Becoming the Owner of the Navigation System
“So it wasn't broken?”
The voice of the navigation system, which I was hearing for the first time, was as clear and crisp as if it were brand new.
“Did his wife forget she replaced it with a new one? But what company made this?”
I had never seen a navigation system that displayed 'User Mode' on its startup screen.
And on top of that...
“What is this?”
Two buttons appearing on the screen were waiting for my selection.
“Is this a new custom model made by a contractor for the National Police Agency?”
If something like this had been released, headquarters would have promoted it heavily, but I had never heard of such a thing.
Besides, this was the personal vehicle of my mentor, who had passed away a year ago.
“His wife definitely didn't know about this either.”
I didn't know the story behind it, but thinking that this was the car I would be driving from now on, I grew curious about its features.
“Let's start with Normal Mode.”
When I lightly tapped the screen with my finger, it quickly switched to a familiar display.
“This is just a regular navigation screen.”
What I was really curious about was Pursuit Mode.
I hit the back button to return to the home screen.
“What exactly is it pursuing?”
Imagining what might happen, I tapped the button.
Ding!
A clear, chime-like electronic sound rang out.
This feature is only available to active police officers. User authentication is required.
Next, a fingerprint icon appeared on the screen.
“I have to scan my fingerprint just to see it?”
It felt a bit sketchy to scan my fingerprint without knowing what it was, but this car was practically a second home to my mentor and me.
Maybe my mentor had been looking at this by himself while I was out buying coffee.
“It's not porn, is it?”
The fact that I had never seen it before meant my mentor had intentionally hidden it from me.
What was he trying to hide from me by pretending it was broken all this time?
My curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to see it through.
I pressed my thumb against the screen.
Officer Min Suho, Seongam Police Station, Violent Crimes Team 1. Confirmed.
“It verified my affiliation and identity just from my fingerprint?”
This was only possible if it was linked to the National Police Agency's forensic database. It had to be some cutting-edge equipment I didn't know about.
“Why install such high-tech gear in a junker like this, of all places...?”
The navigation system immediately displayed the next message.
Due to the death of the main user, the status of the sole sub-user will be automatically promoted.
Do you accept? (Y/N)
“……”
It even knew that my mentor had died.
This would be possible if it were connected to the police network and updated regularly.
But what if it wasn't?
“This is sketchy. Should I ask the Cyber Crimes Unit?”
I had already left my badge behind to quit the force, so going back just to check this felt unappealing.
“Should I go a bit further?”
Even if it was a hacked, malicious program, I had nothing to lose.
My bank account balance was only a few tens of thousands of won.
A man with nothing to lose becomes brave.
“Let's see this through to the end. Yes!”
Registration complete. Congratulations on becoming the new main user.
I felt uneasy, but I couldn't stop now.
It almost felt like the navigation system was choosing me.
A 24-hour trial program is available to help the new main user understand the system.
Would you like to start now? (Y/N)
Is it like a game tutorial?
“Sure, why not. I've come this far, might as well keep going. Yes again!”
The screen changed once more.
“What? This is just a regular map?”
It was just a run-of-the-mill navigation map showing the surrounding buildings and roads.
I thought something amazing would pop up since it demanded a fingerprint scan...
It was so anticlimactic that I felt like I had wasted my time.
“Officer Min!”
Just then, I heard someone calling my name.
Knock, knock, knock.
The person who had approached and tapped on the car window was Team Leader Na Sangdo. I quickly rolled down the window.
“You haven't left yet?”
“Ah, yes, Team Leader.”
“We're going out for a drink. Want to join?”
“No, thank you. I have plans, so I should get going.”
“Ah, really? Can't be helped then. Did his wife give you this car?”
“Yes. She said Inspector Son wanted me to have it.”
“He left something behind for his partner after all. But this thing is way too old. Get it inspected first to see if it's even safe to drive. Want me to recommend a mechanic I know?”
“I know the shop Inspector Son used to go to. It's late today, so I'll probably head over tomorrow.”
“Alright. Call me if anything comes up.”
“Yes, sir. Enjoy your drinks.”
“Will do.”
Team Leader Na walked back to the other detectives.
