Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Hacker II
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Na Gang-in climbed into the car. He'd pinpointed the real address the hacker had connected from. But the last login from there had been two days ago.
"Might not be there anymore?"
"The hacker failed to breach Kwon Soo-yeon's laptop and may have moved spots to dodge tracking."
"Let's check it out anyway."
The place they arrived at was a small commercial building.
"Second floor here? Why do hackers always pick spots like this?"
"No CCTV detected in this building."
"Probably for an easy escape."
Na Gang-in entered the building and headed up to the second floor. No security office, no one to stop him. He cracked open an office door. It wasn't locked.
Inside, it was empty. Not a soul, not even a scrap of paper rolling around—it had been cleaned spotless.
"Looks like someone was holed up here and bolted recently."
"Dust levels suggest they cleared out within the last day or two."
"Where'd they go?"
"All traces erased. No leads to track."
Na Gang-in grumbled as he left the building.
"Gotta be a pro at this stuff."
He'd been running around without eating and was starting to feel peckish.
"Let's grab some coffee and think."
"Strongly recommend cola."
"Fine. Cola it is."
Na Gang-in crossed the street to a convenience store and picked out a cola.
"Hm?"
He glanced up at the store's ceiling. A CCTV camera sat in the corner.
"Ji-in. If that CCTV's angled like that, it'd catch the street across, right?"
"Only covers the first floor. Can't get the office windows. Tough to ID anyone as the hacker."
"Let's verify."
Na Gang-in asked the store manager.
"Mind if I see your CCTV footage?"
The manager looked troubled.
"Uh? That's kinda... Why do you need it?"
"Chasing a thief who might live around here."
"Well... could lead to hassle..."
"Not like he robbed this place, so no hassle. Just copy files from the day before yesterday to today, and I'll throw in a hundred thousand won..."
"Where to?"
Na Gang-in copied the files to his USB drive and returned to the car.
He plugged the USB into his laptop and fast-forwarded through the footage.
"Building's only one exit. If the guy cleared out his stuff yesterday or the day before, he'd have to come out that way loaded up, right? Let's spot the mover."
"Didn't know you were this capable, Agent."
"Yeah, just you. Everyone else is impressed."
Na Gang-in cranked it to 64x speed. Even at that pace, AI Jeon Ji-in sifted the key info.
Less than thirty minutes later, AI Jeon Ji-in reported.
"Found someone hauling a large load."
Na Gang-in paused and rewound a bit. A van was parked, and a guy was loading boxes.
"That's a computer he's moving, yeah?"
AI Jeon Ji-in sharpened the blurry footage and displayed it on the AR Lens.
"Affirmative."
"Can we ID his face?"
"Shot through the store window, edge of frame, crappy quality. This is the best. Face not clearly identifiable."
"Guy in those clothes probably shopped here? Right across the street, had to grab something."
"Found a match in earlier footage wearing the same outfit."
Na Gang-in jumped to the spot AI Jeon Ji-in indicated.
A man in the same clothes as the mover had hit the store a few hours before the move.
"That's our guy. Hacker or at least an accomplice. Pull up a clear face shot."
"Saved to laptop too."
"Now to track him down... Tough with just a photo."
"License plate not visible from this angle."
"Time for some help."
Na Gang-in called police officer Park Soon-gi.
"Whoa? Master Na! Another case?"
"Nah."
"Phew. Scared me."
"About the guy from Korea University."
"Yeah, got the info from the lead detective. Thief knows squat about the hacker. I'll call if anything useful pops."
"Found something myself."
"What now..."
"The hacker."
Park Soon-gi sounded flustered.
"Huh? Detectives said even the thief didn't know—how'd you..."
"Sending a map with the spot pinned. Can you pull the plate on a van loading up there yesterday around five PM? Bonus if you track where it went. White van."
"Give me the exact time, and I'll scour traffic cams if needed."
Na Gang-in sent the map image to Park Soon-gi's phone.
Then he cracked open the cola from the store.
"Need Soon-gi to nab this guy quick."
"Handy having ties in security."
"Not why I teach Taekwondo, though."
Ten minutes later, Park Soon-gi called back.
"Got it. Plate confirmed. Tracking destination now."
"Thanks."
"Master Na, if you're grateful, help us out next time. My team's dropping everything, eyes peeled for that van."
"If I can step in and help, sure."
"Awesome. You at that map spot? Not far—want me to swing by?"
"Sounds good. Civilian limits on investigations."
"A civilian who already tracked the hacker? How?"
"Just good?"
"Uh, yeah. On my way."
Park Soon-gi arrived in twenty minutes. Na Gang-in switched to his car.
Park Soon-gi briefed him.
