Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: Cooperation
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The Joint Investigation Headquarters chief asked,
"What about the chemical weapons? Didn't they leak?"
"Fortunately, there's no major danger. No fatalities either."
The chief leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew. We didn't solve it ourselves, but it's a relief this dangerous incident ended without major casualties."
Another executive chimed in.
"I heard from a buddy in another department that more than one or two teams were impressed by the data we sent today."
"Haha, really? Looks like our hard work since yesterday wasn't for nothing."
"They were asking if we're taking over the follow-up investigation too."
"Pardon?"
The chief checked his smartphone. There was a text message.
"Uh... Looks like the higher-ups are assigning this to us. They must feel a bit guilty— just a plain text message. Ha, haha. Damn it."
The next day, a detective from the Joint Investigation Headquarters visited Na Gang-in.
"Truth be told, sir, we'd prefer not to involve you officially anymore."
Na Gang-in gave an awkward smile too.
"I heard the task force is handling the aftermath."
"It seems like every major incident you resolve automatically gets passed to us now."
The detective gave a brief rundown of what they'd investigated since yesterday.
"That international mercenary Cougar. He's even more brutal than Jackal."
"You can tell just from the chemical weapons. Jackal only used a pistol, after all."
"But how did you know it was Cougar?"
He'd learned Cougar was in Korea from Omega Tech's Scarlett and Jessica. But Jessica said that info was classified.
So he explained everything except that.
"Cougar's codename and crime style pop up if you search foreign websites. I also briefly crossed paths with him in front of Restaurant Penelope, the one Jackal attacked. I pieced it together from that info."
"You found the culprit in Ms. Lee's kidnapping via internet searches, and now this... Your analytical skills are truly enviable."
"Just got lucky."
The detective also explained about the jewelry exhibition.
"That jewelry show was an event hosted by a domestic company. Most of the gems on display were borrowed. The company and insurers must've been terrified."
What Na Gang-in was curious about was the unresolved part.
"Did you figure out who Director Cha is?"
"Well... I should start with Yulmyeong Bio's situation. That antidote you used at the scene? An employee there smuggled it out."
"I figured as much."
"The company employee claims they didn't know it would be used in a chemical attack. Says they just stole some meds, not joined a terrorist plot."
"They must've suspected it could be used in something like that."
"That's our take too. But get this—Cougar called Director Cha on a burner phone. The employee who stole the antidote had one too. We pooled all the info we could and analyzed it, and something useful came up."
"What info?"
"We found a perfect hideout building. We're raiding it in an hour."
"Mind if I tag along?"
The detective grinned widely.
"Of course! We'd love for you to join us, sir. Ah, but you can't participate in the arrest operation itself. You'll have to watch from outside the building with me as we move in."
"That'll do just fine."
"Since you mentioned it, let's head out together. I'll fill you in on the rest en route."
The Joint Investigation Headquarters was made up of top performers from various departments.
They had to keep doing their original duties on top of task force work, so complaints had been nonstop.
Yet the task force members griped while delivering results. They'd analyzed their collected intel and pinpointed a small organization.
Riding in the car, the detective said,
"We haven't ID'd all the members yet, but we found their hideout. Right there."
The spot he pointed to was an old, small commercial building. It wasn't on a main road, and the first-floor shop was already shuttered.
Na Gang-in waited in the car with the detective.
Taking the incident seriously, the police deployed a SWAT team armed with pistols and submachine guns. They were prepping to breach.
The detective said,
"Looks like it's starting."
Flashbangs went off inside the building in quick succession. Right after, team members with ballistic shields rushed in. They wore gas masks just in case.
But after the police entered, the building stayed eerily quiet.
The detectives waiting outside started murmuring.
The task force detective opened the car door.
"I'll go check what's up."
He returned shortly, face grim.
"Building was empty. They'd all bolted already. Nearby merchants said they saw people going in as recently as yesterday..."
"How'd they know the police were coming?"
"No idea."
Na Gang-in opened the car door.
"I'll take a quick look around."
The detective looked embarrassed.
"Ah, the interior's still an active scene, so not right now..."