The members of Violent Crimes Team 1, who looked more like gangsters than cops, waved at me from a distance.
They might look rough, but they were genuinely good people...
How sweet would the drinks taste if I joined them and raised a glass?
But if I let myself get swept up in that camaraderie, I'd never be able to leave.
“Let's clear my head. I've already made up my mind to quit.”
To be honest, I was never cut out to be a cop.
I didn't join the force out of a burning sense of justice or a duty to protect the public like they did.
Until high school, kendo was my entire life.
My goal in life was to make the national team and win an Olympic gold medal.
“If only I hadn't gotten caught up in that incident...”
The time I beat up ten school bullies all by myself.
Thanks to Inspector Son, I avoided juvenile detention, but things never went back to the way they were.
It was all because of a single business card handed to me by one of the bullies' parents.
“This is who I am. I suggest we don't waste each other's time.”
Eom Du-gwang
President of the Korea Kendo Association
Seeing the words printed on that card, I laid down my sword.
I, who had dreamed of going to college on an athletic scholarship and winning gold as a national athlete, couldn't even overcome a single piece of paper.
If I wanted to make use of my skills, there was no other path but the police.
I enlisted right after graduating high school, and as soon as I was discharged, I passed the police exam and became a patrol officer.
Instead of a gold medal, I chased criminals.
The pay was terrible, but it was rewarding.
But seeing my mentor's tragic end snapped me back to reality.
“I can't even give my parents pocket money properly. Why the hell am I doing this?”
Whether working construction, at a factory, or even part-time at a convenience store, you could make more money than a cop these days.
Let's make money. Let's make a lot of money and finally be a good son to my parents.
“I'll go back to my studio apartment, get some rest, and start looking for a job tomorrow. It won't be too late to hand in my resignation once I find something else. Let's go home.”
It was a route I knew by heart, so I didn't even think to look at the strange navigation system.
“They say you don't notice when someone arrives, but you sure notice when they leave. With two people missing, this place feels empty. Let's drink.”
It was a team dinner, but only three people were present.
The atmosphere was unusually quiet.
Sergeant Park Inhyeok broke the silence and asked Team Leader Na Sangdo.
“Do you think the rookie is really going to quit?”
“Quit? Why would he quit? He probably just said it in the heat of the moment.”
Team Leader Na brushed it off lightly.
Wondering if Na hadn't heard yet, Sergeant Park explained the situation clearly.
“We said it was to prepare for the headquarters audit, but he must have felt insulted. I know I would have.”
Inspector Choi Doyeong, who had been out on field duty, hadn't even known such a thing had happened.
“You interrogated the rookie? Are you even human?”
“It wasn't an interrogation. Just a practice run. What choice did I have when the higher-ups ordered it?”
Sergeant Park kept an eye on the team leader who had ordered it, but he still said what needed to be said.
Inspector Choi shook his head.
“Can't use guns! Can't use Tasers! Then what about the baton? That's basically for massages. We have to ask suspects if they have osteoporosis first in case their bones break. Fuck!”
Despite Choi's out-of-line outburst, no one scolded him.
They all shared similar sentiments, even if their positions differed.
Sergeant Park defended Officer Min with a sigh.
“His mentor, who was like a father to him, died in such a horrible way. Why would a twenty-five-year-old kid have any lingering attachment to being a detective? It's a miracle he lasted a year.”
“Suho is twenty-five?”
“You didn't even know his age until now?”
“He's younger than I thought. He writes up reports like a seasoned veteran.”
“That's only because his mentor was so slow at typing that Suho ended up doing it for him and got used to it.”
“Looking back, Daesan-hyeong was really something else. Sometimes he was like a lazy sergeant counting down his days, and other times he was like a saint who gave everything away.”
“I only have good memories of him. If it weren't for him, the Sinchang-dong family murder case would have remained unsolved.”
“You think you're the only one? How many times did he toss us a slip of paper with a suspect's address when we couldn't even identify them? If he had graduated from the Police University, he would have been a chief long ago.”
Sergeant Park lowered his voice, taking the opportunity to ask.
“But I heard rumors that Inspector Son had an incredible network of informants. Have you heard anything, Inspector Choi?”
“Informants?”