"It's a ghost plate. Too many in Korea. While I drove here, team analyzed cams and traced it."
Park Soon-gi showed a map on his smartphone.
"Didn't go far."
He pointed to a spot.
"Vanishes here. Probably nearby."
Na Gang-in said,
"Head there."
At a red light, Na Gang-in sent Park Soon-gi the photo of the convenience store guy via his smartphone.
"This guy's the hacker or an accomplice. Who we need."
"How'd you get this?"
"Store regular across the street. CCTV snap."
"So how do you know it's him from the photo..."
"Just good?"
"Ah, yeah."
Their destination mixed rundown shops, offices, and apartments.
AI Jeon Ji-in said,
"Hacker's van located."
Na Gang-in pointed ahead.
"There it is."
"Hacker inside?"
"No CCTV on the building. No security. Matches previous hideout."
"Bet he is."
Na Gang-in slipped inside.
Park Soon-gi followed, lowering his voice.
"Tons of doors. Which one?"
Na Gang-in checked the electric meters.
"The one guzzling power."
They went to the second floor. A few offices. Na Gang-in pointed to one.
"Hacker's there. Soon-gi, lure him out and stall a bit."
"What're you gonna..."
"Better you don't know, as a public servant."
"You're not gonna take him out, right?"
"Of course not. What kinda image do you think I have?"
"True. Ha, haha."
Na Gang-in hung back.
Park Soon-gi knocked on the office door.
"Anyone home? Landlord here."
The door flew open moments later.
"Rent's prepaid—no bothering... Huh? Who're you?"
Park Soon-gi compared the man to the phone photo.
"Match."
"Wh-who are you!"
Park Soon-gi flashed his badge.
"Yep. Police."
"P-po-po... how'd you... why..."
"You're the hacker, right?"
"Gasp!"
"We know everything. Cooperate now, counts as turning yourself in. Wait for a warrant, and punishment's harsher."
The hacker's eyes darted wildly.
"Th-that's... not now, later..."
"Kidnapping and attempted murder—what's the sentence again..."
The hacker jumped.
"W-wait! I never kidnapped anyone! No attempted murder either!"
"Victim exists already? Saw it on the news? That's why you fled from the convenience store building to here?"
"I-I just..."
Park Soon-gi dangled bait.
"People might overhear here. Wanna step inside?"
"N-no! Can't come in!"
"Out then?"
"Y-yeah."
The hacker locked the door with a key and followed Park Soon-gi.
As they vanished down the stairs, Na Gang-in emerged from the opposite side.
"Key lock, huh?"
"Use the lockpick."
Na Gang-in inserted two wires into the lock. AI Jeon Ji-in guided them to pop it open easily.
Na Gang-in entered the office. The hacker had fallen for the lure and left the computer running.
Na Gang-in plugged in the USB.
"Copy what we need. Not hacking—just direct copy. Fair game."
The USB held various programs from AI Jeon Ji-in.
"Transfer program installed. Sending selected production base files. Will auto-erase traces on completion."
"Ji-in, you play dumb usually, but nail it when it counts."
"Found recent hack data."
"This the guy after Yulmyeong Bio?"
"Yes."
"Knew it. Anything else?"
"Hacked an entertainment agency."
"Caught one doing that before. Another one?"
"Succeeded on two agencies."
"What'd he snag?"
"Celebrity personal info."
"Same as last time? Same client as the caught hacker? Nah, that guy's busted, so different employer this time."
"Logical."
"What was he after at Yulmyeong Bio?"
"XVE gas antidote formula."
"Whoa. Suspected chemical weapons, and bingo."
Park Soon-gi couldn't stall forever. Na Gang-in yanked the USB and stood.
"Out. Relock the door."
Na Gang-in stepped out. Park Soon-gi was still chatting with the hacker.
Na Gang-in approached.
"Detective Park, just charge him with kidnapping and attempted murder?"
Park Soon-gi played along.
"Yeah, Kim Detective. Think so?"
The hacker protested desperately.
"I really didn't know!"
Na Gang-in said,
"The program you planted on the near-kidnapping victim's laptop at school. You made it."
"Huh? N-no. Got proof?"
"We know it all. Just confirming with you."
"Not falling for lies..."
"Hacked entertainment agencies too? Two successes."
"Gasp!"
"What for the celebrity info?"
"Th-that's not..."
"Yulmyeong Bio too?"
The hacker went pale.
"H-how much do you know?"
"Everything you've done. Confess clean for leniency."
"B-but..."
Na Gang-in pressed with the fresh intel.
"Why target chemical weapons?"
The hacker flailed his hands wildly.
"Huh? Chemical weapons? No! That's not it!"