reply, but Kang Hyun took it as approval and moved to assess the situation more closely.
He slipped through the police line separating them from the family and stepped forward.