“Yes. How did he find the suspects' locations faster than CCTV cameras, and not just once or twice? How could he do that without informants?”
“Haha. Some people said he was psychic.”
“Ah, psychic! That actually makes sense.”
“What do you mean it makes sense? It was just the know-how he built up over his long career as a detective.”
“Come on, not everyone with experience can do that. Pinpointing a criminal's location like that can't be explained by anything other than shamanism. Ah, why didn't I think of that before?”
Team Leader Na, who had been listening quietly, poured himself another drink and changed the subject.
“Sergeant Park, you don't have any pressing cases right now, do you?”
“No, sir. Not at the moment. Do you have something for me?”
“Keep an eye on the rookie. Discreetly.”
“What do you mean...?”
“Report everything to me—where he goes, who he meets. Starting tomorrow.”
“...Are you telling me to tail the rookie?”
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
“It's an order from the new chief.”
“…….”
Inspector Choi cautiously brought up the topic everyone had been avoiding.
“It's because they're worried the rookie might cause trouble again, right?”
Instead of answering, Team Leader Na gave a small nod and downed his glass in one gulp.
Inspector Choi spoke as if he had expected it.
“He came from the headquarters intelligence unit, so of course he doesn't even trust his own men.”
“No wonder he gave off such a cold vibe from the start.”
“Things are going to get exhausting.”
Violent crimes detectives, who were used to physical legwork, rarely got along with intelligence officers.
They had a strong reputation for being cold and calculating.
“Look at you detectives, talking smack about your superior at a drinking table. Real professional.”
Team Leader Na didn't like the chief either, but the chief's concerns weren't entirely baseless.
“How many guys has the rookie beaten to a pulp? Was he always like this? He only started going wild after Inspector Son died. Aren't you guys worried?”
“Well, that's...”
Sergeant Park trailed off.
“Speak up. You're closest to him, Sergeant Park.”
“Of course, there are times when he goes a bit too far. But he's still young. Once he gets older...”
“Don't dismiss him just because he's young. He was overshadowed by his brilliant mentor, but he was never a clumsy detective. Do you think Son Daesan was the type to let just anyone close to him?”
“No, he wasn't.”
“Even if you have a hundred strengths, a single flaw can ruin your career in the police. I feel just as bad for Suho as you guys do. But if we don't fix his bad habits now, we never will.”
“…….”
“For the sake of the kid's future, it's right for us to step in. Keep a discreet eye on him so you don't get caught and make things awkward. Got it, Sergeant Park?”
“...Yes, sir.”
He answered, but Park Inhyeok was not pleased with the assignment.
Still, it was an order from his team leader, whom he saw every single day. He had no choice but to comply.
“Let's wrap it up for tonight.”
Na Sangdo emptied his final glass and stood up.
It wasn't a pleasant gathering, and the alcohol tasted bitter.
He wasn't confident in what he might say if he got any drunker.
“Boss, how much do we owe you?”
“Table three? Ten bottles of soju and the pork belly...”
The restaurant owner was tapping away on a calculator.
Just then, a colleague of Team Leader Na's from the Traffic Division walked into the restaurant with a few patrol officers.
“Oh, Team Leader Na. Violent Crimes is having a dinner tonight?”
“Huh? Yeah.”
“But you're leaving already?”
“We're done, so we should head out. What about you? Weren't you supposed to be running a DUI checkpoint tonight?”
“We just finished our shift. Stopped by to grab a bowl of noodles since we're hungry.”
Just then, the restaurant owner called out the total.
“That's 154,000 won. Just give me 150,000.”
“Put it on this.”
The colleague, notorious for being a cheapskate, suddenly opened his wallet and pulled out a card.
“What's gotten into you? Paying for another team's dinner?”
“Your guy helped me hit my quota, so this is the least I can do to pay you back.”
“...What are you talking about?”
“The rookie from your team is tearing it up on the main avenue right now. He caught one hit-and-run driver, four drunk drivers who fled the checkpoint, and even a guy driving high on drugs. If that last guy had gotten away, it would've caused a massive accident. Anyway, thanks for sending backup, buddy.”
“…….”
What on earth was he talking about?
Why was the kid who said he was quitting the force doing all that over there...?