"Then when it's clear to enter, give me a call. They're probably nearby anyway."
Na Gang-in got out of the car. Might as well grab coffee or food while waiting.
He wandered looking for a restaurant.
"Gotta eat to work. What should I get today to make it legendary?"
"When'd you scout that?"
"I don't memorize all that."
As Na Gang-in walked to the restaurant, he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb.
"If the cops find nothing in that building, we'll go investigate ourselves."
"If even that fails, my eyes are just going bad, right?"
"Ji-in's getting bolder by the day."
"Pork kimchi stew sounds perfect."
Na Gang-in entered the restaurant and took a seat.
As a famed local spot, it was packed. One side had several small tables for one or two people. He sat at one.
After ordering, he glanced around the interior.
"With this many customers, it must be as good as they say."
Suddenly, semi-transparent hologram photos and info scrolled up in mid-air. A square box framed the face of someone in the opposite corner.
"Who?"
"When Su-yeon hid in that empty lot between buildings to evade the thief?"
Na Gang-in deliberately looked away before asking,
"How certain?"
"How many left the campus within an hour after the incident that day?"
"So the hacker who tried planting code in Su-yeon's laptop could be one of those 327, and one's right here."
The laptop theft tied into the jewelry expo's XVE gas incident.
Most patrons here ordered pork kimchi stew. They prepped it ahead, so it came out fast. Short wait times meant quick table turnover.
Na Gang-in's order arrived promptly.
He glanced toward the building the police were searching. It wasn't far from here.
"Gotta confirm if that guy's linked to our targets today, right?"
"How long till they finish eating?"
"Let's hurry then."
Na Gang-in shoveled down his rice first.
The suspects finished even quicker. As they paid, he stood up.
They left the restaurant first. He paid and followed.
He'd already noted their direction as they exited.
Na Gang-in tailed at a leisurely pace. Even around corners, their chatter made it easy.
They entered a detached house a short walk from the restaurant—about 500m from the police-searched building.
"Let's eavesdrop on what they're saying inside."
Na Gang-in hopped the wall lightly and crouched under a rear window.
Voices drifted out from inside. But too faint.
"Enhance it so I can understand."
Soon, clear conversation came through.
That was enough. Na Gang-in hopped back over the wall and slipped away.
"Definitely the ones who fled that building."
"Casual enough to grab lunch here means they're confident we won't find them."
"Do I need to handle it myself? Leave this to our allies."
Na Gang-in called the task force detective.
"Find anything there?"
"Then the arrest team's twiddling thumbs for now."
Na Gang-in sent a map image of his location.
"Quit slacking and bring 'em here."
"Detached house where the building escapees are hiding."
Na Gang-in explained briefly.
"There was that incident at Korea University where someone tried planting hack code in Yulmyeong Bio president's daughter's laptop. Spotted someone from that day here just now. Suspicious, right?"
"Eavesdropped a bit to check—they're talking foreign mercs."
"Distance from the building under investigation, presence on campus that day, and chatting about unannounced international mercs. Pretty suspicious, huh?"
Soon, the task force detective, SWAT, and other officers approached quietly.
Na Gang-in pointed at the house.
"That's it. No CCTV outside."
They silently surrounded the house. For the adjacent side, they waited outside the wall.
The detective lowered his voice beside Na Gang-in.
"Terrorists might have hostages."
"Didn't seem like it."
The detective shook his head.
"We'll go with that."
Na Gang-in caught on to the detective's intent.
"Ah... Yeah, looks like the homeowners are totally taken hostage."
"On-site commander made that call. Task force takes the blame if it goes south."
The detective swallowed hard and asked,
"Just to be thorough—hoping for more certainty—lots of people were at Korea University that day. How'd you remember the face?"
Jeon Ji-in had photos of everyone who left campus within an hour post-incident. Couldn't say that outright.
Na Gang-in bullshitted smoothly.
"The way he kept glancing around cautiously stuck with me."
"Ah! As expected, sir—you don't let even minor suspicion slide; you remember everything."
"I told you to remember it. Call it even."